Though the residents of the West Willow neighborhood in Ypsilanti Township are predominantly people of color, a document affecting about 196 homes on a parcel in the neighborhood is still on the books that bans anyone who isn't white from living there. In an effort to change that, the New West Willow Neighborhood Association (NWWNA) has partnered with the Justice InDeed project at the University of Michigan Law School's Civil Rights Litigation Initiative to repeal the race-restrictive covenant covering that plat of land. Concentrate Media’s Rylee Barnsdale discusses the work being done to repeal this document with NWWNA president JoAnn McCollum.

Michigan primary elections are just about a month away. This will be the earliest the state has held its primary and marks the first time early in-person voting will be allowed. There is an educational process that needs to take place for everyone, but there is a concentrated effort on getting the student vote out on college campuses around the state. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talks with EMU student Naomi Barbour about her work to help the campus community overcome challenges and barriers to voting.

The number of people who will turn 65 years old this year will exceed the number of people who turn 18. Aging services face a looming crisis around the country and here in Washtenaw County. Monica Prince is the executive director of the nonprofit Ypsilanti Senior Center. She sees the struggles on a day-to-day basis and is among those trying to create a stable source of funding for aging services in Washtenaw County. She discusses the challenges with Rylee Barnsdale on this week’s #OTGYpsi.

Losing a loved one can be devastating. For many, it becomes isolating. Finding support and comfort in others is the notion behind the work of Hanna Hasselshwert, who owns Acacia End of Life Services in Ypsilanti and runs a monthly “Death Café” to help offer support and grief education. Learn more about Hanna’s work as a "Death Doula" and how it is helping so many in the Ypsilanti community this week on WEMU’s On the Ground Ypsi with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.

Having a financial plan in place can make a real difference in achieving life goals. Money management can be stressful and emotional. That’s where Eboney Byrne comes in. She is the founder of Liberty Financial Services in Ypsilanti, and she makes it a mission to meet people where they are and deal with the emotions of personal finance in order to find the plan for the future that works. Learn about the difference Eboney is making for people and organizations in Ypsilanti in today's "On the Ground Ypsi" with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.

Not many 19-year-olds decide to start their own business, but with the advent of online sales and the stay-at-home work ethos fostered during the pandemic, more young people are choosing this avenue. That includes Ypsilanti’s Christian Knox. Christian is now 22, and his online vintage clothing business, Thrift Activist, continues to grow and expand. He explains why he has chosen to be own boss with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale on this week's “On the Ground Ypsi.”

There are tarantulas in Ypsilanti! Fortunately, they are kept under the close watch of some good folks in the Eastern Michigan University biology department. Studying tarantulas in the lab is one thing, but getting up close and personal with the eight-legged wonders on their territory is an entirely different experience. So, some EMU students are heading out west to see and study the arachnids at work and play in their natural habitat. EMU student Spencer Poscente joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale for “On the Ground Ypsi” to talk about his experiences in EMU's arachnid lab and what he hopes to learn out in the field.

Original Moxie started off as a hair care line out of owner Rachel Blistein’s home. Now, it is part of a the aptly-named “Beauty Block” at the Ridge Center on Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti Township. Its three businesses support and collaborate with one another and have bigger plans on the horizon with another woman-owned business planning to move in soon. Find out more when Rachel Blistein from Original Moxie joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale for this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."

Independent restaurants serve Ypsilanti in just about every cuisine you can imagine. In fact, for restaurant owners, the city has become a desired location. In choosing Ypsilanti, they also work towards creating community. There are a number of eatery owners working to do just that, and Naj Hammoud is among them. He and his family own and operate Speedy’s Big Burgers, and he shared his story with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community, and Ypsilanti is no exception. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk about what makes Ypsilanti's small business community unique with their guest, former city council member and current small business owner Brian Jones-Chance.