Washtenaw United

Joe Halsch, Executive Director of the Jim Toy Community Center, Washtenaw County's LGBTQ-plus community center, believes that strong communities are built through connection. Under his direction, and many others, including Jim Toy, the center has, for decades, built a space where LGBTQ-plus people feel connected, feel like they belong, regardless of the forces, political or otherwise, hovering over. Today, on Washtenaw United, we talk about Pride, the annual, show-stopping community-wide celebration, as a key ingredient that has helped to ensure the life force that is the Jim Toy Community Center.

When a young person makes a mistake, do we respond with disinvestment in policies that criminalize those actions, or do we see those mistakes as possibilities for growth, healing and transformation? Jason Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Center for Youth Justice, has spent his career ensuring that Michigan chooses the path of growth over criminalization. Under his leadership, the Michigan Center for Youth Justice has championed tectonic shifts that are reshaping youth justice to build a stronger and more compassionate future for generations to come.

Right here in Ann Arbor, we have a world-class VA medical center, but world-class doesn't mean much if a family living 60 miles away can't afford a $200 a night hotel room to be at their veteran's bedside during a medical crisis. This is where Fisher House of Michigan steps in. By providing 100% cost-free lodging, they ensure that a family's financial status never dictates their ability to support a loved one through the toughest battles of their life. Today, we're talking about why caring for our caregivers is the ultimate form of community support.

Mental health challenges don't care about city borders, and they do not discriminate based on one's background or culture or clique or gender and economic mobility. But right here in Washtenaw County, a person's mental health journey can look radically different, depending not just on where they live, but also on who they are. We are focusing on a critical angle of equity – men and mental health. Joining us is Judy Gardner, Executive Director of NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Health Illness, Washtenaw County. 

What does it take to heal a community impacted by gun violence? Today, we are sitting down with Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence board director Dr. Mike Otto to talk about the unique power of the physician's voice in this conversation and what it will take to move the needle on gun safety in Michigan. 

Meet the new host of Washtenaw United! Jessica ‘Decky’ Alexander is a professor of applied drama/theatre and the Director of Engage@EMU, an office whose mission is to cultivate community and university collaboration. Both as a performer and as a faculty member, Decky has used the mediums of theatre and performance to foster voice with underserved and under-heard individuals and communities. WEMU's David Fair chats with Decky about what's next for Washtenaw United.