In this episode

• Recap of the 2026 Democratic Endorsement Convention
• What stood out about the filing deadline?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

According to the team, there were few surprises during this year’s filing deadline. One development that stood out to Oosting was Republican James Hooper entering the race against U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

“James Hooper announced that no one filed, so he was going to give it a go,” Oosting said. “It’s good for a candidate to have at least one challenger. Rashida Tlaib is a lock for reelection, but what if something happens?”

The 13th congressional district in Detroit probably had the biggest news with Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters jumping into the race to challenge Shri Tanadar. Oosting said Waters jumping in may take votes away from state Rep. Donavan McKinney who was already running. “For [McKinney] to be successful you need a small primary field. Mary Waters getting into the race complicates things”. 

The party primary elections will be held on August 4th. 

• More from WDET:
  MichMash: Michigan Democrats hold 2026 state endorsement convention
  
  MichMash: Will the Michigan Senate race forecast other critical races across the nation?
  
  Detroit Evening Report: Shri Thanedar questions validity of campaign signatures submitted by Adam Hollier

WDET is examining the highlights and history of Highland Park as part of our Crossing the Lines series.

The roughly three-square mile enclave, completely surrounded by Detroit, has many of the same issues as the Motor City. Some Highland Parkers say it’s often hard for visitors to know when they have left one city and traveled into the other.

Those residents include Pastor Leon Morehead, who leads the New Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Highland Park.

He’s a native of Detroit who has lived in Highland Park for about four years.

Morehead says the enclave is taking steps to reverse decades of decline.

The following interview was edited for length and clarity

Leon Morehead: It is becoming more of a walkable community. Many things are within walking distance right now. I love the tradition. I love the family atmosphere of Highland Park. I can talk to any of my local politicians and it’s just like we’re family. Even if I disagree with what they’re saying, they make themselves easily accessible.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: Do you get the same sense from your parishioners? Does they seem pretty happy with the area?

LM: Yes, we love Highland Park. We even discussed one time about moving and everybody said, “Absolutely not, we will not move from Highland Park.” It’s centrally-located. And there’s so many things that Highland Park is on the brink of doing. There’s some great developments that are on the way. There’s some housing developments, there’s more jobs that are coming online and more community partnerships, which are helping us a lot.

QK: As a native Detroiter, when you come to Highland Park, did you notice much difference between the two?

LM: With Highland Park being inside of Detroit, it’s almost like you’re just riding through one city. Highland Park was built to be a suburb, I was told. I actually grew up in the north end area of Detroit. As a child, we would ride through and we would see the Chrysler plant and the Ford workers that were working in Highland Park. So it’s not really much of a difference for me because I’ve already experienced it.

My children grow up now in an area where everybody knows them. It’s like the old school days. They don’t want my children to get in trouble. They’ll say, “Hey, he came in at eight o’clock at night instead of six o’clock.” Things like that. I love that part of the Highland Park community. It is an enclave. But it’s an enclave of love.

QK: If you suddenly were granted the power to change things to whatever you would like, is there anything you see around Highland Park that you would like to address?

LM: Just like many other places, I wish we could have the roads together. Our roads are not bad. But there are some street roads that I just wish were a little bit better. Especially with the hot and cold temperatures, we all deal with the potholes. We have a good [Department of Public Works] that fixes them. But I just wish we had a way to have self-sustaining roads.

QK: For people who maybe have not been through Highland Park, what would you tell them? What would you like people to know about the area if they haven’t been here before?

LM: Stop at some of our local shops. One of the greatest things we have is our recreation department. We got a really nice park. They have concerts every Wednesday in the summertime. And when you go there, everything is safe. Everybody’s having a good time. Everybody’s just looking at each other enjoying the family atmosphere. So it’s a great thing.

One of two public campgrounds in Wayne County is reopening this summer after extensive renovations.

Located in Lower Huron Metropark, the Walnut Grove Campground features 15 ADA-accessible campsites and connects to the Iron Belle Trail, Huron River Water Trail and the rest of the 13-park, 25,000 acre Huron-Clinton Metroparks system.

