Sarah Rigg

This week on "On The Ground Ypsi," Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk about a zine, which is a project of an Ypsilanti-based poetry collective organized by women of color called "Untold Stories of Liberation and Love."  They are joined by local poet Connystynce Chege, who reads part of one of her poems she submitted to the collective and is being included.

In this week's "On The Ground Ypsi," Lisa Barry and project manager Sarah Rigg talk to Scott Heister, Southeast Regional Director for Mi STEM and a co-founder of the American Center for Innovation.  He talks about the proposed program to work with kids and encourage them to pursue real jobs in STEM fields and providing "cradle-to-career opportunities."

Established by Ann Arbor's Leon Speakers and Ypsilanti-based Grove Studios, there is a new Amplify Fellowship meant to support musicians of color living in Washtenaw County.  Lisa Barry talks with On the Ground Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg and Maia Evans, co-founder of the fellowship, about who and what is involved.

This week, our "On The Ground Ypsi" conversation is about a nearly $2 million gift made to six different Ypsilanti groups and what that means to them.  Lisa Barry and On the Ground Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg talk with Alison Foreman, executive director of Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, which was one of the local groups to receive the money.  She shares what they plan to do with the gift and the impact it will have on the community.

This week, "On The Ground Ypsi" is about several local gardening operations that encourage Ypsilanti residents to build resiliency in themselves and their community with the creation of gardens which help provide alternative food systems.

WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with On the Ground Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg and Bee Ayer, director of programs for Ypsilanti's Growing Hope, about their class for this coming spring and summer.

Sometimes, getting teenagers to share what is on their minds is not that easy.  But in this week's "On The Ground Ypsi," Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk with Gail Wolkoff, executive director of "Educate Youth" in Ypsilanti, about a book of poetry written by local students.  The students were encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings about the pandemic and other world events in poetry, which was put together as a booklet called "Spiritual Warriors."

Navigating the workforce is never easy, which is why organizations like Michigan Works! Southeast (MWSE) are there to help.  MSWE executive director Shamar Herron has taken that mission to a new level with a podcast called "Workplace@Work."  Herron joined WEMU's David Fair and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg to discuss the training and employment oppotunities in our area that already exist. 

Even though we're swimming in snow right now, plans are underway for the upcoming outdoor pool season and the reopening of Ypsilanti's refurbished Rutherford community pool.  That's the focus of this week's "On the Ground Ypsi" online article, and WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Sarah Rigg and Friends of the Rutherford Pool chair Jessica Faul about recent upgrades and looking forward to reopening. 

In this week's "On The Ground Ypsi," Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk to Ypsilanti business owner Julie Palmer about a Washtenaw Community College program called "Renew Your Business."   It helps entrepreneurs in the Ypsilanti area thrive despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

After being in the works for years, a plan has been finalized to construct a pedestrian pathway over I-94 in Ypsilanti.  WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg talk with Bonnie Wessler, project manager for Ypsilanti's Department of Public Services, about the plan and what it means for the community.

Each week, WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Sarah Rigg, project manager for "On the Ground Ypsi," about an online story from Concentrate Media focusing on the Ypsilanti area.  This week, Lisa and Sarah talk with Suzanne Van Dam from the "Circles Program," part of "Friends In Deed" based in Ypsilanti, about how they have been able to stay connected and support local families even during a global health crisis.

Ypsilanti resident Christian Usera is publishing an international magazine featuring art and artists.  Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk to him about his unique background and his effort to bring attention to art and the work of artists of color and other marginalized groups in "U Magazine." 

There's a new pilot program called "Returning Citizens Fellows Program" at Eastern Michigan University, providing support and college degree opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.  Lisa Barry talks with "On the Ground Ypsi" project manager Sarah Rigg and Cozine Welch, executive director of A Brighter Way in Washtenaw County, about the new program and the so far enthusiastic response by those hoping to participate.

Working out of a commercial kitchen in Ypsilanti Township, several new ventures have been able to survive and thrive, even in a pandemic.  Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk with Forrest Maddox, co-creator of "The White Pine Kitchen," who is one of them creating a unique dining experience for people in their own homes.

What impact has the coronavirus pandemic had on Ypsilanti's creative business operators?  That's the focus of this week's "On The Ground-Ypsi."  Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk with Ypsilanti crafters Bill Pemberton and Amy Balzer-Pemberton about that, learning they decided they had to get creative if they wanted to keep their craft businesses alive.

An Ypsilanti-based podcast called "Homebound" is a conversation between older and younger residents sharing their experiences during our current global health crisis.  Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk with Jessica "Decky" Alexander about all that goes in to putting it together and all they hope people can get out of it from listening.

