Features

Innovation News Participants eat cake at last year's YpsiTasty grub crawl.

YpsiTasty grub crawl to highlight over a dozen Ypsilanti restaurants

This year's YpsiTasty grub crawl will highlight returning favorite restaurants, new food purveyors, and several retail locations in Ypsilanti's downtown, Depot Town, and Cross Street commercial areas.

Feature Story Rev. Horace Sheffield III, Executive Director of the Detroit Association of Black Organizations

Michigan nonprofits cite need for change in board diversityFeature: Nonprofit Journal Project

The charge for nonprofit board diversity has waned, but its importance is as strong as ever say Southeast Michigan nonprofit leaders.  

Innovation News A map of House Party events.

Week-long event series aims to promote community conversation about housing in Ann Arbor

Organizer Lisa Sauvé says House Party is intended "to bring people together in a fun but communal way to talk through some of the problems we think we have and [to] understand the trade-offs."

Longform Participants at Ypsilanti PreK for All listening session.

PreK for All listening sessions gather feedback from parents, childcare providers, and educators

PreK for All listening sessions in Michigan's 10 prosperity regions gather feedback from parents, childcare providers, and educators.

Feature Story The passing of MI SB0227 would improve mental health care ofr Michigan's children.

Community mental health agencies want more options for helping Michigan's children

Michigan's community mental health agencies address children’s mental health care but need legislative change to do it better.

Partner Content AAoM held a back-to-school event at Corner Health in Ypsilanti on Aug. 16.

Health and wellness are the building blocks for a successful school yearAAoM helps little Michiganders with autism be prepared.

Prioritizing children’s health and wellness is the first step toward ensuring they are prepared for a successful school year and able to fully participate in learning.

Longform Ginny Leikam, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission's superintendent of planning and the Natural Areas Preservation Program, at the Michigan Folk School.

Michigan Folk School set to expand traditional crafts education through Washtenaw County partnership

The founders of the Michigan Folk School recently turned it over to Washtenaw County's Parks and Recreation Commission, which has worked rapidly to expand on the founders' original vision.

Longform Heather Wysor at Water Street.

Free walking tours highlight the "re-wilding" of Ypsi's Water Street property

The 38-acre property has gained a complicated reputation due to development challenges, but some see it as a natural, educational space where native species can flourish.

Feature Story Writer Nia Stewart at far right with her Motor City Track Club teammates (L to R) Eve, Nevaeh, Londyn, Lia, and Aubrey.

Voices of Youth: Investigating gender inequalities in sports

In this installment of our Voices of Youth series, student writer Nia Stewart examines the issue of pay inequality in women's sports.

Innovation News Groundcover Speaks

Groundcover News partners with Ann Arbor library for podcast featuring writers reading their stories

Ann Arbor-based Groundcover News, which primarily employs low-income people, has partnered with the Ann Arbor District Library and Fifth Avenue Studios to produce an audio companion to Groundcover's physical newspaper.

Innovation News Kayakers on the Huron River during Fall River Day.

Fall River Day returns to Ypsi, offering boat trips and more

The annual event in Frog Island Park features canoe and kayak trips along the Huron River as well as family-friendly activities and educational programming. 

Innovation News a2Tech360's Women in Tech event in 2022.

Weeklong Ann Arbor tech festival returns with expanded speaker events

Ann Arbor SPARK's annual a2Tech360 event features numerous speakers, networking opportunities, an awards ceremony for fast-growing companies, and more.

Longform Michigan's goal is to have the voluntary universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds in place by 2027.

PreK for All: Other states and cities share models for Michigan’s universal preschool program

A wealth of knowledge is available from other states and cities in building a universal preschool program for Michigan.  

Longform The Red Hawk Disc Golf Course at Independence Lake County Park.

Want to play disc golf in Ypsilanti? Here are 5 things you should know

There are multiple disc golf courses in Ypsi and Ypsi Township, catering to players of all skill levels. Here's how to get started with the sport.

Longform Ozone House Youth Day at the Park event.

Coalition funds numerous Washtenaw County organizations to support young Black men's mental health

A new coaliiton has led to the creation of many programs that directly address mental health in young men of color.

Innovation News The Elementary Mathematics Lab at The School at Marygrove.

U-M's Elementary Mathematics Lab holds first session in Detroit

The annual summer math program for children was hosted at The School at Marygrove in Detroit from July 24-28.

Innovation News The entire Michigan Solar Car race crew with its 2023 vehicle, Astrum, on the University of Michigan’s North Campus.

U-M returns to international solar car race for first time since 2019

After a four-year hiatus, the University of Michigan Solar Car Team will bring a new solar car to Australia for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge on Oct. 22-29. 

Longform Katie Hoener works with Washtenaw County CMH's crisis negotiation unit

Community mental health and law enforcement collaborate to keep people out of jail

Collaborations between community mental health and law enforcement are helping people with mental health issues get the help they need and stay out of jail.

Longform Gerald Albright performing at the John E. Lawrence Summer Jazz series.

Here's how an Ypsi summer jazz series became a local and national institution in just three years

Ypsilanti Township's John E. Lawrence Summer Jazz series has grown rapidly, with crowds of as many as 10,000 attending in person and even more watching concert livestreams on YouTube.

Longform Ann Arbor City Council member Linh Song.

As Ann Arbor preps guaranteed income pilot, some see broader potential to tackle high cost of living

As Ann Arbor's already above-average cost of living continues to rise, the city is experimenting with offering a guaranteed basic income to low-income entrepreneurs.

Hasini and Harshini Anand are members of Corner Health Center's Youth Leadership Council and mental health advocates.

 


   Voices of Youth
Concentrate's Voices of Youth series features content created by Washtenaw County youth in partnership with Concentrate mentors, as well as feature stories by adult writers that examine issues of importance to local youth. Click here for a full list of the latest content from this series.