APRIL 3, 2026 COMMUNITY EVENTS Maximizing affordable housing availability in Washtenaw County ZOE BEHNKE Zion Lutheran Church Adult Education Committee Access to affordable housing extends beyond the unemployed or unhoused population, encompassing a broad segment of the workforce. Individuals in of affordable housing often include retail employees, entrylevel workers, those in the hospitality industry, as well as essential personnel such as teachers, police officers and firefighters. Employees of small businesses and higher education institutions also frequently fall within this category. The issue has wide-reaching implications for residents across the county. When individuals are able to live in the same communities where they work, more of their income is spent locally, supporting local businesses and strengthening the regional economy. Advocates note that such housing patterns can also help reduce traffic congestion, encourage activity in downtown districts, and foster greater long-term investment in local neighborhoods. Zion Lutheran Church will be hosting a forum on affordability in Washtenaw County on Saturday, April 18, with 8:30 a.m. refreshments and a 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. program. Our panelists include: Panel 1: Amanda Carlisle, Washtenaw Housing Alliance Executive Director; Washtenaw County Commissioner, Andy LaBarre; Rev. Elizabeth Friedman, Lord of Light Lutheran Campus Ministries; and Christopher Taylor, City of Ann Arbor Mayor. Panel 2: Aaron Cooper, Avalon Housing Executive Director; Jim Haeussler, Norfolk Homes representative; Jennifer Hall, Ann Arbor community EVENTS HASH BASH Saturday, April 4, 12 p.m. University of Michigan Diag, Ann Arbor. The arrest and imprisonment of John Sinclair (for possession of two joints) set Ann Arbor on the trajectory as Michigan’s most pioneering cannabis community. Sinclair’s arrest and 10-year sentence led to protests and rallies, ultimately morphing into the iconic Hash Bash, an annual protest-fueled gathering of live music and speeches since 1972. EXPLORING THE POETRY OF MURIEL RUKEYSER: GAINING COURAGE THROUGH POETRY Thursday, April 9, 2026, 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom. Muriel Rukeyser believed poetry to be a unique method of knowing oneself and responding meaningfully to one's world, and she used poetry to respond to numerous social, political and personal events. In this workshop, we’ll explore a specific use of poetry: What can poetry do for courage? Join YpsiWrites and retired EMU Professor of English and Women's and Gender Studies Elisabeth Däumer, along with poet and clinical social worker David Boeving, in an exploration of courage and the poetry of Muriel Rukeyser. ypsilibrary.events.mylibrary. digital/event?id=278446 GROUNDCOVER WRITING WORKSHOP: DOCUMENTBASED REPORTING Friday, April 10, 10 a.m., Groundcover News office. A workshop to familiarize writers with using budgets, meeting minutes and FOIAs in their reporting. Attend alongside Groundcover vendors and writers. REVOLUTIONARY FOOD GATHERING Friday, April 10, 5-7 p.m. Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House, 1420 Hill St., Ann Arbor. Potluck and discussion to discover who we are in relationship to our food, the earth and each other. Hosted by Groundcover News and Purslane Commons. FOOL MOON Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m - midnight, downtown Ann Arbor. This annual magical outdoor nighttime event features a vast array of quirky and beautiful community-made illuminated sculptures, a huge street party, live music and more. All invited to make homemade light-up costumes and drum on pots and pans in celebration! 2026 theme is "Fools of a Feather." WCC CONCERT BAND: SMALL ENSEMBLES Sunday, April 12, 2 p.m. Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building Towsley Auditorium, 4800 Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor. Join for a program of small ensembles — from duets and trios to 20-piece bands — playing a variety of musical genres. Light refreshments served. FESTIFOOLS Sunday, April 12, 4-5 p.m. Main Street, downtown Ann Arbor. Build and bring a giant puppet, make a costume or be a spectator! No matter your style, you'll have fun becoming part of FestiFools, a larger-than-life, monumental moving art display. The parade begins at 4 p.m. sharp. "WHO'S THERE?!" ARB DANCE PERFORMANCE Saturday, April 18, 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Nichols Arboretum, 1610 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor. The Department of Dance at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance and Ladina Schaller present “Who’s There?!”This site-specific senior dance project consists of a walk through the Arb, along which the audience encounters a variety of characters, sights, sounds and scenes. The concert is around one hour long. Audience members are required to walk along Arboretum paths for the duration of the performance and are encouraged to dress Housing Commission Executive Director; and Alision Oumedian, Habitat for Humanity Director of Individual Giving and Fundraising. Some of the issues to be covered include: What is affordable housing and who qualifies for it? What are the obstacles causing this crisis? How are local non-profit organizations/ local governments addressing this issue? How can individuals or organizations get involved to address the issue of affordable housing in their local community and Washtenaw County? We will be having a Q&A after each panel presentation to encourage community engagement. This event is free and open to the public. Zion Lutheran Church is located at 1501. W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Thursday | Mar 26 | 2-3pm YDL-Whittaker Award-winning local author Hadil Ghoneim reads from her new book, Arabic Folktales for Children, to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month. FEATURED EVENT Friends of YDL Book Sale Thurs. - Sun. | Apr. 30-May 3 | See times in description YDL-Whittaker $1 for hardcovers, 25¢ for kids books, 50¢ for mass market paperbacks, and $1 for oversize paperbacks. On Sunday, there will be bags of books available for $5, and some books will be sold for a reduced price. Apr. 30: 6-8pm (Friends of YDL members-only sale) May 1: 11am-5pm May 2: 11am-3pm May 3: 1-3pm for the weather and wear good shoes. This event is family-friendly and appropriate for all ages. Attendance is free, but RSVP is encouraged at this link: tinyurl.com/yhr62hj8 Submit an event to be featured in the next edition: submissions@groundcovernews. com GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5 GET TO KNOW YDL! WHERE TO FIND US: Online at ypsilibrary.org Call us at 734-482-4110. TO GET YOUR LIBRARY CARD: 1) Fill out the easy online form at ypsilibrary.org/library-cards. 2) Call 734-482-4110 3) Or stop by any YDL location! DON’T HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE? We can work with a variety of IDs to get you your card. Arabic Folktales with Author Hadil Ghoneim
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