While camping outdoors requires some equipment and knowledge, those resources are within reach, and the new campground is more accessible than ever, says Amy McMillan, CEO of Huron-Clinton Metroparks.

“One of the great things about these improvements is we have barrier-free camping now, if you have mobility issues or have a stroller you need to push around, it’s absolutely perfect for that.”

A number of education and community events are available for camp-curious metro Detroiters, including a Family Campout Night on July 24-25, and weekend programs for first-time campers to try out equipment for the first time.

“You kind of get that up north feeling being right here next to Belleville,” says McMillan.

You can reserve campsites online, with dates open early May through Mid-October.

Guests:

• Amy McMillan is the CEO of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.
• Holly Clegg is the Park Operations Manager at Lower Huron Metropark.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

More stories from The Metro

The Detroit Public Library has hired a company to evaluate the condition of its buildings.

It marks the first comprehensive review of all 21 branches in decades, aimed at identifying structural needs and long-term sustainability.

Officials estimate repairs and upgrades could cost up to $30 million. The library is seeking philanthropic and corporate partnerships to help fund the work.

The assessment is expected to take six to eight months.

Detroit police consider drones to address street racing

The Detroit Police Department is considering using drones this summer to help curb drag racing and drifting.

Assistant Chief Franklin Hayes said the department plans to bring the proposal to Detroit City Council. He noted that other departments, including Dearborn, are already using drones in policing.

Hayes said the department is aware of privacy concerns and pointed to existing policies governing technology such as facial recognition, developed in partnership with the ACLU.

New independent bookstore to open on Detroit’s west side

Umoja Debate League founder Jerjuan Howard is opening a new independent bookstore this weekend.

The Howard Family Bookstore is designed to expand access to books and literacy for youth and families. Coffee and tea will also be available for purchase.

The grand opening is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 25 at 13803 Puritan Ave. The event coincides with National Independent Bookstore Day.

Waters enters 13th Congressional District race again

Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters is running again in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District.

Waters had not publicly announced her campaign before filing paperwork to get on the ballot, a move that surprised some observers. She said those who asked her directly were aware of her plans.

“People who cared enough to ask me if I was going to do it again, I told them yes,” Waters said. “So you have some that were surprised, others who were not surprised because they knew. And then you had another group that did not care.”

Waters was re-elected to City Council last year. She faces a competitive Democratic primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar and state Rep. Donavan McKinney.

Waters lost to Thanedar by 20 points in the 2024 Democratic primary.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

There’s no doubt the Detroit Lions have scarred many of their fans, being the first team to ever go 0-16.

Heartbreaking losses that seemed to defy the rule book, like Calvin Johnson’s non-catch in Chicago. Or the picked up penalty in the playoffs vs the Cowboys.

Losing affects the players too, like Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders faxing his retirement to his hometown newspaper.

It’s not easy for anyone around that franchise, apparently. The same goes for Dearborn-raised, Brooklyn-based comedian Joel Walkowski.

In his book “Honolulu Blues: How Loving a Losing Team Created a Winning Man” Walkowski recounts the story of his family’s personal trauma, alongside the failings of his favorite team, the Detroit Lions. It’s incredibly funny and deeply personal in a way that many can relate to.

Walkowski has been on stages across the country. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, on Comedy Central and a bunch of other places. He tells WDET’s Russ McNamara why he decided to write the book.

Joel Walkowski: It was during the [Lions coach Matt] Patricia era, and you knew that fourth quarter collapse was always coming, and knowing that the hard thing was coming kind of made it easier. And that made me think, like, ‘oh, being a Lions fan impacted me in a profound way’.

And then as part of my, like, sobriety journey, I was tasked to do goals for myself. Like, what do I really want out of life? What do I think maximizes who I am? And it was like, “Oh, if I don’t write this book, I will always regret it.” So it became my purpose, my number one goal, and like I revolved my life around writing this book.

