Double Up Food Bucks is a statewide program through the Fair Food Network. It matches SNAP benefits used to buy fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at participating grocers and farmers markets.

Back in November, SNAP benefit recipients were on edge, wondering if money would be available to feed themselves and their families.

The program extended its offerings in November, introducing Double up benefits, like Double Up bonus bucks offering $40 vouchers for fresh fruits and veggies. Those incentives are ending Dec. 31.

Rachel Hoh is director of Double Up Food Bucks. They spoke to me about the program and its significance to shoppers and local grocers. 

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The winter months are often marked by the holidays and the new year. Yet, it’s often lost on most people that domestic violence incidents trend up during this time of year. 

The warning signs for domestic violence intensify during this time of year. So, what are the signs and how can we as community members step in to protect survivors of domestic violence?

Co-Executive Director of the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence Cheree Thomas joined Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about domestic violence during the winter months. 

Tia also spoke with Anne Mantha, the Chief Philanthropy Officer at HAVEN Oakland, a nonprofit serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Oakland County. 

If you or a loved one is looking for support, call 855-VOICES4

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Detroit’s fine arts community is growing and producing more internationally known creatives. And with so much talent, artists and organizers continue to find creative ways to raise their visibility. 

DEROIT SALON is a new initiative produced by the woman-led organization Salonnière that puts Detroit artists in front of global audiences, curators and museums by touring exhibitions that carry their pieces.

The collective’s first show was in Paris at Art Basel, where they installed three different exhibitions. Each one highlighted a different area of life in Detroit.

Juana is an artistic creative director and chief curator for DETROIT SALON. KESSWA is a vocalist, producer and filmmaker who musically curated the exhibitions in Paris. 

Juana Williams and KESSWA joined Tia Graham in the studio to discuss DETROIT SALON’S efforts.

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Coup D’état is a one of two local shops in Michigan to be chosen for New York Times list of 50 Best Clothing Stores in America. The article states Coup D’etat is inspirational and distinctive in its approach to customers and its community. 

Located on Detroit’s east side, its nestled in a growing community of new and legacy Detroit residents. The store has embedded itself with local movers and shakers, making sure to be present and open to support local makers.

In 2025, Coup D’état held an art exhibition honoring the legacy of Detroit photographer Bill Rauhauser, highlighting the work he did capturing everyday life in Detroit through the 20th century.

Angela Wisenski-Cobbina is the owner and founder of Coup D’état. She wanted to make sure the boutique was than luxury shop, she wanted it to be inclusive for all people at all price points.

Angela spoke with The Metro’s Tia Graham about opening the space in 2019 and the journey so far.

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As one of metro Detroit’s premiere dance companies, Eisenhower Dance Detroit provides local choreographers and directors opportunities to showcase their work. It also gives dancers a space to work and develop their craft in an industry that is extremely competitive. 

The dance company is now working with world renowned dance choreographer Maxine Doyle. 

Doyle is best known as co-director and choreographer of Sleep No More, the groundbreaking immersive production that redefined site-specific performance in New York and London.  Doyle has showcased across the globe, in countries like England, Germany, Switzerland and now the US in Detroit. 

“Beyond” will debut at the Detroit Film Theatre in April of 2026.  “I Am Not Myself,” commissioned by Doyle, will be a featured. 

Maxine Doyle and Artistic Director of Eisenhower Dance Detroit Stephanie Pizzo joined The Metro’s Tia Graham to speak about the power of dance. 

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The city of Trenton is hosting its first ever Noel Nights. The three-week event aims to bolster its local businesses and highlight extracurricular activities.

This is the first year Trenton has a Downtown Development Authority Director.  Angelia Pusino is a lifelong resident of Trenton and the city’s first Director of Downtown Development Authority.

The Metro’s Tia Graham spoke with Angelia about the three week long event, family friendly activities and what makes Trenton a tight-knit community. 

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History and its depictions of beauty are often shaped by those in charge. For centuries, the European archetypes of beauty and desirability have dominated the narrative. 

Venus is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Images of her— often created and adapted in favor of the male gaze—have been the prevailing image of beauty and love. 

But what happens when Venus imagines herself as something else? What would it look like to have her represent a Black woman? Or simply a whole complete person?

