Sarah Rigg

Dzanc House in Ypsilanti has given a home for writers and creatives for years. Starting this fall, Dzanc House will present a new project called "Beyond the Binary: Stories That Shift Culture." It aims to amplify the stories of LGBTQ+ youth through writing, poetry and podcasting. Learn more in Lee Van Roth's conversation with Dzanc House's director of development, programs and communications, Charlene Choi.

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration announced possible cuts to federal education spending. Research from Ypsilanti was cited to push back against the prospect of eliminating the Head Start early childhood education program for low-income families. The nonprofit, HighScope, has played a major role in making this research more open to the public. Lee Van Roth discusses the findings with HighScope's President and CEO, Dr. Alejandra Barraza.

There's nothing like the taste of fresh bread, muffins and other baked goods. B-Cubed Bakery is one of many bakeries in Ypsilanti ready to indulge your sweet tooth. Learn more about the business from this conversation Lee Van Roth (formerly Rylee Barnsdale) had with B-Cubed's owner and operator, Benjamin Brown.

Many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling under attack as President Trump's first 60 days in office have brought a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ actions. But Ypsilanti-area organizations and community members are supporting their LGBTQ+ neighbors in a variety of ways. That includes supportive health care and queer takeovers of public spaces around Ypsilanti. Rylee Barnsdale spoke with Cheers to Queers (C2Q) co-founder, Danya Youssef-Agha, who organized the recent "Queer Prom."

The mission of the Ypsilanti-based nonprofit A Brighter Way is to provide mentorship to formerly incarcerated individuals as they return to society. Now, the organization is creating a new housing program for its mentees. A Brighter Way's executive director, Adam Grant, talks all about it with Rylee Barnsdale.

Two nonprofits serving youth are the recipients of the 2025 City of Ypsilanti Youth Mini-Grants. One of which is the All About Speed Track Club, which gets kids involved in track and field events. The club's president and head coach, Sean Brandon, Jr., joined Rylee Barnsdale to talk about what's in the club's future thanks to their financial gift.

Incubator kitchens are commercial kitchen spaces for food-based entrepreneurs to rent and share, and they're an integral resource to those with big food ideas but lack of access to specific equipment. They also provide information and assistance both on business matters, like marketing and advertising, and food matters, like food safety and product testing. Ypsilanti nonprofit Growing Hope offers its own incubator kitchen program to any Ypsilanti resident with food business dreams. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talks about the program with its manager, Deante Brand.

The Ypsilanti Community School District has clarified that school staff will not ask families about their immigration status or voluntarily coordinate with immigration control and enforcement officers. Immigrant students are anxious that, when they get home from school, their parents may not be there. Rebecca Olszewski is the managing attorney at the Ypsilanti office of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She joined Rylee Barnsdale to discuss how to keep up with the needs of Ypsilanti's immigrant community.

At the end of 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) announced that the state of Michigan had the highest pre-kindergarten enrollment numbers over the past decade and an increase of over 4,000 students from 2023 figures. The Ypsilanti Community Schools saw a 15% increase in pre-kindergarten enrollment. Rylee Barnsdale checked in with Washtenaw Intermediate School District executive director of early childhood, Edward Manuszak, to discuss the increase and what it weans to the community on this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."

The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) is looking for heavy metal. This past summer, the YCUA recieved funding as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's "Get the Lead Out" initiative. It's designed to remove lead water pipes that can impact drinking water. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale provides more details on the work being done in Ypsilanti area in a conversation with YCUA executive director Luke Blackburn on this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."