Reames focuses much of his scholarship and research on the field of energy justice. As the nation explores long-denied justice for people of color, he sees the potential for new opportunities. Dr. Tony Reames said his passion for the environment and how it impacts marginalized people was formed in his youth. “I always say I […]
Posted inAccountability, Deep Dives, Lead poisoning
Highland Park’s long path to lead-free water
The city got an encouraging result in its last round of testing, but it could be years before it’s in the clear To understand the challenges of testing for lead in water, look no further than Highland Park. At the end of 2019, the impoverished city contained entirely within Detroit got back some alarming test […]
Posted inAccountability
Behind the state’s decision to extend Grand Prix on Belle Isle to two weekends in 2021
On October 1, The Detroit Grand Prix–which encompasses several various car races on Belle Isle–surprised many Detroiters with the announcement that the event would now span two weekends in June rather than one, as was the case in previous years. In addition, Planet Detroit has learned that 2020 will likely not count towards the race’s […]
Posted inSolutions
Behind the new picture of food insecurity in Detroit, and those fighting it.
Gleaners workers distribute produce at Detroit Premier Academy this past March. Credit: Nick Hagen Sedans, trucks, SUVs and minivans idling in two lines down both West Vernor Highway and 25th Street, meeting in a fork where vehicles take turns edging forward. Masked drivers unlatching trunks as someone scribbles the number of children in their home on […]
Posted inCommunity
Fighting for open space in Highland Park: A neighborhood walk with activist Angela Lugo-Thomas
It’s doubtful many people know that this patch of grass, overgrown playscape and gravel-filled baseball diamond where Angela Lugo-Thomas stands is a park. She says that even she didn’t know it was a park until about a month ago, although she makes it her business to know about public spaces in Highland Park. It turns […]
Posted inCommunity
Hamtramck aims to build park access with tiny city lot in just the right spot
In 2018, an anonymous donor gifted a 30 x 100 ft. lot to the city of Hamtramck in hopes that the city would transform it into a neighborhood park. The donor wanted to contribute to the city’s green space, which makes up a mere 2.6% of the city’s 2.2 square miles. The national median is […]
Posted inSolutions
It took a group of Black farmers to start fixing Detroit’s land ownership problem
Jerry Hebron, executive director of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm and one of the organizers of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund. Credit: Nick Hagen For farmers to tackle food security, they need land equity. It took them 20 minutes to reach their goal. The campaign ultimately raised nearly $55,000. Tepirah Rushdan was talking to her […]
Posted inSolutions
Can an income-based water affordability plan solve Detroit’s water shutoff problem?
Lisa Brooks still owes more than $2,000 in arrearages to DWSD. Once Michigan’s water shutoff moratorium expires on December 31, she will be at immediate risk of losing her water service a third time. The first time Lisa Brooks’ water service was shut off by the Detroit Water & Sewer Department, in 2018, she and […]
Posted inSolutions
How Detroit chefs reinvented their food businesses to survive the pandemic
While the pandemic has shown how fragile the industry is, it’s also demonstrated “how strong its community can be.” Relish co-founders Le’Genevieve Squires (left) and Brittiany Peeler. Photo courtesy of Relish. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, it hit the restaurant industry particularly hard. In a business already plagued by inequities, where employees work […]