El Pulso: Weekly News from EL CENTRAL

"Spit in Your Face" Opens at Detroit Rep; ICE Protests Target Detention Centers in Romulus and Baldwin; DPSCD Announces Major High School Overhaul

In this week’s edition of EL PULSO, Catholic leaders and immigration organizers from across Michigan and Ohio gather in Detroit to discuss how churches can better support immigrant families facing deportation fears and expanded immigration enforcement. We also report on continued protests against both the proposed ICE detention center in Romulus and conditions inside the North Lake ICE Processing Center in Baldwin, as lawsuits and public pressure continue to grow. Detroit officials unveil “Occupy the Summer,” a citywide initiative expanding recreation center hours, late-night programming, and mentorship opportunities following another weekend of violence involving large teen gatherings downtown. Plus, Detroit Public Schools Community District announces a major redesign of its neighborhood high schools, introducing new diploma pathways, expanded career training, internships, and college access opportunities for nearly 8,000 students. And Detroit Repertory Theatre closes its season with the world premiere of Spit in Your Face, a new satire examining identity, allyship, and performative activism through comedy. The stories featured in this episode are published throughout the week at ELCENTRALmedia.com [https://ELCENTRALmedia.com]. 🎧 New episodes every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Michael D. Gutierrez

E&L Supermercado Closes After Fire; LA SED Celebrates 61 Years; Mariachi Vargas Performs at Detroit Opera House

In this week’s edition of EL PULSO, a fire at E&L Supermercado in Southwest Detroit leads to a federal arson case and temporarily shuts down one of the neighborhood’s most relied-on grocery stores. We also report from LA SED’s annual Recognition Luncheon at MGM Grand Detroit, where more than 400 residents, business leaders, and elected officials gathered to mark the organization’s 61 years serving Southwest Detroit communities. Detroit Cristo Rey High School’s Kinematic Wolves robotics team travels to Houston after becoming the first Detroit team to win the FIRST Impact Award at the Michigan state championships. Plus, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán performs at the Detroit Opera House following nearly two years of planning, while cultural events across Metro Detroit highlight lowrider traditions, Latin music, and Mexican-owned businesses. The stories featured in this episode are published throughout the week at ELCENTRALmedia.com [https://elcentralmedia.com]. 🎧 New episodes every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Michael D. Gutierrez

Cinco de Mayo Parade & Fiesta, Romulus ICE Proposal Faces Protest, Sushi Los Toritos Opens on W. Vernor

In this week’s edition of EL PULSO, Southwest Detroit prepares for its annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta, with events scheduled along West Vernor and a parade route stretching from Patton Park to Clark Park. In Romulus, several hundred protesters gathered to oppose a proposed 500-bed ICE detention center near Detroit Metropolitan Airport, as legal challenges from state and local officials move forward. We also report on a growing volunteer network across Michigan coordinating transportation for immigrants released from the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, as families navigate limited notice and long-distance travel. Back in Southwest Detroit, Sushi Los Toritos opens on West Vernor with a Mexican-inspired take on sushi, while local food entrepreneurs gather at a TechTown Detroit event to discuss challenges in staffing, burnout, and regulation. And the Detroit Institute of Arts opens submissions for its annual Día de Muertos Ofrendas exhibition, inviting community members to participate in a citywide cultural tradition. The stories featured in this episode are published throughout the week at ELCENTRALmedia.com [https://elcentralmedia.com]. 🎧 New episodes every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Spanish S.W.A.G. Program Expands Statewide, VOCES Teams with U of M, & a Dearborn Family Departs U.S.

Read the articles at EL CENTRALmedia.com [https://EL CENTRALmedia.com]! In this week’s edition of EL PULSO, we report on a Detroit educator expanding a Spanish learning program built around culture, identity, and real-world use across Michigan. In Southwest Detroit, residents are partnering with VOCES and the University of Michigan to document more than a century of Latino history through oral storytelling workshops rooted in the community. We also follow one Dearborn family’s decision to leave the United States after a deportation, reflecting the difficult choices immigrant households across Michigan are facing. Plus, more than 100 Detroit students step onto a Southwest construction site to train alongside skilled trades workers, as demand for these careers continues to grow statewide. We cover Detroit’s new summer safety plan focused on youth engagement and prevention, and check in on Detroit City FC after a road loss as the team looks for its first away win of the season. The articles mentioned in this episode are published throughout the week at ELCENTRALmedia.com, with new stories dropping Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. 🎧 New episodes every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Michael D. Gutierrez

58 Sources of Pollution , Kresge's $50K Artist Grants, & Cinco de Mayo Returns

In this week’s episode: New data shows 58 sources of air pollution concentrated in one Southwest Detroit neighborhood; A free college fair connects students with bilingual resources and admissions guidance; Detroit artists receive $50,000 fellowships to support new work; Cinco de Mayo weekend returns with a 5K run, parade, and two-day fiesta; And a Michigan organization responds to rising immigration enforcement with community support. Read more at ELCENTRALmedia.com or listen every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Michael D. Gutierrez.