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Expanded trails and added bike lanes have been part of the push for cyclist safety in the Kalamazoo community. Still, getting from Point A to Point B can pose challenges, especially for those who are traveling with children. Avid cyclist and SW Second Wave Writer Mark Wedel speaks to local road-savvy bicyclists and shares some resources for choosing the safest routes.
The West Michigan African American Tech Readiness Collaborative is a group of 30 organizations seeking to increase African American representation in high-paying tech jobs, many of which don't require a four-year degree. Ida Byrd-Hill, CEO of Automation Works and initiative founder, says she believes West Michigan could become a major tech innovation hub.
"Battle Creek has more history per square mile than any other city" in the United States, says often-quoted Mary Butler, who was a well-respected Battle Creek historian. Now residents and visitors can hold some of that history in the palm of their hands by way of a newly-launched app called "Tours of Battle Creek" – just in time for some Memorial Day hometown touring!
Nonbinary, trans, and genderfluid people can find it challenging when shopping for clothes. Their shapes and body types may not conform to typical gender shapes and sizes. This Voices of Youth writer explains the difference between 'gender identity' and 'gender expression,' looks at some needs and challenges facing fashion choices for trans and gender-fluid folx, and creates her own trans clothing designs that accommodate differences in body shape and size.
“Today, I’m introducing you to a new scholarship program we’re calling the Bearcat Advantage,” said Kimberly Carter, Superintendent of Battle Creek Public Schools in a surprise announcement to a student-packed auditorium this Wednesday. “It will cover up to 100 percent of your college tuition and fees. . . Starting with the class of 2023 we will pay for your college education. This is your bridge and all you have to do is walk over it.”
Kalamazoo's Youth Juvenile Justice Fellowship program supports the development of youth advocates in the community, as well as a vision to create an alternative to youth incarceration in Kalamazoo. Southwest Michigan Second Wave's Mark Wedel speaks to a family who was impacted by an inequitable response when their son was nine, a situation which inspired them to get involved in advocating for juvenile justice reform.
“When it comes to gun violence and violence in general, there are still going to be people out there who want to hurt others," says Marshall Murdick, a senior, who is helping launch a Battle Creek Central H.S. chapter of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise Club. "We want to make sure our classmates are O.K. and at least have one friend out there so they will do better in life.”
Since November, two young men have died in separate incidents that involved exchanges of gunfire at the Campus Pointe Mall. Public safety are receiving increasing calls to manage unruly crowds and nuisance partying there. Local leaders, police, and business owners gathered May 8 to address the issues and brainstorm solutions to increase safety.
Raised on a potato farm, Brenda Hunt grew up comfortable on a tractor cultivating the fields. She brought that skill for cultivation to her position as CEO of the Battle Creek Community Foundation, but after 30 impactful years, she says she's ready to step down. And return – at least in part – to the tractor (which she still loves to ride) and her family farm.
The Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition has launched an $11 million fundraising campaign to preserve and renovate the 167-year-old First Baptist Church, which it now owns. Started five years ago, KNAC's mission is to create an inclusive, collaborative, affordable space for artists, nonprofits, and start-ups. "I believe a shared story of Kalamazoo is evolving," says KNAC Board Director Dann Sytsma, "and a shared space like KNAC can be an agent for that positive change."
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