This week on One Detroit: 

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan discusses running for governor as an independent in one-on-one interview

Mike Duggan’s announcement last month that he would not seek a fourth term as mayor of Detroit did not come as a surprise. There was little doubt about what he planned to do next: run for Michigan governor in 2026.

The shock came when Duggan revealed he would be leaving the Democratic Party to run as an independent. He said he hopes ending “us versus them” politics will be his legacy.

One Detroit contributor Nolan Finley, editorial page editor of The Detroit News, talks with Duggan about his bid for governor and how an independent candidacy will allow him to more effectively deliver his message that it’s time to move past partisan politics in Lansing and bring Republicans and Democrats together to get things done.

Ypsilanti Artisan Holiday Market returns to Depot Town to support local businesses during the holidays

The Ypsilanti Artisan Holiday Market will return to the historic Freighthouse, located at 100 Market Pl. in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town, bringing together local businesses, crafters, food vendors, and entertainment. The event is free to attend and is open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Dec. 21-22. Now in its fourth year, the market will showcase over 40 Ypsilanti-based vendors, including small businesses, nonprofits, and local restaurants.

The market was first founded by Angela Scott during the pandemic to combat isolation and support local artisans facing economic challenges. Scott initially hoped to host a one-time event in a local park, but after reaching out to the City of Ypsilanti, she was granted access to the historic Freighthouse in Depot Town. Since then, the market has grown into a beloved annual tradition, attracting local artisans and shoppers alike.

Vendors at the market must be based either in Ypsilanti City or Ypsilanti Township, and Scott continues to offer free table space to ensure that the event remains accessible to all. In addition to the vendors, attendees can enjoy live entertainment and a variety of food offerings throughout the weekend. 

One Detroit producer Will Glover spoke with Scott about how she turned an idea to help her neighbors during the pandemic into an annual holiday event for the community.

Best-selling author David Brooks discusses his latest book ‘How to Know a Person’

Best-selling author, New York Times columnist and PBS News Hour commentator David Brooks visited Detroit recently to discuss his latest book, “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen,” with Zoe Clark, One Detroit contributor and political director for Michigan Public. The book has been called a practical guide to knowing people better. In a wide-ranging conversation, Brooks talks about how to relate to the people we meet, how to practice aggressive friendliness, why your hometown is a better place to look for happiness than politics, and many other human skills.  

Brooks admits that he is “not the most socially adept human being,” stating that he wanted the book to provide help for those like himself who wished to make more solid and meaningful connections with people in their lives. He believes these abilities are needed now more than ever because people are suffering through what he terms a loneliness epidemic. 

“We live in a society where 54% of Americans say that nobody knows them very well; where the number of people who say they have no close personal friends has gone up by four-fold since 2000; where 45% of high school students say they’re persistently hopeless and despondent,” Brooks said. The causes for this emotional dislocation are complex, but the remedies may reside in the way in which we relate to others. 

“We’re in the middle of some sort of relational crisis in society,” Brooks said. “And to me, one of the reasons for that is we just haven’t learned how to be considerate toward each other in the concrete circumstances of life. Like, how do you listen? How do you become a really good conversationalist?”

In addition to his current book, Brooks is the author of “The Second Mountain,” “The Road to Character,” “The Social Animal,’ “Bobos in Paradise” and “On Paradise Drive.” Besides his op-ed columns for The New York Times, he also is a regular contributor to The Atlantic and appears weekly in conversations with Jonathan Capehart on PBS News Hour.