'Sapphic Social' event aims to create safe space for queer women in metro Detroit

In the 1999 film, "The Best Man," we were introduced to novelist Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), whose writes a book loosely based on his friend group that causes chaos and tests relationships amid a close friend's wedding — for which he served as best man. “The Best Man” was a staple film in the Black community. The friendships highlight the struggles of young adults trying to get their careers off the ground, early marriage stages and more. The bonds between those characters are so nuanced, it's one of the reasons it became a hit. For many it showed a multitude of different characters that we typically don't see in film and television. That's one of the reasons writer and director of the film, Malcolm D. Lee, says he created the film. Now, 27 years later, after a second film and a series on Peacock, those characters are transitioning from the screen to a new book, “The Best Man: Unfinished Business,” co-written by Lee and author Jayne Allen. Lee joined The Metro to share more about the book ahead of an author event on Tuesday at Detroit's Garden Theater. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

In the 1970s and '80s, Detroit had over 50 gay bars and spaces for LGBTQ+ residents to be their authentic selves. Today, there are only about 10 — and of those 10, very few have dedicated time and space to honor queer women. Women are nearly twice as likely to identify as LGBTQ compared to their counterparts, and according to a 2021 study by UCLA, they make up about 55% of metro Detroit’s queer population. So what can be done to create a space for queer and LGBTQ women in and around Detroit? Detroiter Randi Watson has one solution: An exclusive social event for queer women only.  The Sapphic Social event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, at Florian East Lagers & Ales, 9350 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck. Watson joined The Metro to share more about the event and why she says queer women in Detroit deserve a space to themselves. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Sounds from across the globe are coming to Detroit this weekend as the Concert of Colors music festival returns for its 34th year. The four-day free global music festival, taking place July 16-20 in Detroit's Cass Corridor, will feature artists from all corners of the globe — from Africa and the Middle East to the Caribbean, Latin America and more.  WDET's own Ismael Ahmed of This Island Earth established the Concert of Colors with New Detroit in 1993, as a one-day event on Detroit’s riverfront. Today, the event draws tens of thousands of visitors to the city, helping to put a spotlight on indigenous music and cultures around the world. Events will take place across 12 venues, from the DIA to the historical museum, with headliners including legendary R&B/gospel singer Mavis Staples, '70s soul and R&B group War, New York's Spanish Flight and more. In addition to music, the festival brings global food and merchandise vendors, movies, poetry, children’s activities and much more to the city. A full schedule of events can be found at concertofcolors.com. As a proud partner of Concert of Colors, WDET will be broadcasting special programming related to the festival throughout the weekend. Also, Ahmed joined The Metro to share more about what Detroiters can expect at the event this year. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

The Detroit Documenters play a vital role in improving our access to information. That’s because they attend a range of public meetings and document what leaders and community members are saying. Detroit is in the middle of local election season. The primary is coming up on Aug. 5, followed by the general election in November. Several boards and public bodies in Detroit have open seats, and it will take separate processes to make these boards whole. Some seats will be selected by voters and others will be appointed by local leaders.   There are currently vacant seats on Detroit's Public Schools Community District Board, Board of Police Commissioners, Wayne County Commission and the Tenants Rights Commission. Detroit Documenters Coordinators Lynelle Herndon and Noah Kincade joined The Metro to help break it all down. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

On Aug. 5, voters will narrow the field of Detroit mayoral candidates down to just two, who will go head-to-head in the November election. As we draw closer to the August primary, local organizations, unions and media outlets have endorsed the candidates they believe are best for the city of Detroit. Last week, The Detroit News’ editorial board announced its endorsement of Detroit mayoral candidate Saunteel Jenkins, touting her maturity and experience.  Nolan Finley, editorial page editor for The Detroit News, joined The Metro on Monday to talk about the endorsement and to share his thoughts on the competitive race. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

The deer herd in Michigan is estimated to be two million strong. In southeast Michigan, that number has been growing. There were more than 58,000 deer-vehicle crashes reported in Michigan in 2023, according to Michigan State Police. That’s an average of 158 per day. There is a growing coalition of cities and townships in metro Detroit that have taken action to curb deer populations in their communities. Farmington Hills is one of the cities leading this effort, with the city council recently approving organized deer culls. The resolution, which allows sharpshooters to shoot and kill deer in suburban areas where overpopulation is a problem, also includes safety provisions and directs harvested venison to be donated to food banks. Bryan Farmer, deputy director of the city of Farmington Hills Special Services Department, joined The Metro to talk more about the resolution. Then, Cervid and Wildlife Interactions Unit Supervisor at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Chad Stewart, joined the conversation to help us understand what's behind the deer uptick in metro Detroit's suburbs. Use the media player above to hear the full conversation. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Michigan’s schools have struggled post-pandemic, with students lagging behind in reading and math skills compared to other states. A coalition of progressive education organizations is seeking to allocate more funding for education in Michigan through the “Invest in MI Kids” ballot initiative.  The proposal would add a 4-5% tax on single filers who earn over $500,000, or joint filers who earn over $1 million. The group says that would generate about $1.7 billion for Michigan’s School Aid Fund. Charlie Cavell, Oakland County Commissioner for District 19 and a coordinator for the “Fund MI Future” campaign, joined The Metro on Thursday to share more about this ambitious proposal in its beginning stages. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Climate change is affecting the trees in metro Detroit. The Eastern U.S. experienced an oppressive heat wave recently. There were also a handful of severe thunderstorms that inevitably brought down branches, limbs, or even whole trees across the region.  In Detroit, fewer than 60% of households have air conditioning, according to American Forests. That makes shade a vital source of relief from the heat. So how is Detroit’s tree canopy doing in the face of climate change? And if you want to plant your own tree, what species will be resilient for decades to come? To find out, Metro producer David Leins spoke with Lawrence Law, urban forester and partnership coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Read more stories about Detroit's tree canopy in WDET’s ongoing series, the Detroit Tree Canopy Project. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Detroiter Donna Jackson is the first Black woman to serve as gallery manager of the historic Scarab Club.  The local hub for visual, literary and performing arts has been around for over 117 years, but its leadership has yet to reflect Black Detroiters. Jackson joined The Metro to talk about her vision for the future of the Scarab Club, Black representation and how she plans to engage all groups of people as the city continues to see shifts within its borders. The Scarab Club is currently hosting its 54th annual Photography Exhibition, juried by the local artist and Womxnhouse Detroit Co-founder Asia Hamilton. The club will also host a Scarab Salon Open Mic on Wednesday, July 16, for local writers to share their work.  Visit scarabclub.org for the latest programming and events. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

A new play from Arab American playwright Andrea Assaf is exploring the concept of "moral injury" and the devastating effects of drone warfare. "DRONE" tells the story of a U.S. military drone pilot "who is not allowed to talk about [the violence] he's witnessing, and the effect that silencing has on his mental health and daily life," Assaf told WDET.  The pilot’s story is juxtaposed with testimonies from three drone strike survivors — based on real-life testimonies from witnesses and survivors of U.S. drone strikes. "I'm a person who makes art to cope, to heal, to process, to express, so that I don't hold all that in by myself, and so that I can create spaces to talk about these things; to break those silences, to get communities to talk together about things in a way that makes it a human story and not just a news story," she said. Assaf joined The Metro to share her perspective about these unseen moral injuries and her inspiration behind the play. "DRONE," presented by the Arab American National Museum, will run July 31 and Aug. 1-3 at the Detroit Public Theatre, 3960 3rd Ave., Detroit. Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.