Detroit’s Chinatown, at one point in time, was a bustling neighborhood that often marked the first stop in the states for so many immigrants. 

According to the 2025 census, 1.7% of Detroit’s population identify as Asian American. An effort is underway to restore Detroit’s Chinatown.

In partnership with the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit (IIMD), Concert of Colors Neighborhood Programs will host a celebration in old neighborhood.

We Tell These Truths: Music is a Universal Language (A Pan-Asian Cultural Celebration) is Saturday, Sept. 26, 2-4:30 p.m.

It’s happening at Detroit Shipping Company in Detroit’s Cass Corridor.

Roland Hwang is a lecturer of Asian, Pacific Islander History at the University of Michigan. Hwang is an attorney and a former state assistant attorney general. He is a supporter of Concert of Colors and MC for the event.

The concert will feature virtuoso erhuist Xiao Dong Wei, and her alter-ego, Madame XD.

Wei’s musical journey began in China at the tender age of 5. Her work has taken her across the globe and landed her in the Detroit area.  She blends traditional Chinese music with contemporary genres. From jazz, rock, and orchestral performance, Xiao plays over 20 instruments. 

Additional performers include well is virtuoso pipaist, Min Xiao-Fen. As well the Great Lakes Taiko Ensemble, and Thomas Xu “Steady Flight Circle” as the DJ for the afternoon.

Wei and Hwang joined The Metro to talk more about the concert and Detroit’s Chinatown. 

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For some, poetry or the spoken word isn’t their thing. For Rose Marie Wilson Byrd AKA One Single Rose, it changed the course of her life. She began poetry as a way to express grief and heartbreak. Through her writings, she found a sense of freedom.

The topics quickly changed, turning her words into uplifting lessons versus words of a woman scorned.  She now creates to make the written and spoken art form resonate with all audiences. 

CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves. 

CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building. Its goal is to showcase Detroit’s creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.

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

Cartoons and Stereo Vol. 2 is back for another year.

The free festival will feature multiple local and national musical acts such as Curtis Roach, Liv. E and Kareem Riggins of GENA, Mavi, The Cool Kids, Stoop Lee and more.

Alongside a free music festival, there will be a skateboarding competition. The goal of the Cartoons and Stereo is to celebrate the intersections of music, fashion, art, skating and food.

Stoop Lee is a hip hop artist from Detroit and organizer of Cartoons and Stereo Vol.2. He recently dropped a new single called Cola.

Lee says Detroit’s hip hop scene is diverse and that needs to be uplifted. “I wanted to do something that put those two worlds together,” Lee said.

Lee joined The Metro to discuss how his music and skating represents the scene as well as the aesthetic of the city. Cartoons and Stereo is Sept. 19 at the Big Pink on Detroit’s Eastside.

 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 stream on-demand. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Recovery and Resilience Festival is an upcoming music and art festival in Wyandotte, focusing on recovery from drugs and alcohol. Festival goers can expect free activities such as creative writing workshops and more.

Christopher Tait and Michael Balcom are co-founders of the free event.

Tait is the director of ‘Passenger’ Recovery, a service providing sober spaces to traveling and local musicians. “For me, the answer was trying to create relief, which turned into severe alcohol and cocaine abuse,” Tait said. 

As part of the band Electric Six for 25 years, Tait struggled with addiction and substance abuse. Through support and connections, Passenger Recovery has been a healing space for him. It’s lead him to folks like Balcom.

Balcom is the director of ‘Be Well My Friends’, a non-profit organization. It’s grown and has developed The Odd Fellow Concert Lounge alongside the Downriver Council for the Arts.

Balcom says working with Tait has made a world of difference bringing the festival to life. “Without him, I wouldn’t have known about half of these places,” Tait said.

They joined The Metro to share how their personal experiences led to them placing sobriety on center stage at the Recovery and Resilience Festival. 

The event runs from noon to 10 p.m. on Sept. 20.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above

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The Season Fair, a free non-profit contemporary art fair, returns second year at The Shepherd in Detroit from Sept. 11-13.

Season Talks at the College for Creative Studies will open the fair with Theo Parrish, Sterling Toles, KESSWA, and more on Sept. 10. It’s free.

Amani Olu is the founder and curatorial director of Season Fair. He reported that Season’s funding comes from ticket sales, sponsorships, and individual donations as they seek to find new ways to pay artists. “A lot of artists are pushing back against the 50-50 split because the galleries are not earning it,” Olu said.

Oshun Williams is a featured fine artist on the Detroit Presents Artist Platform. Though his chosen medium has been acrylic on canvas, Williams also uses newspaper, chenille patches, bows, buttons, and even Michigan mittens for mixed media designs.

His works depicts everyday life with themes that resonate with people across culture and class, especially those who come from families who moved north for better opportunities. “My grandfather just passed away last year, so it was a good way to bring it back to life and pretty much celebrate him,” Williams said.

