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They say it’s your birthday! The Neutral Zone, the organization envisioned as a youth-driven place for teens to gather, is 25 years old. The Zone's director, Lori Roddy, and youth leader, Sana Schaden join host Deb Polich on this edition of "creative:impact." With a glance back at Neutral Zone’s early days, they’ll bring us up to date on what is now a national model for teen gathering places and tell us about the birthday celebration.

WEMU wrapped up its fall fundraiser last week, and we're continuing the celebration with new movies! David Fair chats about the latest films and film news with Michigan Theater Foundation executive director, Russ Collins.

The Community Leadership Revolution, or CLR Academy, is a youth sports sampling program. It's expanding through the Ypsilanti area, and beyond. But sports are just a vehicle for the organization’s efforts to help kids live healthier lives. Among other things, it teaches them about nutrition, mental health, and building positive relationships. Washtenaw My Brother's Keeper program director Jamall Bufford is one of the founders of CLR. He joined WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the program and its growth.

Let’s talk some trash! The 3rd annual Trash Talk Tour is right around the corner, and we’re going to find out how much fun there is in learning about how we deal with waste in Ann Arbor. The Trash Talk Tour is the brainchild of Dan Ezekiel. He is a retired science teacher, a local environmentalist and former chair of the Huron Valley Group of the Sierra Club. He joined WEMU's David Fair to fill us on how the family-friendly event educates us about the circular economy and how to live a zero-waste lifestyle.

One in four adults in the United States experience transportation insecurity, according to a University of Michigan study. Finding affordable and accessible public transportation can be difficult particularly impacting communities of color. The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan is working to address these issues, and among the programs is the D2A2 bus service. The pilot program connects Ann Arbor and Detroit with hourly service weekdays and limited service on weekends. Is it working? Will the program become permanent? WEMU's David Fair finds out in a conversation with the Authority’s program manager, Ben Stupka.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative fights for funding every budget cycle. A potential government shutdown this year could have adverse impacts on the health of the world's largest fresh water supply. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak discuss progress and challenges with Laura Rubin. She is the director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

We're in the middle of October now, and it's a great time to catch a movie...especially if you're a Swiftie! WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater Foundation executive director, Russ Collins are back together to chat about all of the new films and special screenings on the way this weekend and beyond.

We often say that everyone should have equal opportunity. America has yet to achieve that goal. Education is vitally important, and the manner in which the curriculum is approached at Ypsilanti’s ACCE High School is aimed at preparing students for the societal inequities they’ll face and building a population of citizens that can move needed change forward. Find out more about the innovative approach to education in the conversation WEMU's David Fair had with ACCE High School Culture and Climate Coach, Lauren Fardig-Diop.

When we talk about creating more equity and opportunity in our community, we may not always be as inclusive as we think we are. For many in the intellectual and developmental disability community, they have no voice at all. Who helps give them a voice and life choices? It's the Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy. WEMU's David Fair is joined by the association's president and CEO, Kathy Homan, to explore what a tremendous difference it can make to have allies help gain measures of self-determination.

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.