Groundcover Speaks | Ann Arbor District Library

The Michigan primary is right around the corner! Listen to interviews with local Michigan Senate and mayor candidates, as well as reports on issues that are getting people out to the polls.

This summer has brought opportunities to stand up to injustices as well as chances to have fun and enjoy community. Listen to hear what's on the Groundcover radar this June!

Across the United States, our rights are under attack - the right to vote, the right to healthcare, the right to food security. Groundcover is looking at these federal changes and their local impacts.

In this episode we're reporting on the conditions at Women's Huron Valley, Trump's latest HUD executive order, and Ann Arbor's pallet home proposal. Plus recovery-oriented poetry.

This Earth Day we're talking about the need for emergency warning systems and an updated bottle deposit law. Amidst the war in Iran and increasing deportations, Groundcover vendors connect global struggles to our local community.

April is National Poetry Month, so this special episode of Groundcover Speaks is dedicated to all things poetry.

What does health mean to you? In this episode we dive into the health theme from multiple perspectives including prevention, treatment, opportunity, and services — both mental and physical.

Recap of the Winter Olympics. Spotlight of community events — Chinese New Year, St. Patrick's Day, Earth Day. Remembering the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Discussing the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and associated policies.

This episode shares reports on the 2026 Point in Time Count, Sheriff Dyer's Board of Commissioner suit, ICE Out protests, and U-M athletics.

With a historical deep dive on Bob Marley, an exclusive interview with SK Rodriguez, and DJ Rob's story, this might as well be a music edition! We also continue to follow and share updates on the Cross St. siege.

This edition is titled "Washtenaw Rises Up!" because it is filled with coverage of local resistance efforts; community organizing against police militarization, ICE abductions, and data centers.

Is the Fare Deal program fair? Why should someone volunteer at the Daytime Warming Center? What happened on Cross street in Ypsi? We're answering these questions and more in this episode.

In this episode we're reflecting on the holiday season and sharing resources that will be helpful all year round. Our cover story is about Washtenaw County citizens' view on university police.

Reflect on the holiday season by listening to this year's final episode of Groundcover Speaks. We're also talking about the state of homelessness in Washtenaw and calling on listeners to take action.

The new year isn't here just yet, but this episode gives us a preview of what to expect in 2026: public power ballot initiative in Ann Arbor and cash payments to families in Ypsi. We're also reflecting on the holiday.

This episode is themed for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week! We recap the impacts of the long government shutdown and how the community responded to frozen SNAP benefits — in addition to some amazing essays and interviews on local homeless experiences.

This episode examines happenings at the state level that impact low-income people in Michigan. A statewide ballot initiative to fund public schools, a bill that will cover SNAP shut offs in November, and a campaign to end solitary confinement in jails and prisons.

October means Halloween, domestic violence awareness, and the beginning of the holiday season. Listen also for an inspiring story about a tenant who fought her landlord for discrimination —- and won!

This episode is chock-full of local news -- listen to reports on an assault at the Beer Cooler, a sale of the Ann Arbor Observer, a groundbreaking of affordable housing, and a student-run homeless resource fair.

Fall is nearly here — this episode offers fun outdoor activities in metro Detroit, along with an audio journey to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. We're also reflecting on leadership changes at the Shelter Association, and reporting on the causes and consequences of homelessness.

In this episode we look at the who and what of harm reduction and crisis response in Washtenaw County, and how that's supporting people experiencing homelessness in our community.

This issue highlights workers at Ozone House organizing for a stronger voice, the Shelter Association welcoming a new director, and community responses to federal crackdowns on homelessness. We also cover local food security efforts, emergency preparedness in a season of extreme weather, and stories from our vendors.

This episode looks at solutions to homelessness from a variety of perspectives: rental assistance, affordable housing development, and daytime shelters. In Washtenaw County some of these options are growing, some are shrinking, but many are stagnating.

Groundcover News is celebrating 15 years, so in this issue we're looking back at our origin story and centering the vendor voices that have helped us get here! .

This fifth annual Community Arts Edition spotlights low-income visual and written artists in Washtenaw County.