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

On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with interdisciplinary artist and founder of Amplify Outside, Ian Solomon to discuss recreation as liberation and how he plans to further amplify this message as the newest addition to the Authentically Detroit Podcast Network!

Ian John Solomon is an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit, Michigan. After receiving his B.A. in broadcast journalism from Walter Cronkite School and a stint as a congressional reporter in D.C., he found his love for community activism and storytelling required a more expansive platform. Deeply motivated by environment, Ian uses land as foundation and guidance for artistic expression and questioning.

Ian has exhibited and won awards across the Midwest, including being a 2023 Summer Fellow at Ox-Bow School of Art, 2024 Playground Detroit Fellow and 2024 Cranbrook Art Museum Purchase Award Nominee. Ian has received two Emmy nominations, an Emmy Award and a First Place award from the Society of Professional Journalists as host of a PBS-Great Lakes Now series’ Ian Outside’. Beyond his artistic practice Ian founded Amplify Outside, a Detroit based organization Amplifying Black outdoor recreation.

To learn more about Ian Solomon and his work, click here.

FOR HOT TAKES:

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY: MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS 'SQUANDERED' LEGISLATIVE TRIFECTA

BENSON: TRIPS TO SELMA'S EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE 'CREATED MY WHOLE LIFE'

On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Hitha Healing House Founder and Executive Director, Kayana Sessoms and Executive Director of Brilliant Detroit, Tarsha Gale to discuss how their partnership is helping Detroit moms and their families.

In February, Brilliant Detroit unveiled a new partnership with Hitha Healing House that will allow the nonprofit to continue its programming, including its signature maternal wellness program, Nurturing Roots via Brilliant Detroit’s Central Hub following a December fire that rendered Hitha Healing House’s programming space unusable. The Hitha Healing House provides holistic maternal wellness services grounded in cultural healing traditions and trauma informed care.

Through the partnership, Hitha Healing House’s Nurturing Roots program will offer mothers up to ten paid wellness sessions following birth, including nutrition counseling, massage therapy, lactation support, chiropractic care and emotional wellness services at Brilliant Detroit.

To learn more about the partnership between Hitha Healing House and Brilliant Detroit, click here.

Detroit By The Numbers with Alex B. Hill:

• $500 million Property assessment valuation announced by the Sheffield administration. Read more on Detroitography!
• 254,700 occurrences of eBird observations within the City of Detroit boundaries (including Belle Isle). From the eBird Observation Dataset.
• 23% - Jobs in City pay 23% more than state average (UM RSQE - research seminar in quantitative economics)
• 6,500 Respondents to the Detroit Rise Higher community survey from Mayor Mary Sheffield, if you haven’t yet check it out and provide your input.

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On this episode, Donna and Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs sat down for a live book talk at Wayne State University for their Black History Month program.

Anna, a two-time New York Times best-selling author, whose work explores the intersection of history, sociology and gender, is best known for her book The Three Mothers, which examines the lives and influence of the mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin.

Together, they honor these three mothers and discuss how their ideas, labor, and love shaped American history. They also connect their work to Detroit’s legacy, the erasure of women throughout history, and how Black women can reclaim their narratives in the present day.

To learn more about Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs and her work, click here.

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On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Dexter Sullivan, founder of the Black Legacy Advancement Coalition (BLAC) to discuss how they’re building Black power and continuing Detroit’s legacy as a Black city.

The roots of BLAC began to take form in the heart of its founder, Dexter Sullivan, in the early 2000s. Then, in 2020, the world stopped as black residents were impacted at a disproportionate rate. Under the conditions of lockdown, we could no longer numb ourselves with the routine obligations of life and career. Instead, we were forced to reckon with the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual ramifications of actively witnessing black lives destroyed without the responsible parties being held accountable.

As a coalition, they are driven by passion, healing and legacy-creation. While they strive toward a bold and powerful vision, they are clear that their efforts will require a commitment that spans decades and, perhaps, generations. Still, they are committed to creating a world that builds on the legacy of our ancestors who fought and died for centuries in an effort to secure our civil liberties and equity.

To learn more about Black Legacy Advancement Coalition (BLAC) and their work, click here.

FOR HOT TAKES:

TERMINATION THREAT OVER DETROIT IMMIGRATION ARREST ANGERS MICHIGAN CONSERVATIVES

INTERNAL POLLING SHOWS BENSON LEADS JAMES AND DUGGAN IN RACE FOR MICHIGAN GOVERNOR

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On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Co-Executive Directors of the Black Bottom Archives, Marcia Black and Lex Draper Garcia Bey, to discuss how they’re working to uncover and restore our stories as Black Detroiters.

At the heart of Black Bottom Archive’s work are the people (and their descendants) who lived, worked, and built lives in Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. Their stories, resilience, and cultural contributions served as an inspiration for their organization. From entrepreneurs and artists to families and community leaders, these individuals embody the rich Black heritage they strive to preserve and celebrate.

To learn more about Black Bottom Archives and their work, click here.

FOR HOT TAKES:

BLACK MAYORS BACK BENSON FOR MICHIGAN GOVERNOR

MIKE DUGGAN SAYS 'THE PAIN WHEN ICE IS IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS VERY REAL

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