Activation: Food

Chef Greg is the founder and owner of Smokey G’s Smokehouse, located at Valade Park on Detroit’s Riverfront.

He was a featured vendor during the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, and Smokey G’s became the first smoker ever to appear at the Rocket Mortgage Classic Golf Tournament.

For the last 11 years, Greg has taken pride in welcoming people into his family through food, smoke, and plenty of laughs.

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Starting out as a recreational soccer league at Belle Isle in 2010, Detroit City Football Club has grown its footprint in Detroit and metro Detroit, quickly amassing a loyal and passionate fanbase. 

Now, over a decade later, a new stadium is helping usher in a new era for DCFC. AlumniFi Field is set to open for the 2027 USL Championship season. 

Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year in the Corktown and Southwest Detroit neighborhoods, pending Detroit City Council’s approval.

Detroit City Football Club Stadium Neighborhood Advisory Council will begin to accept nominations for the council. Any Detroit residents who live within the impact area and are over 18 are eligible to serve.

CEO and Co-founder of DCFC Sean Mann joined Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about the stadium and the community that AlumniFi will call home. 

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Activation: Food

Chef Booze brings Arkansas roots to Detroit’s food scene

Jermond Booze, professionally known as Chef Booze or simply Booze, was born and raised in Arkansas and has turned Detroit into home. His southern roots are foundational to who he is and to the way he views food as a conduit for larger conversations.

Through hosting music themed dinners, mentoring kids, and winning “Chopped,” Booze has become instrumental in Detroit’s food scene.

The Brightmoor community in the city of Detroit has had its battles, from blight to vacant lots, the community has found a way to remain resilient through the years.

The Brightmoor Music Series began in 2019 and wasn’t an instant hit. After a few weeks of word-of-mouth testimonies from community members, there was a demand for another one the next year. 

Now, the event continues to thrive at Etheldra Mae Williams Park. Located on Burgess between Lyndon and Acacia Streets in Detroit, the once blighted 11acre grassland is now renovated and beautiful.

“Puttin on the Ritz” is a celebration of the 100th birthday of the park’s namesake, Etheldra Mae Williams.

The park will be transformed into a 1920’s speakeasy, along with classic cars and vendors.

Michael Williams is a manager of the William Park Alliance who organizes the Brightmoor Series, and Flint native songstress Pia Broden-Williams is headlining the upcoming celebration. They joined The Metro to talk more about the music series and uplifting the Brightmoor community.

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When women actors in Hollywood called out other actors and executives who committed some form of sexual violence against them, the whole world took notice. Survivors were finally being heard and it sparked the #MeToo era, in which accusations of sexual misconduct were heard more than ever before.

In Michigan, decades of abuse by sports doctor Larry Nassar came to light around the same time. A few years ago, the University of Michigan agreed to a settlement worth $490 million, with over one thousand people saying they were sexually assaulted by the late physician Robert Anderson.     

According to a 2018 survey by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime. 

It’s also important to note that many survivors are harmed by someone they know, someone close to them. In the US, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence survey.

So how far have we come when it comes to having conversations about domestic violence and abuse to prevent it from happening? And what kind of support does a survivor need to work through their trauma? 

Kalimah Johnson is the Founder, CEO and Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness (SASHA) Center, which provides services for sexual assault recovery, prevention, and educational agency. Kalimah is also a consultant on relationship safety and management.

We spoke with Kalimah about the SASHA center and the importance of the language we use when talking about sexual violence, specifically against Black women. We also learned about the upcoming fifth edition of a back-to-school program hosted by the SASHA center.

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Picture this: you’re on Mackinac Island having a grand old time at the Grand Hotel, and then boom, a mystery is a foot.

Someone has been murdered during the Mackinac Policy Conference and treachery begins—and if you’re familiar with Mackinac Island, you know you’re not leaving unless it’s by boat or ferry.  

That’s the premise of a new book called “The Grand Secret” that depicts schemes, betrayal, and, of course, a high profile murder. The book also highlights the beauty of Michigan and its landmarks while going through the twists and turns of a murder-mystery.

