Authentically Detroit

This week Donna and Orlando spoke with the youth of the Vaulted Youth Voices Podcast Program - Alex, Charles, Corey, and Faith - about current events in the city and how they feel about the new Detroit.  Vaulted Youth Voices is a podcasting program for high school students interested in the intersection of community organizing and media. Youth participants meet for biweekly sessions where they lea...

This week Donna and Orlando spoke with Darell “Red” Campbell Jr. about The Yunion’s Keys 2 Life (K2L) performing arts summer camp, offering youth the opportunity to learn with some of Detroit’s most experienced musicians, mentors, instructors, and industry professionals. The program's director, Darell "Red" Campbell Jr., is a platinum, stellar--award winning producer, musician, song...

This week Cindy Eggleton, co-founder and CEO of Brilliant Detroit sat down with Donna and Guest Host Chase Cantrell to discuss how they’re improving literacy rates while tackling blight! Since 2016, Eggleton has guided Brilliant Detroit’s growth through its community-led approach. Her leadership has propelled the organization to 18 neighborhoods by transforming a house in need of repair into a cre...

This week Drake Phifer of Urban Organic joined Orlando and Guest Host Kat Stafford to discuss the 6th Annual Detroit Diaspora Day Party.  Urban Organic Arts and Culture company was founded in 2001. They curate events and promote visual, cinematic and performing artists.   This Sunday, May 26th, they will host their 6th Annual Diaspora Day Party. This vibrant event will showcase an exceptional line...

This week Donna and Orlando sat down with Michelle Renaud, the founder of Urban Solace to discuss the importance of mental and physical health! As a Detroit native, Michelle sought to improve access to quality health education and wellness programming within her community - through Urban Wellness Group, which was founded in 2001 and has offered mobile corporate programming and community fitness in...

This week, DiAnna Solomon of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) joined Donna at The Stoudamire to share news of their Health Care Taskforce! The DAAA is a nonprofit agency that serves older persons, adults with disabilities, and caregivers residing in Detroit, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park & the 5 Grosse Pointes. They are one of 16 Area Agencies on Aging in the state of Michigan...

There’s no NFL Draft in the city without Authentically Detroit! In honor of the NFL Draft in Detroit we welcomed Charity Dean of the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA) plus NFL power couple, Channing and Aja Crowder! Charity walked our hosts through how the NFL partnered with the MBBA to make sure Black Businesses in Detroit weren’t left out of the economic boom brought by the draft and also...

This week, Stefen Welch joined Donna and Orlando in the studio to discuss his journey as a leader, role with the Detroit Pistons, and the war on DEI. Stefen Welch serves as vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. A Detroit native, Welch focuses on the team’s strategy to attract and acquire diverse talent, professional development opportunities for em...

This week, Rick Sperling and Nafeesah Symonette joined Donna and Orlando in the studio to discuss the Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts (DEYA) Launch Awards. The Launch Awards are a transformative opportunity for creative youth in Detroit, created by DEYA in collaboration with the Detroit Youth Arts Provider Network. The microgrants are specifically tailored to fill gaps in artistic development, ma...

This week Chase Cantrell joined Authentically Detroit as guest host and Akil Talley, Lanay Gilbert-Williams, and Malik Yakini of the Detroit People’s Food Co-Op gave a sneak peek into how they’re changing Detroit’s food ecosystem. Opening on May 1st, the Detroit People’s Food Co-Op is a Black-led and community-owned grocery cooperative. Following a model developed throughout the world as a way to...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with nurse and life coach, Patrice Wilson-Graham! Charity Dean joined Orlando as guest host for our final celebration of the women making history in the city of Detroit. Born and raised on Detroit’s east side, from a young age, Patrice faced challenges that would break even the strongest of spirits.  However, armed with a desire to prove her doubters wrong,...

Last November Khary Frazier, Co-Host and Founder of the Detroit Is Different podcast, joined us on Authentically Detroit. So, it’s only right that Donna and Orlando joined him on his show! Detroit is Different is known for exploring guests, Detroit story, or how they and/or their family came to be in Detroit. On this episode, Donna shared her family’s Detroit story, dating back to the early 1900s....