Olu and Williams joined The Metro not only to discuss the weekend ahead and emphasize the importance of investing in art.

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 stream on-demand. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Animation fans have long awaited the release of “Coyote vs Acme.”

The Looney Tunes film blends live-acting and animation into a movie that sees the character, Wile E Coyote, in a legal battle with Acme after the Acme products the Coyote uses to catch Roadrunner keep failing.

The project was finished, but it was shelved by Warner Brothers in 2023 for a tax write off. After fans pushed for the release, “Coyote vs. Acme” is now in theaters.

And the film has some local ties.

Detroiter Bennie Taylor plays a character role in “Coyote Vs Acme.” Since 2020, he’s played various character roles and continues to see his screentime grow.

In 2026, Taylor was featured in the film “Buddy,” starring Keegan-Michael Key, a Michigan native, Patton Oswalt and Delaney Quinn.

Taylor spoke with The Metro’s Tia Graham about his career, Detroit and the future.

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 stream on-demand.

Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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What’s behind Majesty Hope Blands’ woven purpose?

A native Detroiter, Bland is a seamstress, tailor and fiber artist. As an alum of the College for Creative Studies and ISAIC, Bland has taken what she’s learned and tested its limits.

Bland creates one-of-one pieces that invite people to reconsider their relationship with their clothes.

Working with upcycled materials and whatever is around her at the moment, Bland sees resourcefulness not as a gimmick, but as a way of life.

In this episode, we learn a little more about Majesty Hope Bland.

CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves. 

CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building. Its goal is to showcase Detroit’s creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.

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

In Her Honor – Detroit is a part of a three-day event using art, storytelling, remembrance and action to honor the mothers lost to maternal mortality. 

The Detroit Institute of Arts hosted a screening of the documentary ‘Aftershock’ to kick off the series.

The film follows stories of loss, grief and advocacy for Black and Brown mothers who have died from pregnancy-related complications. 

Omari Maynard is a Brooklyn-based artist, educator, and advocate. Maynard is featured in Aftershock. Audiences follow along as Omari reshapes his life after the death of his partner, Shamony Gibson.

Maynard created portraits of remembrance for Black and Brown women lost to a lack of support and resources in the maternal health system. 

One portrait turned into dozens. This spring the portraits were on display in Washington D.C. in front of 50 congressional offices, giving a name, face and story to alarming statistics. 

Alongside the portrait series in Her Honor, Maynard is the co-founder of the Ariah Foundation. 

Danielle Atkinson is the founding executive director of Mothering Justice. Mothering Justice is a grassroots advocacy organization. It empowers mothers, particularly mothers of color, to address the critical issues that impact their families and communities. 

Omari and Danielle joined The Metro to talk more about In Her Honor and Aftershock. 

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, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcast

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Overdoses are down across the country and in particular here in Michigan. 

Oakland County saw a 37% decrease in overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024. The county also reports the distribution of more than 2,300 Narcan kits to harm reduction clients. So far, its resulted in 430 overdose Narcan rescues between January 2023 and June 2025. 

The 25th annual International Overdose Awareness Day is Aug. 31. This year’s theme is “25 Years On. Still Needed.”

Although numbers are trending down in Michigan, education, the distribution of Narcan kits and peer recovery groups remain top priority for local organizations. 

The Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities launched in 2003 with support of Oakland Counties Office of Substance Abuse Services.  Since its inception, the Alliance for Coalition of Healthy Communities has grown to include over 20 community prevention coalitions. They are currently serving more than 55 local communities. 

The organization has a drive-up Naloxone training resource fair planned for Aug. 31. It’ll take place at 5505 Corporate Drive in Troy from 9 a.m. to 5p.m.

Jonathon Maxgay is an Overdose Prevention Specialist with the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities.

Maxgay joined The Metro to talk more about the 25th International Overdose Awareness Day and how he’s personally been impacted by substance abuse. 

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 stream on-demand.

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The Paint the Park Mural and Art Festival returns to Allen Park, in partnership with the Downtown Development Authority and The Mural People. It’s free and open to the public Aug. 22-23.

This year’s event has grown with more activities for the entire family. Guests can grab an Allen Park watercolor kit, or watch live demonstrations of glass art, woodworking ceramics and more.

Eight muralists will create large-scale public artworks throughout the city, showcasing the vibrancy of the community. There will also be more than 50 artist and maker booths. 

Bike lovers are also encouraged to come out and ready to roll. This year Slow Roll Detroit will complete its first Downriver ride and mural tour led by founder Jason Hall on Saturday.

Jason Hall and Dan Armand, co-founder and co-owner of The Mural People, joined me to talk more about the festival and the Downriver communities.

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 stream on-demand.

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Yum Village is an Afro-Caribbean restaurant bordering Detroit’s New Center and North End neighborhoods, just off Woodward Avenue.

