“Kick Back and Breathe,” a free monthly event by the Institute of Public Scholarship, explores how air pollution impacts Black and Brown communities. Using data from local air monitors, the series empowers residents to understand their air and push for cleaner, healthier neighborhoods.
The enduring impact of racism on affordable housing in Kalamazoo illustrates a direct link between past injustices and present-day housing struggles.
“Growing up, everyone had asthma… we used to collect inhalers like they were Pokémon,” recalls Tyler Dancer while walking through his Northside neighborhood in early September. Envirosuite meters throughout the neighborhood now monitor hydrogen sulfide levels. Residents have filed a class action suit and formed a group, Kalamazoo Parents for Clean Air, to address the harmful impacts of industrial pollution.
Peter Robinson, known as Ten Hundred to his YouTube followers, brought his successful art enterprise from Seattle to St. Joseph. Now he and his wife are raising their family in Southwest Michigan as his channel takes on big murals, big collabs, and an instant Kickstarter hit that raised $2.4 million.
How can we recognize Asian accomplishments in Kalamazoo? Here is a handful of women who can help in that regard.
Imagine a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. It's called food sovereignty and Zoo City Farm and Food Network is working to bring it to Kalamazoo.
Uplift Kalamazoo is living up to the mission in its name by doing the work that needs to be done. Right now that often means making sure people have food to eat.
You have to know someone who knows Sherri to find out how to locate Hoodies. Or read this story.
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