YpsiWrites

It is an election year and, in one way or another, we are all engaging in the politics of the day. How we ingest and interpret the information can be personal and individual. One local organization is looking to create innovative ways for community members to engage with democracy in ways they may not have considered before. YpsiWrites has put together a package of educational materials to allow people to find clarity through writing. YpsiWrites program director Kristine Gatchel explains the program and discuss the results it's producing with Concentrate Media reporter Rylee Barnsdale.

YpsiWrites has been providing resources and space for local writers to hone their craft and foster unity between writers and the with the community they call home. Since 2019, the nonprofit has hosted events and workshops, and the next is the upcoming Ypsilanti-Area Authors Reading on May 22nd. Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon will be among those presenting. She is an Africology and African American studies professor at Eastern Michigan University and has authored the book, "Lifting as They Climb: Black Women Buddhists and Collective Liberation." She joined Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the book, the event and the value of community connection.

Washtenaw County's Health and Mental Health departments are tackling growing mental health issues utilizing various approaches. One approach that is seeing particular success is mental wellness writing. WEMU's Cathy Shafran and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale discuss the success of the YpsiWrites program for those struggling with mental health issues with the program's founder, Ann Blakeslee.

The City of Ypsilanti has a lot to celebrate in the new year. It is celebrating its 200th birthday with bicentennial activities planned throughout the year. The "On the Ground Ypsilanti" feature has been on hiatus since the untimely passing of Lisa Barry. Now, it returns with WEMU’s Cathy Shafran at the helm, once again bringing you the stories of and about the city and its residents. In the first edition of 2023, Cathy will be joined by Concentrate Media partner, Rylee Barnsdale, to discuss plans for getting the community involved in the activities. And, local historian Evan Milan will share some great Ypsi history!

The organizers of "Writers of Ypsilanti," a program sponsored by community writing lab YpsiWrites believe everyone's a writer and writing matters.WEMU's…

This week on "Focus On EMU," we discuss the new community writing initiative called YpsiWrites. Host Patrick Campion sits down with Cathy Fleischer, an…