The Metro
"The Metro" covers local and regional news and current affairs, arts and cultural events and topics, with a commitment to airing perspectives and uncovering stories underreported by mainstream media in Detroit.
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New MOCAD exhibit to highlight contributions of Black tech innovators
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is unveiling a new exhibition next month to help shine a light on the many contributions of local Black artists and thinkers in the world of tech.
Titled “Code Switch: Distributing Blackness, Reprogramming Internet Art,” the project was first launched by The Kitchen — a New York-based artist-driven collective — to highlight the work of Black creative technologists in Harlem from the 1960s to the '90s.
Opening at MOCAD on May 2, "Code Switch" will feature artists from across the country and highlight Detroit’s tech contributions. The opening reception is free and open to the public.
To share more about the exhibit, Artistic Director and Co-Director of MOCAD Jova Lynne joined The Metro. Johnnie Turnage, co-founder and creator of Black Tech Saturdays — an organization that’s helping Black people thrive in Detroit’s burgeoning technology field — also joined the conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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Political analysts say Canada's federal election is the most important in decades
Just across the Detroit River in Windsor and throughout Canada, voters are headed to the polls to cast their ballots in federal elections.
Political analysts are calling the election the most important in decades. Key issues at the ballot box include the economy, housing, tariffs, and how to address U.S. President Donald Trump's extreme policies.
In this election, Canadians will select Members of Parliament and the political party that will run the government for the near future. Five parties are vying for that power, including the Liberals, Conservatives, and the New Democratic Party.
Lydia Miljan, a professor of political science at the University of Windsor, spoke with WDET news director Jerome Vaughn about the potential outcome and impacts of Canada's federal elections.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
What Detroit’s next mayor should run on
For the first time since he won the role 12 years ago, Mayor Mike Duggan will not be on the ballot for Detroit mayor.
The longtime Democrat, whose term expires at the end of this year, announced in December that he'll instead be campaigning (as an independent) for Michigan governor — opening up a competitive field of candidates vying to succeed him as mayor.
During his more than 10 years as mayor of Detroit, Duggan prioritized ridding the city of blight, revitalizing parks and recreation centers, and decreasing crime with the help of initiatives like community violence intervention (CVI) programs.
Now, with nine people running to replace Duggan, what should they prioritize?
Anika Goss is the chief executive officer of Detroit Future City, a local think tank and policy advocate organization. In a new report, the organization is encouraging the city's next mayor to focus on creating more middle class neighborhoods, generating more wealth opportunities for residents, and establishing a climate-resilient city.
Goss joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss the report and the importance of this pivotal moment for the city.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
A conversation with Jason Moran, Detroit Jazz Fest's 2025 Artist-in-Residence
This year's Detroit Jazz Festival just announced its first wave of artists they'll be bringing to downtown Detroit this Labor Day weekend. It's the largest free jazz festival in the world, and will feature performances from Keyyon Harrold, John Scofield and many more.
This year's Artist-in-Residence is pianist Jason Moran, who will perform three very different sets over the three-day festival. It's just one aspect of Jason Moran's role this year, which will also include supporting the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation's educational initiatives and community engagement activities, among other initiatives.
WDET's Ryan Patrick Hooper spoke with Moran about his residency, his musical influences and what he plans to play at jazz fest this summer.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
US Rep. Haley Stevens on why she’s running for Senate
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens launched her U.S. Senate campaign on Tuesday — joining a growing crowd of candidates vying for outgoing Sen. Gary Peters' open seat.
The Michigan Democrat is the fourth well-known candidate to join what is quickly becoming one of the nation’s most-watched Senate races, alongside Democrats Dr. Abdul El-Sayed — the former director of Wayne County’s Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services — and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow. Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers is the only Republican in the race so far.
Peters' retirement announcement has caused a frenzy among Democrats, who hope to hold onto the seat to avoid expanding Republicans' 53-47 Senate majority in a battleground state Trump won in November.
Stevens joined The Metro on Thursday to talk about her Senate campaign and what motivated her to run.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Oakland, Macomb counties feud over sewage overflow
Over one million gallons of raw sewage were recently dumped into a Macomb County drain, and officials say Oakland County is responsible.
In early April, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) stating that raw sewage from Oakland County’s Retention Treatment Basin is running into the Red Run Drain at Dequindre Road.
Pat Batcheller, host of Morning Edition and senior news editor for WDET, has been covering the ongoing feud between the two counties. He joined The Metro on Thursday to share the latest.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Detroit Pistons' journey from the league's worst team to the playoffs
The Detroit Pistons have local sports fans buzzing going into Game 3 of the team's first-round series against the New York Knicks — currently tied at 1-1.
The young, scrappy team worked their way into the playoffs after having one of the worst records in the NBA last season, at 17-65. For those who’ve toughed it out and have remained hardcore fans, this has been a long time coming.
