So… our youngest daughter is in gymnastics. And her gym? Clear across the other side of Indianapolis. It’s a commute. Instead of driving all the way back home, I’ve started making a stop at the library. Quiet. Focused. A place to reset and create. On one of those days, I went looking for inspiration—flipping through graphic novels and comics—and stumbled across “8 Million Genies.” The premise stopped me cold: What if everyone in the world got one wish… at the same time? Sound

Courtesy Photo: Chronicle News Publisher and Editor Yanice Y. Carter Dear Readers, As we move deeper into summer, I invite each of us to pause for a moment, not to focus on what divides us, but on what heals us. Healing comes in many forms. It is found in a conversation with a trusted friend, a prayer whispered in quiet moments, a counselor's encouragement, a neighbor lending a helping hand, or simply choosing hope when life feels heavy. Our communities have faced challenges,

Courtesy Photo: Chronicle News Publisher and Editor Yanice Y. Carter Summer has a way a way of being people together. Neighborhood festivals fill our parks. Children laugh on playgrounds. Volunteers roll up their sleeves. Small businesses welcome customers through their doors. Across Michigan, people are showing up, not because they have to, but because they care. That's what impact looks like. Too often, we measure success by titles, awards, or headlines. But some of the gre

The excitement is building as the 2nd Annual HBCU Initiative: Empower, Educate & Excellence prepares to return to Lansing this December, continuing a mission that is about much more than college recruitment. It is about opening doors, expanding dreams, and introducing young people to the rich legacy and life-changing opportunities found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Scheduled for Friday, December 11, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5852 Wise Road in

For more than two decades, the Uplift Our Youth Foundation has remained committed to one simple but powerful belief: when young people are given opportunities to succeed, entire communities flourish. Founded in 2002 by the late Larry Leatherwood, the Greater Lansing-based nonprofit has become one of the region's enduring champions for youth development. Leatherwood envisioned an organization that would not only provide financial assistance to youth-serving organizations but a

Courtesy Photo: 150,000 books. Countless dreams. 📚✨WKAR’s Robin Pizzo and her team continue to put books directly into the hands of children across Mid-Michigan, helping build stronger readers, learners, and communities. 150,000 books into the tiny, curious, precocious and sometimes reluctant hands of children across mid-Michigan was never a goal Robin Pizzo, director of education at WKAR, considered reaching within six years. Yet, with each event she attended as a public me

Photo Credit: Chronicle Media Group: Young Liam Carter raises his hands in victory moments before he joins his kindergarten class in the graduation ceremony. LANSING, Mich. — For the Carter family, the first weekend of June was one for the history books. On Friday June 5th 2026, six-year-old Liam Carter, son of Chronicle News Publisher and Editor Yanice Y. Carter, proudly graduated from Kindergarten at Post Oak Academy, completing his second year in the school’s Chinese Immer

Courtesy Photo: Judge Wanda Stokes, 30th District Circuit Court Judge, Ingham County, Michigan At this important milestone, I’d like to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to the amazing Class of 2026! You have endured some unique events over the last few years and reached your goal! As you reflect on your past journey of dedication and hard work, look forward to an amazing future of possibilities! As you embark on the next chapter of your life, you will face nu

Photo Credit: Chronicle Media Group-These young men represent the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, fathers, and change-makers. Through mentorship and guidance, they are building the confidence and character needed to make a lasting impact. On Saturday, my son Liam and I attended a parent and youth workshop hosted by the IMOGUL Mentoring Group at the Delta Township District Library. What we experienced was far more than an informational meeting. It was a powerful rem

As The Chronicle News celebrates 40 years of serving Mid-Michigan, the organization is also investing in the future through one of its newest youth initiatives: the Chronicle Kids Community Coloring Book. The publication, titled I Know I Can: Real People. Real Careers. Real Possibilities., was created to inspire young readers by introducing them to community leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, public servants, and changemakers who are making a difference throughout th

