Edward Barakah Sanders, talk to RCAAN Member's and guest's on October 22, 2026. Edward Sanders prefers to go by “Barakah,” a name that means blessings. He feels blessed even though he spent 40 years in prison for driving the car a friend fired a gun from, resulting in another person’s death. As one of Michigan’s youths sentenced to life without parole, a judge told him that he deserved to die in prison. But Barakah never agreed, and he never gave up hope that one day, he’d be free again.

Barakah grew up in Detroit in the 1960s and 70s. His neighborhood was dotted with notable people — he was friends with Aretha Franklin’s sons. In 1967, the Detroit Uprising took place on his doorstep, giving him a front-row seat to the violence and despair that can arise from inequality. As a teen, he became a leader of a street gang.

One night in 1976, he and his friends had a disagreement with another man as they drove past him. Barakah was the driver of the car. A passenger inside the car shot and killed the man. Barakah was arrested as an accessory and charged with felony murder, a charge that netted him a juvenile life without parole sentence, even though he wasn’t the one to shoot the gun.

In prison, Barakah took classes and earned a college degree. Then, he taught others. He became a leader and worked with organizations like the ACLU to end juvenile life without parole sentencing. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that these sentences could no longer be mandatory, he said he felt relief — even though the ruling didn’t immediately apply to him. It took a second Supreme Court ruling in 2016, which made the earlier ruling retroactive, to pave the way for Barakah to come home.

Since returning home in 2017, Barakah has earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan and has worked for the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office in the Conviction Integrity and Expungement Unit.

Barakah, at our luncheon talked about children in prision. Currently he is protecting Juvinials to be charged as children not adults.

Linda Kentes (Executive Director) from International House of Ann Arbor, talked about their house. 

For over a century, International House has promoted intercultural understanding and peace through peer-to-peer diplomacy. They are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) living learning community which houses and supports international and US students and scholars.

Linda described, that the International House cultural immersion program teaches students and scholars from around the world to care for each other, to grow their understanding of other cultures and their own, and to embrace and respect differences. 

What is at International House

• Apartment: The House is within easy walking distance of main campus, the Diag, downtown shops, restaurants and museums.
• Activities: IHAA and our residents will host a variety of events and activities. IHAA residents experience celebrations of the world.
• Community: IHAA is a supportive community where neighbors become friends and everyone feels at home.

Ann Arbor's International House is located at 921 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, and has many volunteer opportunities.

Rotary Club donated $1000.00 to International House Ann Arbor on October 8. 2026.

On September 24th at the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon Manish Mehta talked about his trip to Taipei Taiwan where he attended the Rotary International Convention. More than 37,000 Rotary members and participants from over 140 countries are gathering at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center and the Taipei Dome from 13-17 June 2026 for the membership service organization’s annual international convention. Manish showed us photos and videos of his experiences at the convention.

Cindy Miller from C Miller & Associates spoke to RCAAN on how our life perspective may have been shaped by the timing of your birth.  Looking at the last 5 generations we explored differences in outlook, actions, choices and values.