The Amplify team's goal is to connect people living in Michigan with the resources and information they need to thrive. Our reporting, how-to guides, and community events will help you become your own best advocate on basic needs like housing, public safety, health and more.
Recent Stories
Cyndi Elledge
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Outlier Media
Decades of advocacy paid off when her mother, Michelle West, walked out after nearly 32 years behind bars. West had no prior criminal history when she was sentenced to two life terms plus 50 years for her involvement with drug crimes in southeast Michigan.
Cydni Elledge
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Outlier Media
Cydni Elledge
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Outlier Media
Helpful Guides
Get resources on a range of topics from housing needs, due process rights, and more.
Todos tenemos derechos. Cómo manejar un encuentro con ICE.
Una semana después de la toma de posesión del presidente Donald Trump, muchos de los peores temores sobre deportaciones masivas aún no se han materializado. Sin embargo, la propagación de rumores deja claro que muchas personas en Michigan se encuentran en máxima alerta.
Everyone has rights. How to handle encounters with immigration enforcement.
A week into Donald Trump's presidency, mass immigration raids have yet to materialize in Michigan, but fears are growing. Here's what to know if you encounter immigration enforcement agents.
Can you cuss at cops? Know your rights when interacting with police
It is legal to speak your mind, advocate for yourself or record police activity in most circumstances. Still, attorneys and a former law enforcement officer say there’s no guarantee your rights will be respected in the moment — or that it’s always safe to exercise them.
You can’t recycle that… right? Find places in Michigan that take pizza boxes, foil and more
Does recycling feel messy and confusing to you? You're not alone. We've made a map and searchable database of Michigan recycling programs to help you navigate the do's and don'ts of recycling in your area.
See someone in crisis? You don't have to call the police. Here are alternatives.
Following the police killing of a young man with schizophrenia several months ago, Michigan Radio collected resources to find support for people in mental health crisis.
What you should know about car insurance after no-fault overhaul
Michigan Radio has put together this guide to help you understand the biggest changes brought by the state's 2019 no-fault law.
Detroit's going to restart water shutoffs. Here's how you can avoid one.
About a quarter of Detroit's residential water customers were behind on their bills as of late last year. But Detroit Water and Sewerage Department officials say they won't shut off anyone who enrolls in an assistance program or gets on a payment plan.
How to escrow your rent in Michigan
This guide looks at escrow in Michigan, its risks, and what resources may be available in your area. Escrow is one of the tools tenants have to deal with housing problems when landlords are unresponsive.
Detroit renters with building problems do have options. Here's how to protect yourselves.
Michigan Radio consulted residents, lawyers, academics, and activists to round up what renters can do to protect themselves when building problems go unaddressed.
Thousands of Michigan children are eligible for free school meals. Here’s how you can make sure your kid gets theirs.
COVID-era universal school lunches — where all kids were given free meals regardless of income, feeding an additional 10 million students nationwide — has ended.
More from the Amplify Team
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Nine people are running to become Detroit’s next mayor — the first new person to hold the office in over a decade. -
Michigan parents of students with disabilities feel ‘hopeless’ as civil rights cases remain in limboHundreds of federal civil rights cases were put on hold after President Donald Trump took office in January. Parents of students with disabilities and those who experience racial discrimination or sexual violence in schools are uncertain of the fate of their federal complaints. Many say they have not gotten updates on their cases since the regional offices closed. -
In the last five years, the state’s poison control center received about 1,500 reports of kids under the age of six being exposed to cannabis products. The center’s data suggests more than 400 were hospitalized, and more than 100 reported cases required critical care. -
What to know about assessing your risk and protecting yourself as the Trump administration ratchets up immigration enforcement. -
It’s too early to say how immigration or enforcement activity in Michigan actually has changed under the Trump administration. Here’s some information about the state’s historical data to help put any new information in context. -
Metro Detroit residents may see the largest water rate hike in a decade as the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) proposes significant increases to drinking water and sewer rates for fiscal year 2026. -
Here’s some of the safety planning that experts are recommending to families with mixed-immigration status. -
As immigration policies change in this country, misinformation is spreading across social media, including rumors of immigration arrests at a Grand Rapids high school. -
Immigrant parents scared to send their children to school in person could enroll in a virtual program run by Detroit schools, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said. “The virtual option is there for any family, not just those that are fearful." -
Tips from a lifelong fan to help you cheer the Lions on without looking like a rookie
Amplify Events
The Amplify Team often holds events related to the stories they report in the communities that are affected by those stories. See photos from some of these events below:
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— Jail's True Cost 1
Community Engagement Reporter Jamie Simmons speaks at the Jail's True Cost event (2022).
Jodi Westrick / Michigan Radio
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— Jail's True Cost 2
Attendees look at art by prisoners at the Jail's True Cost event (2022).
Jodi Westrick / Michigan Radio
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— Jail's True Cost 3
Handouts and informative flyers at the Jail's True Cost event (2022).
Jodi Westrick / Michigan Radio
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— Jail's True Cost 4
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from prisoners in this interactive display at Jail's True Cost (2022).
Jodi Westrick / Michigan Radio
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— Housing Forum 1
Data reporter Nisa Khan at the Housing Forum (2022).
Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio
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— Housing Forum 2
Kids are welcome at most Enterprise events. Here, reporter Lindsey Smith teaches a young attendee to use a recorder.
Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio
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— Housing Forum
Community Engagement Reporter Jamie Simmons speaks at the Housing Forum (2022).
Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio
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— Housing Forum 3
A panel of local experts speaks about the housing crisis in Detroit and give resources for residents.
Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio
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— Housing Forum 5
Attendees at the Enterprise Housing Forum (2022).
Lindsey Smith / Michigan Radio
Meet Our Team