Russ McNamara: It says a lot about the depth of a book when a historically bad franchise with its own share of tragedy isn’t the darkest stuff in it.

JW: I’ll say that there is maybe every bit of darkness that could exist is in this book, but it’s handled with lightness. And I do think the overlap is there because I started to get very serious about my sobriety, September 2021 exactly.

And I don’t know how familiar you guys are with Lions history, but things started to be done very different. So it’s Campbell-Holmes era. It’s Sheila Ford. I’m bouncing back from, like, my darkest points. So like looking at Jared [Goff] and Dan [Campbell] and Brad [Holmes], as I’m like, you know, white knuckling 90 days of sobriety and thinking, like, “Oh, is there a different way to do this?” It was so helpful.

RM: In the book, you’re very open about your experience growing up, and you specifically mentioned essentially getting addicted to speed as a child—as many people of our age did. At what point did you, even as a child, kind of realize something’s not right?

JW: I was seven years old when I was put on very high doses of Adderall. Then I get to high school and there was a high school video program. I started to want to make different videos. I wanted to have more ambitions, but I would just start taking pill after pill after pill, pulling all-nighters and really string myself out.

But along those same lines, every time I’d produce something, I got validation. I was seen for the first time. So this finding of my identity was happening while I was abusing a substance.

I didn’t become an addict because I was letting loose or partying. I became an addict alone in my room, fostering some ambition, because putting something out there was the only way I had any value, any worth, right?

RM: How much of that value and worth did you sort of get tied into with following the ins and outs of the Detroit Lions?

JW: My life revolves around Sundays, but I try and make them only value added. Regardless of a win or loss, I play basketball from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. If we win, I show my girlfriends the highlights. If we lose, I turn off my phone and don’t check any football news until Tuesday.

If you get to the very ending of this book, which dovetails with, you know, a certain 17-point halftime lead, [Lions vs 49ers in 2023 NFC Championship Game] that lesson was given to me is “the win is the friends and relationships we make along the way.” And that it took me nearly 40 years to learn that.

Joel Walkowski’s book “Honolulu Blues: How Loving a Losing Team Created a Winning Man” is out July 14, 2026 just in time for the start of Detroit Lions training camp. It is available for pre-order now.

For the first time in decades, more people are seeking talk therapy over medication. 

The good news is there’s less stigma preventing people from accessing care. The bad news: A lot of people struggle to access therapy. Some clinicians argue that one of the big issues is private equity. 

Private equity investments in health care have grown to over $750 billion over the past decade.

Linda Michaels says that’s had devastating consequences for both clients and clinicians. People are less likely to get the therapy they need. And therapists are in a worse position to offer it. 

That’s the premise of Michaels’ talk this Sunday at a local fundraiser for a metro Detroit clinic. She is a psychologist in private practice in Chicago and a co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

The Metro reached out to two big health insurance providers, United Behavioral Health and Cigna. We wanted their perspective on how their administrative systems have complicated work for therapists, and made getting therapy harder. We did the same for several private equity groups. None of them offered a comment.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Warm weather outside today sets the tone for a playlist built on warm sounds from James Blake, Olivia Dean, Jessie Ware, and Sade, along with Latin classics from Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Thievery Corporation, plus a throwback from the Beastie Boys.

We also talk with Sky Jetta about her Detroit sound and the music that shapes her work, highlighting Stevie Wonder, DJ Assault, MotorKam, and DJ Holographic. She’ll be DJing at MOCAD’s reopening show on April 24. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 23, 2026 

