Voices of Youth: ACLU, YWCA Kalamazoo sue Michigan over Medicaid’s abortion coverage ban
ACLU Kalamazoo and YWCA Kalamazoo are bringing a suit against the State of Michigan because of a ban on funding abortion care for Medicaid recipients.
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.
Voices of Youth: Ten things teens should know about voting
Even though the 2024 presidential election has come and gone, many youths will turn 18 in the coming year and be eligible to vote. Voices of Youth's Anas Elkafrawy has identified 10 important things to know before teens cast their first vote.
El Concilio celebrates new building, prepares for life under Trump, round two
Correspondent Mark Wedel recently visited El Concilio's new building to learn how much more work the organization can do for the community in the new location. But the sense that the coming years are going to be years of crisis kept intruding on the visit that included a serious discussion of what could be coming under a second Trump administration for the community El Concilio serves.
Voices of Youth: Classroom ‘Cozy Corner’ lets teens take emotional break
Pillows and nooks aren't just for elementary school classrooms. Adolescents also benefit from an inviting, comfy space to take a time out. One Loy Norris High School teacher created a classroom Cozy Corner — and her students are benefiting.
Finding answers means discussion with those who are unsheltered, shelter representatives suggest
It's getting harder to operate a shelter for the unhoused as their numbers increase. Representatives of two of Kalamazoo's most recognizable shelters tell Housing Matters what might work to bring those numbers down.
It’s first-come first-served for four new houses in Kalamazoo’s Northside neighborhood
Prospective homeowners must be first-time home-buyers, pre-approved by a mortgage lender, represented by a Realtor, and have participated in at least one of three home-buying workshops conducted at NACD. Beyond that the process to obtain one of the four homes is first-come first-served.
Kalamazoo’s Stulberg string competition brings back medalist for golden anniversary
The Stulberg International String Competition has grown to be one of the world's premier young string players' competitions drawing more competitors each year and spawning impressive musical careers. To celebrate its 50th, former medalist and violinist Rachel Barton Pine returns to Kalamazoo.
Subject to Review: Ed Genesis on the politics of hip-hop
Local hip-hop artist Ed Genesis recently presented a seminar on hip-hop through a social justice lens. Maya James, our social practice artist and writer, was there to 'review.' She also created a collage to accompany the piece.
Soap and Hope: Advocates for the unhoused find a way to help with laundry day
Kalamazoo Together for the Unhoused raised enough money for around 91 people to get 2,600 pounds of laundry done. It's part of their mission to bring dignity to those who find themselves without permanent lodgings.
Planning continues for short- and long-term locations for Kalamazoo’s Northside library
The closure of the Alma Powell Branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library stunned Northside residents. Plans are underway for short and long-term locations that will feature facilities that meet residents' needs.
