Podcasts about American Classic

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World (Broadleaf Books, 2026)shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a sixth-grader who became the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture. As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art — it's a path to healing. A companion reading and viewing guide to the book and film is available here. Lucas L. Johnson II is a former reporter for the Associated Press, where he worked for more than twenty years mainly covering politics, education, and religion. He is the author of Finding the Good and coauthor of Youth Change Agent. Lucas works in higher education and has taught high school and college students. A freelance writer and communications strategist, Lucas lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find him at his website. Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World (Broadleaf Books, 2026)shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a sixth-grader who became the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture. As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art — it's a path to healing. A companion reading and viewing guide to the book and film is available here. Lucas L. Johnson II is a former reporter for the Associated Press, where he worked for more than twenty years mainly covering politics, education, and religion. He is the author of Finding the Good and coauthor of Youth Change Agent. Lucas works in higher education and has taught high school and college students. A freelance writer and communications strategist, Lucas lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find him at his website.  Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World (Broadleaf Books, 2026)shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a sixth-grader who became the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture. As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art — it's a path to healing. A companion reading and viewing guide to the book and film is available here. Lucas L. Johnson II is a former reporter for the Associated Press, where he worked for more than twenty years mainly covering politics, education, and religion. He is the author of Finding the Good and coauthor of Youth Change Agent. Lucas works in higher education and has taught high school and college students. A freelance writer and communications strategist, Lucas lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find him at his website. Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World (Broadleaf Books, 2026)shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a sixth-grader who became the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture. As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art — it's a path to healing. A companion reading and viewing guide to the book and film is available here. Lucas L. Johnson II is a former reporter for the Associated Press, where he worked for more than twenty years mainly covering politics, education, and religion. He is the author of Finding the Good and coauthor of Youth Change Agent. Lucas works in higher education and has taught high school and college students. A freelance writer and communications strategist, Lucas lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find him at his website. Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World (Broadleaf Books, 2026)shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a sixth-grader who became the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture. As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art — it's a path to healing. A companion reading and viewing guide to the book and film is available here. Lucas L. Johnson II is a former reporter for the Associated Press, where he worked for more than twenty years mainly covering politics, education, and religion. He is the author of Finding the Good and coauthor of Youth Change Agent. Lucas works in higher education and has taught high school and college students. A freelance writer and communications strategist, Lucas lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find him at his website. Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/popular-culture Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“I had a knack for putting things together with my hands.” Before the architecture schools, international travel, installations, and Studio M, Melinda Anderson was a Detroit child turning shoeboxes into houses, coffee creamers into tiny toilets, and dioramas into whole worlds where “people [were] swinging from the ceiling.” That imagination became a calling. Raised on Detroit's east side, Melinda remembers her father taking her to ethnic festivals and the Festival of the Arts, making creativity, art, and design feel inseparable from life itself. Cass Tech gave that instinct language through architecture and drafting; U of M opened her eyes to a larger world, even as she navigated classrooms where “there weren't many of us.” Years later, that childhood imagination produced a 10-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide boombox for Movement that showed her how strongly people respond to design installations. When COVID stopped gatherings, a heart installation commissioned by Bedrock for Parker's Alley became the pivot that helped save her business and opened another lane for her creativity. Today, with clients asking her to create installations abroad, the heart of her story remains remarkably consistent: the child who said, “I could just look at stuff and I could put it together,” is still there. Listen for what can happen when we protect the imagination we had before the world told us what was practical. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“I wanted to come back to the city that raised me.” Jasmine Brooks' commitment to Detroit students is rooted in a life shaped by family, faith, education, dance, and service. Raised near Aretha Franklin's childhood home, nurtured at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, educated at Renaissance High School, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State, Jasmine traces how Detroit institutions and Black community traditions prepared her to pour into another generation. As a child, Jasmine was introduced to dance and taught by legends like Penny Godboldo (RIP) and Gina Ellis. That foundation in creativity—and in learning how to find her place and space on stage, in rhythm—helped prepare her to navigate the many paths toward success. Today, her connection with the students of Graduate313 brings that journey full circle. “It's an opportunity to learn even more about myself and what my future self is looking to get into,” she says of what young people should experience through Graduate313. Her vision reaches beyond college admission toward “their upward mobility for life.” Listen for a Detroit story about what happens when the people who were poured into decide to become somebody else's bridge. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“I was taught how to organize at church.” Imani Foster's story is about what happens when faith, family, education, and Black Detroit community organizing become parts of the same practice. At 26, Foster carries lessons from parents who taught her that “good is not enough better is possible” and that meaningful work rarely happens overnight. Those lessons show up in her education justice organizing with 482 Forward, where work she began at 15 grew from witnessing Detroit's school crisis firsthand at Renaissance High School, including teacher sickouts during emergency management. They also live in Hey Black Girl, the healing, empowerment, and yoga program she leads with Black girls at the Matrix Center near Six Mile and Gratiot. Foster challenges adults to stop deciding what young people need before listening to them, explaining that trust comes through consistency and creating spaces where youth can simply be. “I see people and I love people,” she says, connecting the leadership development she learned in church to the organizing she practices today. From Detroit public schools and educational inequity to children's ministry, critical thinking, charter schools, and the lasting educational consequences of COVID, Foster asks what it truly means for every child to be served. Listen for a conversation about building institutions where Black children are not managed as numbers but seen as people with leadership, possibility, and futures worth investing in. