In this episode, Donna and Sam welcome Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur and Joe Drew-Hundley of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities to discuss their work eradicating racism, discrimination, and systemic inequities.

Rooted in the profound legacy of his mama, Ava Jo—whose love, humor, and grit shaped him long before any degree—Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur carries her spirit in everything he does. Today, as the first Black and formerly incarcerated Executive Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities, Dr. Shakur brings that lived wisdom into building Just and Beloved Communities across Michigan.

Joe Drew-Hundley is the Deputy Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities (MRJC). Joe’s relationship with MRJC began as a member of the Board of Directors, where he helped guide governance and strategy. Now, stepping into the Deputy Director role, he is focused on strengthening community partnerships, advancing MRJC’s values, and supporting Dr. Shakur and the team in building just and beloved communities across Michigan.

For more information on the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities and their work, click here.

WHAT WE’RE READING FROM THE MI CHRONICLE:

DETROIT COUNCIL MEMBER: DATA CENTERS COULD GROW CITY'S GENERAL FUND

FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER JOE TATE WON'T SEEK REELECTION

On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with State Senate hopeful Eboni Taylor to discuss her vision for Michigan’s 3rd District as well as Nafeesah Symonette and Rhonda Green who gave insight into the Summer Arts Employment Training (SAET) Program.

Eboni Taylor is a lifelong Detroiter and daughter of the Eastside. She believes that we deserve better, but more than that, she believes that we can dictate what "better" looks like together. Team Eboni believes we are at a pivotal moment where our communities need leaders with relentless & authentic advocacy. She wants a better Michigan for her parents, herself, and she especially wants a better Michigan for our future - her children and yours.

The Summer Arts Employment Training Program is led by Heritage Works in partnership with Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts(DEYA), Grow Detroit's Young Talent (GDYT) and 10 arts partners working across Detroit to provide creative training and paid workforce opportunities. Detroit youth will have opportunities to gain experience in dance, visual arts, technical theater, youth-led arts education, or arts activism – while also developing workplace skills including teamwork, communication, entrepreneurism, and project management.

For more information and to apply, click here.

On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Charles Erza Ferrell, De’Sean Jones, and Kenny Green to discuss the upcoming Concert of Colors Neighborhood Programs event.

The Concert of Colors in Detroit is one of the nation’s longest-running, largest, free and global music festivals. It is music from around the world at its best.

The Concert of Colors was established by Ismael Ahmed – the former head of the human services organization ACCESS – and New Detroit in 1993 as a one-day event at Chene Park on Detroit's riverfront. The inaugural event drew a modest crowd to Chene Park, but by 1999, some 10,000 music lovers were coming out each year. The festival expanded to three days in 2001, when it was part of the official festivities for Detroit's 300th birthday, drawing an audience of 100,000. In 2019, the concert expanded to nine days.

In 2026, as America marks its 250th anniversary, the Concert of Colors will honor the nation’s enduring spirit of unity, creativity, and resilience through its neighborhood programs. rooted in the belief that art is a bridge between people, this landmark visionary series brings the sounds and stories of Detroit's distinctive neighborhoods to life, connecting communities through shared heritage, dialogue, and hope. This project embraces and affirms the power of the arts to unite and uplift.

To register for Concert of Colors, click here.

WHAT WE’RE READING FROM THE MI CHRONICLE:

• BENSON TALKS DATA CENTERS, RESPONDS TO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT

• INKSTER MAYOR CITES TLAIB'S LACK OF SUPPORT FOR KAMALA HARRIS IN CONGRESSIONAL CHALLENGE
• 
  36TH DISTRICT COURT WAIVES LATE FEES, WARRANT COSTS