Community members, activists, and local leaders came together for a frank and passionate discussion about interactions with the police in Detroit. Michigan Public hosted the “Speak Your Peace” event meeting at We The People Michigan (WTPM).
This was the second and final “Speak Your Peace” event made possible as part of a generous $200,000 grant from the Public Welfare Foundation. This funding is aimed at reframing the discourse around the criminal justice system, promoting greater accountability, and inspiring action through storytelling, journalism, and other targeted endeavors. In addition to the policing events, the grant made possible a series of stories on community interaction.
The gathering took place in a converted garage space in the Bagley Street Neighborhood at WTPM’s headquarters. WTPM emphasizes rejecting narratives of scarcity and division, instead embracing a vision of abundance and unity.
The gathering attracted a diverse group of voices united by a shared concern about how to make Detroit safer and more supportive for all its residents. Attendees shared their experiences with the police. The range of interactions ran the gamut from consistently positive experiences to negative and violent encounters with law enforcement. One of the central topics of the evening was the urgent need for alternative, unarmed responses to mental health crises. Many attendees observed how traditional policing methods often escalated situations that they felt could have been handled more compassionately and safely.
Participants also said that far too often, police officers arrive at mental health emergencies without the necessary training, a dynamic which can turn a vulnerable moment into a dangerous one. They stressed the need to explore unarmed crisis intervention teams that are better equipped to de-escalate and provide support rather than force.
The event was facilitated by Michigan Public’s Briana Rice and Rukiya Colvin, with help from Lindsey Smith, Adam Rayes, Lauren Ernst, Suzanne Belanger, and Vincent Duffy. Colvin presented the concept of pod mapping as a strategy used to identify and strengthen support networks within a community. The term is often associated with social justice and transformative justice movements, where the focus is on building connections between individuals and their personal "pods"— trusted groups of people who can offer care, accountability, and resources during times of need or crisis.
In practice, pod mapping involves identifying who your support people are (friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, etc.), understanding the roles they can play, and creating a visual or written map of these connections. The idea is to develop a clear sense of who you can turn to for different types of support, whether it’s emotional, logistical, or safety related.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of neighborhood-based policing as a strategy for improving relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Community policing advocates emphasized that when officers are deeply embedded in neighborhoods, they’re more likely to have the trust and respect of residents, leading to more effective and less confrontational outcomes. Neighborhood policing is about building relationships, not just responding to incidents. It also provides a way for officers to understand the unique challenges faced by the communities they work with.
Recognizing that these conversations can be intense and even triggering, organizers planned a special activity to decompress and provide an opportunity for attendees to process their thoughts and emotions. Towards the end of the meeting, participants were invited to join a calming sound bath session.
A sound bath is a meditative experience where participants are “bathed” in sound waves produced by instruments like singing bowls, gongs, chimes, or tuning forks. The goal is to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and help participants achieve a meditative state. For a few moments, the focus shifted from debate and advocacy to self-care and healing—a reminder that wellness is a crucial component of a strong community.