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"You don't know who's in there. Some of the biggest opportunities have always happened when nobody was watching." That lesson becomes the heartbeat of this unforgettable Detroit is Different conversation with Deidre 'DSSense' Smith, an emcee, spoken word artist, educator, healer, and lifelong cultural worker whose journey reflects the evolution of Black Detroit itself. From rocking nearly empty rooms during the Hamtramck Metro Times Blowout to becoming a respected professor and community trainer, DSSense reminds us that purpose is built through consistency, faith, and showing up long before recognition arrives. Alongside stories of cold nights, freestyle sessions, and Detroit's underground hip-hop culture, she reflects on growth, saying, "Everything in Divine Order," while acknowledging that she now has "a bit more to offer and talk about." Their conversation celebrates artistry not as performance alone, but as a pathway toward healing, education, and collective transformation. Khary and DSSense revisit the relationships, risks, and resilience that shaped Detroit's creative community while offering wisdom to every artist who wonders if their work matters. This episode bridges Detroit's hip-hop past with its future, showing how culture creates opportunity, how mentorship preserves legacy, and why investing in authentic community voices today ensures that future generations inherit more than stories—they inherit a blueprint for healing, creativity, and liberation. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I'm old school." That simple declaration opens a conversation that quickly becomes a masterclass on why history, creativity, and community are inseparable. Artist, educator, gardener, mother, and cultural storyteller Halima Cassells returns to Detroit is Different to reflect on a lifetime of creating work that invites people to slow down, look deeper, and rediscover Detroit through a new lens. From revisiting a forgotten Belle Isle installation that "came with instructions" to exploring Indigenous history, family influence, and the importance of asking questions, Halima reminds us that "I really love digging into history... I want to know the story behind stuff." That passion now lives inside her Detroit-themed coloring book, where landmarks, heroes, movements, and cultural icons become opportunities for learning, reflection, and healing. Together, Khary Frazier and Halima explore why art is more than something to admire—it's a tool for preserving memory, strengthening identity, and reconnecting generations to the stories that shaped Detroit. This conversation challenges us to see history not as distant facts but as the lived experiences of real people whose sacrifices continue to shape our neighborhoods today. As Detroit imagines its future, Halima shows that understanding where we've been is essential to creating where we're going, proving that creativity remains one of our community's greatest acts of cultural preservation and collective liberation. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I'm an east sider until I die." That declaration from Joshua Roberson sets the tone for a conversation rooted in legacy, accountability, and love for Detroit. From an unexpected reunion in a neighborhood grocery store to an in-depth discussion about four generations of family history, Joshua shares how his great-grandparents journeyed from South Carolina and Georgia during the Great Migration, planting roots that continue to shape his purpose today. He reflects on being raised in a family that proudly claimed Detroit, the friendly rivalry between King and Kettering High Schools, and why neighborhood identity is about far more than geography—it's about responsibility. As someone who serves on the board of a financial institution while remaining deeply connected to everyday Detroit life, Joshua challenges the idea that leadership should ever be separated from the people. His story reminds listeners that institutions become stronger when they remain accountable to community, and neighborhoods become stronger when generations preserve their history while investing in their future. This episode is a powerful reflection on how family legacy, economic empowerment, and authentic relationships create the foundation for thriving Black communities. Detroit's past lives through people like Joshua Roberson, and its future depends on carrying that commitment forward, one conversation, one neighborhood, and one generation at a time. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel recorded live from Citizens Bank Park during the Perfect Game All-American Classic.Featured guests:Rick Thurman, President and Chairman of Perfect GameMo Vaughn, Former MLB PlayerJosh Gotthelf, Chief Content Officer at Perfect GameTom Koerick, Co-Founder of SkillShowThe conversation explores the evolution of youth baseball and how Perfect Game has become one of the most influential platforms in player development, scouting, events, and exposure. The guests discuss how the level of talent has changed over time, with young athletes developing more advanced skills earlier through improved training, nutrition, coaching, and technology.The episode also dives into the growing role of technology and analytics in athlete development. The guests discuss how data, video, and performance tools are helping players better understand their game, giving scouts and coaches more information, and creating new ways for athletes to improve and get discovered.The conversation also looks at the continued growth of Perfect Game, including its expanding national and international footprint. The guests discuss what has helped build the Perfect Game brand and how innovation in events, technology, media, and player development can continue to drive the organization forward.The group explores the changing role of content and digital media in youth sports. They discuss how video, social media, influencers, and new forms of content distribution are creating more visibility for young athletes and helping sports organizations connect with the next generation of players and fans.The episode closes with a look at the future of youth baseball, the convergence of physical and digital experiences, and the opportunities ahead for Perfect Game as technology continues to reshape athlete development, scouting, media, and the business of sports. In This EpisodeThe evolution of youth baseball talentHow training and nutrition are changing player developmentThe growth and impact of Perfect GameThe role of technology and analytics in youth baseballHow data and video are changing scouting and player evaluationNew innovations in athlete safety and developmentPerfect Game's national and international growthThe importance of content and media in youth sportsHow social media and influencers are reaching young athletesThe convergence of physical and digital sports experiencesInnovations in video and content distributionThe business of youth sportsThe next generation of athletes and sports technologyThe future of Perfect Game and youth baseballChapters00:07 Rick Thurman, President and Chairman of Perfect Game15:31 Mo Vaughn, Former MLB Player24:13 Josh Gotthelf, Chief Content Officer at Perfect Game39:10 Tom Koerick, Co-Founder of SkillShowSubscribe to the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show for conversations with the athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, and investors shaping the future of sports!#PerfectGame #YouthBaseball #sportstechnology

"The first thing I like to say when I talk to anybody who filled out the survey thank you thank you." That simple expression of gratitude opens a powerful conversation with Marnita Harris of the Detroit Regional Chamber, revealing how something as ordinary as a neighborhood survey can become a blueprint for the future of Detroit. As Khary Frazier reflects on being selected for yet another survey, he realizes these questions were different because they centered families, neighbors, and the lived experiences of Detroiters instead of statistics alone. Marnita explains why every response matters, reminding listeners that authentic community voices shape the policies, investments, and decisions that will define the city's future. Filled with humor, memories of Nielsen ratings, YouTube playlists, and the unexpected ways people participate in research, the conversation builds into a deeper examination of trust, representation, and civic engagement. **"Who did they survey Who is really taking them"** becomes more than a joke; it becomes a challenge for communities to recognize their own power in telling their stories. This episode connects Detroit's long tradition of neighborhood organizing with the emerging tools of community research, showing that the future is strongest when it is informed by the wisdom of everyday people. Listen to hear why your voice is not just counted but needed. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"It's our park," Danielle Jackson declares, setting the tone for a conversation that reminds every Detroiter why Belle Isle is far more than an island in the Detroit River—it's a living symbol of community, resilience, and shared responsibility. In this episode of Detroit is Different, Danielle, representing the Belle Isle Conservancy, explains how "we're the nonprofit partner" helping preserve one of Detroit's greatest public assets while inviting residents to reclaim ownership through participation and presence. Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, she shares how "you could literally get a prescription to go to the park," describing the national ParkRx initiative that encouraged healing through nature, movement, and fresh air. Khary connects those memories to the emotional significance of the Belle Isle memorial honoring lives lost during the pandemic while reminding listeners that "as far as us being citizens and appreciating the asset that's right here in our city—get there." Together they unpack Belle Isle's complicated governance, its deep place in Detroit's identity, and why protecting public spaces requires community engagement across generations. This conversation honors Detroit's past, celebrates the people working today to steward its treasures, and challenges listeners to imagine a future where Belle Isle continues serving as a place for healing, education, recreation, and collective pride for every family that calls Detroit home. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

In “There's No Business Like Hansen's Sno Bliz-ness,” Gravy reporter Eve Troeh takes us to New Orleans, home of the sno-ball. In the South you need strategies to beat the summer heat, and ice plays a big role. Street vendors used to shave big blocks of ice by hand and add flavored syrup—a treat that became known as a sno-ball in the Big Easy.  In the late 1930s, a local man, Ernest Hansen, invented a machine that changed the tradition. Sharp blades, encased in metal, turned chunks of ice into the most fluffy, fine “snow,” and he eventually patented this creation. While he kept his day job in New Orleans' manufacturing industry, Ernest's wife Mary ran with her husband's invention. She set up shop at home and eventually moved to a brick-and-mortar, dishing up fresh “snow” and dousing them with signature flavored syrups that she made by hand. They called their place Hansen's Sno-Bliz.  Remarkably, Ernest's hand-built machines are still in use today, as are many of Mary's syrup recipes, and the business continues to cool off customers with some “air-conditioning for your tummy.” Hansen's Sno-Bliz is now in its 86th year, with Ernest and Mary's granddaughter, Ashley Hansen, at the helm. Ashley's was a long and loving journey to take on the business. She learned alongside her grandparents day by day. In a city that practically worships tradition, she honors her family and her customers by maintaining not just the original 1930s ice-shaving mechanics and syrup recipes, but also by cultivating the warm hospitality her grandparents always extended to anyone who entered. The cinder block corner shop on New Orleans' Tchoupitoulas Street looks humble, but you'll always find a line of customers stretching outside around the corner. The James Beard Foundation even bestowed Hansen's with its prestigious title of American Classic. New Orleanians from every corner of the city—and visitors from all around the world—eagerly line up to experience Hansen's, and form an of-the-moment community with each other as they choose their flavors and chat.  In this cool edition of Gravy, Ashley Hansen shares the history, innovation, and spirit of her family's institution, always with Hansen's Sno-Bliz motto in mind: “There are no shortcuts to quality.” Eve Troeh is a seasoned podcast producer and award-winning journalist based in Los Angeles. She's also a proud former New Orleanian, and a veteran of the line at Hansen's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Honestly, I am blessed. What up Doe?” That joyful introduction sets the tone for an unforgettable conversation with AJ Williams, a journalist and storyteller whose words have helped shape Black culture while remaining grounded in the lessons of family, migration, and Detroit. From reflecting on being “used to asking the questions” to tracing her roots from Newark to Chicago and ultimately Detroit, AJ reminds us that every journey carries a deeper community story. She shares how her grandmother and mother built new beginnings, how Black cities remain connected through shared experiences, and why Detroit became part of her family's legacy. Along the way, the conversation celebrates everything from hoodies and summer style to the significance behind a simple Detroit greeting of “What up though?” while uncovering the deeper meaning of identity, belonging, and home. This episode explores how personal history becomes cultural history, showing that the people who document our stories are shaped by stories of their own. AJ's reflections connect the Great Migration, Black journalism, and today's evolving media landscape, reminding listeners that preserving our voices is essential to building our future. If we understand where our families have traveled, struggled, and flourished, we become better equipped to tell the stories that strengthen our communities for generations to come. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“We hung in there, man. We got some of the best clients that I could ever ask for.” That powerful reflection from Pierre Roberson captures the heart of a conversation about vision, resilience, and the courage to build something bigger than yourself. In this Detroit is Different episode, Pierre shares the journey from growing up in Detroit to becoming an accomplished architect before taking the leap into entrepreneurship with Framework E. He opens up about walking away from the security of a career, surviving months without pay, exhausting his savings, and trusting that faith, preparation, and consistency would carry him through. “We were already setting all that groundwork of being very reliable,” he explains, revealing how reputation is built long before opportunity arrives. Pierre also reflects on balancing business ownership with family life, establishing boundaries with clients, and designing spaces that strengthen communities instead of simply filling them. The conversation closes by connecting his personal journey to Detroit's larger legacy of Black entrepreneurship, inspired by leaders like Coleman A. Young who expanded opportunities for others. “Whatever is in us, we should be trying to break down whatever barriers for as many people as we can.” This episode is a blueprint for anyone determined to build a lasting business while creating opportunities that shape the future of Detroit. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"Everything I know is Detroit." That powerful declaration from Dafina Brown sets the tone for a conversation that explores why our roots matter just as much as our innovation. Growing up in Highland Park after her parents made Detroit home, Dafina explains how the city's culture became the lens through which she sees the world, insisting, "When I go to Ohio... it's not us. Go to Chicago, it's not us." From reconnecting with Khary Frazier years after they worked together to leading conversations around artificial intelligence, technology, and digital equity, Dafina shares why Black Detroit cannot afford to be spectators in the AI revolution. This episode journeys through family history, neighborhood identity, Detroit pride, and the responsibility to ensure emerging technology reflects the voices and experiences of our community. Filled with stories of Highland Park, TechTown, African World Festival, and the relationships that continue to shape Detroit's future, this discussion reminds listeners that innovation without culture is incomplete. As Detroit has always transformed industry, music, and movements for justice, the next chapter demands that we also shape artificial intelligence with the wisdom of our ancestors and the imagination of future generations. If we do not help build the future, someone else will build it for us—and Detroit has always been a city that leads rather than follows. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“There was Detroit before Coleman Young and after Coleman Young and they're two different cities.” That powerful reflection from Khary Turner sets the tone for a conversation that moves effortlessly from laughter to legacy, reminding us that the stories we tell shape the future we build. What begins with the hilarious reality of the two Khary's constantly being mistaken for one another evolves into an intimate dialogue about creativity, mentorship, history, and civic responsibility. Turner explains why renaming Woodward after Coleman Young is more than symbolism, saying, “Coleman changed the heart of the city and Woodward is the heart artery of city streets,” connecting Detroit's geography to its political and cultural transformation. Throughout the episode, the conversation celebrates the value of listening, honoring elders, and preserving the memories that too often disappear with time. Turner reflects on learning from historians and longtime community leaders, sharing how he prefers to “close my mouth and open my ears” when they speak, recognizing that their experiences are living archives. This episode explores why Detroit's past cannot be separated from its future, revealing how creative people, community institutions, and honest storytelling become the foundation for stronger neighborhoods and deeper civic engagement. It is a conversation about identity, leadership, and why preserving Black Detroit's history is essential to inspiring the next generation to imagine and create an even greater future. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I am really humble I'm used to being the person asking all the questions" is how Tunesia Turner opens this unforgettable Detroit is Different conversation, revealing the curiosity, confidence, and purpose that have shaped her journey as an entrepreneur, singer, actress, and cultural leader. From memories of her grandmother's home in Southwest Detroit to stories of growing up in Royal Oak Township where "everybody always knew where you were," Tunesia reflects on the community values that continue to inspire her work today. She celebrates the legacy of her grandmother, a brilliant laboratory technician who "would have been a doctor" if opportunities for Black women had been different, connecting family history to the responsibility of building a stronger future. Tunesia shares how creativity and business move together through her performances alongside her husband Khary Turner when they were performing in Black Bottom Collective, and her commitment to using music, theater, and storytelling to create opportunity. Filled with laughter, neighborhood memories, and reflections on Black history, this conversation reminds us that entrepreneurship is about creating opportunities, artistry is about preserving culture, and community is built through relationships that span generations. This episode is a celebration of Detroit's creative spirit and a blueprint for honoring the past while courageously creating the future. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"You won't even be trying to laugh and it's like damn he got me." That quote perfectly captures the genius of Detroit comedy legend Foolish as he joins Detroit is Different for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious, historical, and deeply reflective. From memories of knowing Khary Frazier before Detroit is Different, when he was immersed in hip hop, to stories from BET Comic View, Foolish reminds us that laughter has always been one of Black Detroit's greatest survival tools. Quoting, "I always talk about my life through jokes," he reveals how comedy became his language for processing life, culture, and community. Together they celebrate hip hop icons like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, E-40, Richie Rich, MC Breed, and The Lox while reflecting on how music sounds different as we grow because, as Foolish explains, "Everything you listen to as an adult becomes a chapter in your life that you didn't pay enough attention to." Filled with unforgettable backstage stories, reflections on Detroit audiences showing unmatched love to legendary performers, and memories of artists whose influence continues to shape culture, this episode reminds listeners that preserving these stories is how communities protect their legacy. The laughter, music, and memories shared here connect Detroit's past to its future, proving that culture lives through conversation, storytelling, and the people determined to keep those stories alive. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I am Detroit. My people still live here... and I'll be buried in Detroit soil." That declaration sets the tone for one of the most heartfelt conversations ever shared on Detroit is Different as Marsha Carter reflects on the Eastside neighborhoods, family roots, and church upbringing that shaped her life long before audiences knew her as a celebrated spoken word artist. Growing up between Seven Mile and Hull, attending and graduating from the legendary Pershing HS 'I'm a Dough Girl for Life.' Finding purpose in church, Marsha explains how faith became her first foundation. "I was a church girl in the hood," she says, reminding us that Black Detroit has always been filled with layered stories that refuse simple stereotypes. From there, the conversation blossoms into the remarkable evolution of a woman who transformed poetry into purpose. Marsha shares how spoken word became more than performance—it became confidence, business, healing, and community. She opens up about using creativity to discover her authentic voice, create opportunities for herself and others, and build spaces where culture and connection thrive. This episode is a testimony to the power of believing in your gifts, honoring where you come from, and understanding that when one person finds their voice, they inspire an entire community to imagine a stronger future together. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I wasn't just collecting artifacts—I was protecting the evidence that Black people have always defined ourselves." That reflection from Dr. Khalid el-Hakim anchors one of the most profound conversations ever recorded on Detroit is Different. Long before earning his doctorate, Dr. el-Hakim was rescuing books, photographs, newspapers, flyers, artwork, and priceless artifacts that many dismissed as ordinary, understanding that every item carried the story of Black people determined to define themselves. In this expansive interview, he traces his family's journey from Virginia through the Underground Railroad into Canada and Detroit, the influence of his grandparents' activism, Great Lakes Mutual Insurance, People's Community Church, Carter G. Woodson's visit to Detroit, and the library that first awakened his love for history. He shares how schools like Mumford High, African-centered educators like Mama Shushana (Ms. Taliaferro), and Detroit's rich political and cultural legacy shaped his life's work. Now, with the scholarship of a Ph.D. reinforcing decades of grassroots preservation, Dr. el-Hakim explains not only 'what' he collected, but 'why' context is the true treasure—connecting every artifact to the larger struggle, brilliance, resistance, and imagination of Black people. This episode is a masterclass on cultural preservation, proving that safeguarding our history is not nostalgia; it is a strategy for community empowerment, historical truth, and building a future where our children inherit knowledge instead of erasure. To discover more about the work of Dr. Khalid el-Hakim visit www.blackhistorymobilemuseum.com today. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"Sports is not the only way for us to get through some of our problems, but it is a vehicle." That lesson, shared with Leland Stein III by legendary Georgetown University coach John Thompson, anchors this compelling Detroit is Different conversation about journalism, legacy, and the power of Black storytelling. While his foundation was built in Detroit through institutions like the West Side Cubs, Stein's career truly took shape after spending time in Los Angeles, where he entered journalism and discovered that covering sports opened the door to documenting Black history in real time. Through interviews and relationships with iconic figures including Magic Johnson, Don King, Al Davis, and Jim Brown, Stein witnessed how sports intersect with business, politics, culture, and community leadership. Working within the proud tradition of the Black Press, he came to understand that sports journalism is more than reporting scores or headlines—it's about ensuring Black people tell Black stories with the depth, context, and humanity they deserve. Stein explains that authentic storytelling preserves history, challenges incomplete narratives, and inspires future generations. Returning home to Detroit with a national perspective, he dedicated himself to documenting the people, institutions, and cultural legacy that continue to define the city, making this episode a powerful reminder that the Black Press is not simply a record of events but a living archive of our voices, our victories, and our vision for the future. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“I just grew up thinking that was normal.” For John Sloan III, a childhood surrounded by music, theater, and Detroit's rich cultural traditions became the foundation for a life dedicated to using the performing arts as a tool for transformation. In this episode of Detroit is Different, John reflects on a career that has taken him from the stage as an actor to directing, producing, choreographing, and developing artists, revealing that theater is about far more than entertainment—it's about building community. "Behind every actor who looks amazing on stage are writers, designers, technicians, stage managers, and directors," he explains, highlighting the collaborative ecosystem that makes performance possible and the countless opportunities the arts create both onstage and behind the scenes. Drawing from his family's legacy of educators and musicians in Detroit Public Schools, John shares how storytelling, performance, and cultural expression became gateways for leadership, mentorship, and social activism. The conversation explores how Detroit's artistic institutions cultivate confidence, preserve Black history, and create spaces where difficult conversations about race, identity, and justice can unfold through creativity. From family stories about Detroit's historic trolley system and the city's legendary music culture to his own work developing productions like the Obsidian Theatre Festival, which platforms Black theatre. His journey reminds us that the arts are essential civic infrastructure—cultivating imagination, strengthening relationships, and organizing people around a shared vision for a more just and vibrant future. The Obsidian Theatre Festival (OTF) launched back in March 2021 as a platform for emerging Black voices in theatre and film. Visit to www.obsidianfest.org today to explore and discover more. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"I'm trying to put a beacon out so I can find my people." That powerful declaration from Lauren Hood captures the heart of this Detroit is Different conversation—a thoughtful exploration of belonging, leadership, and what it means to build community without sacrificing your peace. Recorded on the Fourth of July, this episode opens with reflections on Frederick Douglass and the enduring truth that many of the injustices he challenged remain with us today. Lauren shares how she has shifted from judging others to extending grace, reminding us that "everybody is doing the best that they can with the information they have available to them at the present moment." Together, Khary Frazier and Lauren Hood unpack the importance of protecting your nervous system, embracing your unique path instead of forcing yourself into ideological camps, and recognizing that authentic relationships—not titles or status—are what truly move Detroit forward. Lauren reflects on being a visionary rather than a manager, the power of broadcasting your values so your people can find you, and why the city's greatest resource has always been trust built over time. This conversation bridges the wisdom of Detroit's past with the possibilities of its future, offering timeless lessons about culture, organizing, friendship, and finding the courage to become more fully yourself so that stronger, healthier communities can emerge for generations to come. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

"The vision is bigger than the no.” Amber Ewing, Director and Executive Producer of *Cooking with Comedians Challenge*, brings a Detroit story rooted in family, art, womanhood, and the will to create anyway. In this Detroit is Different conversation, Amber shares how her imagination was shaped by Rosedale Park, Detroit schools she calls “the original HBCUs,” DSA, Oakland University, and the feeling she got watching the Bad Boys Pistons on VHS—realizing later that editing and video/film production made her feel that energy. As “the only Black woman in program” in her college, Amber had “a rough time.” She accepted that she had to “work harder than most” to earn respect. That reality still informs how she moves: “I come with my experience, I come with my work, I come with a proof of concept.” *Cooking with Comedians Challenge* became six years of persistence, borrowed cameras, personal checks, live audiences, chefs, comedians, hosting nerves, and hard-earned lessons. Amber's journey reminds us that creativity is not extra—it is quality of life, community memory, and a future Detroit can taste, laugh with, and build from. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“People call lawyers not because they want to, because they need them when they have a problem.” Mayor Byron Nolen's Detroit is Different conversation reveals how his success in law became the foundation for his public leadership in Inkster. With no lawyers in his family and no law firm pipeline before law school, Nolen built his career through study, courtroom discipline, and hustle, first taking court appointments because he “just wanted to be in the courtroom,” then learning civil litigation from respected Detroit attorney Ernest Jarrett, whose work included major police misconduct cases. Nolen describes practicing across Wayne, Washtenaw, Macomb, and Oakland counties, running from court to court before Zoom, knowing that when “it's time to try that case, you just got to be better than everybody else.” That reputation became trust when Inkster residents were hit with a 105% water bill increase and came to him saying, “I need you to represent us.” Though he was a solo practitioner facing the city, residents put in $20 each, sued, and won $3.5 million in credits. That victory turned legal skill into community confidence, and Inkster residents encouraged him to run for Mayor, where he currently serves. Now, that same encouragement is carrying him forward as a candidate for Michigan's 12th Congressional District, showing how advocacy, knowledge, and trust can move people from crisis to political power. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“The idea that things can fundamentally be better—and that we can make that happen—is what pulled me into organizing.” On this Detroit is Different episode, Chris Gilmer-Hill, candidate for Michigan State House District 8, connects his campaign to family history, Black Detroit memory, and years of grassroots political work. He traces his roots from his great-grandmother Annabelle coming from Louisiana to Wayne University in the 1930s, to his family becoming “the first Black family on their block” in University District with a racial covenant crossed out in Sharpie, to stories of sharecropping, labor struggle, and the Elaine Massacre shaping his understanding of power. Chris shares how Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign moved him from watching politics to organizing, rooted in the belief that “a better world is possible.” Through DSA and Detroit campaigns, he began knocking doors for Lyra Spencer, Denzel McCampbell, and others, learning that real power comes from “normal people” talking to neighbors about policies that can materially improve their lives. He has canvassed across Detroit—east side, west side, southwest, every council district—and says the work taught him that people are willing to listen. This episode shows how family knowledge, socialist values, environmental justice, and door-to-door organizing brought Chris from studying systems to fighting to change them. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“As a lawyer, I have to be tough—but as a mom, I balance that with my soft approach.” Attorney Renette L. Jackson, founder of Legally Mom and author of Act Like a Teen, Think Like a Lawyer, brings fire, wisdom, and Detroit-rooted love into this powerful Detroit is Different conversation. With “at least five” generations tied to the city, Jackson traces her story through veterans, nurses, Northwestern pride, and the family home near Quincy and Gladstone, where “grandma's porch” and a clean alley shaped her understanding of safety, connection, and community. She honors her grandmother as “a general and a nurse,” a woman whose toughness and tenderness became the blueprint for Jackson's own legal mission. From Southfield High to Washington D.C., from politics to parenting, she shares why watching Detroit leaders helped her realize, “I need to go back home.” This episode is about more than law—it is about protecting families, preparing youth, and carrying ancestral strength into the future. Jackson's story reminds us: Detroit's past is not behind us; it is training us. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“I got the best of both worlds, country and as well as Detroit.” Tia Graham, co-host of WDET 101.9 FM's 'The Metro,' brings that layered truth into this Detroit is Different conversation, tracing her family's journey from Alabama and Arkansas to Detroit, where factory work, survival, and community shaped generations. From her grandfather “fleeing the Klan” to her Joy Rd upbringing near Exit 9, Tia opens up about the past that built her and the neighborhood that raised her. She remembers block parties, kids playing football in the street, the Boys and Girls Club, the Belle Isle strip with her Big Sister, and the everyday beauty often hidden from national & traditional media's Detroit narrative. “It was just our neighborhood McDonald's,” she says, challenging the way people talk about Joy Rd. This interview matters because it connects migration, memory, media, and Black Detroit's future. Tia's story shows how community survives through elders, siblings, culture, laughter, and people who choose to tell the truth with care. Listen to hear how a Detroit voice behind the microphone became a witness to the city's resilience, rhythm, and responsibility. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Resources have been taken from the bottom and funneled up to the top.” Theo Pride, Organizing & Fiscal Operations Manager of Detroit People's Platform and founding member of Detroiters for Tax Justice, returns to Detroit is Different with the kind of grounded political clarity that gives listeners “some game.” Recorded on Juneteenth, this conversation moves through Detroit's past, present, and future, connecting freedom, poverty, development, tax justice, and Black political leadership. Theo reflects on the historic rise of Mayor Mary Sheffield, saying Detroit now has “somebody we know who is right from the city,” while also naming the unfinished work ahead for neighborhoods that have not felt the benefits of downtown growth. From food lines that remain long after COVID, to “working class folks” being squeezed by policy, to the belief that government must step in so “everybody has what they need,” Theo frames Detroit's challenges through community power. This episode matters because it asks who development is really for, what Black Detroit deserves, and how organizing can turn struggle into policy, resources, and a future where everyday Detroiters are centered. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

Jon Tenney is a Juilliard-trained actor and director whose work spans film, television, and theater. Best known for portraying FBI Agent Fritz Howard on the hit TNT drama “The Closer”, Tenney appeared on the series for all seven seasons and directed episodes of both “The Closer” and its spin-off, "Major Crimes”. His television credits also include roles in “Scandal”, “True Detective”, “And Just Like That…”, and “The Lincoln Lawyer”. Tenney has appeared in films such as “I See You”, “The Seagull”, “Tombstone”, “You Can Count on Me”, and “Rabbit Hole”. A respected stage actor, he has performed on Broadway and at Lincoln Center in works by playwrights including Tom Stoppard and David Mamet. His latest role is on the new MGM+ comedy series “American Classic,” which was a labor of love for Tenney, who is also an Executive Producer in addition to a principal cast member alongside Kevin Kline and Laura Linney.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I am a lifelong Eastsider. I was born, raised, educated, and I still live on the East Side of Detroit.” Toinu Reeves, Michigan State Senate candidate for District 3, joins Detroit is Different with a story rooted in neighborhood, family, and economic vision. From being born at Hutzel Hospital to growing up near Mack and Chrysler, from Bates Academy to deep family roots in Jefferson Chalmers, Reeves carries the Eastside into every part of his campaign. He remembers Jefferson Chalmers as “one of the most beautiful places,” filled with big trees, river parks, swans, canals, elders, cousins, Spades tables, and pickup basketball. Known as the “Eastside Economist,” Reeves explains why he is running: to bring lived experience, financial knowledge, and policy skill together for a district that deserves more than campaign promises. With a background in economics, finance, public finance, tax policy, and trade, he breaks down “economic leakage,” collective ownership, neighborhood investment funds, and how Detroiters can build wealth by owning pieces of the businesses they already support. This episode is about protecting legacy, building Black wealth, and electing leaders with the tools to turn Eastside experience into policy that works for the future of Black Detroit. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“If you don't have a strong foundation, that whole thing sooner or later is going to fall down.” Detroit City Council President James Tate returns to Detroit is Different for a grounded, candid conversation about the patience, pressure, and politics behind neighborhood transformation. From his early campaign days in 2009 to now serving as Council President, Tate reflects on how public leadership demands listening beyond social media noise, saying he would rather call a critic directly than argue online. The interview digs deep into Brightmoor, where Tate explains why he invested “a million dollars each year” into training programs to improve residents' financial futures before new development raises costs around them. He names the hard truth: families living on a median income near $24,000 face many challenges & crisis living day to day lives. Tate also speaks frankly about solar farms, land value, fair compensation, and the danger of offering residents “money to move/relocate.” This episode connects Detroit's past of disinvestment to its future of community-rooted development, asking who benefits when neighborhoods are rebuilt—and who gets to stay. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Food is a tough business,” and Chef Ederique Goudia, founder of In the Business of Food, steps into Detroit is Different to show why love for cooking must meet licensing, safety, strategy, and community care. Known as Chef E, she breaks down how Eastern Market, the Incubator Kitchen, and her workshops support everyone from “a food truck, a lemonade stand or a chain of restaurants” to entrepreneurs selling barbecue sauce “out of their trunk” who are ready to get legal, licensed, and onto bigger shelves. This conversation moves from the real cost of spoilage to the public responsibility of feeding people safely, with Chef E reminding listeners that food “can become dangerous very quickly.” She also explains free food safety manager certifications for Detroit residents, allergy awareness, Ask an Expert sessions, manufacturing, distribution, mental health, social media, and hospitality support. This episode matters because food has always been a gateway into Detroit culture, family, business, and survival. Chef E connects the past of homegrown hustle to a future where Detroit food entrepreneurs can build businesses with knowledge, confidence, and community-rooted support. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

Victor Fleming's (w/Directorial Contributions from George Cukor, Richard Thorpe, and King Vidor)  The Wizard of Oz A long time coming, this week's episode focuses on the 1939 MGM Technicolor Classic The Wizard of Oz. In the early days of the studio system, each studio focused on a specific genre, Metro Goldwyn Mayer was the home of the musical and The Wizard of Oz is one of the greatest, most remembered, and most loved musicals of all time. Adapted from the L. Frank Baum classic series of novels - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) - the film an eagerly antiicipated adaptation that would prove one of the most difficult, problematic, and dangerous productions in the history of cinema. An American Classic, the film is a staple in the memories of film lovers the world over. Nearly as well known as the film itself are the stories of abuse and production difficulties which plagued the film. From the verbal and physical abuse suffered by Garland, as well as her studio forced drug addiction that was born during the making of this film, thru cast changes from life-threatening reactions to make-up (Buddy Ebsen as the original Tin Man) and Margaret Hamilton's near death experience, as well as four different directors, The Wizard of Oz is a miraclulous achievement. With some of the greatest and well known characters in cinema (The Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy Gale, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, The Cowardly Oz, Toto, and The Great & Powerful Oz), songs that continue to inspire, as well as a following from children to their parents, grand-parents, and great grandparents, the Gay Community, Pink Floyd and Dark Side of the Moon fans, The Wizard of Oz is a film that over eight decades later continues to captivate, enchant, and inspire. Take a listen as we make a long overdue return to this American Cinematic Classic. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com - Our Continued Thanks. For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Welcome to Behind the Scenes! Every Friday, Club Gym Nerd members join us live for our unfiltered Q&A, breaking gymnastics news, behind-the-scenes stories, hot takes, and all the conversations that don't fit into the main show. This public episode is just a preview—the full conversation continues after 37:07 with our extended discussion, listener questions, NCAA rule changes, Asian Championships, the new GymCastic Roster Lab with special guest, Scott Bregman (Spencer is on vacation).  Support independent gymnastics journalism and unlock the full episode every week by joining Club Gym Nerd: https://gymcastic.com/club/  CHAPTERS 00:00 Katelyn Ohashi Is Back! 01:18 Why This Comeback Is Such a Big Deal 03:00 How Katelyn Ohashi Changed Gymnastics Coverage Forever 05:29 The Biggest Challenge Facing Her Return 08:01 Why Veteran Gymnasts Have an Advantage 10:35 Do Specialists Still Have a Chance? 13:06 Pan Am Dengue Fever & Why Team Depth Matters 13:55 Should NCAA Stars Represent Other Countries? 17:24 Can Ohashi (or Riley McCusker) Make Team USA? 19:42 NEW! GymCastic Roster Lab Preview 23:24 USA Championships Preview 26:12 Is FlipNow Worth It? 28:05 What Happened to USA Gymnastics Live Scores? 37:07  Behind the Scenes Continues for Club Gym Nerd Members NCAA's New Five-Year Eligibility Rule Explained How the Rule Changes Recruiting & Scholarships Will Fifth-Year Athletes Change College Gymnastics? Asian Championships & New World Qualifiers Home HPV Tests & Skipping Pap Smear a Cautionary Tale Fact Check: Riley McCusker & NCAA Bars Title Simone vs. Rebeca Vault Debate Are Back Walkovers Actually Bad for Your Back? Which NCAA & Elite Stars Could Return? More NCAA Comeback Predictions Listener Questions Disclosure Day Movie Debate WATCH Jade Carey and Ohashi at American Classic in Minnesota on USAG's FlipTv Rhythmic, Tumbling, Trampoline and Acro Championships (USA Gymnastics Championships) in Tulsa on USAG YouTube SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Gymnastics Games Suite Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Episode 258! It's the height of "Pride Season" and you know what that means!  Yes -- its time for the annual Painted Trash Podcast Trailblazer Honors!  Similar to last year's honorees, Mark & Casey have got 2 true trailblazers they want to recognize and celebrate this year!  We guarantee there's at least 2 surprises this year!This year marks the 3rd installment of LGBTQ+ trailblazers who have had tremendous impact in their respective field  for their important impacts within the LGBTQ and global community.  Each year The Boys review their list of potential honorees and add, subtract, multiply, and divide their lists deciding for themselves who is worthy of the honor. This year's class of honorees span a gamut of talents and accomplishments.  Who will it be?  Well you'll have to listen to find out!This week's Tea Party find The Boys sipping on some hot tea including the re-release of an American Classic in honor of the 250th birthday of the good ol' US of A; the UFC fighter who thinks he's a man by attacking a woman -- former first lady Michelle Obama; the PR nightmare continues as one of The Dump's failures seems to get worse by the minute.Trash Talk topics this week include what lengths a woman goes to just to not engage with other people. the luxury resort Maxine Jizzwell is holed up in, and a tour guide with outrageous stories to tell. All this PLUS a new review from a writer and recommendations too!  So get on this, Kids!  This one's sure to bring out your Pride for the community and have you grinning and laughing throughout.  So pour yourself (or have your favorite bartender pour one for you) a delicious, festive glass of the port vintage  of your choice and pull up a seat to the table with your GBFFs.  Get ready -- it's time to paint!=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Let The Boys of Painted Trash know your thoughts on this week's topics and episode! What street festivals do you attend? Do you like street fests? What is your favorite festival??Have a topic idea or story you recommend for Trash Talk, be sure to send it in to our email or through the "contact us" on our website.Follow us on:Instagram: instragram.com/paintedtrashpodTwitter: twitter.com/paintedtrashpodFacebook: facebookcom/paintedtrashpodcastDon't forget to click Subscribe and/or Follow and  leave us a review!email: paintedtrashpodcast@gmail.comweb: www.paintedtrashpodcast.com

“I came here from her love an spirit of Detroit”—that truth opens a powerful Detroit is Different conversation with Yelena Ramautar, Community Engager for the Caribbean Community Service Center, about migration, belonging, memory, and the work required to truly become part of a community. Yelena traces her journey from Guyana to the Bronx, then to Detroit in 2015 after her adoptive mother told her, “I got a home. Just come on. You can find your way and figure it out.” She reflects on New York gentrification, school closures, immigrant identity, and the shock of being “othered” at a predominantly white college after growing up among Black, Caribbean, Latino, and African communities. In Detroit, she learned that relationships may crack the door open, “but you have to do the work to show that you're invested.” Her mother's Detroit story—Cass Tech, Wayne State, teaching, and hearing Dr. King speak on Woodward—connects Black excellence, movement history, and family legacy. This episode asks what responsible cultural connection looks like as neighborhoods change and diasporic communities meet. Yelena's story reminds us that Detroit's future depends on honoring memory, resisting extraction, building trust, and turning migration into meaningful commitment to people, place, and shared liberation across generations. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“You carry this brilliance in you—this is something that's in your DNA.” In this moving Detroit is Different conversation, Tiara Jones, owner of Black Beautiful & Brilliant, shares how love, grief, family, and purpose shaped her decision to continue the brand created by her late husband. Tiara traces her roots from Inkster to Alabama, connecting her family's Great Migration story and the trauma of racial violence to the strength that generations carried into Metro Detroit. She reflects on meeting her husband during the COVID era, building a life together, and choosing to preserve his vision after his passing: “I'm going to pick this brand back up, because it can be bigger than what he envisioned.” More than clothing or a slogan, Black Beautiful & Brilliant becomes a lesson for their son and daughter about “what love looks like,” commitment, loyalty, and cultural pride. Tiara also speaks honestly about grief, finding her voice, supporting Black women, and reminding the community that brilliance is not something granted from outside—it already lives within us. This episode connects the past to the future by showing how ancestral survival, neighborhood memory, Black enterprise, and family legacy can become tools for healing, ownership, and collective possibility. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Sometimes people think that because it don't happen overnight, they're not doing well… keep going. Don't stop.” In this powerful Detroit is Different conversation, Rev. Alonzo Bell, Executive Director of The Redeem Team, traces a life shaped by East Side Detroit, faith, family, discipline, and the long work of community service. Bell takes listeners from his family's Arkansas roots and Black Bottom beginnings to Gratiot, where poverty was real but love, church, and neighborhood connection gave children a foundation. He reflects on Martin Evers Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Austin Byrd Jr.'s civil-rights vision, the changing East Side of the 1980s, and the perseverance required to keep building when resources are scarce. “It comes a certain point of time where you just put enough time in and then the scales begin to move in your direction,” Bell explains. His story connects Detroit's past—migration, Black church leadership, neighborhood pride, factory loss, and survival—to its future: patient institution-building, youth guidance, faith-centered organizing, and leadership rooted in service. This episode reminds us that community transformation is not a sudden breakthrough; it is brick-by-brick work, witnessed by the people, strengthened through relationships, and sustained by those committed enough to keep fighting for generations ahead. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Literally all of the creative gifts I have come from him.” Brittini Ward brings that truth into Detroit is Different with a conversation rooted in lineage, love, and the music that raises us. From tracing her family's migration through Kentucky, Arkansas, Jackson, Mississippi, Parkside, Six Mile, Palmer Park, and Sherwood Forest, Brittini shows how “this creativity, this movement, this dance, this Detroit, this down south” lives in the body before it ever becomes art. She reflects on her father—“drawing,” “pop locking,” DJing, writing, singing, serving as Sergeant Ward, and still making tapes saying “Goodnight, LaMarr Ward, goodnight, Ashlee Ward, goodnight, Brittini Ward” so his children could feel him close. That spirit becomes Baba Duke, her multimedia exhibition at Irwin House honoring music fathers and daughters through oral histories, portraiture, sound, memory, and love. This episode is about more than an exhibit; it is about how Black Detroit preserves fathers, daughters, neighborhoods, and futures through story. It connects the past we inherit to the future we build when memory becomes community practice. Come listen, feel, remember, and bring somebody you love there. Visit Baba Duke at Irwin House Detroit, 2351 West Grand Boulevard, Thursday–Saturday 12 PM–7 PM and Sunday 12 PM–6 PM. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“I didn't want to be any attorney. I wanted to be a second chance attorney for our people,” Jade Mathis shares in a Detroit is Different conversation that moves from Black Bottom ancestry to courtroom advocacy and City Hall leadership. Jade's Detroit story begins with grandparents who migrated from Little Rock and Tuscaloosa during the Great Migration, met in Black Bottom, and built family roots on Dexter and Philadelphia, where her grandmother gardened, fed neighborhood children, and kept beauty alive on the block. Jade carries that same community care into her legal journey. After illness shifted her path from journalism to law, Jade pushed through LSAT setbacks, law school rejection, and taking the bar six times before becoming the attorney she promised God she would be. Her work included the Project Clean Slate, expungements, NAACP service, GED tutoring, and civil rights cases with Attorney Ben Crump traveling the nation, representing families struggling from police killings and fighting through litigation, protest, and grief. Now leading Detroit's Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department, CRIO, Jade brings those lessons home: clean records, recognize grassroots leadership, defend rights, and make government answer to the people's future. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“You don't tell us who we are, we tell you who we are.” That spirit drives this Detroit is Different conversation with Mallory McMorrow, who is running for a Michigan seat in the United States Senate. This interview opens with roots: how a Jersey-born industrial designer who lived across five states found home in Michigan through road rallies, Detroit architecture, car culture, and the creative question, “What can we build together?” McMorrow shares how her love of cars, Route 66 road trips, and design shaped her belief that even something as basic as “four wheels to get you from point A to point B” can become art, memory, and identity. From building a concept car live at an auto show to graduating into the 2008 economic crash, her story connects Michigan's industrial past to its political future. Khary brings the Detroit lens—Flint, Roger & Me, blue-collar culture, and the pride of communities outsiders misunderstand. This is a conversation about belonging, reinvention, and why Michigan's future must be built with the same creativity, grit, and community truth that shaped its past. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“The Freedom Fighter is in my blood,” Jenell Mansfield says, tracing her roots from Macon, Georgia, to Dexter-Davidson, the Jeffries Projects, Central High School, and Haiti's revolutionary legacy. In this Detroit is Different conversation, Mansfield, a teacher and social worker running for Wayne County Commissioner in the 5th District, opens up about the generations that shaped her politics, purpose, and love for Black people. Her family story begins with Great Migration dreams, a veteran great-grandfather seeking something better, grandparents who came of age in Motown-era Detroit, and a Haitian father whose history taught her that freedom is never given. Mansfield connects personal memory to public policy, breaking down how housing, poverty, education, water shutoffs, and “hyper ghetto” conditions impact what Detroiters can imagine for their futures. She reminds us, “You can't be what you can't see,” while challenging listeners to think about what happens when Black communities are separated from resources, elders, and examples of possibility. This interview matters because it ties Detroit's past to the political choices ahead, showing how lived experience, social work, teaching, and community love can become a blueprint for leadership rooted in the people. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Detroit is a very special place… the Mecca for Pan-African thought and action.” Baba Mike Anderson, citizen of the Republic of New Afrika, joins Detroit is Different for a powerful episode recorded on Malcolm X Day rooted in Black liberation, memory, and movement. Baba Mike carries us from his North End childhood on John R, where “you didn't have to leave the neighborhood,” into the political fire of post-Rebellion Detroit, where Black Power, African identity, labor struggle, and self-defense shaped his path. He shares how reading J.A. Rogers, reading the Nation of Islam through the Pittsburgh Courier, meeting General Baker, and being introduced to the Republic of New Afrika awakened his consciousness. “It wasn't long after that that I took the pledge,” he recalls, becoming a citizen of New Afrika and member of the Black Legionaires, the Republic's military arm. From New Bethel Baptist Church to African Liberation Day, Baba Mike connects Detroit's role in Malcolm X, Pan-Africanism, reparations, and revolutionary organizing. This episode is not nostalgia; it is a blueprint. Baba Mike reminds us, “It's really not about you. It's about what you leave behind.” Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

This week on The Book Drop, we're joined by Brian O'Malley to dive into the 2026 James Beard Media Awards, discussing everything from this year's nominees, including Nebraska's own Ted Genoway, to the American Classic award for Johnny's Cafe.All the books and resources we talk about in this episode can be found here or by visiting omahalibrary.org/podcast. Happening at the Library: Neighborhood Walking Tour | Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Florence BranchStories After Dark: Coming Out | Friday, May 29, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Benson BranchUnearth a Story with Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium | Monday, June 1, 2 to 3 p.m. at Charles B. Washington BranchExplore all upcoming events at omahalibrary.org/events.

Chris and Andy talk about what the early success of ‘Project Hail Mary' means for big-spectacle movies in theaters (4:01). Then they check in with a handful of shows across the TV landscape, including ‘Marshals' (20:37), ‘American Classic' (28:57), ‘Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat' (36:04), and ‘SNL UK' (45:31). Later, they discuss ‘Paradise' Season 2, Episode 7 (54:13). Subscribe to the Ringer TV YouTube channel here for full episodes of The Watch and so much more! Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producers: Kaya McMullen and Kai Grady Additional Video Supervision: Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a culture critic, Lemieux has spent years pushing back against the stereotypes and stigma that follow single mothers. Her new book blends her own memoir with the stories of 21 other Black women. Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews ‘American Classic.' To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy