Created Equal

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including the ‘Paradox of Debt’ and how it fuels our economy; financial disclosures and accountability in Michigan politics; a new report raising questions about non-fatal police shootings in Detroit and more.

The integrity of Michigan’s political operations is under scrutiny following 13 felony counts of embezzlement against Lee Chatfield and the first-ever disclosure of top elected officials’ personal finances. Zack Gorchow, executive editor and publisher of Gongwer News Service Michigan, and State Politics Reporter for The Detroit News, Craig Mauger, join the show to discuss.

In nearly a third of non-fatal shootings by Detroit police, the victims were either not charged with a crime or not convicted of the conduct officers said prompted them to fire their weapon, a recent Detroit Free Press report found. Two members of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners join the show to discuss police accountability in light of the new report.

Economist and author of “The Paradox of Debt,” Richard Vague, joins the show to discuss how debt works and who it benefits.

The war in Gaza is destroying crucial healthcare infrastructure for the people who live there and makes delivering a child more difficult for pregnant mothers. On this episode we hear about what life has been like for some of the most vulnerable people in Gaza. Gabrielle Berbey and Salman Ahad Khan reported the story of Lubna Rayyes — who was pregnant when the war in Gaza began — for the Reveal podcast. They joined the show to discuss Rayyes' journey to deliver her child safely and how the war destabilized healthcare in Gaza.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including new race and ethnicity categories added to the U.S. Census; the pros and cons of buying a home on a land contract in Detroit; UAW organizing efforts in the South and more.

Workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. are voting whether to join the United Auto Workers union. If they vote to organize, the UAW will have made a significant step forward by unionizing workers in the south — something they’ve failed to accomplish twice before. Senior fellow at The Century Foundation Steven Greenhouse and Automotive News reporter Michael Martinez join the show to discuss the vote and what the autoworkers will likely do.

Predatory land contracts targeted low-income Detroiters following the 2008 financial crisis, according to a new report published in the journal "Housing Policy Debate." The report's co-author, Josh Akers, joins Stephen Henderson to discuss.

Until now, Americans whose heritage is in the Middle East and North Africa have long been considered “white” by the U.S. Census. But beginning in 2030, they will have their own ethnic category. Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, joins "Created Equal" to discuss the change and what it means to Americans in those communities.

A new Hispanic or Latino category with six additional options to specify ethnicity was approved for the next census form by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Maria Hinojosa, host of Latino USA, joins "Created Equal" to discuss the new category, immigration and what it all could mean.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including what Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tell us about the segregation of country music in America; a federal lawsuit claiming government buildings in Michigan violate disability rights; the importance of free play for kids and more.

Active kids live better lives, so why is youth sports participation so low? Tom Farrey of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program and Dave Egner, President and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation join to talk about the path forward for increasing free play.

A federal class action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County, the state of Michigan and the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority is alleging that several government buildings lack accessibility for those with disabilities. Today on the show, we speak with Michael Bartnik, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case, and Outlier Media reporter Laura Herberg, who recently profiled one of the plaintiffs.

When Beyoncé released "Cowboy Carter" last month, the 22-song country album surprised and delighted music fans across genres, including pop, hip-hop and country. But what was so shocking about Beyoncé doing a country album in the first place? And what can we learn from the collective surprise and at times, indignation, that she would produce a country album? Music historian and journalist Dan Charnas joins the show to discuss.

Congress members in February collected enough signatures in the U.S. Senate to pass a bipartisan bill that would regulate social media use for kids, arguing the platforms could be bad for teen’s mental health. Danah Boyd, a Microsoft researcher and visiting professor at Georgetown, believes technology is not the real problem and that regulating social media could do more harm than good. Boyd joins "Created Equal" to explore how society has responded throughout history to new technologies and discuss why she believes the real problem isn’t our phone screens.   

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including a look into maternity care deserts and the loss of health care access for women; a new book from anthropologist Jason De León exploring the complicated practice of migrant smuggling; Detroit’s credit bump and more.

Detroit’s credit rating is moving up — nearly 10 years after the bankruptcy — which means government operations are normalizing and avoiding irresponsible debt. However, many Detroit residents still struggle with limited opportunity and carry collective debts that put real strain on the city’s financial foundation. On today's show, we're joined by local developer Chase Cantrell and U-M researcher Amanda Nothaft to discuss what the rating increase means for both the city and its residents.

Just two years into Michigan’s experiment with citizen-drawn maps for the Legislature and Congress, a court-ordered redraw to address gerrymandering is finally finished for the state House, and voters will see the difference at the polls this spring and fall. Ben Solis, a reporter at Gongwer News Service, and Colin Jackson, state capitol reporter for Michigan Public Radio Network, joined the show to discuss the process and its potential outcomes.

Author and anthropologist Jason De León spent seven years documenting the lives of “coyotes,” or smugglers who help migrants leave their homes and head for America. He joined Stephen Henderson to talk about his new book, "Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling," and how political instability, poverty, climate change and other factors are contributing to a perilous journey for migrants and smugglers on the journey through South and Central America to the United States.

What is causing a rise in maternity care deserts? Stefanie Worth from the nonprofit March of Dimes and Dr. Sonia Hassan from Wayne State University join Stephen Henderson to discuss why women’s access to health care is declining in the U.S.