• “I Want More” – Can 

• “Once In A Lifetime” – WITCH 

• “Never Be Another You” – Lee Fields & The Expressions 

• “Wednesday Morning Atonement” – Curtis Harding 

• “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand” – James Blake 

• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” – Olivia Dean & Colors 

• “Please Forgive My Heart” – Bobby Womack 

• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray 

• “It’s a Mirror” – Perfume Genius 

• “Bow (feat. Michael Kiwanuka)” – Sault 

• “Sabotage” – Beastie Boys 

• “Excursions” – A Tribe Called Quest 

• “Norfside (feat. Tierra Whack)” – Jill Scott 

• “Ain’t Got the Love (Of One Girl On My Mind)” – Ambassadors 

• “Vale a Pena” – Sessa 

• “Oye Cómo Va” – Tito Puente & Celia Cruz 

• “Yo Viviré (I Will Survive)” – Celia Cruz 

• “Begin Again (Joe Goddard Remix)” – Jessie Ware 

• “Maureen” – Sade 

• “On a Better Day I’m Dreaming (Tall Black Guy Remix)” – Colman Brothers 

• “Nautilus (Mawtilus)” – Nuyorican Soul 

• “Can’t Be Friends” – SKY JETTA 

• “Check Stub” – DJ Assault 

• “Sex Rain” – MotorKam 

• “Taurus” – DJ Holographic 

• “Para Sempre (feat. Elin Melgarejo)” – Thievery Corporation 

• “Paradise (feat. Thalma De Freitas)” – DJ Center & Sly5thAve 

• “I Love You Too Much” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Preben Goes to Acapulco” – Todd Terje 

• “Sáré Kon Kon” – Antibalas 

• “Sun Goddess” – Ramsey Lewis 

Listen to In The Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

There’s something special about the way nature creates its own art and it’s even more special how creativity can live, breathe, and grow right alongside those green spaces.

Visitors will get that experience as it comes to life at Palmer Park with Art and Music in the Trees. It’ll turn the old growth woods themselves into an open air gallery. The festival is a celebration of sustainability, community, and the power of art to transform how we connect with the world around us.

Mark Loeb is the president of Integrity Shows. He joined me to talk more about the Earth Day experience that is Art and Music in the Trees at Palmer Park. The event is on Saturday, April 25.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

We’ve got everything from orchestral renditions of Journey’s greatest hits to parties that won’t stop until the sun rises this week in Metro Detroit. The lights may come down in every other city, but here in Detroit, they’re always going up. 

Upcoming events (April 23 – 30)

Keith Harring: Subway Drawings 

Elaine L. Jacob Gallery

April 17 – August 15

Free

Put on your most elegant pair of painter’s jeans and get ready to take a dive into the world of artistic vandalism. From April to August, the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery at Wayne State University will be hosting an exhibition composed of 25 subway drawings created by Keith Harring between 1980 and 1985. “Art is for everyone,” so be sure to take this opportunity to see one of America’s most prolific artists. The gallery is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while the hours shift to 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays. 

Undergrad Art Exhibition 

Wayne State Art Department Gallery

April 24 – May 8

Free

Break out the strolling shoes, practice your hand-behind-the-back smolder and embrace your inner art critic. Over the course of the next three weeks, Wayne State University will be holding its 2026 undergraduate exhibition showcasing fine arts, art history and design. This collection is an emphasis on the student’s ability to go beyond the confines of what we see as contemporary art. The opening reception will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the gallery being open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Open Studio/ Gallery at Wayne State 

480 W Hancock St, Detroit

April 24

$7 – 10

But if that’s just not enough art for you, if you’re a real division 1 yearner and you’re looking for something more to sink your creative canines into, this Friday, the Wayne State University Graduate Artist Coalition is hosting an open studio and gallery event coinciding with the opening reception of the undergraduate exhibition. In addition to the ceramics, industrial design and paintings, there will also be live music as well as refreshments. The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  

12 Hour Party 

Marble Bar & Lincoln Factory

April 24

$50

Caffeine and ample water consumption are going to become your most trusted compatriots this weekend as you fight the urge to pass out with your tenacity to groove. This Friday, Marble Bar is teaming up with Lincoln Factory to bring you a 12-hour set consisting of 4 different stages across both venues. Stages will be both indoors and outdoors, with performances from DOME SURVEY, Ayesha, Matthew Dear, Bruno Schmidt and more. The event is set to begin at 9 p.m. and end at 9 a.m. And don’t forget the five-hour energy. 

