Authentically Detroit

While Orlando was traveling for business, Donna sat down with Sonya Mays, President and CEO of Develop Detroit and Treasurer of Detroit School Board, on Tuesday August 24th, the day BEFORE the FBI searches were announced,  to discuss some provocative thoughts about ways to improve political integrity in Detroit. We also discuss  Sonya's work history, community development, bankruptcy, emergen...

Donna is back from her bae-cation!!! Khalilah Burt Gaston joins Donna and Orlando to talk about the Residents First Fund that grants dollars to grassroots organizations and resident-led projects doing the important work of creating and sustaining thriving communities in Detroit.  In the process of recording this episode, we found out that native Detroiter, television and radio personality, activis...

What's up, fam! Donna is still on vacation so Orlando is hosting solo this week! He goes one on one with Detroit Griot and Historian Jamon Jordan. A new historical marker has been erected that acknowledges the old Black Bottom neighborhood in what is now Lafayette Park. Jamon gives us a historical account of Black Bottom and how the process he and others went through to acknowledge the now ra...

Back with another one! Donna is out on a much deserved vacation and Chase Cantrell is seating in the cohost seat! Architectural Designer Bucky Willis and Afro-Urbanist Lauren Hood join us for a conversation about amplifying audacious ideas from Black folks, designing Black futures and unlearning degradation. The crew also touched on the need for meaningful intersections with artists and community...

On Tuesday, July 27th, the Detroit City Council approved Mayor Duggan's appointment of Antoine Bryant as the city's newest Planning and Development Director. Antoine came through to speak with Donna and Orlando for his first interview after since his confirmation. He hails all the way from Houston, Texas by way of Brooklyn, New York with a wide cadre of experiences. He brings academic ac...

Flooding and infrastructure in the city of Detroit is once again taking center stage in today’s conversation. More specifically, Donna and Orlando are asking the question of who should bear the brunt of repairs and recovery from the recent flash flooding Detroit has been experiencing and who should be paying for the prevention efforts to stop this from happening? Russ Bellant joined the hosts for...

Information Detroiters can use... Share with your loved ones and neighbors.  Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

It's an election year for the city of Detroit. This year Detroiters will elect a Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk and possibly vote on a revision to the City Charter. Orlando and Donna hope to talk with candidates running for various. Mayoral Candidate, Anthony Adams joined them to share his vision for Detroit. FRESH OFF THE PRESS STORIES: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO PROTECT METRO DETROITERS...

Over the weekend, Southeastern Michigan experienced an extreme amount of consistent rainfall up to six inches in some areas. There are many reports of residents dealing with standing water and sewage in their basements. Since Friday, families have been recovering from the torrential downpour and are cleaning out what is left of items that they cannot salvage. Orlando and Donna spoke with four resi...

This is a special episode celebrating Pride Month! Donna and Orlando hosted Philip Johnson (Donna's son) and Ian McCain to help celebrate but to also have some critical conversation that will educate, grow, and even challenge the listener.     Philip, now based in Los Angeles, is the Founder and CEO of Philaye Films where he serves as the primary showrunner, writer, director, producer and act...

This week, Donna and Orlando sat down with the founders of Century Partners, Andrew Colom and David Alade along with their new partner, Shea Whitfield from the hit HGTV Show, " Bargain Block ." Century Partners went on the record to talk about the journey of the organization, clear up some misconceptions, and talk about the work they're doing now. Stories From "Fresh Off The Pr...

It's an election year for the city of Detroit. This year Detroiters will elect a Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk and maybe vote on a revision to the City Charter. Orlando and Donna hope to talk with candidates running for various offices. Daivon Reeder joined them to talk about his run for City Council in District 4.  Fresh Off The Press Stories: WHY THE REVISION OF DETROIT’S CITY CHA...

