Studies show women live longer than men. According to the CDC, women are expected to live about five years longer. While there isn’t a single explanation for this gap, several contributing factors shed light on the disparity.

Biology and hormones may play a role, along with external factors like job-related risks. Men are also more likely to smoke, drink heavily, and skip annual checkups.

To raise awareness and promote healthier habits, June was established as Men’s Health Month. On The Metro today, we spoke with Harold Neighbors, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

As Professor Neighbors explained, men often face societal pressures that discourage them from seeking mental and physical health care. A national organization is working to change that.

Demetrius Scott is leading those efforts in Detroit as the local coordinator for the African-American Male Wellness Agency, a nonprofit focused on reducing health disparities among Black men through free programs and services.

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So little is discussed about “The Change”. That’s right Menopause is not widely discussed and can bring a sense of feeling ashamed. It’s something that’s often held close to a woman’s chest, a secret that only she knows. 

While some do share their experiences, many women continue to struggle with finding community when preparing for and enduring menopause. 

Menopause It’s a biological process when a menstruating woman no longer has periods. Each woman experiences the stage differently, whether it’s with hot flashes, sleep problems or a low libido. But all menstruating women will experience menopause; it’s just a matter of when. 

A new comedy special aims to tackle the inevitable process with laughter. “Confessions of a menopausal femme fatale” is a stand-up storytelling concert by multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, and social entrepreneur Satori Shakoor. 

Shakoor is the founder and Executive Producer of The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers, host of PBS’s Detroit Performs. The special, which was taped at Detroit Public Theatre will be available to stream Thursday, June 12th.

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After serving in office for more than a decade, Mike Duggan is in his final term as mayor of Detroit. That has led to a crowded mayoral race, with nine people formally entering to have their names appear on the August primary ballot. Two candidates will advance to the November general election.

Whoever becomes Detroit’s next mayor will have a number of issues to tackle and one of them is transit. The city’s bus and streetcar systems are in need of upgrades. Meanwhile, Southeast Michigan as a whole still lacks a truly regional transit system.

With so many candidates in the race and so many topics to cover, Detroiters are eager to know where they stand on transit. A nonprofit called Transportation Riders United hosted a forum last week, giving each candidate a chance to discuss how they would address transit issues if elected.

Today on The Metro, WDET reporter Alex McLenon joins us to talk about the hour-long forum. The discussion included how DDOT has reimagined its service plans. The department spends a significant amount of time and money training and paying drivers, yet many of those drivers leave for higher wages at SMART after completing their certification.

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While the Detroit Documenters are providing easier access to information on local government, they’re not the only ones. 

Dan Arking is a lawyer for the City of Detroit, but during the pandemic, he created the website Soap Box Detroit. It’s a one-stop shop for so much information about Detroit’s local government. 

In our segments with the Documenters, we frequently unpack the actions of local commissions, committees, and task forces. But in what ways do they all differ? 

Arking sat down with Producer Jack Filbrandt and Detroit Documenter Coordinator Noah Kincade to help us cut through the bureaucracy.

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The Detroit Institute of Arts is a world-renowned museum. But, but how many pieces in its collection are made by a Detroiter? Tiff Massey’s “Baby Bling” will soon be acquired by the DIA. Salvador Salort-Pons, the museum’s Director, told the Metro that the DIA is acquiring “Baby Bling” from Massey and adding it to the museum’s permanent collection. 

“We are acquiring “Baby Bling,” and I’m very excited about this, and this will be on view in, I hope […] our contemporary wing, and I hope it will be part of the reinstallation,” says Salvador Salor-Pons.

Lots of people traveled and spent their weekends at the DIA over the past year. Tiff Massey’s “7 Mile + Livernois”  wasn’t just an exhibit, it was an event for the culture. The exhibit represented Black Detroit in some of its rawest forms.

In 2015, the DIA responded to some critics who thought the DIA and other art institutions could do better to serve Detroit and Metro Detroit. In response, it created a Talent and Diversity subcommittee and later in 2020, created its inclusion, diversity and access or IDEA strategy. 

Recent exhibitions like Massey’s “7 Mile + Livernois” suggest the strategy to make the DIA a more inclusive and representative space is working.

Museum Director Salvador Salort-Pons and exhibition curator Katie Pfol joined The Metro to discuss how the exhibition’s success marks a turning point for the Museum.

Salvador shared that the museum’s year-long showcase of the tiff Massey exhibit was just the tip of the iceberg.

The Detroit Institute of Arts plans to reinstall its contemporary African American galleries to a more prominent location in the museum in October. The new location will be adjacent to the renowned Diego Rivera court.

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Physical exercise is essential to a healthy routine. And it becomes even more important as we grow older and our bodies naturally slow down. According to the CDC, adults over the age of 65 should engage in moderately intense aerobic exercises like a brisk walk or more vigorous exercises like running or jogging.

While this sounds simple, finding the motivation to exercise can be challenging. Our next guest provides these kinds of opportunities for seniors who need the extra help socializing and staying active.

Bridging Communities is a grassroots non-profit that connects people to resources and programs that promote senior independence, housing stability and healthy communities. It strives to help seniors age in place by providing access to resources that address their basic needs. 

This Sunday the organization hosts its 15th annual golf outing for senior citizens, which encourages seniors to get more active using the sport. 

 Today on The Metro we talk with Katrice Perry, the Executive Director of Bridging Communities. She joined us to discuss the golfing event and the other services her organization has to offer to the elderly community.

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on-demand.

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