Cydney Camp is a Detroit-based artist who unpacks and deconstructs inherited images. In her latest exhibit, she explores what it means to be a goddess that isn’t perceived as an object.

“Venus Undone” is Cydney’s solo exhibition at M Contemporary Art in Ferndale. It runs through Dec. 6, inviting audiences to rethink how we define beauty and female autonomy. 

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A hundred years ago, the world was changing and ushering in new ways of living, The first transatlantic phone call from London to New York. Ford Motor Company became the one of the first companies to implement the 40-hour work week. And The National Hockey League approved a new franchise team in Detroit. The Red Wings is one of the original six member leagues.

The team has won 11 Stanley cup titles, which is the most out of all United States based NHL teams. 

Helene St. James has been covering The Red Wings for The Detroit Free Press since 1996. She’s the author of multiple books on the wings including The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings: A Curated History of Hockeytown.

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The Detroit Red Wings have a long, gritty history that mirrors the city it calls home. To celebrate and commiserate the last 100 years, a new exhibition is on display at the Detroit Historical Museum. 

Detroit Red Wings at 100 will have a unique array of artifacts on display that capture the franchise from 1926 to today. The exhibition will be on display through 2026.

Jeremy Dimick is the lead curator at Detroit Historical Museum. Marcel Parent is the Director of Curation & Collections at Ilitch Holdings. Both joined The Metro to talk more about the exhibit and Detroit Red Wings history. 

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Movies are a window into a different world. They can take us from our lived reality and submerge us into the point of view of a people or a time that may be different from our own. But, if the mainstream lens through which stories are told only focuses on a handful of perspectives, how do we uplift and nurture the stories from communities that have are often left out? 

Detroit Narrative Agency is a local organization that makes a point to highlight compelling storytelling from people of color.

Through its Emerging Filmmaker Fellowship, Detroit Narrative Agency selects four filmmakers to receive mentorship, funding, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities to support the creation of a short film. 

In Sequence — A Premiere Showcase of the Detroit Narrative Agency ’24-25 Fellowship Films debuted at Senate theater. 

Ashley Calhoun is Interim executive director of Detroit Narrative Agency and Lindsay Robillard is a Director of Development at Detroit Mercy and a volunteer with Senate Theater. They joined the show to talk more about supporting Metro Detroit’s film community. 

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Covenant House Michigan has been serving the state’s homeless youth population for nearly 30 years. 

For the past 12 years, the organization has hosted “Sleep Out Detroit”. The annual event is a part of an annual movement held across the globe. It’s also during National Youth Homelessness Month.  

On November 20, more than 100 people will camp out to financially support and bring awareness to youth homelessness.

CEO Megan Dunn and Detroit-based artist and public speaker Phillip Simpson joined The Metro’s Tia Graham to talk more about “Sleep Out Detroit” and the importance of spreading awareness.

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From design to fashion, all art can act as a vehicle for larger themes impacting society. Some art makes you laugh and puts you in whimsical mood, while some are built on justice.

Local experimental theater A Host of People prides itself in being a collective that brings justice to the forefront, making sure all people see themselves on stage.  The theater company explores a range of topics in their productions, including how American politics intersect with personal lives. 

Recently, A Host of People got a permanent location on Detroit’s West Side, further cementing its mission in a city that has no issue fighting back against injustice.  

Sherrine Azab is the co-director of A Host of People. She spoke with The Metro’s Tia Graham about the move and using theater to speak justice to power. 

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Do you consider yourself a storyteller? It’s in human nature to tell stories. Stories have been used to pass down knowledge and legacy. The power of storytelling has the ability to transcend time. It has a way of connecting people across scripted lines in our society. 

A new exhibition opening next week wants to explore storytelling through the lens of food, poetry, comedy, visual art, fashion, film, and performance.

“Many Tongues,” curated by Omo Misha of Irwin House Global Art Center, will use activations to dive into the power of storytelling, while uplifting Detroit creatives.

Brittini Ward or Eye N Eye is a storyteller, poet and multidisciplinary artist. Her recent works include “The Seer,” commissioned by the Kennedy Center, and “Grandma’s Baby,” featured in Wasserman Projects’ Bas Bleu Exhibition.

LaMarr Ward is a film maker, multidisciplinary artist and featured panelist for “Many Tongues.” His works, “Windstorm Chronicles” will be on display.

