Photo essay: What do you love about living in Ypsi?
We stopped by this weekend's Ypsilanti Heritage Festival and Parkridge Summer Festival to compile a photo essay chronicling what locals love about the community they call home.
On the Ground
On the Ground Ypsilanti helps to tell the story of the people, projects, and innovations that are creating “what’s next” for the city and township of Ypsilanti. The intended impact is for solutions-oriented media coverage, engagement, and ultimately understanding of the community, resulting in awareness and investments that can contribute to community vitality and prosperity. The concept of On the Ground is to use an “embedded journalism” model, hiring Ypsi residents to report on their community.
On the Ground has been embedded in the city of Ypsilanti since July 2017. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK, the Center for Health and Research Transformation, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Engage @ EMU, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, and Washtenaw ISD.
To learn more about On the Ground program, click here.
Hero Nation comic con aims to boost minority representation in superhero culture
Ypsi artist Jermaine Dickerson founded the convention, which is the first major initiative for a broader movement aimed at uplifting marginalized groups through comic books.
Ypsi’s Water Street debt is officially getting paid off. How did we get here and what’s next?
Community debate over the debt on the troubled city property was resolved when voters approved a millage to pay it off this August, but there's considerably more history to Water Street than that – and much more to come.
Subcommittee begins work on Ypsi’s sustainability plan
The sustainability plan is starting small, but sustainability commissioners say it stands to have major implications for development projects, the city's urban poor, and local businesses.
Free neighborhood summer camps engage underprivileged Ypsi-area kids
This year more than 150 kids registered for the Summer Playground Program, which provides two weeks of educational and recreational activities at three different playgrounds.
No More Parties in AA festival returns to EMU campus
A student-led music festival aiming to counteract some commonly held assumptions about the local music scene and give exposure to lesser-known artists is returning for its second year in Ypsi.
Downtown Ypsi businesses create community of collaboration
Numerous downtown Ypsi business owners are working together to help new businesses get started, as well as doing what they can to support and promote existing businesses.
Electric bike company moves from basement operation to Ypsi storefront
H.E.H. Human Electric Hybrids' electric bicycle shop opened just weeks ago, but it's already attracted customers from as far as Toronto and delivered products as far away as Mackinaw City.
Ypsi Township farmer plants seeds of change for formerly incarcerated residents
Melvin Parson spent 13 years of his life incarcerated on and off. Now he's the proprietor of a young farm that supplies numerous Ypsi and Ann Arbor restaurants, and he recently hired his first employee returning home from prison.
Ziggy’s hybrid cafe, bar, and music venue set for soft opening in Ypsi
Ziggy's plays guitar ... and Japanese video games. The pop culture-themed establishment will be open to the public for the first time Friday night.
