Name: The Stories We Carry: Writer Colum McCann in Conversation with Michigan Public's April Baer
Start: 2026-09-30
End: 2026-09-30

Under the management of native Jamaican Robert Campbell, Jamaican Jerk Pit, is a small, unique restaurant serving up the very best Caribbean dishes. Although our dining area is small in scale, our dishes are packed with huge flavor and tropical flare. You can be sure you’ll find scrumptious meals here, using only the freshest ingredients and imported goods. Jamaican Jerk Pit strives on making each meal very authentic to what you would find in any Caribbean kitchen.

Featured dishes include specialties from around the islands such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bahamas, just to name a few. The island staff knows just the right way to deliver unique and tasty meals, time and time again. To maximize your taste satisfaction, each entree is made-to-order, fresh in the kitchen. Nothing mass produced here. Island foods have been known by most to be hot and spicy, but “no worries”! They cater to your unique tastes and spice levels.

Jamaican Jerk Pit

Specializing in offering a wide range of regional, global, and Belgian beers. Wine and cocktails available from their full bar. Serving their famous "Cosmik" fries and other various bar food options available.

HopCat

Looking for the best pizza in Ann Arbor? Rejoice, you aficionados of all things pizza pie, the seemingly endless search is finally over. From thin crust to deep dish to gluten-free options and beyond, Cottage Inn has got you covered.

Since 1948 they've offered the Ann Arbor community superior products using only the finest ingredients available. Not to mention, they're always listening to our customers in an effort to provide the best possible service around. The result? Decadent, delicious, delivery-ready gourmet pizza.

Cottage Inn - Packard St.

Formally known as Ali Baba’s for nearly 25 years, Baba Dari Mediterranean Grill carries on the legacy! Baba Dari offers affordable, fresh, and authentic Mediterranean cuisine in their close-to-campus location. Favorite menu items include the chicken shawarma, fattoush, falafel, and lentil soup, among many other entrees.

Baba Dari

Hill Auditorium is the largest performance venue on the University of Michigan campus, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The auditorium was named in honor of Arthur Hill, who served as a regent of the university from 1901 to 1909 Designed by architect Albert Kahn, this internationally acclaimed auditorium has been an architectural and cultural fixture in Ann Arbor for over a quarter century. Hosts the finest in world-renowned classical and contemporary music.

U-M Hill Auditorium

Cheery parlor dishes up an massive list of classic & imaginative ice cream & frozen yogurt flavors. Michigan Creamery is a family owned ice cream and sweet shop whose Ice Cream journey began when they opened their first store in 2007, in the small town of Dexter, located just outside Ann Arbor.

They have continued their journey in buying Stucchi's Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt on State Street, now named Michigan Creamery.

Michigan Creamery

Ann Arbor’s biggest bar to catch all of the big games on three 100 square foot HDTV screens or 35 monitors around the bar. Featuring over 30 different beers, and full menu including signature salads and sandwiches.

Scorekeepers Sports Bar & Grill

Serving huge, healthy, fast burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and more.

BTB Burrito

Serving Mexican fare with happy hour and nightly food and drink specials. Locally-sourced ingredients. Late night hours.

Cantina Taqueria + Bar

U-M tradition since 1979. Full menu and full bar. Nightly specials. Outdoor seating in warmer months.

Good Time Charley's

The [Ann Arbor Sports Commission](https://www.annarbor.org/sports-commission/ "Ann Arbor Sports Commission") works diligently to improve the quality of life through sports for all of Washtenaw County. The [Ann Arbor area](https://www.annarbor.org/ "Ann Arbor area") attracts both sports enthusiasts and participants alike. Thanks to its [easy accessibility](https://www.annarbor.org/plan/getting-here-getting-around/ "easy accessibility"), [wide range of facilities](https://www.annarbor.org/sports-commission/facilities-venues/ "wide range of facilities") available and variety of [dining](https://www.annarbor.org/foodanddrink/ "dining") & [entertainment](https://www.annarbor.org/things-to-do/ "entertainment") options, the Ann Arbor area is a favorite of sporting event organizations. The area has a rich sporting culture seeding in the history of two Division 1 athletic programs ([University of Michigan](https://www.annarbor.org/university-of-michigan/ "University of Michigan") and Eastern Michigan University) and several other small institutions. The Ann Arbor Sports was formed to attract amateur sporting events to the Ann Arbor region by assisting organizers every step of the way.

Ann Arbor is a dynamic mix of energy and charm—a bustling university town, a [foodie’s paradise](https://www.annarbor.org/foodanddrink/ "foodie's paradise"), and a cutting-edge tech hub, all wrapped in a [walkable downtown](https://www.annarbor.org/things-to-do/downtown/ "walkable downtown") bursting with [world-class arts and culture](https://www.annarbor.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/ "world-class arts and culture"). Located in Michigan’s southeast Lower Peninsula, Ann Arbor is the heartbeat of a vibrant network of [communities across Washtenaw County](https://www.annarbor.org/surrounding-destinations/ "communities across Washtenaw County"). With its creative spirit, diverse flavors, and unique neighborhoods, Ann Arbor shines as a exciting oasis.

Ann Arbor Sports Commission

Novelist Colum McCann joins Michigan Public's April Baer for a conversation on storytelling as an act of empathy and why listening matters now more than ever.  
  
Stories have the power not only to entertain or inform, but to help us imagine lives beyond our own. In this special Jill S. Harris Memorial Lecture, internationally acclaimed novelist Colum McCann joins Michigan Public's April Baer for a conversation about storytelling as an act of empathy, curiosity, and human connection. Drawing on McCann's celebrated fiction and his work as co-founder of Narrative 4, the discussion will explore how stories invite us to listen more deeply, understand one another across differences, and expand our sense of what it means to be human. At a time when genuine listening can feel increasingly rare, this conversation will consider the unique role that literature and storytelling can play in helping us encounter one another with greater openness, compassion, and imagination.  
  
Join us after the conversation for a Community Story Exchange led by Narrative 4 at 7pm! Registration required. More details at https://events.umich.edu/event/149899.

The Stories We Carry: Writer Colum McCann in Conversation with Michigan Public's April Baer

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