The Metro

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." 

Why does that framing always skip over what we survived? Or how we're still holding it all together?

New research published in American Psychologist is asking exactly that.

The study out of Michigan State University, Affirming Racial and Gender Identity Supports Mental Health, found that for sexual and gender diverse people of color, affirming your identity, is a source of real psychological strength.

But the research also finds something more complicated. Growing through oppression, developing yourself through the experience of discrimination, builds resilience. 

And it also costs something. The researchers named that honestly. And that honesty is part of what makes this work different.

Dr. Aldo Barrita is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University. 

Dr. Joshua Parmenter is an assistant professor at Arizona State University and licensed psychologist specializing in the mental health of LGBTQ+ and marginalized BIPOC communities.

Both joined The Metro to talk more about the study and its results. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming  On-demand. Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts

Darryl DeAngelo Terrell is a multidisciplinary artist who uses photography, videography, and sound to illustrate Black liberation. Growing up gay in Detroit was, Terrell could not fully express themselves. They use art to envision a world that embraces every part of their being. 

Terrell lives in New York now, but they are an extension of the Black LGBTQ+ community of Detroit.  

Cary Junior II spoke to Terrell about how their artwork in its many forms is a tool for Black and queer liberation. 

Before the massive crowds and international acts that the Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit has grown to attract, electronic and dance music in the city was largely underground. In the 80s and 90s you had to catch names like Jeff Mills and Carl Craig in warehouses or after hour Detroit clubs. 

The late Ken Collier is considered to be Detroit's “godfather of house” The DJ was known for his iconic sets at Club Heaven - a well known Black LGBTQ afterhours spot in the city.

At a time when people were ostracized for unconventional lifestyle, Collier’s work and many other regulars at Club Heaven made it a place where Black LGBTQ+ folks in Detroit could find support and guidance. 

Damon Percy came of age during that time. He is a member of the House of Charles at Club Heaven, a cultural historian, and a writer who has been working to preserve the club's history. He is the archival producer for the upcoming film "Heaven in Detroit," which is loosely based on his own experience there.

Damon Percy joined the program to talk about his experience. 

Money is getting tighter. The cost of life can be even more daunting if you have a kids. Children are expensive — diapers, food, clothing, and so much more.

We don’t have statewide paid family leave in Michigan, but a public-private partnership has tried to ease the cost burden. Rx Kids provides unrestricted cash to mothers who are at least 16 weeks pregnant or to guardians who have a child who is six months or younger. It began in Flint two years ago. Now, Rx Kids has expanded to dozens of communities across Michigan.

What have the impacts been for moms and kids? And, why is Rx Kids popular among people and places across the political spectrum?

Nushrat Rahman is the Economic Mobility Reporter at the Detroit Free Press and BridgeDetroit. She spoke with The Metro's Robyn Vincent.

Life is becoming less affordable for Michiganders. And in Lansing, despite the constraints they face, many believe lawmakers are not doing enough to change that for residents. With state Senator Erika Geiss term limited out of her seat, two Democrats are now vying to improve life for residents in parts of Detroit and Downriver.

Justin Onwenu is running as a Democrat for District 1’s state Senate. He spoke about what he wants to change with The Metro's Robyn Vincent.

Have you ever looked at a grocery receipt and felt your chest tighten? You're not alone. Roughly half of Americans say they struggle to afford rent or a mortgage. Food prices keep climbing. Household debt just hit a record $18.8 trillion.

Financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin says the affordability crisis isn't your fault — but that doesn't mean you're powerless. She joins Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about debt, shame, and what actually helps when the numbers stop working.

Bryan-Podvin is based in Ann Arbor. She founded Mind Money Balance and is the author of "The Financial Anxiety Solution."

Detroit gave the world its sound. The world never gave Detroit its theaters back. Detroit has a pattern. It creates something extraordinary and the world takes it.

Techno was born here. In basements. By Black artists who poured everything into a sound that would eventually fill arenas in Berlin, London, and beyond. And somewhere along the way, the origin story got rewritten.

The same city that gave the world that music has spent decades without a downtown cinema. Over 300 theaters, gone. Big promises broken. The nearest commercial theater is still a 40-minute roundtrip from downtown.

Both of those stories come together at Campus Martius Park.

God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines, the acclaimed documentary correcting the record on Detroit Techno's Black origins, screens free. For everyone. 

The screening is hosted by Treuse Cinema, a boutique cinema concept working to bring film back to the heart of this city for good. And kickoff the Electric Roots Film Festival.

Jennifer Washington is the producer of God Said Give Em Drum Machines and the founder of the Electric Roots Film Festival. Kiara Williams is the founder of Treuse Cinema.

Both joined The Metro to talk more about the event and what this moment means for the city and techno. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming  On-demand. Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts

A 14-year-old was shot in the chest in downtown Detroit on Sunday night, after two groups of teenagers converged near Library Street outside a Gucci store. By the end of the weekend, police had detained 109 teens across two locations — most for breaking curfew.

Mayor Mary Sheffield says the answer is a mix of measures: sanctioned spaces and youth programs on one hand, and stricter curfew enforcement and tickets for parents on the other. Detroit Police Commissioner Darious Morris isn't convinced it's enough.

Morris represents District 3 on the Board of Police Commissioners. He joins Robyn Vincent to talk about parents, accountability, and the harder conversation Detroit can't keep avoiding.

Partisanship isn't just a Washington problem. This year, Michigan's Legislature has been one of the slowest in recent memory as only a few bills passed since January. This is happening as costs keep climbing and families keep stretching. Life is getting really expensive and people want their leaders to take action.

With state Senator Erika Geiss, who is overseeing parts of Detroit and Downriver, unable to run for re-election, two Democrats are now vying to fix the problem of rising costs. One of them is former state House representative Abraham Aiyash. He spoke about his campaign and his plans with The Metro's Robyn Vincent.

Editor's note: this conversation discussed the possibility of data centers recycling water. Water sprayed or circulated in evaporative cooling systems can be recycled at data centers. But the recycling process requires significant on-site treatment to manage high concentrations of salts and other contaminants.

Since it’s founding in 2000, Movement has honored the raw, electrified spirit of the city where Techno was born. It’s a space where sound, struggle, and innovation come together, uniting people through electronic music. 

It’s grown into a massive event at Hart Plaza that draws DJ’s and visitors from around the world. Despite it’s growing popularity and international appeal, the festival still puts local talent on stage, from legendary DJ’s like Kevin Saunderson and Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale to newer artists like Tammy Lakkis and Kesswa.

To hear more about Movement this year, Tia Graham spoke with Sam Fotias, operations manager at Paxahau, the organization that produces the festival. 

WDET is a proud media partner of the Movement Electronic Music Festival. We will have live DJ sets on In The Groove this week from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.

On Memorial Day, catch all three performances rebroadcast back to back from noon to 3 p.m.