Before beating the Knicks in Game 1 and ending a league-record, 15-game playoff losing streak, the Pistons had not won a postseason game since the 2008 Eastern Conference finals at the Palace, where the franchise won NBA championships in 2004, 1990 and 1989.
Today on The Metro, Detroit Pistons beat writer for the Detroit Free Press, Omari Sankofa II, and former sports reporter Perry Ferrell joined the show to discuss the various factors playing into the Pistons' exciting playoff run.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
How Community Violence Intervention programs stop harm before it happens
The city of Detroit reported a historic drop in violent crime last year. There was a 19% drop in homicides in 2024 compared to the previous year — the city's fewest homicides since 1965 — and a 25% drop in non-fatal shootings.
Officials partially attribute these significant drops to community violence intervention (CVI) initiatives like the city's ShotStoppers program.
Yesterday, in a nearly unanimous vote, Michigan lawmakers in the state House passed a $115 million annual public safety fund aimed to decrease violent crime in communities, with money going to CVI programs.
Zoe Kennedy, executive director of Detroit CVI group FORCE Detroit, joined The Metro to help shed more light on how community violence intervention works.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Demystifying and fighting misinformation about autism and those who have it
Many have criticized U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in recent weeks for making sweeping claims about the cause and prevalence of autism and the United States.
At a news conference last week, Kennedy called autism “an epidemic” due to rising diagnosis rates, attributing the rise to "an environmental exposure." He also called autism “a preventable disease," promising to launch studies to find out what "caused the autism epidemic" and "eliminate those exposures" by September.
While it's true that autism rates are on the rise, health experts say the increase is much more likely due to better screenings and higher diagnosis rates in recent years. The definition of autism has also broadened to include a variety of neurodivergent conditions, known as Autism Spectrum Disorders.
“Autism destroys families,” Kennedy said. “More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this.”
Kennedy’s broad claims mirror a larger problem: There are persistent misconceptions about autism that affect autistic people and the way the world interacts with them.
To discuss all of this, Autism Alliance of Michigan President and CEO Colleen Allen joined The Metro. She also founded the Henry Ford Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
What's behind Dearborn's drastic drop in fatal overdoses?
Overdose deaths have been falling nationally, statewide and now locally.
Last year, at the national level, these kinds of deaths dropped for the first time in four years. And in Dearborn in 2024, overdose incidents dropped by 34% and overdose deaths dropped by 43%.
While the numbers are trending down, they’re still extremely high over the last two decades.
Ali Abazeed, founding director of public health and chief public health officer for the city of Dearborn, joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss the city's efforts to lower overdoses.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Detroit Fashion Revolution Week aims to reshape industry toward sustainability
The world of fashion is under pressure. Sales have slowed in recent years. People are spending less on clothes due to inflation and economic uncertainty.
People are also rethinking how they support an industry with many issues. The ugly reality is that the fashion industry has devastated our environment. That, coupled with exploitative working conditions in manufacturing, have buyers reconsidering both what they buy and where they are buying clothes from.
In Detroit this week, many designers and manufacturers will gather for Detroit Fashion United. The local initiative is part of a global movement that promotes sustainable fashion as the solution to environmental and workplace harms. It promotes more organic materials, fair wages and quality clothing items that last.
Today on The Metro, we explored how sustainable fashion is helping to address these problems and Detroit’s potential to be the next fashion hub.
Paulina Petkoski, a College for Creative Studies professor, designer and advocate for sustainable fashion practices; and Jen Guarino, president and CEO of The Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center, joined the conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
How children's education impacts parental dementia risk
Dementia affects more than six million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health, accounting for more than 100,000 deaths each year.
A recent New York University study shows Americans have a 42% chance of developing dementia after age 55 — more than double the risk reported by previous studies. And by 2060, the U.S. is expected to have a million new cases of dementia each year.
While dementia has several known risk factors, a new study by Bowling Green State University Sociologist Jenjira Yahirun highlighted a lesser known one: your children's level of education.
The study found that parents of college-educated adults are less likely to experience dementia or cognitive decline.
WDET's Sascha Raiyn spoke with Yahirun to learn more about her research and the strong link between older adults' dementia risk and their adult children’s educational and social status. Raiyn joined The Metro on Wednesday to share highlights from the discussion.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Michigan ends mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder
America delivers harsher criminal punishments than almost any other country. That harshness can be seen in our prison sentences, which are — on average — longer in comparison to other countries.
Part of Michigan’s legal system is trying to change that. At the beginning of April, the Michigan Supreme Court banned mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder.
To discuss this, Rick Speck joined The Metro. He’s the leadership programs coordinator for JustLeadershipUSA, an organization advocating for criminal justice reform from people who’ve been directly impacted by the criminal justice system.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Detroit Public Library is ready to help in many ways
If you go to the library to borrow a book, you are just scratching the surface of all the tools and resources the library has to offer.
