City Council President Mary Sheffield is running for Mayor, leaving District 5 open for new representation for the first time in more than a decade.

District 5 police Commissioner Willie Burton and UAW retiree Renata Miller are facing each other for the seat.

Burton’s campaign

Willie Burton was the youngest police commissioner in the U.S. when he took his seat in 2014. Before his election, he served for two years on the Detroit Public Schools Police and Public Safety Oversight Committee and then as Director of Community Relations for Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott.

Burton’s campaign website calls for improving public transit, lowering water rates, and pushing for more affordable housing.

But Burton says his biggest concern is improving mental health support and services in the city. He says if he wins, he plans to hold a mental health symposium within his first 100 days in office.

“Our community has to be educated as well when it comes to crisis intervention training, which is Mental Health First Aid, as well as training our officers,” Burton said.  “So we have our officers as trained, which is one thing, but our community has zero training. The business partnerships in the city has zero training.”

Burton says he wants to see Detroit receive a state-of-the-art triage center and social workers with more boots on the ground to help with issues from domestic violence to homelessness.

Miller’s campaign

Renata Miller is a UAW retiree. She is a founder of the Detroit Historic District Alliance and a community ambassador to the Detroit Opera House. Miller has served as president, vice president, and membership chair of the Historic Indian Village Association. She is also the program director of the Lawn Academy, an organization that teaches environmental stewardship and provides job training to youth in Detroit.

Miller’s campaign page says she is committed to protecting Detroit’s historic neighborhoods—advocating for community-led development, and ensuring government transparency.

Miller also advocates for more jobs in the city, quality affordable housing, and improved safety in the neighborhoods.

At a candidate meet and greet event hosted by the community group and podcast Detroit is Different, Miller said the best way to serve the public is to meet with the public.

“You have to get out to your residence,” Miller said. “You’re not, you shouldn’t even act or move without coming to the community. They know what they want, and they know what they desire for their neighborhood. Some of them have plans that you will never think about, but if you don’t engage with them or talk with them, you’ll never know what the desire is.”

Controversial candidates

Both Miller and Burton have faced criticism in the media. The Detroit Free Press described the race for District 5 as an “unenviable choice” for its residents, as both candidates have had their fair share of legal issues in the past.  

Burton was arrested during a Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting in 2019, where the Detroit police department’s controversial use of facial recognition was being discussed. The board chair had Burton removed after warning multiple times that he was out of order. Burton was handcuffed, but not charged.

Renata Miller’s record includes a 2001 bankruptcy filing, multiple lawsuits with Southfield and Bloomfield Hills landlords, and a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction in 2003.

Political analyst Mario Morrow says it’s in both candidates’ interests to speak up about their faults.

“Before they take the seat, they need to go out here and campaign hard and admit their flaws. Then, when they get into the seat, say, ‘We won’t make those mistakes again, and we’re going to do better by our constituents, ’” Morrow said.

Morrow says the issues that most affect residents in District 5 are the same for the rest of the city, so the next council member in the seat needs to be able be dependable.

“It doesn’t matter who the mayor is, the city council has a big role to play, even though it’s a strong merit mayoral endorsed government. People are really concerned about the future of the city, and… people are fearful of change, and this change over is causing a lot of confusion, especially in District 5,” Morrow said.

*After multiple attempts by WDET, Renata Miller declined to be interviewed.

More election coverage

General Motors says it’s laying off more than a thousand workers at its Detroit-Hamtramck electric vehicle plant due to weak demand.

The Detroit News reports GM is cutting production at Factory Zero to a single shift. It’s also cutting hundreds of jobs at EV battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee.

The layoffs follow the expiration of federal tax credits for EV buyers and pressure from the Trump administration to build more gasoline-powered cars and trucks. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 30, 2025

Detroit settles lawsuit over pedestrian death

The city of Detroit has agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a bus. It was the second fatality involving the same driver since 2015.

A Wayne County judge signed off on the deal last week. Janice Bauer, 67, was hit by a city bus while walking in a downtown crosswalk in 2023. The driver, Geraldine Johnson, was sentenced to six months in jail a year ago after pleading no contest to a moving violation causing death.

– Reporting by AP 

DTE Energy net profit updates

DTE Energy is reporting net profits of $419 million in the third quarter of this year.  The earnings, not including non-recurring costs, hit $2.25 per share.  That beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations.  The company says it has invested $3 billion this year to improve electric and natural gas infrastructure. 

Short-term rental tax

A state House bill would let local governments ask voters to approve taxes on short-term rentals.

Republican Representative Mark Tisdel is one of the sponsors. He says communities are incurring costs that exceed existing tax revenue from rentals. 

“If you’re renting that out to different short-term renters all summer long, that’s their week on the beach to howl. And it creates a problem for the houses on either side, which creates a problem for the police. Those expenses have to be covered.” 

The Michigan Association of Realtors says it wants lawmakers to include limits on local regulations meant to shut out short term rentals.  

Honorary street signs

Detroit City Council approved several honorary street signs for local leaders and influencers, including Imam Abdullah El-Amin. El-Amin was a prominent faith leader in Detroit and co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit. 

Among other recipients are Reverend JoAnn Watson, Mudgie’s Deli founder Gregory Mudge, and Viola Liuzzo. 

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

The National Coffee Association found that 66% of Americans drink coffee daily. But where in the country can you get the best brew? Many may first think of Seattle, home to one of the most popular chains, Starbucks. Wallet Hub ranked Portland as the city with the best cup in its ranking last month.

But the city of Dearborn is challenging those opinions and fighting for the title “Coffee Capital of America”.  In Dearborn, drinking the beverage is a huge part of the culture.

Take it from Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, who had this to say in the documentary short called “Dearborn: The Coffee Capital”: “We gather around coffee, we laugh around coffee, we share stories, pass down memories and build community.”

Dearborn is home to more than 45 coffee shops in its 24 square miles and could be considered the birthplace of a Yemeni coffee shop revolution. Brands like Qahwah House, Qamaria, and Haraz have been popping up across the country—and they all started in Dearborn.