The Community Catalyst was founded in 2017 by Yanice Carter with a clear mission: to create measurable, community-led change by building bridges between residents, organizations, and local leadership. What began as a grassroots effort in Lansing has evolved into a growing movement centered on collaboration, empowerment, and opportunity. At its core, The Community Catalyst exists to help people move beyond survival mode by connecting them with the resources, education, skills,

Against All Odds Foundation founder Shirley M. Carter-Powell has spent decades turning survival into service. As the Founder and President of Against All Odds Foundation, Shirley is a two-time cancer survivor who has dedicated her life to supporting other survivors, cancer patients, families, and underserved community members during some of life’s most difficult moments. Through advocacy, encouragement, survivor outreach, basic-needs support, and the Bobbie Jackson Scholarshi

For years, DJ Cutt Nice has used music not only to entertain, but to educate, uplift, and preserve culture throughout the Lansing community and beyond. Known as “The 45 Advocate,” DJ Cutt Nice has built a reputation as a respected DJ, music historian, collector, and community voice dedicated to keeping the art of DJing alive for future generations. His passion for music, vinyl culture, storytelling, and community engagement has inspired countless people through both performan

Courtesy Photo-Robin Pizzo, M.Ed. Director of Education & Regional Director, Michigan Learning Channel, focuses on literacy, family engagement, and expanding access to educational resources throughout Michigan's Capital Region LANSING, Mich. — The Chronicle News and WKAR Public Media are proud to announce a new collaborative partnership designed to expand access to meaningful community-centered education content and resources. The collaboration will focus on strengthening con

“Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor.” For the men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., it is more than a motto, it is a mandate. A standard. A calling to lead, serve, and build across every space they occupy. Photo Credit: Andre Smith Photography- Brotherhood across generations, Gregory S. Thomas stands with young men enrolled in the Lansing Alumni Chapter Kappa League Program. This is a reflection of the organization’s commitment to mentorship, discipline, and achi

Meet Aondray Worthy, a skilled haberdasher and the visionary behind Walk Worthy Custom Menswear. A haberdasher is more than someone who works with clothing. It is someone who understands how style, fit, and presentation come together to create confidence. Through his work, Aondray helps men and young boys look sharp, feel proud, and show up in the world with purpose. Inside his shop, every detail matters. From measuring sleeves to selecting fabrics, Aondray teaches that how y

More than a coloring page, it’s a mirror. Showing our children they can use their voice, tell stories, and shape their world. Through Chronicle Kids, we’re planting confidence, purpose, and possibility. Yanice Carter is a journalist, publisher, and community storyteller who is dedicated to sharing stories that inform, inspire, and connect people. As the Publisher of The Chronicle News and the voice behind The Sunday Chronicle, she creates platforms where real stories are told

Man… it’s crazy to think my college days are decades behind me. But every time I’m on a campus, I feel that same energy. You see it in the students. You feel it in the families—especially those celebrating their first kid going to college. That pride hits different. But I’ll be honest, I worry too. Because a lot of us were sold the same story:“Go to college, get a job, buy a car… you made it.” I believed that. Got my first job at a nonprofit. Money was low, but my dreams were

LANSING, Mich. — There’s a difference between telling young people to dream… and actually giving them somewhere to go. The My Brother’s & Sister’s Keepers Alliance of Metro Lansing, known as MBSK 517, is choosing the second. Through the launch of the Lansing Opportunity Hub, the organization is creating a structured, intentional pathway for youth to connect directly with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and organizations ready to invest in their growth. This is not just anoth

There is a quiet kind of power that doesn’t announce itself. It builds. It studies. It finishes. And then… it lifts others across the same finish line. Dr. Frances D. Carter-Johnson embodies that power. A distinguished policy researcher, data analyst, and educational consultant based in the Washington, D.C.–Baltimore region, Dr. Carter-Johnson has built a career at the intersection of research, equity, and opportunity. Her work spans federal agencies, academic institutions, a