Specter 

TBA

April 25

$29+

Normally, I’d say something along the lines of, “house and acid are commencing a takeover this weekend,” but take over where? The location hasn’t even been disclosed yet… I suppose this week’s motto should be “eh, take a chance.” At least you know which horses you’ll be betting on. This Saturday, Chicago native Specter is headlining the Sleep Olympics booth with Sugar, Shigeto, Meftah and 2000 Avalon on deck. The event will begin at 10 p.m. and it will go until 7 a.m. Boy, we are just screwing with your sleep schedule, aren’t we?  

Cuffing SZN 

Big Pink

April 25

$23

The neon beacons and the beckons of R&B are calling you home this weekend, to your true home, with all of us wonderful degenerates in tow. Pull through to Big Pink this Saturday to immerse yourself in 2000s throwbacks and bumping dance rhythms. DJ Selfie, Completd and Chuck Inglish are spinning tracks to get you making questionable decisions until the wee hours of the night, but you know what Austin Butler’s mother always used to say, “embarrassment is an underexplored emotion, get out there and make a fool of yourself.” This event is set to begin at 10 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m. 

Oakland University Film Showcase 

Dodge Hall

April 26

Free

But, if stationary art and house shows dont pique your interest, perhaps you’ll feel better suited supporting local filmmakers at Oakland University’s 2026 film showcase. The English, creative writing and film departments have united to bring you a night filled with narrative, experimental and documentary short films. So, make the trek out to Rochester and don’t forget the popcorn. And don’t worry, this event starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. for you “normal sleep pattern” people. 

The Music of Journey 

Orchestra Hall

April 24-26

$21+

If it wasn’t the music itself and it was simply that it didn’t have enough elegance whilst also reminding you of your father who grew up in the 80s, you’re in for a treat pal. This weekend the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is hosting an orchestral tribute to one of rock’s most notorious bands: Journey. The beauty of this performance is set to make sure you’re the one who’s crying now. The event begins at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 3 p.m. Sunday performance as well.  

Jay Electronica 

The Crofoot Festival Grounds

April 25

$23+

Or, if you just felt there wasn’t enough grit in your meal this week, New Orleans native Jay Electronica is slated to perform alongside Detroit heavy hitter Boldy James this Saturday in Pontiac and you’re not going to want to miss this. These two emcees are making history this weekend, and I don’t need to give you Exhibit A through C to show you that it’d be pitiful of you to skip out. The concert is set to begin at 7 p.m.  

A new single from Beck ahead of his tour date this October 12 at the Fox Theatre, plus new music from Soulwax and Yeek. Detroit stand-up comic Brad Wenzel joins the show to talk about his Bob Seger obsession and new stand-up special “Desperate Times.” A look at the connections between jazz and hip-hop over the years, and lots more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 22, 2026

• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soulwax
• “new body rhumba” – LCD Soundsystem
• “A Vineyard For The North” – Yard Act
• “Underwater Love” – Smoke City
• “Toda Cor” – anaiis, Grupo Cosmo & Luedji Luna
• “Balm” – Bill Laurance
• “Ride Lonesome” – Beck
• “Seasons Come, Seasons Go” – Bobbie Gentry
• “One of These Things First” – Nick Drake
• “I Dig Love” – George Harrison
• “Pretty Boys” – Paul McCartney & Khruangbin
• “The Message Continues (DJ Harrison Remix)” – Nubya Garcia
• “Sol” – musclecars
• “Para Chick” – Tania Marie
• “Daahoud” – Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet
• “To RBI” – Damu The Fudgemunk
• “All Caps” – Abstract Orchestra
• “Grown Up (Radio Edit)” – Danny Brown
• “House in LA” – Jungle
• “Rose Rouge” – Jorja Smith
• “What Kinda Music (Jordan Rakei Remix)” – Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes
• “Till It Shines” – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
• “Mainstreet” – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
• “Colonized Mind” – Prince
• “The Cross” – Prince
• “Ain’t That Easy” – D’Angelo and The Vanguard
• “Transcendental Blues” – Steve Earle
• “Nancy From Now On” – Father John Misty
• “Heaven” – Yeek
• “SPIDERS” – Lola Young

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Candidates planning to run in Michigan’s August primary election had until Tuesday at 4 p.m. to file their paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office.  That includes a few new candidates who filed at the last minute.  

