tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27725341039962209852024-02-19T18:50:02.709-08:00The Connection to YesterdayEstablished as a non-profit in 2003, the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society works toward creating a world that nurtures respect, appreciation, and study of the African American heritage and contributions to Southwest Michigan history. We serve and empower residents of Southwest Michigan to appreciate the heritage and history of African Americans in our region as a meaningful part of their contemporary lives. The Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12847188868380455173noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-68595006770307478422015-02-16T05:45:00.001-08:002015-02-16T06:25:19.751-08:00Get Ready to "Read All About It!"<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since the first slaves were brought to America in 1619, black men and women were denied even basic education. Due to widespread fear of slave insurrection, many states even passed laws prohibiting teaching African Americans to write and read. Slave owners believed that by denying slaves access to potentially radical ideas of freedom, reflection, community building and communication, they were protecting themselves. However, through a determination to preserver and prosper, African Americans began sharing through voice. Thus, the tradition of oral story telling has arisen as one of the primary means of preserving African American history and values.<br />
<br />
In our <span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>“Read All About It 2015”</b></span> program, we will be honoring and celebrating story telling with “The Oral Tradition in African American Culture.” The February 22nd program will feature writer and historian, Dr. Michelle Johnson, who will discuss the work of Zora Neale Hurston. Johnson is the Co-Founder and Executive Director Associate of Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative. As a public scholar, she has done extensive research on the Underground Railroad, creating curriculum and programs for 3rd, 4th and 8th grades as well as compiling a curriculum series on the Underground Railroad and resistance to slavery for the First Congregational Church of Detroit. Johnson has led a community project in Loughman, Florida, researching, interpreting and producing the work of Zora Neale Hurston.<br />
<br />
The program will also feature husband and wife duo, Von and Fran Washington, who will perform an Underground Railroad presentation based on a story from the Hackley family, early African American settlers in southwest Michigan. The Washingtons, who have distinguished themselves as writers, educators, directors and producers, operate Washington Productions Incorporated, an organization that exists to “provide an accurate, in-depth view of the African American experience through the performing arts.” Von and Fran have been story-telling together for over 18 years and have performed their stories—most of which present some piece of black history—to over 150,000 children and adults. You can visit their site and learn more about booking them by clicking <a href="http://www.washprod.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Mark your calendars for the annual “Read All About It” program scheduled for this <b>Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Portage District Library, 2:00 p.m.</b> It is free, open to the public and we are so excited to see you!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-48137673829825204822015-01-26T06:23:00.000-08:002015-01-26T11:35:28.458-08:00Let's Chat<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px;">Ugly pockets of conscious bigotry remain in this country, but most discrimination is more insidious. The urge to find and call out the bigot is powerful, and doing so is satisfying. But it is also a way to let ourselves off the hook. Rather than point fingers outward, we should look inward — and examine how, despite best intentions, we discriminate in ways big and small."</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px;">-Sendhil Mullainathan</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Monday, Kalamazoo. It's a brisk and chilly, chilly day out there! However, the sun is shining, I'm drinking my favorite cup of coffee in town, and all is well. Our Lunchtime Film Showing of "Race--The Power of an Illusion" went well on Thursday. A thanks to all who came out. We had around 35 community members join us for the showing and participate in the dialogue. If you were unable to come, no worries! The Racial Healing Initiative has more conversations coming. Co-sponsored with the Kalamazoo Valley Office of Student Activities and Diversity and Inclusion Committee, we've got four chats scheduled. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZvB8cVC8AAVLg2HF4Li0aJTzUGwfVf3ovepN1z8DEBCeoZxuK0eUVeMPlVA-_8m2vmaauprtj8FRdhRwC-Xsqc7R3tCCOea9WAP1fKmFJL-wcOFDcsuFqlB1fAk_5bXRn2WeVU2zfng/s1600/Flyer+Final-page-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZvB8cVC8AAVLg2HF4Li0aJTzUGwfVf3ovepN1z8DEBCeoZxuK0eUVeMPlVA-_8m2vmaauprtj8FRdhRwC-Xsqc7R3tCCOea9WAP1fKmFJL-wcOFDcsuFqlB1fAk_5bXRn2WeVU2zfng/s1600/Flyer+Final-page-0.jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mark your calendars. All discussions are free and open to the public, and we'd love to have you join us! Acknowledging racism as a systemic problem into which we all play a part is difficult, but necessary. Until then, here's a quick article to get your week rolling. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/upshot/the-measuring-sticks-of-racial-bias-.html?abt=0002&abg=0&_r=0" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/upshot/the-measuring-sticks-of-racial-bias-.html?abt=0002&abg=0&_r=0</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-83634800568594419152015-01-19T12:45:00.003-08:002015-01-19T12:45:57.107-08:00Race, the Power of an Illusion Showing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img height="240" src="http://subzinfo.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/race_dna1.jpg?w=640" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Race--The Power of an Illusion</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thursday, January 22</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kalamazoo Valley Museum</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Free and open to the public!</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Looking for growth? Looking for a chance to connect? Looking for a place to eat your lunch among good company while having a stimulating dialogue about issues that affect you and your community? Well, look no further! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Please join us this <b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Thursday, January 22 at Noon at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum</span></b>, for a free film showing followed by a facilitated discussion. Presented by the Racial Healing Initiative of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society and Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Arcadia Campus Committee for Cultural Understanding, we will be showing a segment of the three-part film "Race--The Power of an Illusion," a compelling and influential documentary that questions the idea of race as a reality.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The film explores the ways that race has been built up and how it has shaped the way we related to ourselves and each other. The documentary shows us that although race is <a href="http://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm" target="_blank">only a social construct</a>, it is a very real system and foundation on which our society has been structured and built. And the consequences of this imagined identifier have been catastrophic for our humanness on a whole--wounding and damaging our humanity in the lingering legacy of centuries of oppression and cruelty. As a <span style="color: #c27ba0;">social construct</span>, race still exists as the foundation for discrimination and oppression, giving white populations more freedom and access to resources and opportunities, while creating incredible barriers to attaining these same resources for folks of color. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As we reflect on the film together, we'll be asked to think about race and racism in ways that go beyond individual stereotypes and prejudices, and address the systems, policies and procedures that allow oppression and disparities to thrive between people of different skin colors. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Until Thursday, check out the website, where you can explore some of these ideas and analysis about race before the showing. The <a href="http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm" target="_blank">PBS site</a> for "The Power of an Illusion" is a very interactive site where you can look at definitions of race, discover how race is a social construct and not a genetic code, see how people are sorted into races (rightly or wrongly), view the variety of shared traits such as skin and blood type between races, explore a timeline of how American ideas of race have changed over time based on shifting political priorities and much, much more. I highly recommend taking a look at this resource.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
See you there!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-59167975748661681932015-01-05T07:17:00.003-08:002015-01-05T07:17:37.845-08:00Dust Tracks on a Road<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://d20eq91zdmkqd.cloudfront.net/assets/images/book/large/9780/0620/9780062004833.jpg" /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><i>“Why fear? The stuff of my being is matter, ever changing,
ever moving, but never lost; so what need of denominations and creeds to deny
myself the comfort of all my fellow men? The wide belt of the universe has no
need for finger-rings. I am one with the infinite and need no other assurance.”</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Okay, okay, I'll be honest. I haven't read it yet. But,
geeze! It sure does look good! </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">This month for our Racial Healing Book Club meeting, we will
be reading and discussing Zora Neale Hurston's well-loved autobiography
"Dust Tracks on a Road." First published in 1942, at the peak of her
popularity, this book chronicles Hurston's childhood of poverty in the rural
South on to her success as one of the most prominent artists of the
Harlem Renaissance. Renowned for her wit, wisdom and audacity, Hurston is
routinely considered a pioneer of her time, and one of the greatest geniuses of
anthropology and writing in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society holds this Book
Club meeting every other month throughout the year. The Race Initiative Book
Club is founded out of the SMBHS’s Racial Healing Initiative, which is a
program that maintains that the “lingering legacy of historical injustices must
be addressed through” four steps: facing history, making connections, healing
wounds and taking action. The Book Club is a drop-in club that fits into this
structure by opening up a space for people to read and discuss books that
promote racial healing and reconciliation. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Please
join us on Thursday, January 15th from 6:30-8:00 pm at Kazoo Books to discuss
this historic piece. It is free, open to the public, and we would love to see
your face! </b>The book is available at the library or at Kazoo Books for purchase. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Kazoo Books</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">2513 Parkview Avenue</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">Kalmazoo, MI</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">For more information on our Book Club, check out<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://swmichiganblackheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2013_12_01_archive.html" target="_blank">this article</a>. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-35728042743964155742015-01-02T09:58:00.004-08:002015-01-02T10:01:22.444-08:00There's Still Time to View Voices For Social Justice!<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<img alt="voices for social justices" src="https://www.kvcc.edu/perf/images/uploads/1208010417rd/501_secban_Voices_final.png" /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;"><b>If you're looking for something to do in the chill of the new year, why not visit the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and hear a little bit of wisdom from some local residents who are working to create change?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;">The
Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society are
working together to continue the community conversation about race, equity, and
social justice in a new project based on oral histories with contemporary
residents of Kalamazoo. The project, “Voices for Social Justice,” opened at the
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kalamazoo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place>
on October 5, 2014 with a panel question and answer session moderated by
Earlene McMichael from WMUK Radio, and featured five local social justice
activists who were interviewed and highlighted for the project.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;">The
engaging conversation between the panelists and the audience stressed
the importance
of continuing to fight racism consciously and with
full commitment. Despite the often remarked sentiment that we live in
a post-racist society, Chéree Thomas, Program Director at Douglass
Community Association, reminded the audience that racism “hasn’t gone
anywhere; it just looks different.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype'; font-size: 10pt;">The panel
was unanimous in the sentiment that racism is still alive. “No one can <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>survive in this society without being
poisoned,” said Jo Ann Mundy, Executive Director of ERAC/CE. Racism
wounds not only the oppressed, but also the oppressor. However, according
to JR Reynolds, anti-racist activist and columnist for the Battle Creek
Inquirer, racism is but one facet of the problems that we face
in society. He
argues that in order to address social justice issues and fight for equality,
one cannot focus on only one of the “isms.” Racism, sexism, able-ism, et cetera
are all part of the equation that adds up to injustice and inequality in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Reynolds says that one cannot work against one ‘ism’ and not be affected by the
other issues, and this sentiment was repeated by every panelist. “The crux
of justice” is “anti-oppression” as a whole, said Lisa Brock, Academic
Director of the <st1:placename w:st="on">Arcus</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype> for Social Justice Leadership at <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kalamazoo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
We must do it together and “it’s going to take all of us.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">“Voices
for Social Justice” can be viewed for free at the KVM now through January
19, 2015</span><span style="color: #38761d;">.</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Stop by the Museum to listen to excerpts of interviews in which
several local residents speak about their work, ideals, hopes, and dreams for a</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:city style="font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kalamazoo</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
community that fully embraces social justice. What does an equitable </span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">society look like? See what a few of
your neighbors think, and participate in the conversation.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-8300214103700386572014-10-25T05:44:00.000-07:002014-11-05T17:30:42.550-08:0010th Annual Summit on Racism Returns to Create More Change<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Rk4G7rk_jHiY-YTegWIuNPNaoOAdCjHS6YnQvTYSx_JX1tA5BlTyilNP5FmfbpQ5jlRFo_dxPaAAousa9QGP02j7n_mzg88KL4l_Yhg9CQH5X_n-bVJgfdqG2pKM5W3TIu31qa6xHJo/s1600/530097_10151072990857914_1986736042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Rk4G7rk_jHiY-YTegWIuNPNaoOAdCjHS6YnQvTYSx_JX1tA5BlTyilNP5FmfbpQ5jlRFo_dxPaAAousa9QGP02j7n_mzg88KL4l_Yhg9CQH5X_n-bVJgfdqG2pKM5W3TIu31qa6xHJo/s1600/530097_10151072990857914_1986736042_n.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, well. Autumn is here, and I am not unaffected. I feel it every year: a sense of calm and reflection, a need to create and grow. To me, there is something remarkable about the season. In fall, the world is grave and magnetic. Leaves open up in new colors, the air vibrates in golden hues, and I am reminded that all of life ebbs and flows. As trees change and shed off the year's weight, so, too, do I. And though many see death in falling leaves (along with the impending doom of winter!), I see the epitome of life. I see time to reassess and begin. A foundation that will break down and create life. I see a chance to grow.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And so, what a phenomenal time to welcome in the 10th annual Summit on Racism! Since 2004, the Summit on Racism has been bringing together caring people from our community who are invested in creating change and eliminating racism in Kalamazoo. This invaluable venue has created space for different community members and organizations to share ideas and pool resources in order to better fight and eradicate institutional racism by taking action, and this year we're continuing the fight.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Summit on Racism's theme this year is <i>"Empowering ourselves to Transform our Community." </i>We will be looking at ways of addressing racism in <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>our own homes</b></span>, <span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>our schools </b></span>and in <span style="color: #c27ba0;"><b>our places of employment</b></span>. This year's program will feature a panel of representatives from The Whirlpool Corporation, Community Mental Health of Kalamazoo, Open Doors, and the Summit Education Committee--a group that sprang from last years Summit on Racism which has found some success toward creating change in the education systems in Kalamazoo. After the panel discusses how their organizations have successfully implemented racial equity initiatives in their institutions, Summit community members will divide into action network groups to hold a dialogue on racism and develop action steps to reach attainable goals for eliminating racism at home, at school and at work.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Goals of the 2014 Summit on Racism are:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. To introduce models of transformation at home, at school, and at work.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. To continue the community dialogue about race and race relations</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. To generate action steps toward a more just and equitable society.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Role of Kalamazoo’s Summit on Racism is to:</b></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Challenge White Privilege by acknowledging how racism based on mainstream privilege works and to eliminate institutional structures and social practices that thwart equality, equity, and justice for all.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Focus on Racism by addressing racism in any proposed community solution to a problem</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Promote Cultural Competence by fostering general cultural competence among and between groups, and to replace white privilege with multiculturalism as the dominant paradigm.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Eliminate Institutional Racism by focusing on changing systems that perpetrate racism.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Take Direct Action by engaging in action-oriented initiatives via research or study.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Brought to you by The Racial Healing Initiative of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, in collaboration with the YWCA of Kalamazoo, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, the Fair Housing Center of Kalamazoo, the Community Action Agency, and media sponsor WMUK, the Summit on Racism: Empowering Ourselves to Transform our Community will be held on:</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Friday, November 14, 2014, </b>from <b>7:30 am-Noon </b>at the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
YWCA of Kalamazoo. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
353 E. Michigan </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The event is <b><span style="color: #a64d79;">free and open to the public</span></b>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Please join us this year to participate in the dialogue, make connections and develop action plans for eliminating racism. </span>To RSVP, please contact us here at the SMBHS via email: smbhs03@gmail.com or phone: 269.381.9775</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: start;"><br /></b>
<b style="text-align: start;"><br /></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-70432785940694327942014-02-22T10:28:00.003-08:002014-02-22T10:28:57.300-08:00Healing Together<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi2x9Amf1_n3UU2gSTuAutMI6GPCdes5K7a_61DojbAdJbJAQc3LhJqoYVgU73Ih-XAO-GwxZUU8ljFqG0fg1FmPUXcbcFSNbBChww5eLSp0gSRax28cW-ds63mYX1oywtw4vVCfn7hA/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi2x9Amf1_n3UU2gSTuAutMI6GPCdes5K7a_61DojbAdJbJAQc3LhJqoYVgU73Ih-XAO-GwxZUU8ljFqG0fg1FmPUXcbcFSNbBChww5eLSp0gSRax28cW-ds63mYX1oywtw4vVCfn7hA/s1600/beach.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is I who Must Begin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">~By: Vaclav Havel</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is I who must begin. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once I begin, once I try</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">—</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here and now, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Right where I am,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">not excusing myself</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by saying that things</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">would be easier elsewhere,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">without grand speeches and </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ostentatious gestures,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but all the more persistently</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">—</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to live in harmony</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with the "voice of Being," as I </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">understand it within myself</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">—</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as soon as I begin that,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I suddenly discover,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to my surprise, that </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am neither the only one, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nor the first, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nor the most important one</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to have set out</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">upon that road.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether all is really lost</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or not depends entirely on</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">whether or not I am lost.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I like to rise early so that I can move about my mornings slowly. Waking past the bewildered moment of first opening my eyes, over to the window to see what the world looks like for the day. I shuffle, serene before real world distractions, breathing in the scent of hot coffee, the unyielding routine of brown eggs. I like to indulge in the quiet and the novelty of the day. M</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ost mornings I make a great breakfast and think about the small, simple things that become us: the color of winter morning air, the movement of cold bodies on the street. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Taking unspoiled time to experience myself before the influence of my people, my jobs, my obligations. This is the way I like best to experience the world. Slow mornings are my blessings. It is in these moments when I learn the most about myself. It is in these moments that I find the center of it all. And in more recent mornings I've been finding myself reflecting less on simple things, and more, now, on that which is deep, that which is grave and important. I move from the small, to reflecting on the feelings of isolation, devastation, connection, of love. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
This has been inspired in no small part by my recent attendance to the Healing Together Retreat on January 23, 2014. As marked by the SMBHS site, the Racial Healing Retreats, put on by the Racial Healing Initiative of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, are "designed for small, interracial groups of community members who have a desire for personal transformation, connection and community healing. The retreats facilitate a healing journey towards individual and community reconciliation of unresolved trauma caused by issues of race." The Retreat is a full day, facilitated experience that takes place only a couple times a year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I had been hearing little rumors about this retreat for months by this point, but was still unsure of what to expect. I had, however, been warned about tissue boxes and tears. On the day of the retreat, it was bitter cold outside and heavy with another night of unforgiving snowfall. After having Al, the man I've come to know as my giver of wisdom, help push my car out of the driveway, Donna and I set out into the crisp morning, slowly through the snow. Driving through hilly roads west of town, my little car chugging doubtfully, we arrived a little late and a little busted with the day, not yet 8 o'clock. However, the Fetzer Institute proved to be an instant haven, and my exhaustion quickly gave way to comfort. Warmed by a wood-burning fireplace, the building offered us a view of the rare blue sky through great, wide windows overlooking winter's white scene</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>—</i></span>a frosted pond, magnificent, old trees. After tea, coffee and a small breakfast, our retreat began. Less than twenty of us sat in a circle</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>—</i></span>a mix of black, white and brown complexions, the aged, the young and those in between. All women, save for the two men who huddled together, overwhelmed, I'm sure, by their small numbers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After sitting, we were welcomed by two phenomenal facilitators, Beverly Coleman and Caren Dybek, trained in the prestigious </span><a href="http://www.couragerenewal.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Center for Courage and Renewal</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Throughout the day, Bev and Caren eased us into this inexplicable space by guiding us through a set of greetings, activities, reflections and small group discussions that allowed us to really dig into </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">both our own </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">experiences with race, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and each other's</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> experiences with race. We read poetry (see above!), created our own personal timelines, wrote and spoke. Through the sharing of our stories and perspectives, we were able to reflect on how racism affected our lives and the health of our community, how it crippled and scarred. We were able to use this room full of wisdom and experience, this room full of different backgrounds and histories, to build a better understanding of racism and its various faces. And through the sharing, through the honest listening, we were able to connect.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
I am left in awe, yet again, at the importance of story-telling. As Donna will tell you, the feedback we </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">always</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> get after </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">any</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> program is gratitude for creating a space to have a dialogue about race. People are craving this conversation. We are aching for it. In January, the Healing Together Retreat again opened up this space. It gave us a chance to connect to one another and acknowledge the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">individual </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">experiences we each have with race. For me, this experience of Racial Healing was quite honestly the cherry on top of my still-developing journey with acknowledging and combating racism in my own life and in my community. Having spent a modest amount of time thinking about racism somewhat academically in school and through trainings like </span><a href="http://eracce.org/about-us.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ERAC/Ce</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I am conscious of the vastness and gravity of racism. I know and recognize how it is literally ingrained in the smallest and largest foundations of our society. And while we each have our own experiences with it, it is undeniably a structural and systemic problem. It is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> invasive species. Racism saturates all things</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>—</i></span>health, housing, employment, education, the judicial system, women's rights, gender issues, et cetera and on and on. When one works for social justice, they must recognize this fact at all times. And, to be honest, it is a daunting and disheartening reality. So, to have the chance to couple this knowledge of institutional racism with a conversation and a practice of listening to individual experiences. Well. It completed my circle, connected my dots. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Through the process of sharing with folks at this Retreat, I realized that I had been spending a lot of time thinking about the institution of racism, and only a very small amount of time reflecting and understanding how it has damaged my own life. For me, acknowledging race has been a particularly painful and terrifying experience, because</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>—</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like many people who identify as multiracial</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>—</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as a biracial young woman with fair skin, I still do not see or understand my place in this world. This retreat challenged me to take up courage and explore this. And I'm seeing that through following this exploration and acknowledging how damaging race has been in my own life and development, I feel much more prepared these days to converse about racism and find ways to move forward. This retreat helped fill a void for me,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> provided me with a more full set of tools, so to speak, to advance in combatting racism on multiple levels.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, in many ways, the Healing Together Retreat married two worlds for me. Where Anti-racism is giving folks the tools to really recognize and analyze racism as it relates to systems, structures and institutions, Racial Healing is providing us with opportunities to connect as individuals and find personal transformations. I cannot express enough how well these two philosophies compliment each other. That is, we need to be able to address and share these individual racisms while also thinking about and acknowledging the systems and structures. We must be able to transform our own understandings, transform ourselves in order to make larger change. Please watch </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/01/how_well_does_the_media_cover_race.html" target="_blank">this four minute video</a> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">read this short article for some light and articulation on my thoughts here. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All in all, what will always stand with me from this day is the importance of connection for healing. Although I feel that I am still beginning my journey with race, because of the connections I made at the Retreat, I now have a deeper understanding of racism than I ever would have had exploring this issue alone, or with my own circle and family.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Without community, we are weak. I believe, firmly and sincerely, that we cannot create change alone. However, when we come together, when we listen with compassion, heart, understanding and a desire to grow, we create a space that naturally nurtures and promotes healing. No longer a soldier, but an army.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now as I sit in the mornings, quietly reflecting on my world over a cup of coffee, I sit feeling just a little bit closer to the center of it all. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">History is etched into our being. It is a part of our making, the very matter of our DNA. True, we cannot escape the past injustices done by, upon, or in benefit of us, but, we do have power to take responsibility for our present and our future. The Racial Healing Initiative is creating space for dialogue that can inspire change. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although I still feel there is a mountain of work for me to do in terms of understanding the atrocity of race and racism and how to combat it, after the retreat I am left now with a clearer understanding of racism as it relates to the heart. I am now left with a clearer understanding of the personal journey I have left to healing, atonement, and the work I must put in for my own transformation. I am ever indebted to Donna Odom, Beverly Coleman, Caren Dybek and all of the men and women who attended and participated in January's Healing Together Retreat. I very much look forward to coming together again for more dialogue and love.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
If you're ever invited to a Healing Together Retreat, I urge you to go. There is no denying that every person will experience this retreat differently depending on where he or she is in their journey with race and racism, but I sincerely believe all will benefit from the conversation. I can say no more. Over and out.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-11658836977291644292014-01-29T13:24:00.002-08:002014-01-29T13:31:40.222-08:00Place Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you haven't heard, the Racial Healing Initiative of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society is doing some pretty great things in Kalamazoo in partnership with some pretty great organizations. Every month since September 2013, the Racial Healing Initiative and the Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Arcadia Campus Committee for Cultural Understanding have been screening sections of the documentary film: </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The film, which is broken into half hour segments, explores how socioeconomic and racial inequalities severely--and often shockingly--affect our physical health. The screening, which is free and open to the public, is followed each month by a discussion facilitated by the YWCA, which gives community members a chance to explore exactly how the issues presented in each section of the film are playing out in our own community.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><i><b>"Health is embedded in the larger conditions in which we live and work"</b></i></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January's Lunchtime Film Series segment was called "Place Matters," and it examined how closely one's physical environment and neighborhood determines risk factors in health. In this section of the film, we follow Gwai, a Burmese refugee now settled in the run down city of Richmond, California. Once a bustling and successful city in the '40s, Gwai's neighborhood in Richmond is now struggling due to the closing of the shipyard and the subsequent loss of thousands of jobs. While white families were able to use federally funded loans to move out of the dying city and start new, many families of color were not afforded that opportunity. According to the film, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Between 1934 and 1962, less than 2% of $120 billion in government-backed home loans went to non-white households. In Northern California around the same time period, out of 350,000 federally guaranteed new home loans, fewer than 100 went to Black families."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> This left many folks of color in Richmond, where all the jobs, economic stability and opportunity were leaving. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gwai, now living in this low-income area finds himself with a lack of access to safe and affordable housing, wholesome, healthy foods and employment. He has become a statistic, a low-income man of color fighting heart disease in his 50's.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The documentary notes chronic stress as a possible contributor to his condition, as the constant pumping out of cortisol and adrenalin has the power to weaken immune systems and significantly increase the risk of illness. The film notes that his stress in life is massive, and the "accumulation of multiple negative stressors" (such as unpaid bills, dangerous neighborhoods, little money, racial inequality and a lack of fresh, wholesome foods) with fewer opportunities to cope (such as vacations, extra income to relax with an indulgent cup of coffee, the chance to take a safe and comfortable walk in a neighborhood with green trees) all this compounds his stress. Sending him into a spiral of mental, emotional and physical distress. Here, place matters. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More often than not, the documentary explains, folks cannot simply choose to escape these stressors when they live in these neighborhoods, for "choices of individuals are often limited by the environment in which they live." When we shop, we tend to shop in areas that we can access, which tend to be those areas closest to our homes, especially if we are low on cash money or transportation. The documentary informs us that buying a cars in low income neigborhoods are on average $500 more expensive, as is the trend with groceries and many other goods and services. This phenomenon, dubbed the "poverty tax," tends to perpetuate the problem for these neighborhoods and keep people in. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All in all, "Place Matters" shows us that there is a very close correlation between income and health. Without a safe and inviting </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">social environment with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">access to good, healthy food and employment, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">free from chemical exposure, statistics show that these living environments lead to lower life expectancy and much higher rates of asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other health ailments.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My favorite part of these Lunchtime Film Series meetings is, naturally, the dialogue that happens after the screening of the film. Since joining on with the Black Heritage Society, I've seen it proven time and again that people are starving for dialogue about race. Our January Lunchtime Film Series brought out the largest crowd yet, giving way for some welcomed discussion--facilitated flawlessly, of course, by YWCA staff Cheree and Sheri. Every day, and especially during each event, I am learning not only more about race and racism, but more and more about how it plays out in this little city I call home. Kalamazoo Community members are some fantastic people. If you're looking for a way to get involved, please join in on the discussions we are having. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next screening of <u>Unnatural Causes</u> will be on February 19, 12:00-1:00PM at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Remember, its free and open to the public! Bring a sack lunch and we'll feed you cookies, coffee and pop. C</span>heck out the <u>Unnatural Causes</u> site if you're interested in learning more about the documentary.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/</span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Furthermore, you have a wonderful chance to be a part of dialogue and creating change in Kalamazoo</b></span> by joining us for our follow-up to the Summit on Racism 2.0, which was held in November 2013. During the Summit on Racism, over 100 passionate community members gathered together to develop action plans and address institutional racism in Employment, Health, Housing, Education and Law Enforcement in Kalamazoo. We are following up with a response to evaluations from event participants who asked for ways to delve deeper. We are creating a space for community members to return to these issues, make moves and create Action Networks to help organize communication and collaboration about racism in these areas.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At this session groups will be given the chance to identify the most urgent issues and ways forward in one of the five areas of focus, establish preliminary action plans for combating racism and create protocol for communication for groups to best collaborate and grow. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our first Action Network organizational session is <b>Friday, March 7, 2014 </b>from <b>12:00-2:00PM</b> at the YWCA of Kalamazoo, located at 353 E. Michigan. It is free and open to the public, so bring your lunch, we'll provide cookies and beverages. <b>Please RSVP</b> by Friday, February 21 to <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">smbhs03@gmail.com</span></u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>And finally!</b> Here is nifty a food desert locator. Although I cannot get the darn thing to work on my computer (since it is a 2007 two time hand-me-down I got for free (thanks, Kevin and Tina!)) it looks like a cool resource. Click on this link and look up your own community!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/fooddesert/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"> Food Desert Locator</span></a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-967127382018246262013-12-27T14:10:00.002-08:002013-12-30T13:27:08.957-08:00Racial Healing Initiative Book Club, Connecting & Challenging with "Clybourne Park"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.schumannco.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Sandro-Steppenwolf-Poster-Clio-Win1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.schumannco.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Sandro-Steppenwolf-Poster-Clio-Win1.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<br />
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">Every
other month the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society holds a Book Club
meeting at Kazoo Books. The Race Initiative Book Club is founded out of the
SMBHS’s Racial Healing Initiative, which is a program that maintains that the
“lingering legacy of historical injustices must be addressed through” four
steps: facing history, making connections, healing wounds and taking action.
The Book Club is a drop-in club that fits into this structure by opening up a
space for people to read and discuss books that promote racial healing and
reconciliation. As the newest member of the SMBHS team, I jumped on the
opportunity to join.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">I arrived
to Kazoo Books for my first Book Club meeting on a rainy, chilly November
night. Inside I was welcomed by an intimate and cozy room shelved floor to
ceiling with used and new books. A reader's paradise. Fluffy, grey cat
included. Although I’ve visited this little bookshop on Parkview dozens of
times, it was nice to be greeted by a community of like-minded activists,
questioners and curious souls. A dozen or so women and one gentleman (yes, only
one…) said their hellos and pulled up a chair for me around a large table.
After old friends and first timers introduced themselves, Donna Odom, Executive
Director of the SMBHS, passed around a tin of cookies and we were handed a set of
guidelines they call<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Boundary
Markers</i>. Used at the Racial Healing Retreats, this set of practices is used
to “create and protect safe spaces.” Talking about race is not always easy—as “Clybourne
Park” demonstrates—so having a full page of ideas like, "Speak your truth
in ways that respect other people’s truth," provided the other members and
me with tools to handle our discussions with respect and consciousness. I
thought it was a great way to start off what can often times be a difficult and
sensitive topic. After a brief chat about these<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Boundary Markers</i>, we
began. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">November’s
book choice was actually a 2009 play written by Bruce Norris called “Clybourne
Park.” Written in response to Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” the
dark, confusing and sometimes hilarious play fearlessly tackles issues of race,
gentrification and housing in an all-white suburb in Chicago—which actually
ends up being Any City, USA.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">The first
of the two-act play takes part in 1959 around a white, middle-aged couple, Bev
and Russ Stoller, who are packing up their modest home to move into a new
neighborhood. Throughout the first act, the Stollers are visited by a group of
characters, including their neighbor Karl Lindner, who discloses that the
family buying the Stoller's home is a “colored” family. Tensions rise as Karl
does all he can to convince them to back out of the deal, afraid that desegregating
the neighborhood will bring property values down and encourage other black
families to move in. As the conversation escalates among the small crowd, each
character is confronted with their own biases and judgments. Act 2 is set in
the exact same home as Act 1, though it takes place 50 years later, with the
house in visible disrepair. The neighborhood has become an all-black
neighborhood, and our group of characters sits discussing housing codes. There
is a white couple planning on buying and remodeling the house, who are
negotiating with local housing regulations and neighborhood organizations,
represented by a black couple. We quickly discover the meaningful connections
these characters have to Clybourne Park: the black wife is a relative of the
family that bought the house in 1959, and the lawyer representing the white
couple is the daughter of Karl Lindner. She mentions quickly that her family
moved out of Clybourne Park right around 1960. Discussions of housing codes
quickly dissolve into debates and arguments filled with racial tension and
resentments. By the end of the short play, the characters and readers have been
forced to look racism and gentrification dead on.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">The play
brought on a much welcomed discussion for me at the Book Club. As we spent time
going over the scenes of the play, I was happy to hear members of the table
bring forth their own experiences and perspectives on racism in housing—sometimes
challenging one another on our levels of knowledge and acceptance of racism and
gentrification in our own Kalamazoo. I hadn’t recognized what some members
considered the causes and beginning stages of gentrification in some of our
neighborhoods. It was nice to be challenged to think more critically about
this. I also valued the comfort I felt around the table. Although there were
clearly disagreements, everyone was in that space to learn, speak and grow. The
Racial Healing Initiative has done a good job, in my opinion, on creating that
safe space where people can challenge themselves—and ask to be challenged by
others—without the fear of saying the wrong thing or feeling ignorant.</span> <span style="font-family: Palatino, serif; line-height: 18pt;">I left
the meeting thinking about housing in a way that my privilege, youth and
diverse upbringing has not forced me to think of it until this point, and I am
grateful for the discussions and the people that opened this up for me.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">One
member reminded us that there exists in most of us a deep fear of the unknown. Y<u1:p></u1:p>ou
cannot truly know a thing, you cannot truly know a person unless you are in
close quarters with them, until you become familiar with their culture, their ideas,
their history. This takes commitment to ideals of integration. It takes, in
many ways, for many people, courage, I think. This club is one of the many
spaces Kalamazoo has to take up this courage and talk about these issues, so