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with the leadership team of 98Forward and Charity Dean joined as guest host! In celebration of Women’s History Month, we sat down with three remarkable women reshaping the PR landscape as leaders of 98Forward, Michigan’s largest Black-owned, Women-led PR and communications firm. Our conversation touched upon 98’s legacy and its future trajectory after 25 ye...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with the host of #AskJenn, Jennifer Onwenu! Donna and Orlando sat down with Jenn to discuss her show, #AskJenn's rise to prominence. Started in 2022, #AskJenn has become a successful web platform that highlights the cultural cornerstones of being a Black Woman, Detroiter, autism parent, and millennial. Jenn uses a humorous and witty style to capture th...

This week Authentically Detroit pulled up to Next Chapter Books for a book club discussion! Donna and Orlando were joined by a live audience inside of the family-owned bookstore on Detroit’s east side. For our first book club podcast, we read and discussed “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America” by Michael Harriot.   If you’re interested in learning more about Michael Harriot and B...

This week Authentically Detroit welcomed two special guests! First, during Hot Takes, Donna and Orlando spoke with Anthony Eid of the Michigan Redistricting Commission about how redistricting maps will impact Detroit’s voters in the upcoming elections. Then, we had the opportunity to sit down with lawyer, union organizer, actor, father, and business owner Hill Harper! Hill discussed his candidacy...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with the one and only Shamiyam “Mama Shu” Harris of Avalon Village! Donna and Orlando spoke with Mama Shu about the importance of building community and utilizing collective action to self-determine our futures. She also gave a sneak peak into the expansion of the Goddess Marketplace and Whine and Tea Shop and Avalon Village’s journey to becoming more susta...

This week Authentically Detroit discusses the state of the city in 2024! In honor of Donna’s invitation to the State of the State this week, Donna and Orlando sat down together to discuss what’s currently happening in the city of Detroit. The two of them discussed population growth, public safety, the social wellbeing of people and more. As President and CEO of the Eastside Community Network (ECN)...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with Kamau Jawara, the Southeast Michigan Lead Organizer for We the People Michigan.  Donna and Orlando sat down with Kamau to discuss a thread he created on X, formerly known as Twitter. In the thread, Kamau detailed public safety narratives in the city, their history, and how we should utilize them moving forward into the election season.  Kamau is a poli...

Right before the holiday break, Orlando sat down with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov Garlin Gilchrist to discuss the state’s population growth plan following the Growing Michigan Together Council’s 85-page report designed to spur growth and attraction to the state.  Check out the full write up, on Bridge Detroit ! Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

This week Charity Dean joined Authentically Detroit once again as a guest host!  Founder of KwanzaaMe and Woodworker, Lawrielle West, joined Orlando and Charity to discuss the importance of celebrating the principles of Kwanzaa year-round.  KwanzaaMe is a lifestyle brand that cultivates community and culture through their products and programming. A manifestation of the love of Black people, Black...

This week Charity Dean joined Authentically Detroit as co-host!  President and CEO of TechTown Detroit, Ned Staebler joined Orlando and Charity to discuss TechTown Detroit’s designation as a Small Business Support Hub. The Small Business Support Hubs (SBSH) program aims to establish and strengthen inclusive, accessible and effective regional ecosystems for entrepreneurs. The SBSH program aims to c...

This week Authentically Detroit previewed the 2023 Eastside Summit - Pathways to Justice With Donna as keynote, the 2023 Eastside Summit will highlight various pathways residents can take in order to secure justice and equity for our community. Through a series of panels and interactive workshops, attendees will learn about strategies being used to fight injustice across the city, and build their...

This week Authentically Detroit welcomed Founder and Executive Director of Umoja Debate League, Jerjuan Howard! Orlando spoke with Jerjuan about how the loss of his grandmother’s home led to the birth of Umoja Village. Born and raised on the Westside, Jerjuan’s close knit community and family roots created the foundation for his deep passion for community engagement and youth development.  Created...

This week Authentically Detroit welcomed Founder and Co-Host of Detroit Is Different, Khary Frazier! Donna and Orlando spoke with Khary about his journey as a creative and what exactly makes Detroit different. The Detroit is Different podcast aims to expose people to all of the things that make Detroit a cultural mecca. Khary and his co-host, Sterling Toles, use their experiences in art and cultur...