Detroit City Councilmember Mary Waters filed to run in the Democratic primary for the 13^th Congressional District.  She faces incumbent Shri Thanedar, state Representative Donovan McKinney and realtor John Goci.  

The State Board of Canvassers still has to approve the candidates’ petition signatures before they can appear on the August primary ballot. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Leland House up for auction 

Downtown Detroit’s Leland House apartment building is up for auction.  The Detroit News reports that bidding for the building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will start next week.  

The Leland House was built in 1927 and served as a luxury hotel for many years, before being turned into an apartment complex.  Tenants were forced out of the building late last year, after the owner declared bankruptcy, and the city declared the building uninhabitable. 

Clean air hearing tonight 

Michigan regulators are holding a public hearing tonight to discuss metro Detroit’s air quality status.  Planet Detroit is reporting that state regulators want to declare that southeast Michigan is meeting federal ozone standards.  If approved, the action could weaken clean air standards in the area.  

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will hold the virtual meeting at 6 p.m. tonight.  You can call call 855-758-1310 to attend and use code 847 4896 8640  or you can join the meeting on Zoom.  

Pistons Game 2 preview 

The Detroit Pistons will try to rebound from a loss in their first game of the NBA playoffs.  The Orlando Magic beat them Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.  The Pistons brought the best regular season record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference to the playoffs, but that didn’t stop the Magic from taking the first game.  

Cade Cunningham had 39 points in the loss.  Game 2 in the nationally-televised best-of-seven series takes place at Little Caesars Arena tonight at 7 p.m. 

NFL Draft starts Thursday 

The Detroit Lions are making their final preparations for this week’s NFL Draft.  The team has the 17^th pick in the first round of the draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh.  

Football analysts suggest the Lions could use that pick to get an offensive lineman, edge rusher or cornerback.  The first round of the NFL draft starts at 8 p.m. Thursday.  The event will be televised live on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Four years in, the war in Sudan has produced the largest displacement crisis in the world. Nearly 14 million people have been forced from their homes. Both the United States government and a United Nations fact-finding mission have called the violence a genocide, citing a coordinated campaign by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces against the Zaghawa and Fur communities of Darfur.

In the United States, the response has been quiet.

Khadega Mohammed has spent much of her life trying to say something about that silence — through poetry, community organizing, and her work at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, where she is the only Sudanese person and the only Black person on staff.

Born in Sudan, raised in Saudi Arabia, and resettled in the United States with her family in 2007, Mohammed is a spoken word artist whose signature poem, “Between,” opens the PBS AfroPoP documentary “Revolution from Afar.”

She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about the Sudan she remembers, the America she lives in, and the in-between where her poetry was born.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The Trump administration has cracked down on immigration. President Donald Trump has conducted more ICE raids, signaled tougher security at the border, and has prevented fewer legal immigrants from entering the country. 

The Trump administration is also trying to end humanitarian immigration programs. One of those is Temporary Protected Status or TPS. 

The administration has revoked deportation protections from about one million people in the U.S. Most of them are from Venezuela and Honduras. It’s trying to revoke TPS from other countries but the courts have blocked the attempt.

The Department of Homeland Security says many countries on the TPS list are no longer in crisis. But many representing immigrants in court say otherwise.

Megan Hauptman is a Litigation Staff Attorney for the International Refugee Assistance Project. She is fighting the Trump administration to keep TPS for over 6,000 people from Syria. Over 1,500 of them live in Michigan alone. 

What exactly is TPS status? And what would happen if more people were to lose it? Megan Hauptman spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about this and more.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is re-opening this weekend after closing last year to perform renovations on the space.

