Created Equal

Over the last 20 years, education experts have increasingly questioned whether standardized tests are the best way to measure how students perform — with many colleges and universities implementing "test-optional" admission policies. Today on Created Equal, we speak with education researcher Elaine Allensworth about America's affinity for test culture and the shortcomings that come with it.

The first – and maybe only – presidential debate of 2024 left little unexplored or undiscovered, but what did we really learn about Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump? Today on Created Equal, Michigan Public's Zoe Clark and former Michigan Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville join the show to discuss the key takeaways from the debate.

We know a lot about the profound poverty and isolation that confronts Detroiters every day. But what happens when that poverty affects families with pets? Today on Created Equal, we’ll talk with the CEO of Michigan Humane about how that institution tries to fill the gaps that arise when pets become threatened by the economic circumstances of their families. And we’ll hear how the needs of our pets tell us about the needs of our people in a city where the concepts of sufficiency are just not what they should be. 

Once dominated by non-local LLCs exploiting the system for quick returns, new data suggests that fewer outside investors are "milking" the system, and more Detroiters are taking advantage of opportunities to participate in Detroit’s recovery. Alex Alsup, VP of Research and Development for Regrid and author of the Substack “The Chargeback,” and Chase Cantrell, CEO of Building Community Value, joined "Created Equal" to discuss.

The "thick skin bias" is a belief that individuals who live in poverty are more resilient than affluent people when facing a challenging situation. The assumption could, as a result, influence the degree of support those who are struggling receive from others. Today on "Created Equal," Psychology professor Nathan Cheek helps us unpack the "thick skin bias," where it comes from, and why this assumption is the wrong one.

A family is suing Wayne County Judge Kenneth King after he ordered a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip at the courthouse. Dr. Rema-Vassar, a professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Wayne State University, called King's response to the incident inappropriate. She joins the show to talk about how a student's behavior in school can be a reflection of their circumstances at home.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including a new book about grief and rock widows from music writer and author Lori Tucker-Sullivan; accessibility problems at a staggering amount of Metro Detroit polling locations and more.

Now that the major parties have officially selected their presidential nominees and the conventions have passed, how do the two candidates stack up? To discuss this, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, political analyst Jessica Taylor, and WDET reporter and All Things Considered host Russ McNamara joined "Created Equal."

A staggering amount of metro Detroit’s polling stations are not accessible for disabled people — 84%, according to a 2022 audit by Detroit Disability Power. Another, less visible, barrier to democratic participation is equitable access to information. Yet nearly half of Detroit households don’t have broadband access. Today on "Created Equal," Detroit Disability Power Executive Director Dessa Cosma and Penn State telecommunications professor Christopher Ali join to discuss democratic participation and the lack of equitable access to voting and information in Detroit. Editor's note: A previously uploaded version of this episode included incorrect audio from an earlier episode of the show about grief and loss.

Music writer and author Lori Tucker-Sullivan joins "Created Equal" to discuss her new book, "I Can't Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy." Tucker-Sullivan, whose own husband died from cancer, shares with us what lessons she learned about grief from these compelling women.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including a discussion about the Morrill Act and how state universities profit from land taken from Native Americans; and reactions to last week’s DNC from a panel of political insiders.

On today's episode of "Created Equal," host Stephen Henderson and a panel of political insiders react to the first three days of the Democratic National Convention.

In 1862, the federal government passed the Morrill Act which ultimately allocated over 10 million acres of land to states to start and develop colleges. But the federal government acquired the land from Native Americans through unfair treaties, seizures or agreements, and a recent report from the nonprofit media organization Grist investigated how a number of land-grant universities continue to profit from the land. Today on "Created Equal," we're joined by Tristan Ahtone, editor-at-large of Grist, and Steve Yanni, land grant director for Bay Mills Community College, to discuss the report and the the history and mission of tribal colleges and universities.

In museums across the U.S., you can see artifacts and human remains that belong to the native peoples who were here before our country existed. However, the latest federal regulations require museums and federal agencies to identify and return Native American remains and belongings. On today's episode of "Created Equal," we speak with Chip Colwell a curator of anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for 12 years, to discuss the movement to reconcile science and history with the delicate nature of native possessions. 

Host Stephen Henderson and producer Cary Junior recap this week's episodes of "Created Equal," including how the Michigan Supreme Court's ruling on the state's minimum wage increase will impact businesses and workers, what the rest of the Midwest can learn from Minnesota policy and more.

Prof. David Schultz from Hamline University and Prof. Louis Johnston from St. John’s University join "Created Equal" to discuss how Minnesota is uniting liberals and conservatives to vote for progressive policies across the state.

Former Democratic Congressman Andy Levin and Abbas Alweih, an uncommitted delegate to the Democratic Party convention, join host Stephen Henderson to discuss the policies inside the Democratic Party about the war in Gaza.

As more research and public records become available on Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights activist is more completely rendered as a person separate from his icon status. David Garrow and Jonathan Eig join the show to discuss their Pulitzer Prize winning biographies on MLK Jr.

The Michigan Supreme Court issued a ruling that would result in the state's minimum wage increasing to $12 an hour by February 2025 — as well as allowing most workers to accrue earned sick leave. On this episode of "Created Equal," host Stephen Henderson talks to Danielle Atkinson, an advocate whose work focuses on promoting economic fairness in Michigan, and Brian Calley, the head of the Michigan Small business association, which has said the new rules could cost them money — and cost Michiganders jobs.

Today on "Created Equal," we share highlights from this week's episodes, including a discussion about equity in Detroit schools — 50 years after the Milliken v. Bradley decision — and what Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run means for women in politics.