With over 80 locations combined nationwide and more than 50 planned expansions within the next 6 months, Yemeni coffee shops are quickly expanding. The popularity has grown in a space that lacked a late-night, alcohol-free third space for people to gather.

What defines Yemeni coffee?

Yemeni coffee has an earthy flavor profile with notes of chocolate and dried fruit. Cardamom is often added to the coffee grounds to create blends such as ‘sana’ani’, Yemeni’s version of black coffee. Add milk or cream and you get ‘mufawar’.

Yemen is also where we get the term ‘mocha.’ While today the term refers to coffee and chocolate syrup, Mokha is a port city in Yemen which once served as a major hub for coffee exports.

With each new outlet opening shop owners are taking back the culture of coffee.

“Our slogan is: ‘discover coffee’s origin.’ And it’s almost like taking a road trip through Yemen,” said Qamaria founder Sanad Mashgri.

Dearborn has the largest Arab American community in the country. Yemeni residents are the second largest Middle Eastern population in the city, according to the 2020 census.

Yemeni history, global economy

Yemeni coffee shop owners are hoping to educate java enthusiasts about the region’s history with the bean. They say Yemeni monks were the first to brew coffee.

“At one point, 100 years ago, Yemeni coffee was the backbone of Yemen’s economy, and they exported coffee all over the world,” said Hamza Nasser, CEO and founder of Haraz.

“And since we started exploding with all these coffee shops, whether it’s Haraz, Qahwah house, you know Qamaria, you know Jabal, everyone, hand in hand, you know, we’re all working together to revive this economy in Yemen, bringing it back,” Nasser said.

Many cafes in Dearborn import their coffee directly from Yemen. Nasser says he does this to help end the cycle of poverty in his family’s home country. He says his company alone imports nearly three million dollar’s worth of raw beans each year.

“That $3 million you have over 500 families living out of it,” Nasser said. “I now big corporations here buy coffee for $1 a pound, you know, I wish that was the case for us, but we knew we had to pay a fair price to our farmers so they can have a better life, and not just, you know, surviving.”

Coffee culture

Shop owners are not only working to educate Metro Detroiters about the history of coffee. They are also sharing their culture around coffee.

In Dearborn, a cup of joe is more than just a drink to start your day. Coffee shops can stay open as late as midnight and have become a third space for residents. And for many in the area, coffee and community are synonymous.

“We don’t really have a lot of bars or places you know to drink alcohol in the city anymore, so I think coffee shops have really taken over,” said Ali Bakri. He is the owner of Bakri Coffee,  a shop that serves Yemeni coffee among other blends.

“We are a very diverse Muslim community, and I think for us, it’s kind of a good way to get out and mingle and talk and without, you know, committing what we say haram, in the sense of, you know, drinking alcohol or something like that,” Bakri said.

Hamza Nasser says coffee shops in Dearborn are new hotspots.

“A lot of women in our community, they didn’t have much options to go and hang out, you know. It was a lot of hookah shops and many people didn’t feel comfortable caught in in hookah shops,” Nasser said.

And Nasser says that the coffee shops have even become the perfect place to find love.

“There’s nothing much better than meeting your future spouse at a coffee shop. Because there’s a 100% chance of you meeting somebody that’s either they’re working or educated.  You’re not going to meet somebody drunk, you’re taking home like at a bar. So, we call coffee shops now ‘the halal bar,’” Nasser joked.

But, many Dearborn residents agree.

“They just come to sit and have a good time. And this is what coffee shops are offering for people just to come,” said resident Neda Albuabsi. She said she would sometimes come to a coffee shop and not even order a drink, but to meet up with friends.

Resident Ali Komeiha frequents Qahwah House during his workday, but he also enjoys being able to meet people from all walks of life at the shop.

“To meet new people and different cultures. This is good. This is healthy for this community,” Komeiha said.

Food stamps will not be available in Michigan next month.  

The state Department of Health and Humans Services says it’s been instructed by federal officials to pause the Snap benefits program in November as a result of funding gaps caused by the ongoing federal government shutdown.  Around 13% of Michigan households rely on Snap benefits—roughly 1.4 million residents. 

In a statement, the State of Michigan said the program will remained be paused until further notice. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 23, 2025

Hamtramck’s former Chief Altaheri allowed to resign, collect severance pay after lawsuit

Former Police Chief of Hamtramck Jamiel Altaheri has reached an agreement with the city that allows him to resign and receive five months of his salary as severance. His resignations is being back dated to August. 

Altaheri was the first Yemeni American and Muslim police chief in the city. Tensions between Altaheri and the former city manager led to an internal investigation. Allegations against Altaheri prompted him to sue the city. 

Eventually Altaheri agreed to drop the lawsuit, and resign instead of being fired.

Honorary street sign   

Community organization Dream of Detroit is asking for support from residents to get an honorary street sign for Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin on the corner of Davison Street and Woodrow Wilson Street on Detroit’s west side. 

 El-Amin was a prominent faith leader in Detroit and co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit. He died in March of 2023. Dream of Detroit is asking residents to give messages of support to city council at their next formal session, Tuesday October 28.  

Michigan Starters Coalition seeks to remove barriers for new entrepreneurs 

An entrepreneurial advocacy group Right to Start is launching the Michigan Starters Coalition. It’s a statewide initiative promoting entrepreneurship as a civic priority.

The group aims to educate lawmakers about removing barriers to starting and growing a business and increasing public awareness about how starting new businesses drives economic growth. To learn more visit righttostart.org/michiganstarters 

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

Michigan’s September jobs report delayed by federal shutdown

Michigan could not publish its September jobs report because of the federal government shutdown.

The monthly jobs report shows the unemployment rate, the number of unemployed people, and other workforce information. It indicates which sectors of the economy are losing or gaining jobs — information important to academics, economists, government policymakers, and businesses.

The September data exists, but it hasn’t been shared because the employees who handle the report are furloughed.