Inspired by the thought "A community that reads together grows together," Kallista Walker created "Our Community Reads."  She has recorded a number of community leaders reading stories with the goal of replacing all the negative and traumatic stories that Black and Brown children see growing up.  Lisa Barry talks with Kallista and Sarah Rigg of "On The Ground-Ypsi" about the community initiative. 

Many local businesses have felt the harsh effects of the pandemic, especially restaurants.  The owners of these restaurants have been able to adapt, thanks to outdoor dining and delivery services, but the situation may become more difficult when winter comes along.  In this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi," WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg speak to Andrea "Cuppy" White, owner of Cuppy's Best Soulful Cafe in Ypsilanti, about how she, like several other local restaurateurs, plans to maintain her business through the rest of this trying year.

WEMU's Lisa Barry and "On the Ground-Ypsi" project manager Sarah Rigg talk with Ypsilanti Rotary Club president Taryn Willis about their efforts to diversify their membership and the many contributions they are making to the community.

Ypsilanti residents Yoland and Keith Ragland were in shock after losing their 19-year-old son to gun violence in 2017, but they channeled their energy into a vision for an arts education nonprofit called Elevation Youth Corp., one they hope can benefit Ypsilanti-area children much like their son.

WEMU's Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg from "On the Ground-Ypsi" talk to Yolanda about their efforts and how they hope it benefits the Ypsilanti area community.

It doesn't take much to create a space for roller skating, an activity one Ypsilanti area man hopes to see more of in the community.  In this week's "On The Ground-Ypsi," Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk to Daniel Wall about bringing together a "roller culture," or network of skating enthusiasts, in the Ypsilanti area and future plans to have an outdoor skating rink in Ypsilanti Township.

In this week's "On The Ground-Ypsi" online story preview, WEMU's LIsa Barry and OTGY project manager Sarah Rigg talk with the founder of Hero Nation, Jermaine Dickerson, about this year's event, which will be online due to COVID-19.

Each week, WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Sarah Rigg, project manager for "On The Ground-Ypsi," an online source of positive things happening in the Ypsilanti community.

This week, Lisa and Sarah talk with Dave Strenski, the founder of SolarYpsi, about what's new in bringing solar-powered energy to the Ypsilanti area 15 years after he began his efforts.

Many different community components came together to get a new skatepark built in Ypsilanti Township.  That is the focus of this week's "On The Ground-Ypsi" with WEMU's Lisa Barry, project manager for On the Ground Ypsi Sarah Rigg, and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission deputy director Meghan Bonfiglio.

Most every week, Concentrate Media puts out a story--a positive story--about the Ypsilanti area online known as “On The Ground-Ypsi.”  And most every week, we connect with the project manager of On the Ground-Ypsi, Sarah Rigg, to share that story with you, our WEMU listeners.

This week, Lisa Barry and Sarah Rigg talk with Ypsi-based Grove Studios co-founder Rick Coughlin about the upcoming, socially-distant Equinox Party, featuring local bands on September 19.

"On the Ground-Ypsi" gives voice to Concentrate Media's online news stories about positive things happening in Ypsilanti.  WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with On the Ground-Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg each week giving voice to her online article.

This week focuses on a pilot program to provide financial support and special training for quality child care certification in Ypsilanti that would benefit all of Washtenaw County.  Lisa and Sarah speak to Caroline Sanders from Engage @ EMU, who spearheaded this new program.

Video game competitions, or "eSports," has grown from a social activity among friends to a nearly $1 billion business.  eSports teams are now forming in school districts and universities across the country, including Eastern Michigan University.  In this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi," WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg talk about EMU associate vice president of student affairs Calvin Phillips, who explains how EMU's new eSports team will impact the university and its students.

Restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 health crisis have to started to ease up recently.  Many nonprofit organizations, including the Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti, are introducing new safety procedures in their work.  The center's community outreach and youth development manager, Kamilah Davis-Wilson, joins WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg to discuss their new ways of serving the public in this week's installment of "On the Ground-Ypsi."

It's safe to say that the COVID-19 crisis will be more than a footnote in world history.  In fact, a new initiative is underway to see that this moment in time will be never be forgotten and that "we're all in this together."  For this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi," WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg talk to local historian Kim Clarke about the "Ypsilanti Coronavirus Digital Archive," a new photo project designed to preserve memories of everyday life during the pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has kept people, including those living in Ypsilanti Township, confined to their homes.  It has also made it difficult for local neighborhood associations to keep their residents informed of any events or developments in their respective communities.  For this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi," WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg hear about the new ways associations communicate with residents from Jo Ann McCollum, president of the New West Willow Neighborhood Association.