“The Grand Secret” is the work of author Ed McKenna. The Downriver native and Michigan State Graduate has been writing for more than 20 years. 

The father of two joined The Metro to talk more about “The Grand Secret” and why writing matters.

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Activation: Music

Bryce Detroit is a poet, an artist, a social justice organizer and a musician. And with so many titles on his name, it’s hard to pinpoint what creative endeavor he may be working on at that particular moment, but it’s ALWAYS safe to say he’s doing it for the culture…he’s doing it for Detroit. 

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

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

What happens when building a new space or renovating one means more than profits? What does it look like when design and functionality come together to better a community and its residents? 

The New School is a collective of 8 women-led architecture firms, working to reimagine Detroit from the ground up, no pun intended.

The group hopes to connect with like minded people and transform the landscape of architecture into a more inclusive space. 

Laura Marie Peterson, director of 1+1+ and Laura Walker, owner and co-founder of Other Work, joined The Metro to describe how architecture can serve a community.

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Founder Dr. Charles H. Wright was well known throughout the city, having worked in the maternity ward of the Hutzel Women’s Hospital

The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History has been a staple for generations of Detroiters. 

It’s been 60 years since The Wright first opened its doors in 1965, the same year that the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.

Through the years, The Wright has been a place of learning and a frequent field trip destination. The museum offers visitors the chance to learn histories that are often left out of major cultural institutions. 

Director of Design and Fabrication Kevin Davidson spoke with The Metro’s Tia Graham about the legacy of The Wright.

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If the buildings, halls and walls of the Cass corridor could speak they would speak for days. The Cass Corridor, now dubbed Midtown, has been through significant changes. Art and culture have long been central to life in the Cass Corridor. A new short film, “Detroit Boi,” portrays the neighborhood through the eyes of longtime residents.

Detroit native Mike Targus is a writer and director. He operates Detroit based Mack Black Productions. He also directed “The Corridor. Defended.” which won best in comedy at the 2017 New York Shorts Festival.

Patrick “PT” Trainor is a carpenter, who worked on most of the buildings in the Cass Corridor and he’s one of the voices featured in “Detroit Boi.”

The short film premieres at the Old Miami at 8 p.m., August 9, 2025.

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WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit Live is a celebration of Detroit’s rich music legacy while uplifting local talent. Tiny Desk Contest contestants from metro Detroit were all handpicked by WDET music hosts. One of those is the multi-talented Corazon Szell.

Corazon was selected by Jeff Milo, the host of MI Local on WDET. She will perform alongside three other artists at Sounds Like Detroit LIVE at Batch Brewing on August 14, 2025. Tickets are $25 and support WDET.

She joined Metro’s Tia Graham to talk more about her songwriting and career.

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The newly formed BIG3 professional basketball team, the Detroit Amplifiers, made their home court debut at Little Caesars Arena this past Sunday, July 20.

Created by actor, producer and music legend Ice Cube and other investors in 2017, BIG3 basketball is played at halfcourt, 3-on-3. 

The goal of the league is to highlight and support some of professional basketball’s talented players whose time within the NBA and other leagues have come to an end. 

George Gervin Jr. is the assitant coach of the Detroit Amps. He joined The Metro on Tuesday to talk about Sunday’s game and what’s on the horizon for Detroit’s newest pro basketball team.

The Detroit Amps’ next game is this Saturday, July 26, in Cincinnati against the Los Angeles Riot. It will be televised on CBS.

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Soul food is one of the most identifiable American cuisines. 

The dishes were crafted from the scraps that were left behind for Black people at a time when slavery was the law of the land. With a little ingenuity and a lot of determination, those leftovers became a main attraction for Black families and the rest of the country eventually caught on.

This weekend, collard greens will be placed center stage as Detroiters gather in Chandler park to celebrate the soul food staple. The 3rd annual Collard Green Cook-Off will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, bringing together food, culture and community.