The August report showed Michigan’s jobless rate was down slightly, largely because fewer people were looking for work.

Additional headlines for October 17, 2025

AB Ford Park reopens after $12 million renovation

The 34-acre AB Ford Park reopened this week after $12 million in renovations and cleanup.

The East Riverfront park now includes two new playgrounds, environmental remediation, a basketball court, riverwalk replacement, a nature meadow, and more. The park is next to the Community Center at AB Ford, which opened in 2023.

During the Cold War, AB Ford Park was a site for missile radar towers. The bases of two towers still stand in the park. Detroit City Walls plans to beautify those towers with a mural in spring 2026.

Detroit water aid program runs out of funds

A fund that helps Detroit water customers pay their bills has run out of state and federal money.

The Detroit Free Press reports the Water and Sewerage Department is restructuring its Lifeline Plan, which has helped thousands of customers since launching in 2022. Until now, most households on the plan paid as little as $18 a month for water.

The revised plan will raise monthly rates and serve fewer people in need.

Hamtramck councilmember to stand trial for election fraud

A Wayne County judge says enough evidence exists to try a Hamtramck City Council member for election fraud.

Prosecutors charged Mohammed Hassan with forging a woman’s signature on an absentee ballot in 2023. The Detroit News reports the woman did not vote in that election.

No Kings protests planned across Metro Detroit

A second round of No Kings protests is happening this Saturday, October 18, across the country — including several in Metro Detroit, such as at Roosevelt Park.

The protests are organized by the group 50501, which stands for “50 protests, 50 states, one movement.” Participants are protesting President Trump’s executive orders on immigration, foreign policy, federal spending cuts, civil rights, and more.

Organizers are asking people to wear yellow as a symbol of unity and hope.

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

Wayne State University launched the Warriors on the Rise program last month, which will offer guaranteed enrollment to qualified high school juniors in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

The goal is to increase enrollment of students that come from the school district. Juniors with a 3.0 GPA will be automatically enrolled by DPSCD school officials. Families will then be invited to a meeting with the district to discuss the next steps.

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 9, 2025

DCFC Community Benefits proposal

Residents in Corktown presented the developers of the new Detroit City Football Club stadium with a detailed proposal for community benefits.

The Neighborhood advisory council is asking for a $17 per hour minimum wage for stadium staff, a commitment to give 50% of the permanent jobs to Detroit residents, child care and transportation services for workers, and a one dollar surcharge on every ticket to pay for home repairs for older homes in the neighborhood. 

Detroit City FC co-founder Sean Mann and other partners on the project will review the proposal while the neighborhood group collects more feedback from residents. Listening sessions are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at McShane’s on Michigan and noon on Oct. 10 at Donut Villa in Southwest Detroit. 

Michigan Cannabis Industry Association sues Michigan

A marijuana industry group is suing the state of Michigan after Governor Gretchen Whitmer passed a plan that would add a 24% tax on cannabis.

Whitmer and state lawmakers finally passed a budget that included a tax hike on wholesale marijuana to help pay for local road repairs. However, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is challenging that law, alleging the legislature did not have enough votes to pass it.

The lawsuit argues that because the law that legalized marijuana in the state was enacted by a citizen initiative, legislatures needed a three-quarters vote instead of a majority vote. The budget bill only passed by a 2 vote margin. 

The wholesale tax is set to take effect on January 1 and will be levied on marijuana sold to retailers.  Michigan currently has a 10% excise tax on weed along with the 6% Michigan sales tax. 

Detroit Land Bank Authority moves to provide affordable housing

The Detroit Land Bank Authority is investing $15 million to launch its Affordable Housing Pipeline. The project aims to restore underutilized multi-family buildings in the city.

The initiative will target projects that are too small for large-scale builders, yet too complex for small scale builders.

The first project in the Wade neighborhood will transform two historic 1920s buildings into 30 affordable housing units. 

Election Day transit

Detroit will offer free bus rides to voters on Election Day. DDOT will waive fares for people who need a ride to the polls on November 4.

Early in-person voting begins on October 25.  

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

In just a few weeks, Detroit residents will take to the polls and pick the city’s next mayor. The candidates are City Council President Mary Sheffield and Reverend Solomon Kinloch.

WDET is speaking with residents as part of our Citizen Vox project to gauge what the community is looking for.

Ronald Ferguson is a 69 year old born-and-raised Detroiter who plans to vote for Kinloch. He spoke with WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley about his decision.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Ronald Ferguson: Well, I feel he’s for the people, and to me, I think he’ll do a better job than what we’ve seen over the past six to 10 years from his opponent, you know? I mean, she’s been their council president for so long, but yet, where’s all the results from her efforts? So, I’m ready to try something different to see if I can get a different result, because I’m not happy with the results we’re getting.

Bre’Anna Tinsley, WDET News: What results are you looking for?

RF: The common things: safer neighborhoods, all of the things that make a community thrive, and not just being concentrated on downtown, but the other parts of the cities.

BT: Can you talk about your neighborhood specifically? If there’s anything in there that you’re looking for.

RF: In my neighborhood, there’s few houses, and all the abandoned houses have been demolished. So I’m pleased with that. So the neighborhood is actually clean, and that is a good thing, but I just want to make sure that we have a little more security, because in the summertime, for whatever reason, our young people tend to want to use the public streets as a drag strip. And if there were more police out there or being placed in certain areas, I think we could minimize or eliminate that. That’s a concern.

It’s to the point where you don’t want to go out when it’s dark out, and you shouldn’t have to feel that way in your neighborhood. But I know when you have limited funding with fewer taxpayers, that’s what you get. So,  I’m hoping a new mayor can get more people to reside in the city, to increase the tax base, so therefore you can get better schools, better stores, better policing, all the things that we all want when you live somewhere. Detroit is no different than any other city. The only difference is we don’t have the tax base because of the lack of residents. And then when you look at the percentage that’s unemployed, let’s find a way to get these people employed if they’re going to reside in the city, or find people that can move in the city that’s already employed, that’ll resolve your problems, most of them anyways.

