Reading view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.

City of Detroit works to improve language access ordinance compliance

The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center raised an alarm about the city of Detroit failing to comply with the language access ordinance it passed last year.

Detroit Free Press and Bridge Detroit journalist Nushrat Rahman says the ordinance was intended for the city to translate information for emergencies or public health emergencies. 

“That’s really the crux of where this issue came about, because there were, as we know, recent health emergencies related to the hazardous smoke and the extreme heat, and an immigrant rights group essentially raised the alarm and said that the city is violating its own ordinance by not translating much of this material for residents for whom English may not be their first language,” she explains.

Rahman says that without the translated information, Detroit residents who do not speak English, or for whom English is not their first language, miss out on vital information. 

She says for example, the city did not consistently put out information or resources in translated languages to avoid hazardous smoke to extreme heat.

“What immigrant rights advocates have been saying is that a lot of that information was out there, but it wasn’t translated for people… one of the groups mentioned that residents came to them, and they had to provide that information,” Rahman shares.

According to the Census, 14% of Detroiters five years old and up speak a language other than English. Rahman says the city identified Spanish, Bangla, Arabic and French as languages that they hope to provide city information in.

“I looked at the city of Detroit’s Facebook and Instagram page, and also the city’s health department Facebook and Instagram pages. And translated posts were sporadic,” she says.

Rahman reported the city is taking steps to improve their language access services, including having several departments focus on the work, and hiring a new person to take the lead to create a comprehensive plan for improvements.

She says community groups are also advocating for additional languages to be added. They say they are willing to work with the city to create resources.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

The post City of Detroit works to improve language access ordinance compliance appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Detroit Evening Report: Michigan reports two deaths due to cyclosporiasis

Michigan is reporting the first two fatalities among people suffering from the disease cyclosporiasis. Officials say medical records indicate the people had significant underlying health conditions. Officials add the disease, which can cause cramps and explosive diarrhea, is generally non-life-threatening. Deaths from it are uncommon in the U.S.

The state reports more than 11,000 cases since June, although it’s not clear how many of those people may have already recovered from the disease.  

-Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter

Additional headlines for Monday, Aug. 3, 2026

American Muslim Experience

Documentary photographer and visual storyteller Syed Yaqeen is visiting Michigan this week as part of the American Muslim Experience— a documentary project to preserve the stories of American Muslims through visual storytelling and conversations. 

He says he began the project to document stories of everyday Muslims to counter negative stereotypes and showcase what it means to be Muslim in America.  

“Like the complicated lives of everyday people who again happen to be Muslim. So for them to be able to see themselves as young kids, students going to school, getting jobs, first job, learning how to drive-you know-all these little simple things that people tend not to think of when they are, I guess, put in a specific group.”  

Yaqeen says his focus is on documenting the present-day lives of American Muslims to preserve that for the future.  

He is taking pictures in Hamtramck, Detroit and Dearborn.  

People can contact him on Instagram at americanmuslimexperience to schedule a session. 

Language access failure

The city of Detroit has failed to translate information in emergencies as required through an ordinance created last year to translate public service announcements, says the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center

Bridge Detroit reports that includes hazardous smoke and extreme heat warnings. City officials say they will make improvements to provide Detroiters whose first language is not English access to resources or information.  

Meanwhile Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield has tasked the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity (CRIO), Office of Immigrant Affairs, and Media Services departments to improve language access in the city. 

BridgeDetroit found much emergency-based information was only posted in English on the city’s website or Facebook. 

The city hopes to provide translated information in Spanish, Bengali, Arabic, and French. Meanwhile, residents can use Detroit’s alert system and choose a language of their choice to access the city’s website. 

Detroit has spent more than $362,000 on language access services in the past year.  

Blood donations at extreme low

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency appeal for blood donations.

Sydney Henry is with the Michigan region of the American Red Cross. She says blood donations typically drop in the summer, but this summer is worse than usual.  

That’s likely because of the extreme heat events and wildfire smoke that choked some states, especially Michigan. 

Henry says the Red Cross has less than a day’s supply of type O positive blood. That blood can be given to most people in an emergency. 

-Reporting by Tracy Samilton

Support the podcasts you love.

One-of-a-kind podcasts from WDET bring you engaging conversations, news you need to know and stories you love to hear. Keep the conversations coming. Please make a gift today.

The post Detroit Evening Report: Michigan reports two deaths due to cyclosporiasis appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

❌