Authentically Detroit

This week Authentically Detroit discusses the experience of children with incarcerated parents.  Southeastern graduate and soon to be Mississippi Valley State graduate TJ Edwards has a one-on-one discussion with Orlando about how growing up with an incarcerated parent helped shape his worldview. TJ goes into detail about how ECN’s Vault teen center and participation in football helped him find a h...

This week Authentically Detroit talks water shutoffs, police violence, and mental health! Donna and Orlando sat down with the first person to join ECN’s Vault teen center, TJ Edwards. A graduate of Southeastern High School and current senior at Mississippi Valley State University, TJ discusses what led him to take his mental health seriously and how social media distorts people’s perception of the...

This week Authentically Detroit talks FOIA, right-to-work and equitable access to higher education! Donna and Orlando sat down with Danielle North of Degree Forward plus Dara Klein and Lawrence Hood of Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences (DAAS). The group discusses Degree Forward and DAAS’ new partnership providing community members with equitable access to higher education and removing barriers...

This week Authentically Detroit takes a look at the city’s jazz legacy! Donna and Orlando sat down with Kevin Davidson, Director of Design and Fabrication at the Charles H. Wright Museum. They discuss the museum’s latest companion exhibits, “Detroit Jazz: The Legacy Continues” and“Jazz Greats,” plus the future and legacy of the museum itself.  For more information about the exhibits, click here . ...

This week Authentically Detroit taps into Gen Z!  Budding Urban Planner Paul Jones III sits down with Donna and Orlando to discuss his vision for Detroit’s transportation system. Together they discuss the issues with having such a car-focused community and how we can expand our view of highway reform beyond the planned remodel of I-375. They also discuss his pandemic project - a re-envisioning of...

This week Authentically Detroit covers the 2022 midterm elections! The Hot Take of the week comes from The New York Times, Why a Democratic Black City Won’t Have a Black Democrat in the House. Donna and Orlando also sit down with Danielle Atkinson and Eboni Wells-Taylor of Mothering Justice to discuss Proposal 3, one of the most important items on the Michigan ballot. Then, they switch gears and s...

This week Authentically Detroit discusses digital justice, consentful technology and more! Tawana Petty joins Orlando and Donna to give them the rundown on surveillance, digital justice, and how they impact us as Detroiters. Petty, a convening member of the Detroit Digital Justice Coalition, introduces the podcast to the concept of consentful technology. In Hot Takes, we go over former President B...

This week Authentically Detroit talks towing and the connection between Detroit and New Orleans. Donna and Orlando catch up following Donna’s week-long trip to New Orleans. Dasjon Jordan and Chandra McMillion join them to discuss the purpose behind the trip plus the connection and history of the two unofficial sister cities. But first, Hot Takes once again covers the unjust parking ticket and towi...

This week Authentically Detroit talks power, money, and the impact it has on citizens.  Journalist Jena Brooker of Bridge Detroit joins Donna and Orlando to discuss a story she wrote about how one of Detroit’s most powerful families has pushed residents out of an east side neighborhood. This week’s Hot Take also comes out of Bridge Detroit and involves license plate readers and the constitutionali...

This week Authentically Detroit talks about police violence and the mapping of Detroit. Anthropologist, Cartographer, and Information Designer Alex B. Hill joins Donna and Orlando to discuss the Detroit Voting Map as well as his book, Detroit in 50 Maps. They dive into gentrification and what goes into naming a neighborhood. In the spirit of the upcoming election, the trio dive into the Detroit Vo...

This week Authentically Detroit takes a look at economic fairness as it relates to worker’s rights.  Donna and Orlando sit down with candidate for UAW President, Will Lehman. Will gives a little insight into some of the issues that worker’s face in the automobile industry. He also discusses how his candidacy can help auto workers in Detroit as well as worldwide. Brandon Hodges, Principal and Found...

Authentically Detroit is still talking about economic fairness in the city! Donna and Orlando bring last week’s history lesson up to date and discuss the financialization of Detroit. Donna carefully explains the economic processes that led to Detroit’s bankruptcy, plus housing displacement and how they impact Detroiters in the present day.  But first they have a sit down with organizers Juan Carlo...