Owner and chef Godwin Ihentuge has spent the last decade turning Yum Village into more than a place to eat. He’s crafting a community space where people can commune, connect and learn.

Ihentuge, who is of Nigerian and Black American heritage, has made it his mission to provide accessible, healthy meals.

This year, Ihentuge launched the Yum Village app and offers a food subscription service through Yum Village Circle.

Ihentuge aims to “revolutionize” the dining experience, inviting people from all walks of life.

Tune in to the episode to learn more about Chef Godwin and the village he’s building.

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Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcast

 

The Peacock Room that left Detroit 100 years ago lives on today in Rachel Lutz’s boutique.

When looking for a name for her business,  Lutz referenced Detroit art collector Charles Lang Freer, who first brought the Peacock Room to Detroit as a part of his art collection.

Now the shop has evolved, making a name for itself with careful curation, styling expertise and intimate knowledge of the stories behind the pieces sold. The New York Times recently included The Peacock Room in a list of 25 favorite stores across the country.

Rachel Lutz joins the show to talk about Detroit history, what’s behind the success of her store and what lays ahead. 

The origins of The Peacock Room

In 1876 and 1877, Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room was completed by artist James McNeill Whistler. 

It was originally a dining room in the London home of Frederick Richards Leyland, a wealthy shipowner from Liverpool, England. The room was to house Leyland’s priceless Chinese blue-and-white porcelain.

But while Leyland was away, the room became a fresh canvas. Whistler covered the ceiling with imitation gold leaf and peacock feathers, gilded the shelving, and painted peacocks across the shutters. 

Leyland became infuriated and the two men feuded over the work and the bill for the rest of their lives. It remained intact in Leyland’s home until his death in 1892.

Enter Charles Lang Freer, a Detroit railroad-car manufacturer and later a student of art. He was an avid collector of Asian and Middle Eastern art works and bought The Peacock Room in its entirety. Freer had it shipped to his home on East Ferry Avenue in 1904. It remained in Detroit until 1919. 

 

The room currently is on display in its entirety in the Freer Gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.

Detroit’s new Peacock Room

Rachel Lutz’ retail store The Peacock Room pays homage to Charles Lang Freer’s vision of collecting and the room Detroit lost. Located in The Park Shelton and Fisher buildings, since 2011, Lutz has curated her spaces like galleries. 

This fall, The Peacock Room Antiques Studio opens in the Park Shelton, which will be an event-driven destination for collecting, education and community.

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 stream on-demand.

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Fantastico: Wild and Winsome Posters from Mexico’s Golden Age, 1936-1960 will open to the public for free on the evening of Thursday, August 6 at Galerie Camille in the Cass Corridor.

There will be posters and lobby cards that feature genres such as Mexican film noir and rumberas movies, or cabaret melodramas made famous from their dance numbers.

Dalia Reyes, an interdisciplinary artist and arts administrator from Southwest Detroit, co-curated the exhibition. “There’s something about being able to compare what we see here in the US and then what Mexico was doing during that time,” Reyes says.

Reyes joined The Metro to discuss the art, culture, and innovation behind the timeless items of Mexican cinema. “You can expect a variety of categories anywhere from crime, drama, musicals, noir, and then some of those major Hollywood movies,” Reyes says.

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 stream on-demand. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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BasBlue, an organization of women and non-binary individuals, celebrated a five year anniversary by focusing on their Future Founders and Future Leaders program.

According to the Detroit Regional Chambers, women were behind over 13% growth in business ownership from 2018 to 2023. BasBlue hopes to build on that foundation.

Ellen Gilchrist is the Chief Executive Officer of BasBlue. Gilchrist says finding solutions to problems begins with self determination. “When you find your passion, it pushes you forward,” Gilchrist says.

Fatoumata Sacko is an entrepreneur of Katii Café, a Malian inspired tea cart. Sacko is also a BasBlue Future Leaders member. She says networking with peers and learning from mentors motivated her to push forward with her business.

They join The Metro to discuss how the business ideas and professional networks of people should be nourished from an early age to increase odds of success.

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 stream on-demand. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

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Brittini Ward is a multi-media artist and the founder of EYE N EYE LLC. It’s a creative studio, using storytelling for healing, care and cultural preservation in the city of Detroit.  

The Emmy-winning artist has been featured in The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Detroit Institute of Arts, Motown Museum and has partnered with local organizations like Black Bottom Archives and Plowshares Theatre Company, just to name a few.  

Ward graduated from The University of Michigan Flint and has her masters in Social Justice and Community Organizing from Prescott College. 

Today, her work builds on her educational pursuits, allowing her to bring people together around art. Through her exhibitions, she’s intentionally creating spaces that hold community stories.  

Listen to the episode and learn more about Detroit based artist Brittini Ward.

CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves. 

CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building. Its goal is to showcase Detroit’s creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.

Tune into 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, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.