Where is Center Line? WDET’s New ‘Crossing The Lines’ Community
WDET’s reporters and producers are on the road again in November, talking to residents in Center Line.
101.9 WDET’s “Crossing The Lines” is a series that explores what unites us and divides us as a people and as a region here in Metro Detroit.
We’re telling stories about the region that show the diversity of people, the diversity of perspectives that come together to, as a whole, make up Metro Detroit.
Now, WDET will be telling stories of Center Line.
Where is Center Line? Good question.
Center Line is a community completely surrounded by Warren, and can be subsumed by its larger neighbor in the minds of metro Detroiters. It’s a community with a deep history and own particular set of concerns, as WDET reporters have discovered in early research.
To learn more, here’s an FAQ on how Center Line was selected and what types of stories WDET is planning to tell.
WDET staffers will also be at the Center Line Library today, Thursday, Nov. 7, from 4 – 6 p.m.
Click on the player above to hear WDET’s Pat Batcheller and Jerome Vaughn talk about “Crossing the Lines” in Center Line.
Why pick Center Line?
We wanted to look at somewhere that’s had a big change in diversity, in demographics over the past 20 years. As a perfect example, back in 1990, Center Line was less than one percent black. In 2010, that had jumped up to nearly 20 percent black, and we’ll see what the Census numbers give us next year.
How are stories on Center Line chosen?
We go out into the community and we talk to people. We run into people in the street. We talk to people in coffee shops. We go talk to city officials on background to really get a sense of what they think is important in Center Line, to get a sense of what they want the rest of Metro Detroit to know about their community – issues that are important to them. Things they feel should be highlighted and their concerns.
And as we talk, and really listen to what the residents have to say, the comments range from things that are very serious, to things that are very light-hearted. For example, one thing that jumped up at us is the idea of a fried coney dog – that’s something that instantly appealed to us.
How can I get involved?
We’re going to go to the Center Line Library. The first event we’ll have there will be 4 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7th, and then we’ll have a few more throughout the month of November. You can also reach out via a form on our ‘Crossing the Lines’ web page.
Where can I find WDET’s stories on Center Line?
We’ll be running stories and interviews starting this week and throughout the entire month of November. You’ll hear them on 101.9 WDET, and they’ll be on WDET.org.
