Coverage of programs that deal with gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability, and socioeconomic status; are focused on fair access to resources and opportunities; and, those that create environments where people feel welcome, respected, and fully accepted.
Nicole Triplett, of Black Wall Street Kalamazoo, and Nicole Parker, of Sisters in Business, helped launch a West Michigan coalition that just earned state funding to expand support for Black-owned businesses.
On June 2, the Kalamazoo County Housing Department opened its online portal for projects seeking financial support from the county’s Homes for All Housing Millage. “It’s open and we have money for funding,” says Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balkema. “We’re really hoping that developers and nonprofits go in and really have some good applications for funding.”
To help autistic people and their families manage these challenges, Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM), Delta Airlines, and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport partner to host On Board for Autism events that prepare them to successfully take a flight.
Lalonie Willhite founded Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation to make sure kids growing up in foster homes didn’t encounter struggles with self esteem that comes with foster and adoptive parents not knowing how to care for all textures of hair. The Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation also is an example of how a nonprofit contributes to economic growth right here in the community while fulfilling its core mission of giving back.
The MI Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint would ensure that Michigan adequately and equitably funds public special education in Michigan.
This Voices of Youth story focuses on teenagers' experiences with racism in their schools, describing the casual use of slurs and stereotypes as both painful and normalized among peers trying to fit in. While some youth express hope for change, others feel racism has become more insidious and less overt.
Now completing her first year as director of development and operations for Kalamazoo Housing Advocates, Maliha Raza seeks to help others find their home here.
The Autism Alliance of Michigan and other advocates for autistic people are working hard to move from raising autism awareness to fostering autism acceptance.
“When I was coming out in 2018, I felt safe to do so within my friend group partly because of the media we were consuming, which was slowly including more queer characters, and the conversation about queer actors and artists became much more public."
To honor Transgender Day of Visibility, OutFront Kalamazoo hosted a Trans Gallery for the Art Hop in March. Social Practice Artist Maya James spoke with several artists whose work has many intersections — from cover crops to animation.
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