Series and Documentaries

2008 Northern Arts

We spend a lot of time exploring the world of arts and culture from Detroit to Grand Rapids and everywhere in between. But what about up north? In our series "Northern Arts", Michigan Radio's arts reporter Jennifer Guerra takes a trip up north to spend some time around the campfire with a group of northern Michigan musicians visit to the deep woods of Mancelona for a lesson in the fine art of letter press and more. 

2008 Foreclosing on the American Dream
Michigan has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. Thousands of people in the state have had their homes foreclosed on. Michigan Radio takes an in-depth look at what this means for our state, our communities, and all of us. Why has Michigan been hit so hard? What is this doing to our neighborhoods? What are the solutions? At the end of the week our documentary, "Foreclosing on the American Dream" explored how home foreclosures affect people, neighborhoods, and even art. 

2008 Ashes to Hope: Overcoming the Detroit Riots

In the summer of 1967 chaos broke out in the streets of Detroit. After five days of violence 43 were dead, thousands were injured and over 4000 people had been arrested. Forty years later – Michigan Radio takes an in-depth look at the deadliest riot of the 1960s. Why did the riots begin? What fueled them? And, have we ever really recovered?

In 2008 Michigan Radio's "Grading Michigan Schools" is a multi-part series that takes an in-depth look at education in Michigan. We hear why one college student feels let down by the public school system in the state. We find out about "unschooling," an education philosophy that abandons textbooks and a curriculum. We also look at how the public school system is serving at-risk students through education for the very young and early intervention for kids with special education needs.

"Grading Michigan Schools" won a 2008 Clarion Award from Women in Communications.