BT: You mentioned not seeing any results from City Council President Mary Sheffield. Duggan has been the mayor for the last over a decade. Now, were you not satisfied with him as mayor either?

RF: Well, now you’re on a different target. I would say I’m pleased with a lot of the things he’s done. I remember vaguely when the city was dark because of the thieves stealing all copper wires for the streetlights. Well, they revamped that and put them above so they could relight the city. He also campaigned on tearing down a lot of the condemned homes, and he did a great job at that, because it happened right on my block, and I witnessed it. So, a lot of things he did, I approve of, but I don’t know. I just didn’t see or give credit to Sheffield being the president of city council.

I just didn’t see a lot coming from her and her efforts. But maybe if you combine her with Duggan, well, kudos to them, because they got some things done that help my community. Policing can help a little more. That tax base has to grow, and I don’t see where all the jobs are coming to make people employed that’s residing here. That’s not something to cheer about, what are we going to do about that?

More election coverage

The City of Dearborn says new absentee ballots will be mailed to residents after a printing error was discovered. 

City Clerk George Darany says the original ballots included the name of a city council candidate who dropped out of the race. 

Darany says people should throw away the old ballot and fill out the new one. Voters who have already submitted their ballot or those who do not send in the correct ballot will have their ballot ‘duplicated’—which does not mean counted twice. 

“So in other words, we will have two people assigned to remove the ballot and put it into the duplicate new ballot, so everything they chose would be transferred to the new ballot,” says Darany.

Voters should receive the new ballots in the next ten days. 

Early voting begins in Dearborn October 25.

Additional headlines for Thursday, October 2, 2025

  Mosques encouraged to increase security

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan chapter is encouraging local mosques to step up protection after an individual threatened to burn down a mosque in Dearborn Heights this week. 

CAIR Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid says he’s concerned in light of the political climate and the attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday. 

“We encourage all mosques in the state of Michigan to review the care community safety kit an to make sure that they have the property security measures for the Friday congressional prayers.” 

Walid says he hopes Dearborn Heights Police investigate the threats at The Islamic Institute of America as a potential hate crime. 

He says several mosques in Michigan have received threats in recent weeks. 

 Detroit Public Schools fills District Board of Education seat

The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education voted not to start a lengthy selection process to fill a vacant seat and will instead offer the seat to the runner up of the last special election.

Current board member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo is expected to resign and start as the city of Detroit’s next Ombudsman.

During a special meeting the board recommended leveraging the finalist from the July 2025 vacancy process, because it has been less than 90 days since a thorough, transparent, and public search was conducted. 

Local business pitch competition

The Arab American Women’s Business Council and the New Economy Initiative are announcing their 2025 Pitch Competition. Local Small Businesses and entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas and compete for seed money. Cash prizes between $1000 and $3000, and a grand prize of $5000 will be offered.

The application deadline is October 17. Eligible applicants must be in the ideation phase or have a business less than five years old.

The event will take place at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn on November 19. Visit the Arab American Women’s Business Council’s Facebook page for more information and to apply.  

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

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation announced a new platform that will match entrepreneurs with the best fitting lender. 

The website is designed to help small businesses navigate financial options through partnerships with local Community Development Financial Institutions.   

Applicants visit the website, submit the criteria for the type of loan and amount they need, and the algorithm will match them with the best lenders.  

DEGC Senior Vice President Derrick Headd calls the hub a central command center for the city’s small business ecosystem.  “One place where you can find financing options, technical assistance, and service organizations. Everything you need to have a thriving company.” 

Lenders participating in the hub include ProsperUS, Detroit Development Fund, Invest Detroit and more.  

Eligible applicants must be located in the city, have documented cash flow, and cannot be affiliated with any business prohibited by federal law.  

 Additional headlines for Thursday, September 25, 2025

Pastors seek high voter turnout this mayoral election

Detroit voters will elect the city’s first new mayor in 12 years this fall. A coalition of pastors is working to educate and mobilize their flocks to decide between City Council President Mary Sheffield and Reverend Solomon Kinloch. 

Organizers say 12 churches took part in the Lift Every Voice and Vote campaign in the August primary. They want five times that number mobilizing voters in the general election. 

Al Williams leads Lift Every Voice and Vote Detroit. He admits its hard motivating voters in the city. “I think that the history of our mayoral elections, past two or three mayoral elections, have shown us that the excitement has gone down every single mayoral election. Yes, it has made it a challenge.” 

Less than 20 percent of eligible Detroit voters cast ballots in the August primary.

Proposed ordinance requires body cam footage be made public

A proposed Detroit ordinance would require police to release body camera footage within 30 days of police shootings and other incidents including the use of non-lethal weapons like tasers, pepper spray, tear gas, bean bags and rubber bullets.

Under the proposed ordinance, footage must be posted on a public website. Exemptions would be allowed upon written request from the Detroit Police Department or Wayne County prosecutor.

Exceptions apply to footage captured during federal or state task force operations, footage prohibited by court order and footage determined to be prejudicial to a civil matter. 

James Baldwin Sidewalk Libraries

The City of Detroit and the Detroit Public Library will be hosting the James Baldwin Sidewalk Libraries across the city. Detroit ACE and the Charles H. Wright Museum also partnered to launch the reading campaign.

Boxes designed to help residents find or donate books by and about author James Baldwin will be placed in Detroit neighborhoods. 

The initiative completes the work started by artist Sabrina Nelson, whose landmark exhibit on Baldwin debuted last fall.

The initiative is being launched during Black Reading Month in Detroit. 

Fashion business management degree now offered at CCS

 The College for Creative Studies in Detroit is now offering a fashion business management degree. The degree will take 90 credits and just over three years to complete. 

Students will learn merchandising, styling, marketing strategy, brand development, trend forecasting, and fashion communications. No portfolio is required for admission.

Visit the College for Creative Studies and look under the listing of undergraduate programs more information and to apply. 

