The father/son-led nonprofit, Odindi Youth Action Village (OYA), has been actively working in and alongside the West Willow neighborhood community since 2022. And as their numerous successful initiatives and programs continue to evolve and grow, the support from the community members and local partners grows as well. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale speaks with OYA co-founder Akin Oluwadare about his and his father's organization and their unwavering commitment to the community that they serve for this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."

The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority's "Explore Ypsi" Initiative finished its third year this holiday season. It is a program in partnership with EMU intended to help new students and faculty get off campus to explore Ypsilanti and get connected with local business owners. For this week’s “On the Ground Ypsi,” Concentrate Media’s Rylee Barnsdale is joined by Ypsilanti DDA executive director Elize Jekabson to explain how the program works, how it has evolved in its third year and what the future may hold.

While the Ypsilanti Freighthouse serves as a daytime warming center, the only 24/7 shelter for unhoused members of the Ypsilanti community is the Delonis Center in Ann Arbor. and it has limited beds available. There is ongoing community discussion about the need for a shelter on the eastern side of Washtenaw County. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale that need and what's being done about it with Lindsay Calka. She's the managing director of Groundcover News, a publication giving voice to low-income residents.

A new program has launched at the Ypsilanti Community Family Life Center to provide local Black male youth and young adults with accessible trauma informed therapy. Based at Grace Fellowship Church, the Interventions for African American Males (I-AMM) program works to increase pro-social behaviors and address gun violence, generational trauma and substance abuse and depression. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale discussed the program with its founder, clinical therapist Leah Mills, for this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."

The Riverside Arts Center is working with social workers and students of social work to develop new, socially conscious programming. Concentrate Media’s Rylee Barnsdale chats about some of the programming being offered at Riverside with local social worker and therapist Kayla Skinner-Roy.

This past October marked the 30th anniversary of the Eastern Michigan University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center. The staff has been celebrating by reflecting on the center's impact on the EMU campus and greater Ypsilanti community. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale discussed the center's history and future with EMU history and philosophy professor, Dr. Kate Mehuron.

The Ypsilanti-based residential real estate company Yarrow hopes to uplift local business in downtown Ypsi with its recent purchase of 114 West Michigan Avenue. This building was formerly occupied by the Unicorn Feed and Supply Gift Shop and is currently home to the event venue Yours Truly. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale was joined by Yarrow co-founder Dylan Cinti to talk about this expansion and what it means for both his company and for Ypsilanti's downtown spaces and small business owners.

Washtenaw County officials recently finalized the purchase of the 26-acre plot of land the former Cheney Elementary School sat on with the intent to build a state-of-the-art community and recreation center in the school's place, leading some Ypsilanti residents wondering how this new initiative will uphold the legacy of Willow Run Schools, as well as the school's namesake. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale discusses everything that led to this project becoming a reality with Ypsilanti Community Schools trustee Jeanice Townsend.

After serving thirty-five years of a life sentence, the only thing Leroy Harris wanted to do was teach children how to avoid making the same kinds of mistakes. But he didn't have the confidence to set his goals in motion. He later turned to occupational therapy through the Ypsilanti-based organization “Life After Incarceration: Transition & Reentry,” or LAITR (sounds like “later”). Today, Leroy is not only starting his own business to help troubled youth but also sits on LAITR's board of directors. Leroy shared his story with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.

Ypsilanti's own Corner Health Center has partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on their Child and Adolescent Health Center program for the past 30 years to provide physical and mental health care to Ypsilanti's youth. But a new opportunity from MDHHS is now allowing the Corner to take its services beyond their home and into the school system. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talks about this new initiative with Corner Health Youth Leadership Council president, Hasini Anand.