Rylee Barnsdale

Eastern Michigan University is helping some incarcerated people earn a degree while behind bars. It's an effort to reduce recidivism and help participants become productive members of society once released. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk about EMU's College in Prison program with its director, Meghan Lechner.

The Ypsilanti District Library (YDL) won a grant from the American Library Association (ALA) to create a "Great Stories" Book Club. It is a reading and discussion program for underserved teens with books specially chosen by the ALA. The YDL staff will work with a small group of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, identity, and more. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale dig deeper into this exciting, new program with YDL teen librarian, Kelly Scott.

Disc golf is a sport that received a boost in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to grow. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale take a look at how to play and where to play in the Ypsilanti area with Jen Trombley. She's a member of the Professional Disc Golf Association and head of the Grit and Grace Ladies League.

Ypsilanti native John E. Lawrence is truly a man of many talents. He's a celebrated guitarist, respected music teacher, and the founder of the John E. Lawrence Summer Jazz Series. Lawrence talked to WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale about how he got started in music, transitioned into teaching and why it was important to him to create a jazz series in his hometown of Ypsilanti.

The Rutherford Pool in Ypsilanti is truly a community pool. It has become more accessible and has now partnered with Washtenaw County to help teach people of all ages to swim. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale learned all about it in this conversation with Rutherford Pool program director, Cathy Thorburn.

The Latinx Teen Empowerment Group at Ypsilanti Community High School was created to give Latinx teens mental health support and to help them address other challenges as they adapt to a new language and a new culture. Learn more as WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale spoke about the program with two of its leaders, Priscilla Cortez and Dr. Fernanda Cross.

WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale learn more about the group SURE Moms from its founder, Florence Roberson. SURE stands for Sisters United Resilient and Empowered and is aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the community. It defines itself as a "peer support group for mothers of youth within the juvenile justice system".

WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk to Rev. Donald Phillips, who, along with his wife Dr. Teleah Phillips, lead the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. It's a church that has 180 years of history, but they have a mission for the 21st century.

Ypsilanti nonprofits that are set up to help those with food insecurities are seeing an increase in the numbers looking for their assistance. On today's "On the Ground Ypsi," WEMU's Cathy Shafran and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale discuss how some of those nonprofits are working to address the increased needs with Andrea Kelly, an Eastern Michigan University grad assistant at Swoop's Food Pantry.

The newly created Ypsi Fine Arts Club is offering a gathering place for artists to discuss their work, have it reviewed by peers, and even try to sell their work. We learn more about the club in this segment of "On the Ground Ypsi" with your hosts, WEMU's Cathy Shafran and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale, as they're joined by the club's co-founder, Lynne Settles.