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

Starting October 7, anyone placing a local call within Detroit’s “313” area code will need to dial all 10 digits—the area code plus the seven digit telephone number.

It’s the final phase of the implementation of the new “679” area code overlay for the city. Ryan McAnany is with the Michigan Public Service Commission. He spoke with WDET’s Bre’Anna about what residents can expect.

 The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Ryan McAnany: The “313”, area code is not being split. There’s just a new area code that’s being overlaid on top of it. And the reason for that “679” area code is that the “313” numbers are just running out now. After many, many decades, with the numbering demand of new technology, it’s just inevitable that numbers run out. And it’s projected that the “313” area code will be running out of numbers in 2028.

Bre’Anna Tinsley: So at what point can we expect people who are maybe getting new phone lines to be assigned a “679” number instead of “313”?

RA:  It’s very fluid, and that assignment is all dependent upon the numbering demand. Technically, it’ll be anytime after November 7 of this year that a new number could be assigned this “679” area code. However, those numbers will not be assigned that new area code until all of the “313” numbers have been used. Right now, projection is that the first quarter of 2028 is when the “313” numbers will run out. However, that can fluctuate quarter by quarter depending on the numbering demand.

BT: For me personally, for a while, I believe I’ve been using I have a “313” number, but I tend to find that when I’m dialing out, I have to use the entire the whole 10 digits in order to dial that. So, it’s interesting to me that there’s a significant number of people out there who probably aren’t doing that, where this kind of notification would be necessary?

RA: Yeah, it depends on the type of service that they’re using. If they’re using landline service, the traditional copper line landline, more than likely they won’t have to be dialing the 10-digit number. If you’re a wireless customer, that’s where you’re probably already using the “313” area code with a seven-digit number. So, it really depends on the type of telephone service that you have, whether it’s landline or wireless.

BT: Are there any other changes that residents should be aware of and what’s staying the same?

RA: The biggest point is everyone who has a “313” number will not be losing their number. “313” is not going away. It’ll still be there. Everyone who has that number will keep that number. The second point is, is making local calls. There won’t be a change in the rates or the cost. It’s that’ll remain the same. The biggest change is just that dialing pattern. Something else to keep in mind is that if you are a customer living in this area, you will want to make sure that you’re updating anything that’s associated with your telephone number that could be impacted by this dialing pattern change. So if you have a security system, a fire alarm system, medical equipment, things of that nature, you will want to make sure it’s been updated to include the area code and not just the seven digit number with it. And then also other things such as stationary, even your pet tags, making sure that those are updated now to include that “313” area code with it.

A new survey conducted by the University of Michigan and Outlier Media reveals the top concerns Detroiters would like to see the next mayor address.

Crime and Safety topped the list, followed by neighborhood maintenance, access to better paying jobs and affordable housing.

Mara Ostfeld is with the University of Michigan and co-authored the survey. She spoke with WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Mara Ostfeld: If you had to identify your top three major challenges just getting by in life today, what would you say those are? And as you mentioned, the most commonly selected ones were crime or safety, neighborhood conditions  and employment. And I don’t think any of those would jump out as new themes for people who’ve been in Detroit or talking to Detroiters, but I think it was interesting to think when we asked Detroiters who mentioned crime or safety next as a follow up: so what would you want the city to do about this? …A majority of Detroiters mentioned something other than police when they were talking about what would make them feel more safe. A lot of Detroiters mentioned things like better lighting or more gun control or less vacant housing or more support for neighborhood associations. Which highlights something different and something we have seen more in Detroit, but something different than what often comes to mind is the most common response to safety concerns.

There was just a really big push in desire to see the city show respect for people’s neighborhoods in a way that reflected the way a lot of people love their neighborhoods.

MO: It would probably resonate with you and other people who spent a lot of time talking to Detroiters, is that a big theme was just concern about how people’s neighborhoods were being maintained and attended to. And a really strong desire for just better attention for neighborhood upkeep, whether that mentioned just trash pickup or vacant lot maintenance or, you know, people coming to fix lighting or fix trees. There was just a really big push in desire to see the city show respect for people’s neighborhoods in a way that reflected the way a lot of people love their neighborhoods.

Bre’Anna Tinsley: Employment and access to jobs were mentioned in the survey, and when asked what specifically Detroiters would like to see addressed, items like wages and flexible hours were mentioned. Not typically something a mayor can address, does the mayor have any sway over these things?

MO: I mean, I think that’s a really good question, and not all of these are things that the incoming Mayor can directly mandate. But it does speak to you know, we do know that mayors and our legislators do work to create incentives for different types of companies to come to the city. And I think another thing is that we can think about what makes the desire for flexible schedule so prominent. We know a big factor that leads to a desire for more flexible schedules is after school programs, child care, and transportation. All of those things are things that are more directly in the realm of mayoral control and impact.

BT: Schools also fell into that same category. Issues like better teachers, class sizes and more schools were of big concern for Detroiters, but the mayor doesn’t have direct control over that. In what ways could the mayor address these concerns?

MO: There are partnerships that can be incentivized in the city, building more partnerships with teacher training programs. And I am hesitant to say too much. I don’t know all of like, the policy dynamics and politics behind, you know, education policy. But regardless of whether it’s in their direct realm of control, we know there’s a lot of indirect mechanisms in terms of incentivizing certain partnerships or changing the structures around which some of these like things, are enabled for this by the school board. And so I think it’s important for the mayor to know what’s this? Residents, especially people concerned about education, want in that realm so that they can work within what is in their space to incentivize these other changes.

More election coverage

Detroiters receive home deeds through Buy Back Program

The City of Detroit celebrated 88 Detroiters today who received deeds to their homes after successfully completing the Detroit Land Bank Authority’s Occupied Buy Back Program.

The Buy Back program gives Detroit residents who live or have lived in Land Bank owned homes a chance to become the new owner. Requirements included paying property taxes in full, completing financial literacy counseling, and attending homeownership workshops. Since its inception, the program has given deeds to 1,363 residents.

