This week Donna and Orlando sat down with Interdisciplinary Artist, Halima Cassells and Founder of Sidewalk Detroit, Ryan Meyers-Johnson!

Together, they discussed a collaborative art installation at Eliza Howell Park that teaches people about the impact of microplastics on the environment and the importance of sustainable practices for keeping our earth clean.

Sidewalk Detroit is an organization working at the intersection of spatial equity, environmental justice, public art, community building and place-keeping. This spring, they announced Detroit-based artist Halima Cassells as the 2024 Eco-Artist-in-Residence at Eliza Howell Park, part of Earth Futures, a public art initiative and artist-in-residence program in Detroit covering issues of climate crisis such as air quality and water pollution through the lens of spatial equity and public art.

The residency kicked off on April 20 with a river clean-up event at Eliza Howell Park, where participants joined forces to rescue materials from the Rouge River, embarking on the start of turning trash into treasure for the newest upcycled art installation at the park.

For more information on Halima Cassells and Sidewalk Detroit, click here!

FOR HOT TAKES:

DETROIT'S COLLARD GREEN COOK-OFF IS BACK

AUGUST 2024 PRIMARY: HOW DETROIT VOTED

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This week Donna and Orlando sat down with the Author of the Natural Hair Dictionary, Mo Williams.

Mo Williams, founder of Such a Natural, a Black-owned hair salon in Metro Detroit, authored and published the world’s first ever Natural Hair Dictionary®, a new book that defines exactly what natural hair and hairstyles are.

As a sequential reference guide, The Natural Hair Dictionary’s: Natural Hair Style List includes titles, descriptions and more than 60 original photographs defining natural hairstyles. It is a culmination of over a decade of experience in the natural hair industry, encompassed within a tool, resourceful to many.

If you’re looking to learn more about the Natural Hair Dictionary, click here!

FOR HOT TAKES:

SABRINA NELSON HONORS JAMES BALDWIN'S LEGACY WITH 'FRONTLINE PROPHET: JAMES BALDWIN' EXHIBITION AT THE CHARLES H. WRIGHT MUSEUM

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This week, the organizers of the Afro Nation Festival plus a group of Detroiters who worked together to create an equitable development framework joined Authentically Detroit!

Donna and Orlando sat down with Smade - Co-founder of Afro Nation Festival, Josh Koram - Festival organizer/Lead Talent Booker, and Essosa - Festival organizer/ Communications and Social Manager. Together they discussed this year’s festival lineup, how they continue to unite the African diaspora, why Detroit is the only U.S. stop, plus all the other festivities taking place over the weekend.

Graig Donnelly, India Solomon, and Bucky Willis also joined the dynamic duo to talk about an equitable development framework they created together that analyzes current conditions and makes recommendations for how the city can move forward.

If you’re looking to learn more about Afro Nation and get tickets, click here!

FOR HOT TAKES:

AFRO NATION IS HEADED TO DETROIT FOR THE SECOND YEAR

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