Metro Detroit is home to one of the largest Iraqi communities outside the Middle East. Muslims and Chaldeans share streets, shops, and schools here. Together they hold stories of displacement, of wars fought by the United States on their homeland, even as that same nation became their place of safety. Yet that closeness is cleaved by sharp differences, most notably at the ballot box. 

Many Chaldeans, rooted in Catholic tradition and conservative values, have leaned Republican. Muslim Americans, once loyal Democrats, broke away in 2024, frustrated that the Biden administration did not stop the devastation in Gaza. Many instead voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

These political choices are layered with questions of identity, family, and faith. They are the backdrop of "Pomegranate," a film written and directed by Iraqi American author Weam Namou.

The story unfolds during the 2016 election. It follows Niran, a young Muslim refugee who finds herself in a conservative Chaldean Christian neighborhood. Through her eyes, we see the push and pull of trying to belong amid the stereotypes Middle Eastern women face in America.

Namou has spent her career writing about these themes. She has given voice to Iraqi women’s experiences of migration, resilience, and faith. "Pomegranate" carries that work forward. Although the film is set years ago, its questions still feel urgent: How do communities live together when politics and religion pull them apart? How do women escape the boxes sharply drawn out for them?

Namou joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss belonging in America today.

When Ali began his journey into eyewear manufacturing, he knew nothing about the industry. With determination, he figured it out and today he stands as Detroit’s only eyewear manufacturer.

His creations are described as dope glasses for local and international audiences, even catching the eye of DJ Kaytranada.

Ali grew up across Metro Detroit and calls himself a man of Michigan and a man of God. His faith, along with his lifelong drive for business, led him to build a vision around eyeglass design and creation.

In an effort to reduce the high case load, Wayne County has recommended that City of Detroit attorneys prosecute misdemeanor offenses. Earlier this month, Detroit city council voted 8-1 to do just that beginning in July of next year. 

What kinds of cases will the city oversee? What kind of burden might this place on Detroit?

Conrad Mallett, Jr. is the corporation counsel for the City of Detroit. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.

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

While Donald Trump is in the United Kingdom meeting with prime minister Keir Starmer and the King of England, the highest-ranking U-S official on American soil is Vice President JD Vance. The VP visited Michigan yesterday, making a stop at a metal stamping plant in Howell.

Vance toured the facility before delivering a speech to a room of largely conservative supporters. The visit came one week after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered by a gunman in Utah.

Vance shouted out Kirk for his embodiment of conservative values and success in attracting youth into the Republican party. Main talking points also centered around President Trump’s economic policy and deployments of the National Guard.

“We deserve to be safe in our communities again,” said Vance, “and that’s what the president is making happen.”

Vance told the crowd he would be happy to see the National Guard deployed in Detroit, calling on Governor Whitmer to ask for the White House’s assistance. That’s despite crime rates in the city trending down in recent years.

Vance said the White House’s economic policies will make things cheaper for families.

“We talk about no taxes on overtime," said Vance, “which we are proud to deliver — the lowest taxes we’ve had in this country in a very long time.”

Michigan Democrats have countered the president’s spending bill and economic policies have hurt residents around the state, driving up prices on things like healthcare and groceries.

Political violence has been in the news so much, it can sometimes feel exhausting. Last week, the conservative activist, Charlie Kirk, was killed.

But there’s good reason the incident has gotten so much coverage. It’s an indicator of something much bigger and more devastating than the act alone — it’s a signal that our democracy is in a fragile state. 

That’s in part because political violence has been on the rise.

President Donald Trump was shot while on the campaign trail in 2024. An arsonist set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in April. In June, a former Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were assassinated. An insurrection took place at the capitol well before all that. 

And that’s all outside of Michigan. 

Here, a capital riot took place in 2020. A kidnapping was attempted on our governor, Gretchen Whitmer, that same year, in part with hopes of starting a civil war. Just last week, vandalism hit a mosque in Warren. 

But what’s troubling experts about this violence is not just these events. It’s also the reactions to them. 

Comments about Charlie Kirk’s death on social media were often ferocious. Conservatives were calling for war against liberals. Liberals were happy with Kirk’s death. 

To be sure, these are the loudest voices. That’s the way social media algorithms work. The most extreme voices get the most attention because they translate to more advertising revenue. 

But people are still choosing to express views of hate and vitriol. 

How did we get here? And how do we get to a place where our democracy is stronger — where disagreement, and the bodies that contain those various perspectives, can live side by side?

Shikha Dalmia studies authoritarianism in an effort to stop it, and make us a freer society. She’s the president of the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism, and the Founder and Editor of the Substack, The UnPopulist. She spoke with Robyn Vincent.

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

If you're looking for an R&B artist who represents the spirit and sound of Detroit, look no further than Charity Ward. Her sound, sculpted from her upbringing as a preacher's kid, inspired her debut album in 2020, "Tended Headed."

After years as a part-time musician, and after a major collaboration with rapper Snoop Dogg on her single "Cruel," she entered 2025 on a mission to commit to music full-time. 

She joined The Metro to share how transformative her total dedication to music has been and what listeners can expect from her upcoming album. 

During WDET’s on-air fundraiser, we continue to bring you the news and conversations that inform you, enrich your life, and connect you to the community. 

In this conversation, The Metro’s Tia Graham spoke with Satori Shakoor, host of The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers. Satori talked about the importance of storytelling and the importance of strong public media. 

This particular conversation also included information about an upcoming show at The Wright on the theme of colorism. It explored the effects of colorism across cultures and how people process related experiences. 

Hosted in front of a live audience, Satori helps create a space of vulnerability, honesty and compassion. 

Take a listen to the conversation and learn more about The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers and the impact of sharing intimate life experiences. 

What does it feel like to be a small business owner in southeast Michigan right now?

It’s hard to get a firm picture of that, but we do have some numbers to put some paint on the canvas. Right now, the broad story is that the economy is doing well despite uncertainty from high tariffs. 

Corporate profits are strong, the jobless rate is 4.3 percent, and wages are going up. 

In Detroit specifically, the unemployment rate fell to below 10 percent, dropping from 11 percent in 2024. And a new report says that gains are expected to be had here in the finance, leisure, hospitality and public administration sectors. 

But, as noted, difficulty is looming. An effective US tariff rate at almost 16 percent is expected to hamper auto-related jobs. Many have companies stockpiled goods to counteract the tariffs, and some businesses anticipate raising prices. What’s more, companies are hiring much fewer people than they were four years ago.

What does all this mean for small businesses in our area? What does it look like to own a coffee shop, a clothing store, or a small construction company in Metro Detroit?  

Mark Lee is the president and CEO of The Lee Group, where he consults for small businesses. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.

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

Morgan Hutson, known as La Cecille, is an actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer who weaves ancestral knowledge into every note and performance. Her music moves from R and B to electronic, reflecting the multi-disciplinary style that defines her artistry.

La Cecille has been singing her entire life, listening and learning from Detroit’s greats. Just like her mentors and teachers, Detroit itself has become an essential character in her story.

For many, growing up in Detroit feels almost magical. For La Cecille, it truly was, shaping the artist she is today.

A quiet shift is underway in Detroit, one led by residents pushing for change inside the systems that have long excluded or marginalized Black people, people of color, and vulnerable communities.

The Detroit Equity Action Lab, directed by Asandi Conner, is at the heart of this effort.

Conner trains and supports a network of fellows working in Detroit's schools, hospitals, nonprofits, and arts organizations. Their mission is to bring equity into the institutions where it is often resisted.

For Conner, this is justice work. It is about shifting how organizations make decisions, whose voices get heard, and what accountability looks like. She says protests wield power and capture public attention, but lasting change often happens in the daily grind of strategy and persistence.

That approach feels especially urgent now, as political support for diversity, equity, and inclusion shrinks nationwide under the Trump administration. 

In a separate conversation, Conner’s colleague Angel McKissic spoke about restorative justice circles that repair harm and build trust at the community level. Together, their approaches speak to Detroit's vast justice landscape. McKissic works to heal relationships between people, while Conner challenges inequity inside traditional systems of power.