Additional headlines

State House votes on food assistance restrictions

The state House voted to require photos and signatures on cards loaded with money for state food or cash assistance.

Republican sponsors say it would cut back on fraud, though studies have shown fraud is rare and that extra layers of red tape often keeps people who need the benefits from getting them.

Democratic Representative Penelope Tsernoglou says the bill would add extra steps without effectively addressing fraud.

“This bill will cost our state millions of dollars annually with savings to the state being determined as ‘indeterminate, but likely negligible.’”

The bill now goes to the Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate, where its chances of passing are low.

Whitmer issues vaccine access directive

Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive directive today that could lay the groundwork for the state to broaden access to the COVID-19 vaccine. But it doesn’t have a lot of specifics.

Currently, only those over the age of 65 or with underlying medical conditions can get the shot in Michigan without a prescription. That is under recent FDA restrictions.

Whitmer’s directive tells state health officials to remove barriers to vaccine access to ensure the shot remains widely available in Michigan. Other states are requiring insurers to cover vaccines recommended by their health departments, or broadly authorizing pharmacies to administer the shots.

Queer short film showcase at the Carr Center

Mighty Real/Queer Detroit is putting on a short film showcase called “Queer Diasporic Horizons.” The program is curated by artist and filmmaker Billy Gerard Frank.

The selection of queer short films explores themes of belonging, exile, and migration. The program line-up includes the films Never Stop Shouting by Abdellea Taia, The Distance of Time by Acrlos Omeno Palma, I Was Never Really Here by Abriel Arrahino and Vallerie Gabriel Bihina, and Carnival Queen by Sekyia Dorsett.

The showcase is Saturday, September 20 at 7 PM at the Carr Center on 15 E Kirby Street.

Women’s business workshop set for September 20

The Detroit Women’s Commission is holding a one-day business workshop for small women-owned businesses.

The event will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to get all of their basic essentials done at one time, from getting their business license certified to registering a business.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Northwest Activities Center.

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The Detroit Department of Public Works announced a new effort to keep the city clean with a recycling pilot program at bus stops.

The department also unveiled two electric garbage trucks that will be used to collect recycling.   

The pilot program will place 800 new recycling cans at the bus stops.  

Public Works Deputy Director Sam Krassenstein says bottles and cans are the number one thing people throw away when waiting for the bus.  “And that’s what we’re trying to capitalize on by diverting that to keep that out of the landfill and keep that out of the streets.”  

Krassenstein says the pilot aims to increase recycling rates from 45% to nearly 100%.   

The $500,000 investment was funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, DTE, and City Council.   

Additional headlines for Thursday, September 11, 2025

Non profit offers free homecoming dress drawing

High school students in southeastern Michigan could get a free homecoming dress this weekend. 

Alison Vaughn is the CEO of Jackets for Jobs.  

She says her non profit and Comerica bank are hosting a homecoming dress giveaway on the lower level of the Samaritan Center in Detroit this weekend.  

“Homecoming is one of the young girls’ biggest moments of high school, and so we wanted to make them feel like Cinderella and the belle of the ball, if you will, and make them feel good and confident. And we know those events are very costly.”  

Vaughn says anyone can come get a free homecoming dress and accessories from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday or from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Samaritan Center on 5555 Conner Street.  

Corewell terminates gender affirming care for minors

Corewell Health is the latest Michigan hospital to end gender affirming care for minors. The hospital announced it will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or hormone therapy to minors because of “the serious risk of legal and regulatory action.”

That pressure is coming from the Trump Administration. Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan’s hospital system, announced it will also stop gender affirming care last month.  

Corewell Health made a similar announcement in February this year before backtracking due to protest.

Dearborn improving business exteriors with grant funding

The City of Dearborn is celebrating the completion of the first façade improvement project on Warren Avenue at Nadia’s Pharmacy.

The city’s initiative awards up to $200,000 in Community Development Block grant funding, with a 10% business match to improve the exterior of selected businesses.

The goal of the project is to modernize, enhance, and create a cohesive business aesthetic along Warren Avenue between Lonyo Avenue and Greenfield Rd.

Nadia’s Pharmacy is the first to complete repairs. 

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Detroit City Council’s Historic Designation Advisory board is nominating the Bagley-West Vernor commercial district in Southwest Detroit for the National Register of Historic Places.

The board will present to nomination to the neighborhood on September 11, and answer questions about the benefits of receiving the designation.

A spot on the register could open up many federal dollars for the area to restore and revive many of the buildings in the corridor.

Michael Gutierrez is a resident of the area and a journalist with the El Central Hispanic News. His family also owns Mexican Village Restaurant on Bagley.

“Mexican Village wasn’t just serving food,” Gutierrez said. “Upstairs they were also hosting labor union meetings in the 1950s where Latino workers were fighting for better conditions.”

 Gutierrez says many of the buildings and businesses in the area date back to 1800s. It’s been a cultural, social, and economic hub for the Latino community for a long time and recognition through this designation would provide a sense of validation.

“There’s something to be said, when you’re walking on the streets of your own neighborhood and you know that there’s this is kind of like, not just the beating heart of the Latino part of your city, but that you know that this place has roots, that that really go back for a long time.” Guiterrez said.

If approved, the designation would open the corridor up to financial incentives and tax credits up to 45% for renovations and restoration of the buildings.

It could also attract more visitors to the area, which can provide a boost for small businesses.

Longtime Detroit businessman, youth advocate and organizer of Metro Detroit Youth Day Ed Deeb has died. He organized the event as a response to deadly confrontations between young people and store owners in the summer of 1980.

In a 2014 interview with WDET’s Pat Batcheller, Deeb says then-Mayor Coleman Young called him and other business leaders into a meeting to address the violence.  

”And he pointed his finger to me and said, he said, ‘Ed, What are you guys going to do next year to prevent this from happening again?’ And I was shocked. He as pointing at me in front of all these people. And I said, ‘Mr. Mayor, are you talking to me or everybody in the room?’ He said, ‘ Well I’m talking to everybody, but I want you to carry the ball’.”

