The Metro: What Black Michiganders say their communities need
Cary Junior II, The Metro December 11, 2025Andre Perry lead a team that surveyed residents across Michigan to find which policies and programs were working to improve Black communities.
Andre Perry is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution and the Director of The Center for Community Uplift
What policies do Black residents in Michigan want to see?
The Center for Community Uplift at the Brookings Institute measured the quality of life for Black residents across the state of Michigan. They found that Black residents own less homes, have a lower life expectancy and make less money than the state average. But they also discovered Black communities in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and some Detroit suburbs bucking that trend.
The team lead by Senior fellow Andre Perry surveyed residents in those areas and others across the state asking which policies and programs were working. After 150 Black residents responded, the team compiled that feedback and published a list of 29 policy recommendations in October.
Perry joined the program and broke down some of the findings from the report.
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Authors
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Cary Junior II is an audio journalist and producer for The Metro on 101.9 WDET. Cary has worked as a producer or host on a number of projects. His work includes short and longform audio, documentary series and daily radio. In his five year career in journalism he has worked for Crooked Media, the Detroit Free Press, and now WDET - Detroit's NPR station.
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