please join! The next club meeting is Thursday, January 16<sup>th</sup> at
6:30p. We meet at Kazoo Books at 2413 Parkview and we will be discussing <i>A Stronger Kinship: One Town’s Extraordinary
Story or Hope and Faith</i> by Anna Lisa Cox. This book explores the attempts
of the people of Covert, Michigan to defy racism and create an integrated city
as far back as the 1860’s—despite the laws and standards of the surrounding
world.</span><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">Plus, (lucky
us!) “Clybourne Park” is coming to the Zoo. Come see the 2011 Pulitzer Prize
winner for drama, 2012 Tony Award winning play here in Kalamazoo. It is showing
at Farmer's Alley beginning Friday, February 7, 2014. For more information or
to buy a ticket, see: </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">http://www.farmersalleytheatre.com/current-season/clybourne-park-feb</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">And
lastly, if you find you have some time on your hands, check out<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>This American Life</i>'s timely
broadcast of housing and racism. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Palatino, serif;">http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/512/house-rules</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Palatino","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772534103996220985.post-38032864306997700662013-11-18T15:58:00.000-08:002014-01-29T13:27:19.420-08:00Celebrating 10 Years, Honoring our History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Enoch-and-Deborah-Harris (6K)" src="http://www.smbhs.org/images/Enoch-and-Deborah-Harris.jpg" height="160" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enoch and Deborah Harris were among the very first settlers in Kalamazoo.<br />Their descendants were honored Sunday, October 20th at the 10th Anniversary Celebration.</span></h4>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are pleased to say that The Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society has been a part of Kalamazoo and the surrounding areas for one lovely decade!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marking 10 years in October, let me be the first to say that I feel honored as a new contributor to the Society to have been present at the celebration, which took place October 20th. The Celebration included a tour of some of the most influential black men and women presented throughout the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's exhibits, showing African American contributions in our city spanning from the agriculture of William Ampey, to the music of Gilmore Phillips and the Civil Rights and social justice work of Moses Walker and Duane Roberts. The tour was followed by a presentation of awards to some of the descendants of the founding families of Kalamazoo, including the Ampeys, the Hackleys, the Harrises and the Sanders--all of whom put together tables of information on their families for visitors to explore in the reception. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We shared the day with dozens upon dozens of wonderful community members, who not only contributed to the celebration by bringing their own stories and experiences, but also imparted a sense of warmth, curiosity and appreciation that showed me how the SMBHS has created a sincere following, a true community of patrons and people who care to preserve the past. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a young lady in her mid twenties, the celebration was an incredible opportunity for me to hear stories of the past and connect their meaning to the present. At the risk of speaking too boldly for my generation, I'll just say that for myself, it is all too easy for me to get caught up in the speed of today's age and disregard the very people, places and events that have brought me to this present day. As young people, we are connected at every minute, every second through facebook, twitter, email, texting. Forced, it seems, to give in to the instant gratification of the world of technology. Forgetting, all too often, about the roots that feed our forests. Spending my Sunday afternoon at the celebration reminded me that whether we believe it or not, whether we ignore it or not, we wear our histories on our bodies. We carry the very experiences, successes and failures of our ancestors. We cannot simply shrug off history. It is quite literally a part of our fabric. The bones that hold me up, the skin stretched over my muscles is in part a collection of all the parents and grandparents and great, great, great, great grandparents that have come before me. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Celebrating the SMBHS's 10th Anniversary was a good chance for me to check in on this. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All in all, it was simply inspiring to hear people so connected to their roots, and it is exciting to imagine my own tree--not only from the past and present, but the future, as well. How electrifying, the thought of feeding my tree, nourishing myself with my grandparents stories, nourishing future branches and limbs with my own stories. On and on, up and up. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below you'll find a link to an article written about the event. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/10/southwest_michigan_black_herit_1.html"></a></span><a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/10/southwest_michigan_black_herit_1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/10/southwest_michigan_black_herit_1.html</span></a></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0