Authentically Detroit is launching a new series on Economic Fairness in the city of Detroit! Donna and Orlando kick off the series with a discussion on the history of Black Detroit. Donna gives a brief history lesson that gives some background on how Detroit became one the the Blackest cities in America.   The duo also discuss Shot Spotter technology and federal funding announced for the I-375 hig...

Authentically Detroit is back! Donna and Orlando are back in the studio with Kirk Mayes, CEO of Forgotten Harvest. The trio discuss Detroit’s recent power outages, DTE’s proposed rate hike, and the failure of leadership during the ongoing climate crisis. This week’s episode highlights the beauty of the African diaspora. In discussing his Jamaican ancestry, Kirk opens up about the connection he’s m...

Authentically Detroit is taking a two week hiatus! But before we go… Donna and Orlando return with the two queens, Brenda Butler & Edythe Ford, AKA Queen & Slim. The four of them recap the final results of Michigan’s primary election and discuss what matters most moving forward.   The general election takes place on November 8th. Hot Takes Links: A NEW BLACK-WOMAN LED BUSINESS IS FLASH FRE...

Donna and Orlando are back at it again this week with Branden Snyder of Detroit Action. This special episode streamed live on Tuesday night as the election results rolled in. Other guests include:  Brenda Butler, Edythe Ford, Daivon Reeder, Graig Donnelley, and Miguel Pope Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

The Michigan Primary Election for the 13th Congressional District is next week!  In honor of the election and to round out the primary candidate series, Donna and Orlando spoke with activist, radio host, and democratic candidate Sam Riddle. Check out the interview to find out more about his progressive platform which seeks to target poverty, racism, and environmental destruction.  The primary elec...

With election season right around the corner, Authentically Detroit and Detroit Action joined forces in the 13th Congressional District Candidate Economic Justice Forum. We invited all candidates to a two-part forum where they had the opportunity to explain their ideas around policy.  On this episode, Donna and Orlando sit down with Co-Executive Directors of Detroit Action, Branden Snyder and Jenn...

Hosted by Authentically Detroit and Detroit Action Candidates: John Conyers, Sherry Gay-Dgango, Michael Griffe, Adam Hollier, and Portia Roberson *Invitations were extended to all 10 candidates* Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

Hosted by Authentically Detroit and Detroit Action Candidates: Sam Riddle and Martell Bivings *Invitations were extended to all 10 candidates* Support the show Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . 

Having a place that validates your existence is essential to community building. In order to prepare ourselves for a mutually beneficial future, we must come together and acknowledge the cyclical nature of our world.   That’s the philosophy of art lover, public space activator, and event curator Njia Kai.  On this episode Donna, Orlando, and Njia discuss Charles H. Wright African World Festival’s...

Amazing things can happen when Black philanthropic professionals across sectors come together to make intentional investments in Black led ideas and projects. Shoutout to Baba Malik Yakini of The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFS) and the work they've been doing for years! This episode, Donna and Orlando sit down with two of Detroit's most respected philanthropic leade...

Mothering Justice F ounder and Executive Director, Danielle Atkinson joins Orlando in the studio to talk about the reversal of Roe V. Wade by the United States Supreme Court and what that could mean for Black women in Detroit. Danielle also chairs the work and policy agenda of Mothering Justice.  Be sure to listen and share with a neighbor and friend.  Hot Takes Story: ABORTION RULING HEIGHTENS FE...

Donna and Orlando attended the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference on the beautiful Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan. The theme this year was, "The Business Community's Changing Civic Role in Polarizing Times." The Mackinac Policy Conference is attended by Michigan's political and corporate power brokers along with executives from nonprofits and phila...

Donna and Orlando attended the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference on the beautiful Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan.  The Mackinac Policy Conference is attended by Michigan's political and corporate power brokers along with executives from nonprofits and philanthropy as well as journalists.  This episode Orlando is joined by special guest cohost, Stephen Henderson....