Urban Farming simply means growing produce, fruits and veggies in a city setting. So think rooftop gardens and, in the case of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, the use of vacant lots in Detroit North End. 

Oakland Avenue Urban Farm is celebrating 25 years of operation. In 2000, its founder pastor Reverend Bertha L. Carter saw that the community needed to help itself instead of waiting on others. Rev. Carter urged her congregation to address food insecurity by developing the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm.

Through the years, their goal has been to use urban farming as a way to create jobs and new green career pathways for residents. Overall, the organization wants to teach Detroit residents how to live and thrive healthier. 

This year marks 25 years of urban farming in the North End and to commemorate the organization is celebrating with a gala on September 27th.

Jerry Ann Hebron is Executive Director Northend Christian CDC. She joined The Metro to talk more about 25 years, and what the future holds for urban farming in Detroit.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Soccer fans know a pitch as the field where the game begins. Now Detroit City Football Club is building a new one in Corktown, and they’re also making a pitch to neighbors.

Under Detroit’s Community Benefits Ordinance, big projects like this one must work with residents to address community concerns. 

That’s where the Neighborhood Advisory Council comes in. Nine members — chosen by residents, city council, and developers — will meet with the team over the coming months to hammer out how this project can benefit the neighborhood.

Producer Jack Filbrandt sat down with Detroit Documenters Robert De’Andrea and Noah Kincade to learn more about the Neighborhood Advisory Council and what’s at stake for residents. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

In this episode, we’re saying what up doe to Chi Walker and Nik Renee Cole, the duo behind Fried Chicken and Caviar — or FCC for short.

FCC isn’t just about food on a plate; it’s about creating a vibe. Their pop-up has appeared all over Detroit, from Batch Brewing to 2 Birds and The Congregation. Known for their adventurous food pairings and bold recipes, Chi and Nik use flavor as a way to spark joy and connection.

From their popular Glizzy Parties — hot dogs topped with decadent ingredients — to catering high-profile events like the James Beard Awards, Fried Chicken and Caviar keeps finding new ways to bring fun to food. As Chi and Nik put it, “Fried Chicken and Caviar” is more than just a name.

In 1978, residents in the Detroit's Cass Corridor resisted Wayne State’s plan to demolish historic buildings in the neighborhood. This act of resistance birthed the Dally in the Alley festival.

Since that year, community volunteers come together each year to put on a block party that features local vendors, food, and musical performances.  Adriel Thornton, the president of the North Cass Community Union, which host the event, joined the show to discuss Dally.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Detroit is undergoing changes. You can see it as you drive around. From the murals to the development and redevelopment of particular areas, Detroit can be the model for what it looks like to create a more inclusive city for all. 

And with Detroit being the only U.S. city with a UNESCO Design City designation, it's natural for Detroit to be at the forefront of major changes that include a creative flair.

UNESCO or The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization promotes international cooperation in various fields to build peace and sustainable development worldwide. 

Over the next month, Detroit Month of Design will celebrate 10 years as a UNESCO city of design, with more than 95 events featuring more than 500 creatives in the city. 

SustainACity is one of those events. It's curated by Asia Hamilton, the founder and director of Norwest Gallery of Art. Hamilton is also the Climate Resilience Program Manager for the City of Detroit. 

She spoke on The Metro about what a reimagined Detroit could look like with environmental health at the forefront.

Detroit’s schools are still recovering from the deep wounds of systemic neglect. Redlining, segregation, and a crash in city revenue starved schools of resources. Meanwhile, state funding for Detroit continues to lag behind wealthier districts. 

But like the city itself, Detroit schools have been slowly, steadily rising. The latest glimmer is the new M‑STEP results.

A Chalkbeat Detroit analysis of Michigan’s 2024-25 standardized tests show Detroit’s third‑graders reading at their best level in over a decade. Still, only about 13 percent of DPSCD students reached reading proficiency, that’s compared to nearly 39 percent statewide.

So what do these modest gains really mean, and how long can they last?

Dr. Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District, joined Robyn Vincent to answer these questions.

Two months ago, a campaign to enact ranked choice voting in Michigan got off the ground. 

Last month, state lawmakers passed a bill in the House along party lines to ban ranked choice voting. But even its Republican sponsor admitted that if voters approve it on the ballot, that would override the ban.

Joe Spaulding, campaign director for Rank MI Vote, spoke with Robyn Vincent about why he believes ranked choice voting will make our political system more, not less, democratic.

When protests on college campuses in response to the Israel-Hamas war erupted across the nation, leaders at some universities cracked down.

The conflict between demonstrators and university officials raises questions about the limits of free speech for college students, and it's just one of many points of friction on campuses that major institutions must confront. 

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a psychologist who has spent over 40 years in higher education. She spent 13 of those years as the president Spelman College. Dr. Tatum believes these institutions need to create an environment to work through deep divisions. 

She joined the show to discuss her new book "Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times" and how officials at major institutions can do that. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

As flotilla missions face fire abroad, longtime organizers like Huwaida Arraf are pressing for a bold global strategy to aid Palestinians.

Earlier this month, Arraf was a featured speaker at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, where she called to “globalize the Intifada” as a worldwide movement for justice. The Arabic word intifada literally means “shaking off.” In Palestinian history, it refers to popular uprisings against Israeli occupation. 

Arraf, a Detroit-born civil rights attorney and Palestinian-American activist, co-founded the International Solidarity Movement and has helped lead several of the Gaza Freedom Flotillas — boats attempting to sail toward Gaza, break Israel’s naval blockade, and deliver humanitarian aid.

As Gaza’s suffering deepens and pleas for justice grow louder, Arraf spoke with Robyn Vincent about the world’s silence, and how long it can last.

Wayne State University and the University of Michigan are facing criticism over their treatment of students participating in pro-Palestine protests.

Zach Greenberg, Faculty Legal Defense and Student Association Counsel for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), joined The Metro to discuss where free speech is protected by law, and where it crosses the line.