The founder and CEO of 7mile Radio, Marc D’Andre, had an interview with WDIV Channel 4’s reporter Victor Williams. The interview aired Monday, on Channel 4’s 5:00 p.m. broadcast of the evening news. In the interview, Marc D’Andre and Victor Williams discussed the new strategy Marc is using, in efforts to find a common ground between the community and the police. Marc expressed, how racism and racial profiling has been a continuous issue as it relates to African Americans and police. His goal is to connect with police departments, to find out what strategies are put in place to prevent the issues, and to open up some form of communication between the community and the police. He went on to express how African Americans encounter more incidents with racism and racial profiling, in suburban communities outside of Detroit. This is why he wanted to connect with suburban police departments first, before connecting with those closer to downriver.
At the time of the interview, between Marc D’Andre and Victor Williams, Marc spoke about the face-to-face discussions he had with the police Chiefs of Westland, Livonia and Royal Oak, and how he planned on speaking with the Chiefs of Troy and Dearborn next. Since the interview, Marc has spoken with the Chiefs of Police in Troy and Sterling Heights, face-to-face. He has also had a telephone discussion with the Oakland County Sheriff. The discussion scheduled with the Chief of Police in Dearborn was postponed and awaiting a new date. Marc was accompanied by Edward Hosendove and Melissa Davis of The Rosa Parks Institution, during each interview with the Chiefs. He and his partner are currently putting together a documentary relating to this current issue. Marc D’Andre is not only a podcast host; he’s an independent journalist, producer, web developer, graphic designer and photographer.