Authentically Detroit

This week, Authentically Detroit sat down with Kevin Davidson, the Director of Design and Fabrication at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.   Donna and Orlando spoke with Kevin about the 40th annual African World Festival, taking place in Downtown Detroit at Hart Plaza, July 14-16th. As a 40-year employee, Kevin has had the opportunity to experience every festival since its...

This week, Authentically Detroit sat down with the Attorney General of Minnesota, Keith Ellison.  Donna and Orlando spoke with Keith about the recent Supreme Court decisions and his new book, Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence. As Minnesota’s Attorney General, Keith led the decision to bring charges against George Floyd’s murderer, Derek Chauvin. Keith also explains some of the b...

This week, Authentically Detroit sat down with Doctoral Candidate, Aya Waller-Bey  Orlando spoke with Aya about her research and work around the impact of trauma narratives in college admissions. As a doctoral candidate, her dissertation research examines how Black students make how Black students make sense of narratives constructed in college personal statements and how Black students respond to...

Last week, Authentically Detroit took over the Mackinac Policy Conference! Donna and Orlando conducted interviews on-site at the conference with some of the state and city’s most influential power brokers. This series is broken up into three parts and as always features candid conversations centering residents’ perspectives on the policies that most impact us! Part One: Garland Gilchrist, Lt. Gov....

Last week, Authentically Detroit took over the Mackinac Policy Conference! Donna and Orlando conducted interviews on-site at the conference with some of the state and city’s most influential power brokers. This series is broken up into three parts and as always features candid conversations centering residents’ perspectives on the policies that most impact us! Part One: Garland Gilchrist, Lt. Gov....

Last week, Authentically Detroit took over the Mackinac Policy Conference! Donna and Orlando conducted interviews on-site at the conference with some of the state and city’s most influential power brokers. This series is broken up into three parts and as always features candid conversations centering residents’ perspectives on the policies that most impact us! Part One: Garland Gilchrist, Lt. Gov....

This week, Authentically Detroit sat down with Founder and CEO of Rebirth, Cheetara Heath Donna and Orlando spoke with Cheetara about the Non-Profit Organization and her mission to break generational barriers by means of housing and supportive services. A single mother of 5 and formerly unhoused person, Cheetara knows what it means to overcome adversity. Since beginning Rebirth in 2018, she’s purc...

This week, Authentically Detroit is talking about the city’s new down payment assistance program.   At the end of March, Detroit announced the launch of a down payment assistance program aimed at lower-income earners who may be able to afford a monthly mortgage payment but don’t have enough savings for a down payment. Donna and Orlando spoke with David Palmer of DC Palmer LLC about the research an...

Authentically Detroit discusses closing the racial wealth gap in the city and beyond.  On this episode, Donna and Orlando speak with Michelle Matthews and Elizabeth Luther of Capital Impact. The four of them discuss Capital Impact’s decision to work more closely with people actually from our city to help close the racial wealth gap. Their Equitable Development Initiative seeks to help local real e...

Donna and Orlando gathered the youth together for a discussion centering their perspectives on different types of violence in the community. The group’s roundtable talk covers metal detectors inside of schools, gun violence, violence targeting the LGBTQ+ community, and more.  Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

Authentically Detroit covers the wave of violence seemingly taking over the city and more.  On this episode, Donna and Orlando discuss environmental justice, reparations, and gun violence. Over the last week, there were multiple instances of simple disagreements escalating to gun violence. In one instance, a Detroit man shot two teens and two adults after his food was incorrectly delivered to thei...

The gang's all here again! Orlando returns this week along with journalists Aaron Mondry and Jena Brooker.  Donna and Orlando speak with them about the trucking problem plaguing east siders in Detroit. Aaron and Jena’s investigation found that almost one truck passes through the neighborhood adjacent to the Stellantis auto plant per minute, daily. This poses a serious air quality issue and re...

This week, Authentically Detroit talks about what’s been on everyone’s mind recently - power outages.  Donna and Jackson Koeppel, Founder and Executive Director of Souladarity, sat down for a discussion about outages and energy justice. The duo outlines issues of affordability and infrastructure as well as DTE’s business model, which drives the issues. Finally, they go over the ways the team at So...

