The A2Zero Plan aims to have Ann Arbor carbon neutral by the year 2030. While it is an environmental initiative, it is being implemented with the idea of creating greater equity and equality through the process. WEMU's David Fair talked over that component of A2Zero with Missy Stults, the city's Director of Sustainability and Innovations.

The lack of affordable housing is having a significant impact on our aging population. U of M Health’s Housing Bureau for Seniors reports 66% of its eviction and foreclosure notices to clients and patients are women, and 96% of them have incomes of less than $50,000 a year. Yvonne Cudney is the community outreach and education coordinator at the bureau. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the efforts to help Washtenaw County seniors in their homes and apartments.

As the prices of just about everything go up, more people are falling through the cracks and need of a hand-up. WEMU's David Fair looks at efforts to help some of our neighbors achieve financial stability with Pam Maddox, a financial counselor at the Washtenaw County Financial Empowerment Center. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss helping people through the worst of times and moving toward stable ground.

The increasing costs of housing, transportation and groceries have been taking an increasing toll on a good number of people in our community. WEMU's David Fair discusses the latest ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report for Washtenaw County with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Bridget Herrmann. They offer you a look at data and the work being done to offset some of the impacts.

There are still a good number of people in Washtenaw County without health insurance. The Affordable Care Act has helped, but there is more work to be done. Additionally, if there is a change in administrations in Washington after the November elections, the ACA could become a thing of the past. What then? WEMU's David Fair talked it over with Jeremy Lepedis, who serves as executive director of the Washtenaw Health Project.

The food industry can be lucrative, but it is also a difficult industry in which to succeed. Ypsilanti-based Joyful Treats Community Development Corp. is giving young people a sturdy ladder to begin the climb. WEMU's David Fair looks at Joyful Treats “Celebrations” program with the organization's founder and executive director, Khadija Wallace. She explains how it equitably trains teens and young adults how to become food entrepreneurs, particularly young people of color.

One of the lesser discussed facts of prison life for women is the number of children who born into those circumstances. The Huron Valley Women's Correctional Facility is right in our backyard and there is a movement underway to make a difference for incarcerated women and the children they give birth to. It's called the Michigan Prison Doula Initiative. WEMU's David Fair learns more about the program and the difference it's making in his conversation with the initiative's board chair, Kate Stroud, and program director, Cara Genisio.

Mental health among our youngsters has been a growing concern, particularly since the pandemic. Art is one of the outlets that allows for self-expression and communication. The Youth Arts Alliance is an Ypsilanti-based organization working throughout Michigan. It's making a difference in the overall well-being of its participants while building community. WEMU's David Fair takes a look at the program and its impacts with founding director, Heather Martin.

Right now, the waiting list for a space at the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s women’s shelter goes about 50-deep. The wait time for those women averages about seven months. That’s why the Shelter Association is undertaking a women’s shelter expansion initiative. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the association’s development director, Sarah Paspal-Jasinski, about the effort to expand capacity by 50%.

June is Pride Month, and it is be celebrated in a number of ways throughout Washtenaw County. It is also an opportunity for education and awareness. There is a good deal of conversation around the country about the use of pronouns and about how members of the LGBTQ+ community identify themselves. Joe Halsch is president of the Jim Toy Community Center in Ann Arbor. He joined WEMU’s David Fair to share the kinds of conversations he and the center are creating around these issues.