The first exhibition upon its return will feature a slate of local and international artists including the renowned Olayami Dabls. 

Dabls is well known for his African bead museum on the city’s west side. He is also a story teller, sculptor and painter with work spanning 45 years. His exhibition at MOCAD will be a retrospective of his work over that time. 

Dabls joined the program along with the co-director and artistic director for MOCAD, Jova Lynne to discuss it.   

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

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There’s so much energy in the local arts and music scene. There is always something to experience, from the next big thing hiding in a dive bar, to a stand-up comic about to break through, to a visual artist in a DIY gallery about to sell a piece to a buyer in Europe.

There also could be a huge all-local music festival, too, bringing together more than 160 bands into 11 venues over the course of three wild, music-filled nights, or there might also be a comedic musical, filled with terrific arrangements, catchy choruses, and gusto performances, inspired by the plot and characters of “Jurassic Park.”

The seventh Corktown Music Festival kicks off Thursday night, hosted entirely in the neighborhood of Corktown, with venues like The Lager House, The Gaelic League, Nancy Whiskey, and more, with dozens upon dozens of bands and artists, like Carmel Liburdi, Mild Pulp, Anthony Retka, and my in-studio guests, Go Tiger Go and, by extension, The Plultophonics!

Ameera Bandy is a singer-songwriter and lead vocalist of the Plutophonics, but she’s also the VP of the Corktown Music Festival. She’s spent the last few months helping to organize this vast multi-day event.

Bandy talked about her passion for the local music scene, the origins of this festival, and some of the things local music fans can anticipate. There are wristbands you can purchase online, and all proceeds go to benefit the Hamtramck-based nonprofit Passenger Recovery.

Ameera’s band, The Plutophonics, are playing the same night as another indie-rock group, Go Tiger Go! That quartet is led by singer-guitarist Paul Corsi, who formed the band in the early 2010s and went on to release a slew of sleek, well-produced, high-energy pop ballads threaded with a signature complex guitar style.

Go Tiger Go performs live on MI Local on April 21, 2026.Go Tiger Go are experiencing a bit of a comeback this year, after a period of time away from the stages. Corsi is joined by guitarist Adam Toolin, bassist Ethan Hunter Smith, and drummer Brian Moore.

The entire band was hanging out in-studio to talk about their latest single, “Tokyo Rain,” and then treated WDET listeners to an exclusive premiere of their next track, “Paint.” To wind out the night, the band performed an acoustic version of their first breakout single, “Inhale.”

Along with these interviews, we heard new tracks from the Americana indie-folk duo Payton & Annabelle, and an awesome cover of “I Am The Walrus” by Jemmi Hazeman.

We also heard a recording of the cast from “Jurassic Park: the Musical,” with the song “Never Together,” from the ongoing show that you can catch at Plant Ant, described as “An original comedy where dinosaurs, disaster, and show-stopping numbers collide.” And the song is an absolute gem! I love all of this creative energy surging through the metro Detroit area, week-in and week-out!

Bookstock Michigan, one of the largest used book and media sales in the country is back.

Each year at Laurel Park Place in Livonia, thousands of volunteers help collect, sort, and organize hundreds of thousands of donated books and media items. The result is an affordable marketplace for readers of all ages.

But beyond the size of the sale, the collective effort behind it, from neighbors, to educators, and community members keeps the spirit of Bookstock alive.

Proceeds from sales go directly back into literacy and education programs across the region, helping expand access to reading materials and learning opportunities.

Honorary Bookstock chair Neal Rubin joins The Metro to share more about the annual event. 

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The U.S. Justice Department wants Wayne County to hand over ballots from the 2024 election. Justice officials claim the county surrounding Detroit has a “history of fraud convictions and other allegations.” 

Michigan officials say the few examples of fraud cited by the Justice Department out of millions of votes cast were not connected to the 2024 election. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson—who is running for governor as a Democrat—says she believes President Trump is trying to manufacture fear among voters. 

