A lot of kids get excited at the prospect of spending a part of the summer at sleepaway camp. The sheer number of activities and the opportunities to make new friends and have a life experience outside the home has a number of benefits. Unfortunately, there are a lot of families that can’t afford to provide that experience. That’s where Washtenaw Camp Placement comes in. Its mission is to help youngsters with less access find their way to the camp experience. WEMU's David Fair talks with executive director Matt Tarver-Wahlquist about how to get connected and the kinds of differences it is making.

There is just one week to go before the April 15th tax deadline hits. Qualified Washtenaw County residents can access free tax preparation assistance from trained professionals. The amount of credits and refunds some are receiving are proving to be life changing. Megan Thibus from the United Way for Southeastern Michigan discusses the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in a conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

Many believe the childcare system is broken in Michigan. Inadequate quality and affordable childcare are adversely impacting kids and families and is estimated to cost the state of Michigan nearly $3 billion in economic activity. Etta King Heisler believes childcare is a key driver in community equity. Etta is executive director of Apple Playschools in Ann Arbor and joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the childcare crisis and what needs to be done.

Women are earning more roles in leadership positions than ever before. But we are still without equal access and opportunity. As we wrap up our Women’s History Month series on "Washtenaw United," we explore the challenges of winning and building more leadership roles for women. WEMU's David Fair talks with the President and CEO of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Dr. Darienne Hudson shares her journey to leadership as a Black woman and what hurdles she’s working to help others overcome.

Depending on career path or job choice, women are still playing catch-up in the American workforce. The inequity is not just in job-to-job comparisons but also in access to employment opportunity. Creating that opportunity is what the organization “Dress for Success Michigan" is all about. WEMU's David Fair talks with its communications liaison, Alexy Rudolph, about how futures are being changed to reverse historical inequities.

March is Women’s History Month, and each week on "Washtenaw United," we’ll bring you a different story highlighting the amazing accomplishments and progress being led by women and organizations in our community. This week, WEMU's David Fair talks with Alfreda Rooks. She is director of community health at Michigan Medicine and is being honored as the United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Washtenaw County Woman of the Year.

For more than 100 years, the Girl Scouts has worked to help turn young girls into strong, productive women. March is Women’s History Month, and the evolution of the Girl Scouts as an institution continues. JoAnna Roach is adult education and enrichment director for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. She was a scout herself and now dedicates her professional life to working with girls and volunteers in what she calls “the best job in the world.” JoAnna joined WEMU's David Fair as the first guest on a month-long Women’s History Month series on "Washtenaw United."

There is an exhibit that will be available from March through the month of May called, “Family Foundations: Four Stories of Black Washtenaw County Community Building.” It is an interactive exhibit put forth by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. There is a long, rich African American history in our community, and much of it is never taught or widely shared. Museum president and CEO Joyce Hunter joins WEMU's David Fair with some lessons and knowledge we can all benefit from in this final Black History Month 2024 installment of "Washtenaw United."

The 2nd annual Black History Month art exhibition is on display at the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti. This year’s theme is taken from the title of a book written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or community?" The exhibition is sponsored by former State Representative Ronnie Peterson and his wife, Ypsilanti Township trustee Gloria Peterson, and is put forth by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. AACHM board chair, Dr. Debby Covington, and Mr. Peterson joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the exhibit and its impacts.

The theme of Black History Month this year is African Americans and the Arts. The Ann Arbor-based Willis C. Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale is celebrating 50 years of sharing the legacy of African American spirituals in 2024. It has spent five decades combatting the lack of inclusion for Black composers in chorale and classical music spaces. WEMU's David Fair talks all about it with the president of the chorale, Sharon Vaughters, in advance of some special performances in Ann Arbor on another Black History Month edition of "Washtenaw United."