racism

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

Ypsilanti mayor, Lois Allen-Richardson, is now speaking out about her plans for the future following her loss in the August primary. WEMU’s Cathy Shafran has more.

The issue came to light late Monday night when councilman Travis Radina described the scene on Twitter. He said Hayner “aggressively approached two of his female colleagues, swearing at Julie Grand and angrily waving his finger in Erica Briggs’ face, while threatening her.” Hayner has denied the allegations. WEMU's Josh Hakala reports.

Researchers at the U-M are learning more about the history of racism at the university because of a new Black Student Database. WEMU’s Cathy Shafran has more.

There are a number of firsts this year in the United Way of Washtenaw County's Justice Fund allocations. The aim is to put money in the hands of more nonprofits and organizations that are working most closely with those in need—particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). WEMU's David Fair is joined by Bridget Herrmann, UWWC's vice president for community impact and advocacy, to discuss the refocused lens being used to shape community investment moving forward.

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.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In 2021, hate crimes against members of the AAPI community in the U.S. increased 339%. WEMU's David Fair sat down with local artist, graphic recorder, and BIPOC advocate, Yen Azzaro, to discuss her personal journey and how it informs the work she does to build equity and understanding.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is under new direction. Shannon Polk took over as president and CEO late last year. The foundation is a trusted philanthropic resource in Washtenaw County. WEMU's David Fair caught up with Dr. Polk for a look at what the future holds for the foundation.

An Ohio woman has been formally charged with sending racist, threatening messages to two Michigan lawmakers. We have more from Rick Pluta.

We continue our final "Washtenaw United" Black History Month conversation. Today, we’ve been talking policing with Ann Arbor Police Chief Michael Cox and Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton. In part one, they delved into the history of policing through a personal prism. In this second part, they discuss reform, challenges, progress and relationship building.