Profits From Prisoners – NowKalamazoo
Profits from prisoners In addition to a six-figure signing bonus, Kalamazoo County pockets most of the fees that those locked up in the county jail pay to a telecommunications company to talk to the outside world. These types of deals are not unique, but are now under scrutiny nationwide.By Kristie May, Raine Kuch & Reid Williams ● Policies & Power ● September 30, […]
Speak Up Now For A Budget That Supports Our Values
If the State’s budget is a representation of our values, then Michigan needs to do some soul searching. For the first time in decades, no part of our Budget has been negotiated by this point in the year – and when Lansing is quiet, it’s not good news for community input. The school budget is […]
The Next Chapter: OutFront Kalamazoo’s Vision for Equity and Belonging
Born and raised in a tight-knit church community in Eastern Detroit, Michael Cleggs-Arnott yearned for a community where he could feel safe, seen and loved. “We didn’t talk about our sexual identity,” he said. “I didn’t have access to people like myself.” But work brought him to Kalamazoo in 2008, where he joined OutFront Kalamazoo […]
How Life Hoops is Reshaping the Game for Kalamazoo Youth
For Laird Walker, basketball wasn’t just a game—it was where he learned about the society’s hierarchies and what it might take to heal from them. Today, he leads Life Hoops, a program that empowers young Black and Brown men in Kalamazoo to cultivate joy, resilience, and healing through basketball, community engagement, and mentorship. As a […]
How Kalamazoo’s Promise to Read is Transforming Literacy in Our Community
A dedicated group of local educators is on a mission to overcome reading disparities in our community, driven by a shared passion for education and personal experiences with the power of reading. Co-led by Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) teachers and literacy experts Deanna Roland and Renay Williams-Whitson, Promise to Read is a movement to empower […]
Rootead in Rhythm: How Kalamazoo is Reclaiming African Heritage Through Dance
Rootead Enrichment Center Heather Mitchell, Director of Youth Enrichment at Rootead Enrichment Center (REC), discovered her passion for dancing as a form of expression through a deep yearning for connection to her cultural roots, a feeling she shared with her cousin and co-founder of REC, Kama Mitchell. “Growing up, we spent a lot of time […]
Building a More Equitable Kalamazoo: MTC’s Milestones and the Road Ahead
Building a More Equitable Kalamazoo: MTC’s Milestones and the Road Ahead Michigan Transformation Collective (MTC) has catalyzed change, driving collaborative efforts to dismantle systemic barriers and create a more equitable Michigan. Grounded in our commitment to healing the deep wounds of racism, we have worked to harness the collective energy of community members, leaders, and […]
Meet our new Director of Community Engagement
Community Rich Growing up in New York City with my Burmese and Taiwanese heritage shaped how I move through spaces of racial justice work. I grew up Capitalist Poor, Community Rich. My parents immigrated from Burma and like many of us, sacrificed comforts and worked hard. I never went hungry, and was raised by my […]
Press Release: Michigan Passes Historic Bill to Advance Community Violence Intervention Statewide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact Brooke Lindleyemail: brooke@mitransformation.orgphone: 269-550-8290 December 20, 2024 Michigan Passes Historic Bill to Advance Community Violence Intervention Statewide LANSING, MI— This week, Michigan solidified its leadership in violence prevention by passing a historic bill ensuring Medicaid coverage for community violence intervention (CVI) services. Sponsored by Rep. Christine Morse (D-Texas Twp.), the legislation marks […]
The Power of Representation: How Elections Shape the Dreams of Our Children
One of the most overlooked populations during election season is our children. While they can’t yet cast a vote, they’re often in the room, listening to candidate speeches and absorbing public opinion. They might not fully understand politics or the issues on the ballot, but they are watching, and we can’t discount the conditioning that […]