It's an election year for the city of Detroit. This year Detroiters will elect a Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk, and vote on a revision to the City Charter. Orlando and Donna continues the series with a district 4 wide candidate forum in partnership with Eastside Community Network and the LEAP Coalition Steering Committee.  All of the candidates were present: Ane Bomani, M.L. Elrick,...

Over the weekend, the nonprofit think tank, Detroit Future City (DFC) and their Center for Equity, Research, and Engagement released their "State of Economic Equity in Detroit" report. The report is a follow up to the framework they released last October and it uncovers the uneven economic growth that Detroit has experienced especially when you disaggregate the data by race. Donna and Or...

This week Donna and Orlando sit down with the amazing Alia Harvey Quinn! Alia is a poet, activist, artist and the executive director of Force Detroit . Alia's work carries the tension of the desire to keep neighborhoods safe but also implementing restorative justice practices in policing. This episode unpacks Detroit Police Chief James Craig retirement announcement that will take effect June...

The latest revision draft of the Detroit City Charter has been making headlines across the city the last few days. Governor Whitmer rejected the draft citing legality issues incongruent to state laws.  What does the Governor's rejection mean? What happens next? We discuss with Charter Commissioner, Denzel McCampbell and Detroit radio and television personality, Steve Hood.  Support the show F...

It's an election year for the city of Detroit. This year Detroiters will elect a Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk, and vote on a revision to the City Charter. Orlando and Donna hope to talk with candidates running for various offices as apart of the new Candidate Series. Toson Knight joined them to talk about his run for City Council in District 4.   Support the show Follow us on Insta...

Recorded directly after the Chauvin verdict. Donna and Orlando are joined by Pastor Brian Ellison of Church of the New Covenant Baptist Detroit. He happens to be the brother of the Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison who successfully prosecuted Derek Chauvin. Both are Native Detroiters.  They weigh in on the war of words happening between Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Detroit Police Chief,...

Donna and Orlando welcome Deputy Director for Prosperity and Equity and Inclusion Officer for the state of Michigan's Labor and Economic Opportunity Department. Kim also serves on Governor Whitmer's Poverty Task Force. The Michigan Poverty Task Force recently released their report with 35 recommendations to increase the household income of all Michiganders and to restore the safety net i...

Resident leaders Michelle Jackson and Delores Orr join Donna and Orlando to talk about their work with the Lower Eastside Action Plan (LEAP) Coalition.  Michelle Jackson serves as the LEAP Coalition co-chair and is the founder and executive director of Sustainable Community Farms, she is the member of the Chandler Park Neighborhood Association, and she is also the the climate equity organizer at E...

Detroit and the state of Michigan has the highest increase in COVID-19 cases in the country right now. The vaccine push is full affect. So why are the case numbers so high? Have you repeated misinformation about the vaccine? Dr. Maritza McIntyre of StrideBio and Dr. Paul Thomas of PlumHealth DPC join Donna and Orlando to discuss.  Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

A discussion on the Black business landscape in Metro Detroit with Charity Dean, President/CEO of the newly formed Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance and Kimberly Harry, part-owner of Harry's Barbershop on Detroit's Eastside.   Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

Mayor Duggan gave his 2021 State of City Address on Tuesday from the Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) new Mack Assembly Plant on the Eastside.  Community Adovcate Simone Lightfoot and BridgeDetroit Senior Reporter Louis Aguilar join Donna and Orlando to debrief the speech. Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

It's an election year for the city of Detroit. This year Detroiters will elect a Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk, and vote on a revision to the City Charter. Orlando and Donna hope to talk with candidates running for various offices as apart of the new Candidate Series. Latisha Johnson joined them to talk about her run for City Council in District 4.   Support the show Follow us on In...

All February long, Donna and Orlando are taking the time to honor Black History with Detroit roots. This episode they dove deep in the labor movement in Detroit and how union negotiated for the overall well-being of the community above and beyond their employment contracts. Jerry King, UAW member and President of AFL-CIO Consistency Group founded by Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph  and Savana...