Khary Frazier  is the founder of Detroit is Different, the organization hosting the event. He joined The Metro on Tuesday to share what’s in store this year and the importance of celebrating Black culture, community and culinary excellence in the city.

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The world can learn a lot from Detroit. Last week, the nonprofit Global Citizen came to the Hudson’s building to do just that.

The convening featured panels and discussions with Detroit artists and changemakers — but also some names that people recognize around the world — people like Wyclef Jean and Mark Cuban. 

The Metro’s Tia Graham attended the Global Citizen NOW Detroit summit and spoke with featured panelist, celebrity chef, restaurateur and author, Marcus Samuelsson about Detroit’s global food scene and its ability to bring cultures together.

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A new play from Arab American playwright Andrea Assaf is exploring the concept of “moral injury” and the devastating effects of drone warfare.

“DRONE” tells the story of a U.S. military drone pilot “who is not allowed to talk about [the violence] he’s witnessing, and the effect that silencing has on his mental health and daily life,” Assaf told WDET. 

The pilot’s story is juxtaposed with testimonies from three drone strike survivors — based on real-life testimonies from witnesses and survivors of U.S. drone strikes.

“I’m a person who makes art to cope, to heal, to process, to express, so that I don’t hold all that in by myself, and so that I can create spaces to talk about these things; to break those silences, to get communities to talk together about things in a way that makes it a human story and not just a news story,” she said.

Assaf joined The Metro to share her perspective about these unseen moral injuries and her inspiration behind the play. “DRONE,” presented by the Arab American National Museum, will run July 31 and Aug. 1-3 at the Detroit Public Theatre, 3960 3rd Ave., Detroit.

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Detroiter Donna Jackson is the first Black woman to serve as gallery manager of the historic Scarab Club. 

The local hub for visual, literary and performing arts has been around for over 117 years, but its leadership has yet to reflect Black Detroiters.

Jackson joined The Metro to talk about her vision for the future of the Scarab Club, Black representation and how she plans to engage all groups of people as the city continues to see shifts within its borders.

The Scarab Club is currently hosting its 54th annual Photography Exhibition, juried by the local artist and Womxnhouse Detroit Co-founder Asia Hamilton. The club will also host a Scarab Salon Open Mic on Wednesday, July 16, for local writers to share their work. 

Visit scarabclub.org for the latest programming and events.

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The LOVE Building’s monthly LOVE@Nite creative showcase series has helped to shine a light on some of the city’s top up-and-coming artists and creatives.

This summer, the organization launched CONTAINER, a homegrown creative residency platform that nurtures and spotlights Detroit-based artists across music, food, fashion, and visual art through performances, mentorship, and a citywide tour this fall.

The goal of the project is to retain creative talent in the city while giving local artists the tools and space to grow. 

The LOVE Building will host its fourth and final LOVE@Nite: CONTAINER Takeover event this Thursday, July 10, showcasing the 12 local artists in the 2025 CONTAINER cohort. The event will also be a part of the closing festivities for the Global Citizen NOW conference in Detroit.

Kwaku Osei, executive director of The LOVE Building, joined The Metro on Tuesday to talk about the final CONTAINER Takeover and what to expect.

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Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion is home to some of the city’s most iconic businesses and shops.

Every year on the first Saturday in July, the “Light Up Livernois” fashion, art and design festival takes over Livernois between Six and Eight Mile roads to highlight all the business and entertainment district has to offer. 

Alysyn Curd, one of the event’s organizers and co-founder of the Independent Business Association headquartered on the Avenue of Fashion, joined The Metro to share more about the event this Saturday.

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A new jazz festival is coming to Windsor this holiday weekend.

The inaugural Electric Avenue International Jazz Festival will take over the WindsorEats Food Hall on Erie Street in Via Italia July 4-5. The free event will infuse the city’s food and art scenes to create a cross-border celebration of blues, soul, and of course, jazz.

Russ Macklem, a Detroit/Windsor-based trumpet player, composer, educator and artistic director for the Electric Avenue International Jazz Festival, joined The Metro to share more about the two-day event.

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