About Model D – Model D

Detroit Community News

Model D covers the people, organizations, and ideas moving Detroit forward. From small businesses to big projects, we cover the work happening on the ground to drive meaningful change. This is Detroit community news you won’t read anywhere else.

We are committed to solutions journalism that reflects lived experience, builds understanding, and strengthens connection. Our Detroit community news uncovers how communities are responding to real challenges — practical solutions, local leadership, entrepreneurs, and community organizations working to improve quality of life and expand opportunity.

Informed, engaged communities depend on open access to local information. All of our content is free and accessible, with no paywall.

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Our Team

Reporter Kyla L. Wright is looking forward to Detroit stepping further into the spotlight in 2022, particularly in the entertainment industry.

Kyla Wright, Managing Editor

A Michigan native pursuing her Ph.D. in Information and Media at Michigan State University, Kyla brings deep roots and commitment to telling stories that shape the communities she serves. Her journalism journey spans newsrooms and brands throughout Detroit. She has reported for the Detroit Free Press, served as Brand Journalist for the Ilitch Companies, and freelanced for ESSENCE, Refinery29, and other national publications. A graduate of Hampton University and Syracuse University, where she earned degrees in journalism, Kyla’s work centers on media representations of Black women and bridging literacy and journalism for K-12 students. When she’s not editing or researching, Kyla can be found cheering on the Lions, advocating for mental health awareness, or working with young people to discover their voices through journalism.

Get in touch with Kyla at editor@modeldmedia.com.

Contributors:
Patrick Dunn, Sarah Williams, Erin Marie Miller, Greg Tasker, Melinda Clynes, Ellen Piligian, Kahn Santori Davison, Blake Woodruff, Layla McMurtrie, and Genevieve Fox.

Photography Contributors:
Nick Hagen, David Lewinski, Doug Coombe, Joe Powers, Steve Koss, Valaurian Waller, Rosa Maria Zamarron

Awards

Model D has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Detroit Excellence in Journalism Awards for reporting, photography, and audience engagement.

Recent honors include:

2023: 1st Place, Education Reporting for the Early Education Matters series
2022: Three 1st Place awards for Feature Photography, Portrait Photography, and Social Media Strategy, along with additional recognition in investigative reporting, newsletters, and health reporting
2020: 1st Place, Community/Local News Reporting for the Building Communities series, plus additional honors in investigative and feature reporting

About Issue Media Group

Vital journalism moving communities forward

Model D is part of the Issue Media Group family of publications.

Issue Media Group (IMG) is a national network of locally focused publications advancing community transformation through solutions-oriented journalism.

Across our markets, we report on the people, organizations, and practical responses addressing real challenges — sharing insights that communities can learn from and build on.

As the parent company of this publication, IMG provides the editorial framework, infrastructure, and cross-market collaboration that strengthen local impact.

Founded in 2005 in Detroit, IMG partners with mission-aligned organizations across the public, private, nonprofit, and grassroots sectors through an underwriting model of publishing. Our journalists engage directly with residents and stakeholders through ongoing listening sessions, ensuring that our reporting is community-informed, trust-building, and grounded in lived experience.

IMG’s journalism has been recognized and supported by national media and civic organizations, including the Knight Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Columbia Journalism Review, INC Magazine, Ground Source, and the Society for Professional Journalists.