Created Equal

A federal class action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County, the state of Michigan and the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority is alleging that several government buildings lack accessibility for those with disabilities. Today on the show, we speak with Michael Bartnik, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case, and Outlier Media reporter Laura Herberg, who recently profiled one of the plaintiffs.

When Beyoncé released "Cowboy Carter" last month, the 22-song country album surprised and delighted music fans across genres, including pop, hip-hop and country.

But what was so shocking about Beyoncé doing a country album in the first place? And what can we learn from the collective surprise and at times, indignation, that she would produce a country album? Music historian and journalist Dan Charnas joins the show to discuss.

Congress members in February collected enough signatures in the U.S. Senate to pass a bipartisan bill that would regulate social media use for kids, arguing the platforms could be bad for teen’s mental health. Danah Boyd, a Microsoft researcher and visiting professor at Georgetown, believes technology is not the real problem and that regulating social media could do more harm than good. Boyd joins "Created Equal" to explore how society has responded throughout history to new technologies and discuss why she believes the real problem isn’t our phone screens.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including a look into maternity care deserts and the loss of health care access for women; a new book from anthropologist Jason De León exploring the complicated practice of migrant smuggling; Detroit’s credit bump and more.

Detroit’s credit rating is moving up — nearly 10 years after the bankruptcy — which means government operations are normalizing and avoiding irresponsible debt. However, many Detroit residents still struggle with limited opportunity and carry collective debts that put real strain on the city’s financial foundation. On today's show, we're joined by local developer Chase Cantrell and U-M researcher Amanda Nothaft to discuss what the rating increase means for both the city and its residents.

Just two years into Michigan’s experiment with citizen-drawn maps for the Legislature and Congress, a court-ordered redraw to address gerrymandering is finally finished for the state House, and voters will see the difference at the polls this spring and fall. Ben Solis, a reporter at Gongwer News Service, and Colin Jackson, state capitol reporter for Michigan Public Radio Network, joined the show to discuss the process and its potential outcomes.

Author and anthropologist Jason De León spent seven years documenting the lives of “coyotes,” or smugglers who help migrants leave their homes and head for America. He joined Stephen Henderson to talk about his new book, "Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling," and how political instability, poverty, climate change and other factors are contributing to a perilous journey for migrants and smugglers on the journey through South and Central America to the United States.

What is causing a rise in maternity care deserts? Stefanie Worth from the nonprofit March of Dimes and Dr. Sonia Hassan from Wayne State University join Stephen Henderson to discuss why women’s access to health care is declining in the U.S.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including

Tonya Mosley is the host and co-producer of "She Has a Name," a personal story of loss and redemption, mending broken family ties, and facing the trauma experienced by countless individuals who've lost loved ones to violence. Tonya and co-producer Antonio Wiley join Stephen Henderson to share their story and discuss the podcast. Tonya Mosley is the co-host of Fresh Air and owner of TMI Productions.