Community activism

WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk to Rev. Donald Phillips, who, along with his wife Dr. Teleah Phillips, lead the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. It's a church that has 180 years of history, but they have a mission for the 21st century.

Civic responsibilities don't end when you cast your ballot. There are plenty of other ways to engage to make sure your concerns are heard. The series is headed up by the community-based group "Survivors Speak" and is funded with a grant from the national non-profit, "Black Voters Matter." Survivors Speak founder Trische' Duckworth joined WEMU's Cathy Shafran and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the goals and aspirations of the civic education series.

Sometimes, a small grant can launch a public service group or organization to new levels of community impact. That’s the mission behind the United Way of Washtenaw County’s Opportunity Fund—to be an incubator of sorts. And it's working. WEMU's David Fair checked in with UWWC president and CEO, Pam Smith, to gain better understanding of how the fund has impacted Washtenaw County so far, with an eye towards $200,000 more investment in the 2023 grant cycle.

The unveiling of a memorial mural, honoring those lost to gun violence in our community, will take place at 10am Saturday at Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti. In this second part of an anti-violence conversation, WEMU's David Fair sat down with three area residents: 16-year-old DeShawn Chambers is a 16-year-old student and it is his mural design that will be unveiled to. Artist Curtis Wallace is the one who actually created the memorial mural. And Mary Smith-Phillips is a grieving grandmother. Her 18-year-old grandson, LeRonte Benion-Phillips, will be among the names memorialized at the unveiling.

Gun violence is pervasive in America. Washtenaw County has more than its fair share. In the first of a two-part anti-violence conversation, WEMU's David Fair gets together with Community Violence Intervention Team members, sheriff's deputy Derrick Jackson and Washtenaw My Brother's Keeper project specialist Jamall Bufford.

Seemingly elusive, artists and creatives are forever optimistic about making a cooperative creative space in Washtenaw County a reality. Will this time be THE TIME that it becomes real? A group of community members have engaged Artspace out of Minneapolis to guide the effort. Lisa Sauve is one of the community members in the lead. Aneesha Marwah of Minneapolis’ Artspace is consulting. Meet them both and hear how this time may be the charm when they join Deb Polich of Creative Washtenaw as she hosts this edition of "creative:impact."

When the new Washtenaw County prosecutor takes office, there will be some big changes in how the department operates and the impact on the community.…

"There is so much to do in our later years," according to Ann Arbor aging expert Dr. Theresa Reid, who shares a lot of information about the possibilities…

Ypsilanti has dropped charges against a community activist.Prosecutors had charged Ypsilanti resident Anthony Morgan with interfering with police and…