On Hand

Love ‘em. Hate ‘em.  Either way zoos play a big role in nearly every city. And that’s especially true in Detroit. Dr. Hayley Murphy is the new director of the Detroit Zoo. And she's also the first woman to hold that position in the zoo’s 93-year history. On today's pod episode, we have Dr. Murphy to talk all about conservation, animal stress, and the impact of COVID.

GUEST:

Dr. Hayley Murphy, director and chief executive officer of the Detroit Zoo

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Last week, Facebook announced it was changing its name to Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg talked about the rebrand in terms of the metaverse and the future of the internet. But what exactly is the metaverse, and will we have to be customers of Facebook — or Meta — to go there? Today, on Stateside, a media and information expert fills us in on some, sci-fi, social media and social equity points to think about.

GUEST:

Robby Ratan is an associate professor of media and information at Michigan State University.

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Three cities in southeast Michigan elected young Arab American men serve as mayor: Hamtramck, Dearborn Heights, and Dearborn. 

The latter, home to one of the largest Arab American populations in the country, elected State Representative Abdullah Hammoud to replace longtime mayor John "Jack" O’Reilly. On today's episode, we talk to Hammoud about his historic election and his plans for the city.

GUEST:

Abdullah Hammoud, Michigan state representative and Dearborn mayor-elect

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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So many kids and families have been desperate to restore a sense of normalcy. Getting back to face to face learning has been a huge relief, even if fraught with complications. Many school districts are hanging on to normal operations by their fingertips with a shortage of staffers and increasing COVID-19 infections. Today, we talk to the president of Michigan's largest teachers' union, and to one school superintendent about what’s behind the school staffing shortages and what districts are doing to address COVID in the classroom.

GUESTS:

Jeanice Kerr Swift is the Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent.

Paula Herbart is the president of Michigan Education Association.

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State officials last week stripped Adams Township clerk Stephanie Scott of her of authority to run elections. The story behind why they did that reflects a broad shift in how national politics are playing out at your local ballot box.

GUEST:

Jonathan Oosting, politics reporter for Bridge Michigan. You can find more of Oosting's reporting on Stephanie Scott here.

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Since the Lewis College of Business closed in 2013, there hasn’t been a single historically Black college or university in the whole of Michigan. That is until now. Shoe designer and entrepreneur, D’Wayne Edwards, is helping to bring back Lewis College under a new name and mission. On today’s podcast episode, representation in design, opening doors, and maybe some broader lessons for higher education.

GUEST: 

D’Wayne Edwards, Founder of PENSOLE & PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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As November draws near, families around the state are preparing for Día de los Muertos. The holiday, which originated in Mexico, speaks to all of our feelings about lost loved ones, both sad and happy. Families create small altars, called ofrendas, that bear pictures, flowers, favorite foods, and lots of love. Today, we'll talk to three Michiganders about what the day and its traditions mean to them. 

GUESTS: 

Reyna Garcia, Grand Rapids artist, social activist, and cultural ambassador

Kim Kozlowski, reporter at The Detroit News.  who You can read Kozlowski's story about connecting with her late mom’s Mexican heritage through ofrendas here.

Sarah Nasser, mental health counsellor by training. Nasser's ofrenda at the DIA this year honors her family's Lebanese heritage. 

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It’s getting colder out, and some Michigan restaurants are still struggling with operational costs and staffing shortages. Running a restaurant has never been easy, but this particular moment is loaded with a whole new set of challenges around staffing, procurement, and what happens at the front of the house. Today, a celebrated Detroit area chef talks about survival during and after the pandemic.

GUEST:

James Rigato is chef and owner of award-winning Mabel Gray in Hazel Park. 

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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Jamon Jordan is an educator and a historian, and has been telling Detroit's story for a long time. Now the city has officially named him the city's historian. 

GUEST: 

Jamon Jordan, educator and Detroit City Historian

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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Seven years after Flint's Water Crisis rocked Michigan, why are we seeing elevated lead levels in communities such as Benton Harbor? It's complicated, and Michigan Radio editor Lindsey Smith has been on the story for years.

GUEST:

Lindsey Smith is an editor at Michigan Radio, and has been following the Flint water story for many years. She produced an award winning documentary for Michigan Radio on Flint called "Not Safe To Drink"

 

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If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work.

Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.