Crossing the Lines is a multi-year project from WDET 101.9 FM that tells the stories and shows the diversity of people and perspectives of Metro Detroit.
This community-first journalism aims to engage with listeners by finding them where they live and work, by talking to them about their concerns in their community and listening — really listening — to what they have to say.
Communities visited since the series began in 2011 include Canton, Center Line, Southfield, Windsor and several Detroit neighborhoods. This year, WDET is examining Northville and Detroit’s enclave neighbor Highland Park.
Here are some of the stories that have been featured so far in 2026:
Highland Park was once home to diverse Muslim communities
While the city of Highland Park may be known as the birthplace of the automotive assembly line, it’s also home to one of the first mosques built from the ground up in the U.S.
Drawn to the area by Ford Motor Co., and $5-per-day wages, the Syrian immigrants built the mosque. It was only open for about a year before its congregants began heading to Dearborn.
Nargis Rahman has more to the story. Listen to it here.
Highland Park looks to the past while planning future for schools
The schools Cheryl Sanford attended growing up in Highland Park are closed now—as are all of the schools children in the city attended at that time.
Shrinking population left schools empty and in disrepair. Now, Highland Park School District authorizes one of the two charter schools in the city. Barber Preparatory School teaches kindergarten through eighth grade. There is no option for Highland Park students to attend high school in the city.
Sandford, the current president of the school board, spoke with WDET’s Sascha Raiyn about her vision for the kind of education the city can offer in the future. Listen here.
Highland Park wants to build the ‘missing middle’ to address housing shortage
At its peak, the city of Highland Park was described as a model city with more than 60,000 residents and the housing stock to hold it. Today, the population is less than 9,000 and neighborhoods are plagued with blighted and abandoned properties.
But city officials see an opportunity to rebuild the housing stock and population. Carlton Clyburn is the Director of Community and Economic Development in Highland Park. He spoke with WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley about the city’s rebirth that will start with building what he calls “the missing middle.” Listen here.
More in the series:
- Marsha Music maintains ties to Highland Park
- Automakers fueled growth in Highland Park then left it running on financial fumes
- Highland Park values enclave status
- Highland Park resident wants to see more schools open in the city
- Highland Park resident says smart planning can reduce poverty
- Highland Park Resident wants to save the Highland Appliance sign
- Highland Park pastor says he serves in an ‘enclave of love’
- Highland Park’s library has been dark for years. Residents haven’t given up
- A conversation with Highland Park’s mayor