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.
Equine-assisted therapy, in which a mental health clinician has additional training to use horses as part of the treatment plan, is a modality that is on the rise across the nation. That’s particularly true in the post-COVID era, as the number of children diagnosed with anxiety or depression or both has skyrocketed.
"We’ve created a program and an atmosphere where individuals can heal their mind, body, and soul — and ultimately, find a path to lasting recovery."
"The vast majority of Michiganders not only believe in climate change, they are concerned about it. There's no way you get to 72 percent of Michiganders without crossing partisan lines."
The Maple Street YMCA honors Welcoming Week by inviting newcomer immigrants and other community members to a multicultural dance class and ethnic dessert reception.
"There is a type of performance that, maybe you're not going to buy the record, but you feel lucky to be seeing people doing art that you've never seen before. It's like seeing a strange animal in the wild. Fascinating, amazing, but don't pet that thing, it might bite."
"The events we have planned for the coming months as part of 'A Life Well Lived — Kalamazoo' will challenge us to think about what is genuinely good for us in our relationships, our work, and our life projects."
The enduring impact of racism on affordable housing in Kalamazoo illustrates a direct link between past injustices and present-day housing struggles.
“You can’t save a place you don’t love. You can’t love a place you don’t know. And you can’t know a place you haven’t learned.” – Baba Dioum, a Senegalese environmentalist
Whether you come from Kalamazoo or Battle Creek, the Gilmore Car Museum delivers on a scenic, country drive and a rewarding destination. The 90-acre campus features over 400 pristine, well-cared-for automobiles, affordable diner fare, and to top off the visit, a choice of ice creams — custard or Plainwell.
A youth climate activist, an eco-spiritually focused Catholic nun, and a sustainability and tiny home advocate had a lively discussion at a recent Kalamazoo Lyceum. The upshot: Engage frequently with nature and welcome inconveniences that benefit the earth.
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