Sarah Rigg
Sarah has been involved in journalism since she began producing a one-page photocopied neighborhood "newspaper" in grade school, later reporting for and then editing her high school paper. She has worked on staff at Heritage Newspapers and the (now defunct) Ann Arbor Business Review and has written as a freelancer for various publications ranging from The Crazy Wisdom Journal to the News-Herald to AnnArbor.com. She began writing for Concentrate in February 2017.
When she isn’t writing for Concentrate or doing freelance reporting and editing for other publications, she can be found cuddling her cats, bicycling, doing jigsaw puzzles with her husband, or playing board games with friends.
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Chidester Place Apartments in Ypsilanti houses numerous senior citizens and people with disabilities. A number of those residents are unable to leave the facility, which can make their lives lonely and difficult. Chidester resident and community activist Emy Deshotel is working on programming for Chidester Place that creates a more welcoming and enjoyable community. She talks about her efforts and the organizations that have been helping her with Concentrate reporter Sarah Rigg. -
Officials overseeing the University of Michigan's Ypsilanti Health Center plan to move operations downtown by the end of the year. Not only will it more than triple their square footage and allow for more specialty care, but it could spawn further partnerships and entrepreneurial enterprises to boost economic development in Ypsilanti. Rylee Barnsdale talks with Concentrate Media reporter Sarah Rigg about the certainties and possibilities. -
The Ypsilanti District Library and Eastern Michigan University are working to make menstruation products more accessible. In fact, the tampons and pads are available free of charge. As you’ll learn on WEMU’s 'On the Ground Ypsi,' the hope is to reduce the financial burden of these essential items while also getting rid of the stigma of menstruation. WEMU’s Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media’s Sarah Rigg get all the details in a conversation with Jesse John from EMU’s ‘Changing the Cycle’ program. -
There are efforts within city government to develop Water Street along the Huron River. Heather Wysor is an herbalist founder of the online shop Heathers on Earth. It focuses on foraged, natural medicines. She would like to "re-wild" the downtown property. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg speak with Wysor about her proposal to preserve the area's natural state. -
New gun violence intervention programs founded in Ypsilanti are beginning to show successes. And the success is being measured by the number of young people who are being convinced that there's an alternative to gun-related revenge. WEMU's Cathy Shafran and Concentrate Media reporter Sarah Rigg introduce us to one of those success stories whose life-changing experiences have him helping others on the local Violence Intervention Team. -
Expanding access to meaningful STEM Education: That's the mission behind UniteSTEM in Ypsilanti. The non-profit describes education as "an adventure," and it wants to create real-world career opportunities by working with local kids and giving them access to the tools required to be a success. UniteSTEM co-founder, Frank Norton, provides an insider's look at the program in this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi" with WEMU's David Fair and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg. -
Thomas Merton once said, "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." That philosophy is similar to what an Ypsilanti-based program is creating. Miriam Kirscht is founder of Improvisation Heals. The program uses improvisational interaction to help overcome social anxieties and build confidence. WEMU's David Fair and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg discovered more about this innovative local program in this week's #OTGYpsi conversation. -
The 'Black Men Read' organization has its origins in Washtenaw County but is expanding its reach across the nation. It brings African American men to read books to children with hopes of inspiring them to go far in life while highlighting the vital and positive role that Black men bring to the community. Black Men Read co-founder, Tamara Tucker-Ibarisha, joined WEMU's David Fair and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg to talk about the group's recent work, including adaptations to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. -
All too often, those with disabilities feel left out. The notion of community-wide inclusion to forge more meaningful and productive relationships to people of all abilities is behind the soon-to-open "Work & Play Cafe" in Ypsilanti. In the return of "On the Ground Ypsi," David Fair welcomed Concentrate Media's "On the Ground" project manager, Sarah Rigg, and the subject of her article, cafe co-founder Steve Berg.
