FLINT, Michigan — The fourth installment of Flintside’s neighborhood-based reporting series called “On the Ground” is coming to Sarvis Park.

For several months, the series will follow the Sarvis Park area — a community-defined region between Clio Rd., Stewart Ave., Fleming Rd., and Pasadena Ave. — and provide in-depth coverage that aims to speak from the heart and soul of one of Flint's North-side treasures.

Xzavier V. Simon, Flintside staff writer and self-published author, will lead our Sarvis Park coverage as Project Editor. The Beecher resident is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Flint, and the owner of The Modern Queer Magazine and podcast.

Tia Scott, Flintside's Managing Editor, will oversee On the Ground – Sarvis Park. Scott is a Flint native, having lived in Los Angeles, CA, and Phoenix, AZ. She has written blogs, bios, and mission statements in addition to covering and learning about the mainstream music industry.

Bryce Mata and Moniruj Dhrubo will serve as lead photographers for On the Ground. Mata is a Flint native whose mother was raised in the Sarvis Park neighborhood. He brings years of professional photography experience, covering music and community events within Flint, Detroit, and other areas.

Dhrubo, originally from Bangladesh, now calls the Genesee County area his home. He is an accomplished photographer and music producer, blending Bangladeshi and East Indian culture with Flint's ever-blossoming creative scene.   

Flintside will host a Sarvis Park community forum in May to introduce the publication to the community, gather the area's history, and listen to residents' ideas for what they would like to see within the series. Look for On The Ground – Sarvis Park coverage in our weekly newsletter, every Wednesday, beginning May 4 and running through the end of summer.

Flintside's parent company, Issue Media Group, brings ten years of experience with similar On the Ground projects in other communities around the country. On the Ground first launched in May 2012 as a pilot program in four Philadelphia and New Jersey neighborhoods. Since then, it has expanded into other areas such as Memphis, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Ypsilanti.

Flintside's On the Ground series is supported by the Ruth Mott Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. In addition, the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce serves as the project's fiscal sponsor.