Stateside

If you love "The Moth" you'll want to listen to this hour of storytelling from Detroit's StoryFest, recorded at the Detroit Film Theater last Fall. Thanks to StoryFest producers and organizers - Tay Glass, McArdle Hankin, and Ellison Libiran. STORYTELLERS (in order): Laura Weber Davis Bryce Huffman Samuel L. Jackson with "The Pelican" Shannon Cason Dame Wilburn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fervent years of the 1970s, a group of Latino and Latina students formed a collective of makers and artists at the University of Michigan. This community-minded group, La Raza, was about everything, from art to history and movement. Dave Choberka, curator for University Learning at the University of Michigan Museum of Art, and Félix Zamora Gómez, program coordinator with the university’s Arts Initiative, display these works in an exhibition titled La Raza Art and Media Collective, 1975 – Today. The contents of the display, which runs until July 20, 2025, include poems, artwork, gallery proofs and journal editions that discuss Chicano and Latino representation in the media and contain experimental visual art. According to Choberka, these editions marked the evolution and history of the organization. GUESTS: Dave Choberka, Mellon Foundation curator for university learning at the University of Michigan Museum of Arts Félix Zamora-Gómez, program coordinator for engagement, U-M Arts Initiative Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Detroit Auto show, and the auto industry overall, has seen a lot of change since the pandemic. This year, the show has returned to its original January schedule after a few slow years when the event was held in late summer. Longtime autos reporter Phoebe Wall Howard provided some inside perspective on the 2025 Detroit Auto Show, what it means to generations of folks who have attended, and what companies and dealers anticipate in the coming year. Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cabins scattered throughout the Porcupine Mountains each holds a logbook for guests to complete. Since the 1940s, parks staff have collected about 200 completed books full of decades of stories. Special thanks to John Carlisle and Ryan Garza of The Detroit Free Press for their coverage of the Porcupine Mountains' logbooks. GUEST: Katie Urban, Park Interpreter for the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next few years will be big ones for Detroit. In the last ten years, there’s been a national reawakening to Detroit’s possibilities. The incumbent mayor, Mike Duggan is moving on, and the city will have a very public conversation about the way forward, as his successor is chosen. And leadership will come in other forms, as well. One of the city’s non-profits, the Institute for AfroUrbanism, has come up with a series of grants supporting research into the infinite possibilities of Black futures. Today, a look at how the institute is empowering visionary leaders with innovative ideas for equity, opportunity, and transformation in the city. GUEST: Lauren Hood, founder and executive director of the Insitute for AfroUrbanism Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ducks are one of the first animals little kids learn about--rubber duckies anybody? But if you head to your local river or lake during the winter, the waterfowl you find there might be a bit...weirder than the kind you see during warmer seasons. Today's episode is all about those weird winter ducks and the people who love them. GUEST: April Campbell, doctor and birding enthusiast Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Congress is being sworn-in today in Washington D.C. That means there are some current members set to retire, including Michigan’s long-time Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee. He’s been serving as a U.S. Representative for over a decade, and representing Michigan’s 8th district since 2003. His successor, Kristen McDonald Rivet, will take office with the 119th Congress on Jan. 3rd. Michigan Public’s Zoe Clark spoke with the outgoing Representative from Flint about his dozen years in office. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most-streamed films online is the original Star Wars: A New Hope. You can watch it in a bunch of different languages. Now, that includes Anishinaabemowin. That means Ojibwe people in Michigan and all over North America can see an absolute classic in their language. We talked to one of the actors involved in the Anishinaabemowin dubbing of the film about the project and what it meant to see one of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters in a language that many of his ancestors were once forbidden from speaking. GUEST: Niigaanii-Animikii Inini Kalvin Hartwig, filmmaker and voice actor Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country after a surprise offensive launched by opposition groups, ending the 50-year rule of the Assad family. For many Syrians living outside of the country, it's opened up the possibility of returning home, or visiting loved ones who stayed. We met one Syrian immigrant who built a life with his family here in Michigan after fleeing Syria over a decade ago. He reflected on his time in Syria, and his hopes for the nation's future. GUESTS: Adam Yahya RayesBasel Alyasin Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Cedillo was released Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from the Muskegon Correctional Facility after spending 38 years behind bars for a crime he committed when he was 18 years old. Cedillo’s case marks a significant milestone as the first in Kent County to regain his freedom following a state supreme court ruling that declared unconstitutional automatic life sentences without parole for people 18 years old and younger. We had the chance to meet him on the day of his release. Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