Michigan’s Republican-controlled state senate also found no evidence of widespread or systemic fraud in the 2020 election.

-Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter

Additional headlines for Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Detroit representatives co-sponsor water access, affordability bills

Detroit-area representatives are among those co-sponsoring water access and affordability bills in the U.S. House. If passed, he bills would create an Environmental Protection Agency program that provides access to clean water for low-income households. 

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is one of the sponsors of the legislation. She says clean, accessible, affordable drinking water is a basic human right. The bills would also prohibit water shutoffs and give equal protection for renters and homeowners. 

These bills are similar to ones Dingell and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib got passed in 2021, though funding was allowed to run out in the Republican-controlled House. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

Dearborn invests in new developments

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city and its private sector partners are investing $180 million in a wide variety of developments, including new housing. Hammoud says the city has already reviewed and approved some concept plans and is speeding up the permitting process.

Volunteers needed for Cinco De Mayo Fiesta

Raíces Detroit is looking for volunteers for its Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Parade. Volunteers will serve in a variety of roles, including event set-up and breakdown, assistance with parade staging, vendor support and more.

The Fiesta will be Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. The parade will be held on Sunday.

To volunteer, contact Raíces Detroit at 313-404-0850. 

Interfaith Odysseys explores Islam

The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit invites the community to explore Islam as a part of its Interfaith Odysseys program in May. Attendees will visit the Islamic Center of America – the largest mosque in the United States. The event includes a tour of the mosque, an introduction to Islam and a warm meal.

Guests will also view the “Art, Faith and Sacred Space” exhibit of work by Lebanese-born artist Haroutioun Isack Bastajian. Interfaith Odysseys are designed for all members of the family.

Joyce Foundation seeks to fund artists

The Joyce Foundation is offering artists across the Great Lakes a chance at a hundred thousand dollars in unrestricted funds for community-focused projects.

Artists in Michigan can nominate themselves through May 4. The Joyce Awards artists in the visual, performing, film, literary and media arts exploring issues of racial equity and engaging communities through collaboration. 

For more information and to apply, visit www.joycefdn.org/grants.  

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Young people have stories to tell. The Detroit Teen Truth Film Festival is a place for them to share those stories. It started in 2019 and has been growing ever since.

Teens from Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties create films that are just fifteen seconds long.

Watch the 2025 grand prize film from the 2025 Detroit Teen Truth Festival, directed by Johan Calderon.

Fifteen seconds to share a perspective. Fifteen seconds to express what matters to them. Each year, the festival chooses a theme. The teens help pick it, so it reflects what they care about most. The films are creative, honest, and often really powerful. This year’s is “My Mental Health, Myself.”

Finalists can win cash prizes and scholarships. But even more important, they get a chance to be heard. These films help communities see the world through young people’s eyes. It gives teens a voice and empowers them to share it.

In this conversation, we were joined by Y Arts Executive Director Margret Edwartowski and Y Arts Board member Nicolas Cucinella. We learned more about the importance of giving teens space to express their ideas.

The 2026 festival is Saturday April 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the Marlene Boll Theatre at the Boll Family YMCA.

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Large groups of teenagers have been gathering in downtown Detroit organized on TikTok and Snapchat. It’s part of a national trend being called “teen takeovers.” Most of the kids were just hanging out. But some of these gatherings turned chaotic. There have been brawls, vandalism, and an attempted robbery on Woodward. On April 11, a gun was fired, though no one was hurt.

Two of the 16-year-olds who organized the first gathering sat next to Mayor Mary Sheffield at a press conference last week. Daveion Page said he did it because he was bored. Danasha’ Tidwell said the violence that followed was “harmful and very unacceptable.”

Where can Detroit kids go to be safe and have fun? And, what’s the responsibility of a city to help grow and develop young people? 

Jerjuan Howard is the first director of Detroit’s new Office of Youth Affairs. He’s also an Army veteran, founder of the Umoja Debate League, and the owner of a new bookstore on Puritan Avenue. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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