They joined The Metro to talk about “Many Tongues” and the importance of storytelling as a connector for all people.

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You may be familiar with the Grammy-winning band Red Hot Chilli Peppers, famous for songs like “Dani California on Stadium Arcadium” or “Can’t Stop” off the 2002 album “By The Way.”

Hall of Fame Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith recently announced The Chad Smith Foundation. Chad grew up in Michigan and returned to the place where he got his start to help students do the same. 

The Curtis and Joan Smith Scholarship will honor his parents while also providing need-based support for incoming music students to the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. 

During U-M’s Band O Rama, Chad joined the Michigan Marching Band in Hill Auditorium for a performance including U of M’s fight song “The Victor’s” and the Red-Hot Chili Peppers classic “Can’t Stop.”

Tia Graham had the chance to chat with Chad about the foundation, the scholarship and growing up in Michigan.

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Ijania Cortez brings Detroit’s stories to life through color and community

Whether on canvas or a towering wall, Detroit artist Ijania Cortez creates portraits that reflect the city’s people and places. She uses vibrant color, often with neon tones, to capture the spirit of everyday Detroiters and the icons who shape the city.

Cortez’s murals appear throughout Detroit, including Cutter’s in Eastern Market and the Ruth Ellis Center’s Clairmont building. Her work celebrates community and the stories that define it.

In 2021, Cortez received the Kresge Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist Award and collaborated with Hubert Massey and the Detroit Institute of Arts Partners in Public Art Mural Program. She has also taken part in the BLKOUT Walls street art festival.

In 2025, she was recognized as a Ruth Ellis Center honoree and featured artist in Murals in the Market, hosted by 1xRUN.

The Carr Center is a hub for the visual and performing arts in Detroit focused on promoting and sharing the work of Black artists.  For the last 3 decades, it has thrived on collaborations with local community groups and organizations. 

The Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club is a local art enthusiast group that supports the fine arts in Metro Detroit. 

Recently, The Carr Center and Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club teamed up to present Bridges: Because of Them – Honoring the Past, Uplifting the Present, Shaping the Future. 

The show is curated by co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, Henry Harper, local art buyer Kendale L. Jones and multi-disciplinary artist Andre Reed Jr. 

Oliver Ragsdale Jr. is the CEO of the Carr Center and Henry Harper, the co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, and owner of Harper Galleries of Art and Interior.

Henry and Oliver joined The Metro to talk more about the exhibition and Detroit’s fine arts scene.

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Hamtramck has a vibrant arts scene. In duplexes around the city, you can hear people playing in a local band or practicing their comedy. 

Those people are often young and queer. 

Hamtramck Queer Alliance is making sure its presence is known and spreading the word, supporting the education and advocacy of all gender and sexual minorities, who are often involved in creative spaces.

Passenger Recovery was founded in 2016 with the goal of helping traveling artists maintain sobriety with tools and resources to allow for safe experiences on the road.  

Now, the artistic and sobriety space, Recovery Community Center, is trying to do even more to foster and protect local and visiting talent, and to expand its programming. They’ve found they often partner with the Hamtramck Queer Alliance, providing a safe space for all sorts of communities in the area. 

Bryan Wolf is the Director of Passenger Recovery and Passenger Radio, a music and sound professional and educator. Tim Price is Outreach and Marketing Director of Social Media for Passenger Radio WHCK. He is also the founder and curator of the Christopher Street Gallery in Hamtramck.

Bryan and Tim joined The Metro to talk more about what’s being happening in Hamtramck’s arts and culture scene.

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The Museum of Contemporary Arts Detroit is celebrating 20 years in 2026. As part of its anniversary, the museum is undergoing renovations and will remain closed through 2026. 

MOCAD will reopen with the theme of “Radical Imagination, Intersectional Futures.” The anniversary program will honor MOCAD’s roots as a site for civic and community engagement. 

Until the space reopens, MOCAD will host exhibitions and shows at the Mike Kelly Mobile Homestead. 

Right now, Heart Land, a solo exhibition by Detroit-based artist Mary-Ann Monforton, is on display. It’s free and open to the public.

Jova Lynne, co-director of MOCAD, joined The Metro to talk more about renovations, new exhibitions and 20 years of MOCAD. 

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