University of Michigan gymnast Frederick Richard sits down for a conversation about the summer in Paris for the Olympics, growing men's gymnastics at the collegiate level at home, and building his brand on social media. GUEST: Frederick Richard, UM gymnast and Olympian See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nothing quite beats snuggling up under a handmade quilt on a cold winter day. But for the members of the Great Lakes African American Quilters’ Network, quilts are more than just a way to stay warm. They are works of art, connecting their makers to a shared culture and to each other. Stateside producer April Van Buren went to the guild’s most recent meeting to learn more about this unique community of crafters. Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, acclaimed contemporary artist and Kalamazoo native Kaphar made the leap into narrative filmmaking. His semi-autobiographical film is titled Exhibiting Forgiveness. The film follows painter Terrell, played by André Holland, as he wrestles with generational trauma and navigates his relationship with his estranged father, played by John Earl Jelks, who has reappeared in his life unexpectedly. The Detroit Institute of Arts will screen the film Dec. 11-15. GUEST: Titus Kaphar, contemporary artist, producer, writer, and director of Exhibiting Forgiveness Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. Additional music featuring See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and journalist Tracie McMillan discusses her family's harrowing time navigating the American healthcare system after her mother was diagnosed with MS and then suffered a traumatic brain injury. GUEST: Tracie McMillan, journalist and author of "The White Bonus" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Levon Kafafian's new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit features artifacts of an fantastical, imagined future for the Armenian diaspora. The show, titled Portal Fire: Shrine of the Torchbearer, features a mix of soft sculptures, wall hangings, carpets, and costumes. The exhibition is inspired by Kafafian's forthcoming graphic novel of the same name. Kafafian joined Stateside to talk about their textile work and worldbuilding process. GUEST: Levon Kafafian, Detroit-based artist Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. Additional music featuring We also featured Lara Sarkissian's Our Dead Can't Rest (Old Jugha Flute Dance) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grand Rapids police officer who shot and killed resident Patrick Lyoya two years ago will stand trial on murder charges. That's after the Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear the officer's appeal on the charges. GUEST: Dustin Dwyer, West Michigan reporter, Michigan Public See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple weeks ago, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced he would not seek a fourth term as mayor of the city. It was widely speculated he would run for governor of Michigan in 2026. Well that day came this week when he announced not only that he would run for governor, but also that he would run not as a Democrat - which he is - but as an Independent. GUESTS: Mike Duggan, mayor of Detroit Louis Aguilar, reporter, Detroit News See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, Carlos Tavares has announced his resignation after nearly four years as the CEO of Stellantis. This year, the car maker has been facing many obstacles among larger market changes, which resulted with the company laying off more than 1,000 workers in Warren, Michigan in October. Luke Ramseth, an autos and dusiness reporter at the Detroit News, talked with Stateside about the recent news of Tavares’s resignation. GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW: Luke Ramseth, Autos and Business Reporter at The Detroit News Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve St. Juliana is the father of Hana St. Juliana, who was 14-years-old when she and three other students were victims of a school shooting at Oxford High school. Now, Steve, alongside other victims' families, is urging the state to conduct an independent investigation into the events at the school that preceded the shooting. We talked to him about his continued push for accountability and justice. GUEST: Steve St. Juliana, father of Hana St. Juliana Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a prolonged period of decreasing popularity in deer hunting, a couple of changes in state regulation, coupled with the draw to outdoor sports during COVID, have seen a greater return to deer blinds across the state. GUESTS: Jenny Reinoehl, hunter Chad Stewart, Department of Natural Resources See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.