This week, Authentically Detroit is amplifying youth voices! The Vaulted Youth Podcast Program provides youth the opportunity to develop and produce their very own podcasts! This week we introduce The Black Bubble, The Culture Channel, and Black N Smart - original podcasts created by our young people.  FOR HOT TAKES: COULD $1,200 A MONTH IN DIRECT CASH HELP DETROITERS? THIS GROUP THINKS SO   WHITM...

Spring has sprung this week on Authentically Detroit! Orlando sat down with Dr. Eddie Connor, Spokesman for the American Cancer Society, Author, and recipient of The President Obama Lifetime Achievement Award. The two discussed Eddie’s journey as a cancer survivor and among many things, what it means to forgive. FOR HOT TAKES: DUGGAN PUTS CRIME ON RESIDENTS - TO THE TUNE OF $700,000   COOLEY HIGH...

This week Authentically Detroit spent 313 Day discussing the housing crisis.  Donna sat down with Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas, the stars of HGTV’s Bargain Block, plus Tansley Stearns, President & CEO of Community Financial Credit Union (CFCU). The group discussed Bargain Block & CFCU’s new partnership, which intends to make home buying more attainable for Detroiters! FOR HOT TAKES: VACANT...

This week Authentically Detroit discusses the importance of on-the-ground philanthropy! Donna and Orlando sat down with The Gilbert Family Foundation’s Director of Detroit Community Initiatives, Darnell Adams, to discuss how Black Detroiters are leading Dan Gilbert’s $500 million philanthropic pledge to the Detroit community.  FOR HOT TAKES: MICHIGAN STOPPED OHIO TOXIC WASTE LAST WEEK, BUT WE IMPO...

This week Authentically Detroit hosted a special live episode with historian Jamon Jordan! Jamon is the founder of The Black Scroll Network, History & Tours, LLC and currently serves as the official Historian for the City of Detroit. In honor of Black History Month, Jamon discusses Detroit’s history as a center for Black Power beginning during slavery.  FOR HOT TAKES: ELECTION DENIER KRISTINA...

This week, Authentically Detroit sits down Jeremiah Steen! Jeremiah founded The Steen Foundation, sits on the Board of Trustee's for the Skillman Foundation and is the brain behind Critical Youth Theory. On top of that he is also a student at the University of Detroit Mercy. Learn more about Jeremiah's work here . For Hot Takes: Mayor Mike Duggan proposes $156M budget surplus spending to...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with author Tinisha D. Brugnone. She and Orlando discuss her book, Pimpette Chronicles: A Modern Black Woman’s Guide to Dating Safely and Navigating These Mean Streets. Tinisha shares her inspiration behind the book as well as some of her history as a filmmaker.  You can find Tinisha’s novel out now, on Amazon .  FOR HOT TAKES: MICHIGAN INFLATION RELIEF CHE...

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with Charity Dean of the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance. The episode begins with a somber discussion on the murder of Tyre Nichols and the state of policing in Black communities. Donna, Orlando and Charity also discuss the deliberate destruction of Black wealth in Detroit with the construction of I-375 and what constitutes reparations for those impac...

This week Authentically Detroit welcomed our new cohort of Vaulted Youth Voices! This podcasting program geared towards high school students in Detroit gives students the opportunity to develop and produce their own podcast! This week we had Nashae Johnson, Faith Smith, and Jason Dyer join us for a discussion on the importance of using your voice. This compelling conversation gave students the opp...

This week Authentically Detroit celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The episode begins with a quote from Dr. King’s, Letter from Birmingham Jail and hits the ground running from there. Anika Goss of Detroit Future City and Dr. Andre Perry, author of Know Your Price and senior fellow at Brookings Institute , joined Donna and Orlando to discuss the importance of building economic power in Black c...

This week Authentically Detroit looks at the justice system.  Donna and Orlando discuss the hiring and subsequent resignation of a formerly incarcerated employee of the Michigan Supreme Court. They also discuss Mayor Mike Duggan’s comments regarding what issues the state government should prioritize. Finally, they discuss President Joe Biden’s increased funding for law enforcement and the record h...

This week Authentically Detroit returns from winter break! Donna and Orlando hit the ground running this year starting with a discussion on the I-375 redevelopment committee. Next, they discuss the invisible crisis of youth homelessness and the rising housing epidemic. The duo takes a look at Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s plans for her second term in office and what the implications may be for Detro...