The Detroit Public Library System stretches across the city, providing access to laptops you can take home, experts and information on the stock market, a place to record and edit your own podcast and so much more.
Kathryn Dowgiewicz is a public relations specialist for the Detroit Public Library. She joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss its offerings and how librarians can help find what you’re looking for.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Enjoy 'Art in the Trees' at Palmer Park in celebration of Earth Day
The city of Detroit has a lot of concrete streets, slabs of road and old industrial buildings.
But green spaces like Palmer Park provide an outlet to connect with nature. The park is home to one of the city's old growth forests with diverse plant and animal life.
And it’s just one of many spaces in Detroit hosting Earth Day celebrations and events this week to inspire environmental awareness and encourage community involvement.
On Sunday, the park will host Art in the Trees, an outdoor art exhibition among the trees in Palmer Park's old growth forest featuring large-scale sculptures, music, activities and more.
Event organizer Mark Loeb joined The Metro on Earth Day to share more about the event.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
WDET is 'rooting' itself in local environmental reporting with tree canopy project
WDET is embarking on a new project exploring the multifaceted relationship between trees and community health in Michigan.
Amanda Le Claire, lead reporter and managing editor of the tree project, joined The Metro on Earth Day to talk about Detroit's tree canopy and some of the most recent stories produced by the WDET newsroom.
Le Claire also shared a conversation she had with Andrew "Birch" Kemp, executive director of Arboretum Detroit, about a community forest restoration project on Detroit's east side.
Studies have shown that urban tree canopies help make communities more climate resilient, reduce air pollution, and combat the urban heat island effect — exposing residents to higher risks of heat-related illness and higher cooling costs.
The tree canopy project will dig into all of these topics and more over 24 months of reporting.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Detroit's Pope Francis Center leader reflects on late pontiff's legacy
Caring for the poor and having mercy for the marginalized were values that played a central role in Pope Francis’ leadership, which touched many parts of the world.
In Vatican City, Pope Francis created a sanctuary for people experiencing homelessness. He called them Nobles of the Street.
In Gaza, a small war-torn parish received daily calls from Pope Francis. The pontiff began making those calls shortly after the war in Gaza started in October 2023.
In southern France, Pope Francis inspired Le Village de Francois, a community partnership offering shared living spaces for vulnerable people, from the elderly to former sex workers and people with disabilities.
And in Detroit, the late pontiff continues to inspire the work of the Pope Francis Center, which was renamed in his honor in 2016. Led by Father Tim McCabe, the Pope Francis Center welcomes many vulnerable people through its doors, offering everything from meals and hot showers to access to laundry facilities.
McCabe joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss the life and legacy of Pope Francis and how the center will continue to embody the pontiff's cherished values.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Black boys are attending college less
There are more women attending college in the U.S. than men, enrollment data shows.
And more women have college degrees today than men of the same age. Research shows the more education a person gets, the lower their chances are of living in poverty.
Today on The Metro, we’re having a conversation on why boys are struggling with two people who are working to help Black boys find success right here in Detroit — Black Male Educators Alliance Founder Curtis Lewis and Bottom Line Executive Director Danielle North.
We’re looking at this approach through the Black lens because while all boys are struggling, Black boys are falling behind the most.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Untold tales of Arab American life in metro Detroit
Some of the first Arabs came to Detroit by way of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
The fair recreated far flung parts of the world with exhibitions such as “Cairo Street," which featured a mosque and mausoleum and ancient Egyptian architecture. Performers from the Middle East traveled to the fair to be part of Cairo Street, along with recreations of city streets from Marrakech to Istanbul.
These exhibits captured for a Western audience some of the unknown sounds and sights of the Middle East. Meanwhile, many of the Middle Eastern performers stayed in the U.S. and made their way to metro Detroit amid the promise of thriving industry and a growing community of immigrants.
Later on in the Great Lakes, Yemeni sailors were commanding the waves and using their seafaring acumen to make a living in Michigan.
For Arab American Heritage Month, we’re exploring some of this untold history with Sally Howell, professor of History and Arab American Studies at University of Michigan-Dearborn.
She joined The Metro to tell us more about what she has learned chronicling Arab history in metro Detroit.
Also, Metro co-host Tia Graham spoke with Arab American National Museum Curator Dean Nasreddine about the museum's latest exhibit, "Seeing the Southend," which is on view through July 31.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Congresswoman Tlaib on improving Black maternal health outcomes
The United States spends more on health care costs than any other rich nation, yet maternal death rates remain alarmingly higher than comparable countries.
Those risks are much higher for Black women, who are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White woman, according the CDC. Racial disparities in quality health care, underlying chronic conditions and social determinants of health are all contributing factors to pregnancy-related complications.
