Michigan Transformation Collective is a backbone organization advancing racial healing and collective power by creating the conditions for communities to heal, lead, and transform systems together. We convene and align partners, facilitate shared strategy, and support coordinated, community-driven action toward long-term systems change.
We envision generative communities that practice liberation, embrace truth, love, and healing, and where historically under-resourced people can claim and stand in collective power to activate generational wealth, health, and knowledge.
The Michigan Transformation Collective values transformative relationships, radical imagination, community care, courageous living and practice.
We believe that meaningful change begins with unity. By convening diverse stakeholders, we create spaces where collaboration flourishes, resources are mobilized, and leadership is cultivated. Through inclusive processes, we empower communities to take ownership of their challenges and collectively drive sustainable initiatives.
We recognize the importance of addressing racial divisions as a fundamental step towards achieving equity and justice. By curating spaces for truthful dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation, we foster healing and inspire collective action. Our aim is to create environments where individuals can confront uncomfortable truths, build empathy, and work together towards dismantling systemic racism.
We believe inclusive, equitable policies are essential for fostering thriving, just societies. We actively engage with policymakers, stakeholders, and affected communities to develop and advance solutions that address the root causes of racial disparities. Together, we strive to create a future where all individuals have equal opportunities to thrive, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
We understand that true change requires active participation from all members of the community. Through our activation efforts, we empower individuals to advocate for issues addressing the root causes of racial disparities and engage in civic processes.
Through our efforts, we cultivate unity, healing, advocacy, and activation toward racial equity. By convening diverse stakeholders, we foster collaboration and leadership development, empowering communities to address their challenges collectively. We curate spaces for racial healing, facilitating truthful dialogue and reconciliation to inspire action against systemic racism. Advocating for inclusive policies, we engage policymakers and stakeholders to dismantle racial disparities and foster just societies. Through activation, we empower individuals to advocate for change and engage in civic processes, driving meaningful progress toward racial justice.
Much like how anthers in flowers produce pollen for growth, the same can be said for the anthers in our logo. The orange dots represent what we aspire to transform our communities into – hope, courage, and love.
WKKF Awarded funds to support 14 communities across the United States to host the Trust, Racial Healing & Transformation Initiative. Kalamazoo is one of the original 14 sites.
This Network is designed to catalyze and expand local gun violence prevention by learning about and adapting best practices from across the country. Participating community foundations also work together to apply a racial equity lens to their gun violence prevention initiatives.
TRHT Kalamazoo becomes a project of the Tides Center and evolves into the the Michigan Transformation Network.
The Kalamazoo Blueprint for Peace is a long-term and community-led strategy to address community violence through a public health lens. The work captured in this report is the result of convening, research, interviews, site visits, and many community conversations that took place across Kalamazoo County and the Midwest from 2021-2023.
Racial healing is at the heart of racial equity. Racial healing is about:
Without racial healing and building trust, changes in policies or practices are short-lived. Through healing and relationship-building, we can collectively develop new values that affect our everyday decisions in areas of policy making, hiring, education and housing – to name just a few.
Racial healing is at the heart of racial equity. Racial healing is about:
Without racial healing and building trust, changes in policies or practices are short-lived. Through healing and relationship-building, we can collectively develop new values that affect our everyday decisions in areas of policy making, hiring, education and housing – to name just a few.
Racial healing refers to the process of addressing and repairing the harm caused by racial injustice, discrimination, and systemic oppression.
It involves acknowledging historical and present-day injustices, fostering understanding and empathy across racial divides, and promoting reconciliation, healing, and solidarity among individuals and communities.
Racial healing recognizes the deep-seated trauma and intergenerational impact of racism on individuals, families, and society as a whole, and seeks to create spaces for healing, dialogue, and transformative change.
It encompasses personal, interpersonal, and systemic dimensions, and involves both individual reflection and collective action to address the root causes of racial inequity and promote equity, justice, and belonging for all.
Racial healing is a proactive and ongoing process that requires commitment, compassion, and collaboration from individuals, communities, institutions, and society at large.