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6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS DEMOCRACY A new way to speak up HANIYAH SIDDIQUI U-M student contributor For a lot of Ann Arbor residents, it can be hard to keep up with what the city is doing. Updates about construction, development or policy changes are sometimes scattered across different websites or discussed in meetings that many people cannot attend. Acknowledging this, the City of Ann Arbor launched a website called Engage Ann Arbor, which is meant to help residents stay more informed about what is happening in the city. Engage Ann Arbor launched in January 2025 and acts as an online hub where people can see updates about city projects, programs and community initiatives. Instead of searching through several different pages on the city’s website, residents can go to one platform to see project updates, participate in surveys and read information about different developments happening around Ann Arbor. These projects mainly include city-led efforts like road construction, transportation planning and public programs, but the site can also include private developments that require city approval or community input, such as new housing or commercial buildings. The goal of the website was to combine several communication tools the city was already using into one place. The platform includes features like surveys, discussion sections and project updates that are intended to make it easier for residents to understand what the city is working on. One feature on the site allows residents to submit questions or feedback about certain projects. These questions can then be directed to city staff members, which may help residents get responses faster. The site also includes interactive maps that show where projects are taking place around Ann Arbor. This could help residents see how construction or new developments might affect their neighborhoods or daily commutes. Because the site can include both city projects and private developments, it can also become more complicated. Some private developments, especially larger housing or commercial projects, can be controversial in Ann Arbor. When these are presented on a city-run website, it raises questions about how neutral the information is. Even if the goal is just to inform residents, the way projects are described could influence how people view them. Because of this, it is important that the city present information clearly and without bias so residents can form their own opinions. For students and newer residents, the platform can be useful for understanding what is happening locally. Some people have said the website is fairly clear and easy to navigate compared to other government websites. Having updates in one place may make it easier for residents to quickly check on projects that might affect them. At the same time, some longtime residents feel that the site mostly reorganizes information that was already available on the city’s previous websites. From their perspective, the platform might just present the same information in a new format rather than offering completely new resources. The impact of Engage Ann Arbor will likely depend on how people use it. The website clearly makes information easier to access, but its success as a tool for civic engagement depends on whether residents actually choose to participate, respond to surveys, or stay involved through the platform. Ann Arbor already has a reputation for having an active and engaged population, especially when it comes to issues like housing, transportation and development. A platform like this could give residents another way to follow those issues and share their opinions in a more accessible way. If it is used regularly and the city continues to present information in a clear and balanced way, Engage Ann Arbor could become a more effective way for the city and its residents to communicate. KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 We think that freedom of speech is an inalienable right guaranteed in the Constitution. If you actually exercise it, as I pointed out in “The War In Gaza Comes to Ann Arbor,” you can be in legal trouble as we see in the case of the Palestinian solidarity camp on the Diag. The latest changes in the Department of Justice mean that anyone who criticizes injustice can be prosecuted as a terrorist. The authoritarian nature of capitalism and the supremacism of the chain of command top to bottom gives lip service to freedom of speech and then fills the jails with many who speak freely. If you look at the case of Mumia Abu Jamal you will get an education on how a Black Panther journalist, known as the Voice of the Voiceless, can be framed and land on death row. His book “Live From Death Row” is a great example of free speech. Song can be the best form of free speech. Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Buffy St. Marie are some of the best free speech musicians. Speaking truth to power is increasingly important if we view freedom from injustice as the central struggle in late stage capitalism. “Free Your Mind and the Rest Will Follow” was the hit song of the Pointer Sisters. Data on speech interruption show that by the age of four, boys interrupt girls at a much higher rate and that pattern follows into public meetings and boardrooms. Our socialization process teaches us to respect authority and get in compliance with terms and conditions. How do we free our minds so as to practice free speech? Study is important if it helps you find the context to make sense of all the data. History is often rewritten as we dig deeper into source material and see the prevalence of human bias. When I was a seminary student I Engage Ann Arbor dashboard on July 31, 2026 learned in Hebrew class that each sentence in a paragraph of scripture may have the language of different centuries. When everything was written by hand, the scribes would write in the language of their day as they wrote and compiled what came before them. Some verses may remain intact but it is easy to edit based on what you think was the intent and could be better said in the language of the day. Language changes with every AUGUST 7, 2026 Freedom of speech generation. Chaucer was incomprehensible to me. Shakespeare needs study and scholarship to understand. We learned that all the world is a stage and the play goes on. Your part is written in your heart. Since we are programmed in different ways by the standard narrative, we tend to think that mastering technology is the key to success. However, the data shows that young people are having increasing rates of anxiety and other mental health issues. What kind of mind training will help us and young people in particular? One path is through Joya d’Cruz, a focusing-oriented therapist (referred to in previous articles). She was personally mentored by Eugene Gendlin who wrote the landmark book “Focusing.” Tuning in to the wisdom of the body and a felt sense of your experience will empower you to speak the truth of your experience and connect with others in more authentic ways. We will then work together for the common good. Peter Block can help us with his book “Community: The Structure of Belonging.” There is a Common Good community which evolved from his work. The world is ripe for the work that matters. Look around and dig in. Find your voice and use it to make the connections that create the world we want to live in. There are two Tibetan Buddhist centers in Ann Arbor that have helped me with mind training. I am the oldest beginner around. (Alan Haber, in his 90th year, may challenge me on that.) We are never too old to learn and you can make a new start at any age. Look at your intention, is it a helpful one? What are the basics that we need to get right? A good teacher is a precious resource. Whenever we see a baby we feel this precious human birth and its possibilities. How wonderful! Many of us know that a natural breath is a good goal and the key to discovering the natural mind. It is good to start the day with “offerings down and prayers up,” as it is said in indigenous communities. If you want to get practical with your life, I invite you to visit Karuna Buddhist Center in the Upper Room of Bethlehem United Church of Christ (the same place where Groundcover’s office is), most Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. I hope to see you as we awaken to what needs to be done and the beauty of being present.

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