Since then, Metro Detroit Youth Day has become an annual event, drawing thousands of kids to Belle Isle every summer. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources honored Ed Deeb in 2018 by naming a road on the island after him. Deeb died Tuesday at home. He was 89.  

Additional headlines for Thursday, September 4, 2025

Applications open for Neighborhood Beautification program

Detroit also announced the opening of applications for round 6 of the Neighborhood Beautification program. The program provides grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 to block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to create community gardens, improve public spaces, and launch neighborhood programming.

Film outreach event

City of Detroit’s Media Service Department will be hosting a Film Detroit community outreach event on September 10.

It’s an opportunity to for creatives to get their content broadcast on Detroit’s cable channels, navigate the city’s film permitting process, and network with fellow filmmakers. The event is open to all ages, independent filmmakers, and nonprofit or community groups.

Organizers note that the event is not intended for for-profit businesses looking to promote or sell products. The event will run from 4p.m. to 7p.m. at the A.B. Ford Community Center.  

45 years of Black Reading Month

September is Black Reading Month, a tradition started in Detroit in 1980 by activists wanting to celebrate and support Black authors, Black-owned bookstores, and Black stories.

This year marks the 45th anniversary.

The Charles H Wright Museum is hosting talks from authors and artists on Black history. Detroit Book City in Southfield, a Black-owned bookstore, is hosting “read-in” events throughout the month showcasing new books by Black authors. Or catch the Black Reading Month Bookfair on September 26 from 5p.m. to 9p.m. at Mama Imani Humphrey Hall in the Detroit Food Commons at 8324 Woodward Avenue.  

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Detroit’s Department of Transportation is installing new boarding platforms on East Jefferson for bus riders.  

It’s part of a pilot program to enhance safety and efficiency for bus passengers. 21 new elevated platforms will extend from the curb across bike and parking lanes to provide faster boarding for passengers.  

Buses will stay in the right lane to pick up riders instead of pulling to the curb and moving in and out of traffic. 

 The platforms will have ramps on each side to allow for bikers to seamlessly pass over the platforms without leaving the bike lane. 

 New shelters will be placed at each of the platform locations. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of next month. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025

Section of Southwest Detroit nominated for historic designation 

The Detroit City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board is nominating a section of the Bagley and West Vernor highway commercial district for a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The designation would honor Southwest Detroit’s century old legacy of Latin American culture.

The Board will present the nomination at its public monthly board meeting on September 11th at 4 p.m. Attendees will be able to comment on the proposed historic district designation, ask questions about the process, and learn more about the benefits of a National Register historic district.

The meeting will be held at the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation offices at 2853 Bagley. 

Labor Day events in metro Detroit

Labor Day Weekend is here and there are several events happening across the Metro Detroit Area. 

• The Michigan State Fair at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi Starts today. The fair will feature a farmer’s market, carnival rides, livestock exhibits and competitions, a beer festival and more. 

• The Detroit Jazz Festival kicks off tomorrow, Friday, August 29 with a special performance by the 2025 Artist-in Residence Jason Moran. 

• Royal Oak’s Arts, Beats, and Eats returns. The four-day festival will feature over 200 performers, dozens of food vendors, and artists showcasing and selling their work. 

• Eastern Market is hosting the Detroit Sandwich Party on Sunday. The one-day festival for sandwich enthusiasts will feature many small format sandwiches for purchase along with beer, wine and other non-alcoholic beverages from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Campgrounds almost fully booked for this weekend

Michigan’s state park campgrounds are almost fully reserved this Labor Day weekend. Last minute campers can check the Michigan Department of Natural Resources digital dashboard map which tracks the booking status of state parks.

State forest campgrounds offer camping on a first-come, first-serve basis, meaning campsites can’t be reserved. 

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Detroit expands access with surge in paratransit ridership

Paratransit ridership in Detroit has increased. That’s according to the Detroit Department of Transportation. Trip requests have nearly doubled since the launch of DDOT NOW, a same day paratransit service to help mobilize residents with a disability in the city.

The service is available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and can be requested as quickly as an hour ahead. D-DOT is now exploring hybrid vehicles for the service, cashless payment options, and app-based trip booking alternatives.

Detroit emergency vehicles to get cloud technology

Detroit will equip some police and fire vehicles with cloud technology designed to improve public safety. The devices transmit signals over cellular networks to alert motorists when an emergency vehicle is nearby.

The goal is to remind drivers to move over when they approach a fire truck, police car, or ambulance.

Community benefits meeting on new soccer stadium

The Detroit Planning and Development Department is holding a community benefits ordinance meeting tonight. The Detroit City Football Club, also known as DCFC, has announced plans to build a new soccer stadium in Southwest Detroit on the site of an abandoned hospital.

The 11-acre development is expected to open in 2027. The community benefits ordinance process ensures residents have input into major development projects through a neighborhood advisory council.

Tonight’s meeting takes place at the Mexicantown CDC Mercado on 2826 Bagley. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Michigan State Police step up Labor Day drunk driving enforcement

Michigan State Police are cracking down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Officials have created a task force to increase enforcement and messaging through the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The effort is a collaboration between state police and local law enforcement agencies. Officials say between mid-August and Labor Day there is an increase in crashes involving drivers under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports one person is killed about every 45 minutes in a drunk driving accident.

Detroit PBS to premiere new documentary

Catch the new documentary Islam’s Greatest Stories of Love on Detroit PBS Saturday at 9 p.m. The film chronicles Ariella Gayotto Hohl’s journey grieving the death of her father.

An Islamic religion scholar, she travels the world interviewing members of the Muslim community about how their faith and culture help them navigate love and grief.

Gayotto Hohl spoke with One Detroit’s Chris Jordan about the film. Watch their conversation tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit PBS.

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Detroit held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for a new educational park in the East Village Neighborhood.

