racial equity

Eastern Michigan University has announced its keynote speaker for its upcoming Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. WEMU’s Taylor Pinson has the details.

When Ypsilanti mayoral candidate Nicole Brown was declared the winner of the Democratic primary in August, many thought that was the end of the race. With Ypsilanti being a heavily Democratic area, the primary winner often runs unopposed in the November general election. That is not the case this year. Community organizer Amber Fellows is running as a non-partisan candidate, and Mark Alan King is seeking the office on the Libertarian ticket. WEMU’s Josh Hakala looks at the race in this extended report.

The Washtenaw County Health Department is launching a new Health Equity Council to address various disparities that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We get the details from WEMU’s Taylor Pinson.

Washtenaw County is in the process of developing a comprehensive plan to address greenhouse gas emissions. It's called "Resilient Washtenaw." Strategic partnerships and a year's worth of public input will soon be drafted into an action plan with equity and justice at its heart. The county's strategic director, Andrew DeLeeuw, joined WEMU's David Fair with the latest as the public input portion of the study winds down.

Racial equity and accountability are at the heart of an event at Eastern Michigan University on Saturday. WEMU’s Josh Hakala has a preview.

Washtenaw County is exploring ways to reduce or even eliminate justice system fines and fees. To do that, the county recently joined the national organization Cities and Counties for Fine and Fee Justice. WEMU's Josh Hakala explains.

The Democratic race for the 5th District County Commission seat includes three candidates who feel they know the best way to serve their constituents. WEMU’s Cathy Shafran has a preview.

There are three candidates seeking to serve as the Mayor of Ypsilanti in a runoff to be decided in August. All three have experience as elected officials, and all agree they have a good working relationship and similar goals and aspirations for the city. That leads some to beg the question: Why run against one another? WEMU’s Josh Hakala went in search of the answer.

We are days away from the national and local celebration of Juneteenth. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. 157 years later, racial issues and matter of inequity and inequality remain at the fore of our social discourse. WEMU's David Fair is joined by the founder of Survivors Speak, Trische' Duckworth, to talk about Juneteenth as a platform to advance the dialogue and look at Ypsilanti's annual Juneteenth celebration while also marking the one-year anniversary of the painting of Ypsilanti's Black Lives Matter Boulevard.

A "Community Baby Shower" continues through the end of May in Washtenaw County. We know there is a local and national shortage of baby formula, but there are a number new moms in our community that need a more than that. That's the idea behind the month-long event: to raise needed supplies to be distributed to give mother and child a hand-up as they begin their journey together. WEMU's David Fair was joined by the Vice President of Development of the United Way of Washtenaw County, Susan Smith, to discuss how serious the needs are and what we can collectively do to help in our community.