Last week in honor of Black Maternal Health Week, leaders of the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus put up portraits of Black mothers who died from maternal health-related causes outside the offices of over 50 Congressional members at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
The installation, titled "In Her Honor," was created by Omari Maynard, a visual artist and educator whose partner, Shamony Gibson, died after giving birth in 2019.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib , chair of the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus joined The Metro to discuss the event and help shine a light on maternal health care disparities. Tlaib represents Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, which includes Detroit and Dearborn.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Flint program providing financial support to new moms expands to Wayne County
The U.S. health care system hasn’t been great about taking care of expectant mothers, especially moms of color.
Data has shown that stark racial disparities in maternal and infant health have existed for decades, with Black and American Indian mothers more likely to die as a result of childbirth.
In Detroit, a lot of expectant moms face grim outcomes in a number of ways. The city had the highest preterm birth rate at over 15%, according to a recent report from the March of Dimes.
These statistics speak to a larger problem. People of color, especially Black women, face roadblocks to accessing health care more broadly. They also have worse health outcomes due to factors like racism, financial barriers and historical trauma.
In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, The Metro had a conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna, a Michigan pediatrician who is leading efforts to improve maternal health care and child poverty in Flint.
Her program, Rx Kids, provides cash payments to expectant mothers during pregnancy and throughout the child’s first year to accommodate families’ basic needs. The program, funded through public and private dollars, is now expanding to Wayne County.
Wayne State Professor of Emergency Medicine Dr. Phillip Levy also joined the show to discuss the Wayne Health Mobile Unit, which takes health care on the road to low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, creating easier access for pregnant moms.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Auto industry taking an economic turn due to tariffs
The stock market has rebounded somewhat since last week, but there are still many Michiganders concerned about the state of our economy. They’re worried about what tariffs will do to their business and how the uncertainty is making it difficult to plan ahead.
This is specifically true of auto suppliers. In a recent Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association survey, nearly one-fourth of auto suppliers said their companies would cut or delay investments during the first month of the tariffs. Roughly 21% of suppliers said modifications to supply chains would be needed and 13% said cutting U.S. jobs would be required.
Laurie Harbour, partner and automotive analyst at the tax advisory firm Wipfli joined The Metro to discuss how car companies are reacting. She’s been working with auto suppliers for over three decades.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Bookstock, Detroit's largest used-book sale, supporting literacy initiatives across the state
As spring arrives, so does Bookstock — Michigan’s largest used book and media sale.
Now in its 21st year, Bookstock is returning to Laurel Park Place in Livonia from April 27 to May 4. But the event is more than just a sale, it's a mission.
With literacy rates still low in places like Detroit and access to books a continuing challenge, Bookstock helps close the gap by selling and donating gently used books, audiobooks, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds support education and literacy initiatives across Michigan.
Today on The Metro, Honorary Chairperson for Bookstock and longtime Detroit Free Press columnist Neal Rubin joined the show to discuss this effort, known as the Bookstock Fund. The fund awards grants to teachers and organizations working to improve literacy. WDET marketing intern and Bookstock enthusiast Natalie Albrecht also joined the conversation.
The weeklong event kicks off Sunday, April 27 with a pre-sale, a performance from the Walled Lake Performance Ensemble, and the joyful Bookstock Volunteer Parade. Nearly 600 volunteers help organize and staff the sale each year.
Bookstock also hosts a Teacher Appreciation Day, recognizing the educators who often buy books and materials for their classrooms with their own money.
Visit bookstockmi.org for more information.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed enters US Senate race in Michigan
The race for the U.S. Senate in Michigan is heating up.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed declared Thursday morning he is running for the state's open Senate seat next year.
El-Sayed, who is running as a Democrat, previously served as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services for Wayne County. Before that, he ran for governor in 2018 and lost in the primary to now-Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Republican Mike Rogers are also in the running to replace Sen. Gary Peters, who vacates his seat next year.
El-Sayed joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss why he is running, how his experience as a doctor and scientist inform his vision as a political leader, and what he sees as the most pressing issues facing Michiganders.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Nonprofit aims to conserve bird habitats in metro Detroit
Global warming and climate change poses a significant threat to two-thirds of North American bird species, according to the National Audubon Society.
These impacts are causing many birds to leave their homes and relocate to places more favorable for their species, including in southeast Michigan.
That’s concerning because it’s not just beauty and sweet songs that birds provide to the world, they also play a vital role in our ecosystem — keeping insect populations low, helping to pollinate plants, disperse seeds and more. Without birds, both people and the environment would experience devastating impacts.
Ava Landgraf is the conservation and research coordinator for the Detroit Bird Alliance, a nonprofit working to protect birds and their habitats in southeast Michigan. Landgraf joined The Metro to discuss local species and the important role they play in our environment.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.