The Dr. Ossian Sweet Memorial Park tells the story of an African American physician whose family was attacked by an angry mob in 1925 after they moved into an all-white neighborhood.

The home is now owned by Danny Baxter, whose parents bought the home from the Sweets.

When he was 10, a local newspaper approached his family to ask about the Sweet home. When asked if he knew what had happened there, Danny replied “Yes, a Black man killed a white man and didn’t go to jail for it.”

Shortly after the Sweets moved into their home, they defended themselves against an angry mob that surrounded the house, firing shots and killing one of the agitators. Sweet, his wife, brother, and eight others were charged with murder. The judge declared a mistrial.

However, the court accepted a motion to sever the defendants and try Henry Sweet, Ossian’s youngest brother. An all-white jury acquitted Henry and the prosecutor dismissed all charges against everyone.

Danny Baxter recalled learning the story from a collection of newspaper clippings his family had on the history of the home.

He made it a goal of his to one day share the story with the world.

He spoke with WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley about the renovations done to his home and others on the block, as well as the new Ossian Sweet Memorial Parks.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length

Danny Baxter: At that particular moment, I just learned the history of the house. And, you know, the thing that was very impactful for me was the fact that it was a Black family who stood up that way. You know, at that time, I knew nothing of those types of movements, so I was very impressed with the fact that they would do something like that in 1925 and then I am a direct beneficiary of that. So that was so exciting to learn, and it just piqued my interest. And all my life, I’ve been telling the story about Dr. Ossian Sweet, his wife, Gladys, brothers, and Henry.

Bre’Anna Tinsley: I assume you had input on the updates that were made here.

DB: We worked together from the restoration of the historical home to the park, and then conversations even about the homes, because one of the first conversations was about the two homes that are significant to the history. The gentleman that got shot in the back. His name was Leon Breiner. He was at the greenhouse. And then the young man, who got shot in the leg, Eric Hofburg, 16-year-old, lived upstairs in the yellow house. At the time when we talked about the restoration, they were dilapidated. They were about to tip over. In fact, the yellow house had a big hole right in the roof, so it flooded out the basement. So one of the early conversations was that when me and the mayor met and talked, he didn’t want these houses to be torn down and destroyed, so he issued a requirement and standard to make sure that this work was done. And as you can see, it’s beautiful.

BT: Talk about the park itself. Then we have all of these informational podiums out here, the flowers and everything. Can you talk about the design and the input?

DB: The park tells the story. You have a timeline, and then you have all of the incidents that have occurred leading up to. The trial, and even beyond that, to the point where my family purchased it in 1958, so it tells a story about the house that lives on the corner of God, that reside that rests upon the corner of Garland and Charlevoix.

Detroit unveils Dr. Ossian Sweet Memorial Park in East Village

Detroit held a ribbon-cutting Wednesday for a new educational park in the city’s East Village neighborhood.

The Dr. Ossian Sweet Memorial Park tells the story of an African American physician whose family was attacked by an angry mob after they moved into the then all-white neighborhood in 1925.

The home is owned by Danny Baxter, whose parents bought the property from the Sweets. He says it has been his dream since learning the history of the home to share its story.

“I was just impacted and fascinated by that story. And I went back into the kitchen to my mother, and I said, Ma, did that really happen? She said, Yes, baby, it sure did. I said, Well, Mama, one day, one day, I’m going to do something to make sure that everybody in the world knows what happened on the corner of Garland and Charlevoix.”

The events of that night led to the overturn of racially discriminatory housing policies in America. Detroit officials say the park is part of a larger effort to preserve important pieces of Black history.

Additional headlines

ACLU sues City of Warren over police beating of Black man

The ACLU of Michigan has filed a lawsuit against the City of Warren and several of its police officers on behalf of Christopher Gibson, a Black man who was beaten while in police custody.

The lawsuit alleges Gibson was denied psychiatric treatment after police were notified of his mental illness, and was later pepper sprayed, tasered and brutalized by officers.

ACLU Staff Attorney Mark Fancher says the city is liable because it failed to properly train officers to handle the situation.

“It also failed to make available resources and services that Mr. Gibson needed during a mental health crisis that was triggered after he had been in the company of a very close relative who was dying of cancer. Mr. Gibson has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the city also violated federal laws that ensure accommodations and non-discrimination for people with disabilities.”

Fancher says the case highlights the need for more training and mental health professionals in police departments.

In addition to the lawsuit, the ACLU released a 10-minute video using police body camera footage showing the extent of the abuse while Gibson was in custody.

A police spokesperson said they have not yet seen the lawsuit and could not comment.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib introduces bill to ban dynamic pricing based on personal data

Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is introducing a bill to stop large stores from abruptly changing prices based on a customer’s personal data.

Tlaib wants to ban electronic shelf pricing, claiming some big grocery and department stores examine what customers look like, or what databases say about them, and then quickly adjust prices.

“It’s about how far they can go in charging you and knowing that you can afford it because they looked up and created a profile on you saying this is how much they make, this is an item they need. Gender, color of their skin, their income or the location that they’re at, all of that information should not be used in fixing the price.”

Tlaib says her bill would establish an enforcement arm within the Federal Trade Commission to police such practices.

Detroit launches residential compost program

Detroit’s Office of Sustainability has launched a compost program to reduce food waste, improve soil health and support local food production.

The program is funded by a $100,000 grant from Carhartt. The first 200 residents to register will receive a free five-gallon compost bucket and an optional countertop bin.

The pilot aims to divert up to 220 pounds of food scraps daily. To sign up, email sustainability@detroitmi.gov with “Composting Program” in the subject line.

Issa Rae is bringing book tour to Detroit

Comedian and star of HBO’s Insecure Issa Rae will be in Detroit on September 24 during her book tour for I Should Be Smarter by Now.

Tickets for the show at the Fillmore Detroit go on sale Friday on Ticketmaster. Presale tickets with the password MOTOWN are available now.

The book, scheduled for release August 26, is a collection of essays written by Rae and a follow-up to her first collection The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.

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