Encore July 2022

Dormouse Theatre

July 2022

Valarie Cunningham is breaking barriers to mental health care

True North Ice Cream

Meet Chaz Rawls

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

2 | ENCORE JULY 2022

ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE

From the Editor This month our cover story profiles Valarie Cunningham and her Synergy Health Center, which is

focused on making sure people of color have access to mental health services and treatment. The story is part of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative's Mental Wellness Project, a partnership of 12 regional media organizations created to provide solutions-oriented journalism on mental health issues in our area. Writer Chris Killian explains that for people of color the challenges of overcoming the stigma of mental illness and finding culturally appropriate mental health care can be daunting. Through Cunningham’s work at the Synergy Health Center, she is attacking these challenges from many angles and making a difference in breaking down barriers to mental wellness. The work that she and others at her center do is inspiring.

Another source of inspiration in this issue is Chaz Rawls, an urban farmer cultivating produce and tea blends on a small spread off Gull Road, whom we highlight in our Back Story feature. After time away from Kalamazoo, Rawls says, his love for the land and where he grew up — the city's east side — made him return to "make the place a little better."

Speaking of making things a little better, writer Katie Houston brings us a delicious story about True North, an ice cream shop in Marshall.

With "boozy" flavors (for adults only) and "flights" of handmade ice cream among its offerings, this is a place worth spending the extra gas to get to for a cool treat during the dog days of summer.

Finally, accompanied by what have to be some of Brian Powers’ most beautiful photos yet, is a story about Stephen Dupuie, who opened Dormouse Theatre, a new performing arts venue housed in a 125-year-old former church on Portage Street. The venue, which features glorious stained-glass windows, is host to Face Off Theatre, Queer Theatre Kalamazoo, comedy shows and Dormouse's own theater troupe. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood and Kalamazoo's eclectic arts community.

As we enjoy summer, I encourage you to slow down and appreciate what a great place we live in. The people profiled in this issue are just a few of the many, many reasons the greater Kalamazoo community is one of the best parts of the Mitten State. We appreciate these people as well as you, our loyal readers, who allow us the opportunity to continue to highlight the best parts of our community.

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True North Ice Cream

Dormouse Theatre

July 2022

Meet Chaz Rawls

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

Valarie Cunningham is breaking barriers to mental health care

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The staff at Encore welcomes written comment from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

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CONTENTS

J u l y 2022

FEATURE Filling the Gaps 16

From stigma to accessibility, Valarie Cunningham's Synergy Health Center works to overcome barriers to getting mental health care

DEPARTMENTS 3 From the Editor 6 Contributors 8 First Things

A round–up of happenings in SW Michigan 10 Five Faves

Historical Kalamazoo figures Lynn Houghton wishes she

could chat with

12 Savor

Here's the Scoop — Marshall’s True North Ice Cream delivers homemade flavors, some of them boozy

34 Back Story

Meet Chaz Rawls — This urban farmer on Kalamazoo's east side is working to "make the place a little better"

T heArts 21

24 25 26 27 On the Cover: Valarie Cunningham in the offices of Synergy Health Center on Kalamazoo's north side.

Photo by Brian Powers.

Dormouse Theatre

New performing arts venue provides platform for many voices

Festivals Theater Visual Arts Music

28 Events of Note 31 Poetry

"What if" by Hilary Harper

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CONTIBUTORS ENCORE

Katie Houston

Katie admittedly had a tough assignment for this month's issue: writing about True North Ice Cream, in Marshall. “The most enthusiastic entrepreneur is one who’s wanted to do something for 30 years,” says Katie about Vaughn Frentz of True North Ice Cream, where she was obligated to taste several flavors for the sake of journalistic research. Her favorite flavor was Snickers™. Katie is a Kalamazoo-based freelance writer and communications consultant.

Donna McClurkan

According to Donna, there’s something about tending gardens that slows down time. "It might be called moving at the speed of nature," she says. Donna has had the great fortune of being in the slow-time company of folks at the Kalamazoo Nature Center’s DeLano Farm, which is where she learned a lot about growing things from Chaz Rawls, whom she interviews for this month's Back Story feature. "Chaz has his own farm now,” Donna says, “but I’m still learning from him and feeling grateful for the trust he placed in me to help share a few of his stories. May many others be inspired to learn from him too." Donna is a Kalamazoo-based freelance writer and climate activist.

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Chris Killian

Chris, an award-winning journalist, found it intriguing to learn about Valarie Cunningham's and the Synergy Health Center's work to help people of color overcome challenges to accessing mental health care. "From stigma to affordability to a lack of culturally competent practitioners, there are myriad barriers for people of color, especially those in the Black community, to be able to get mental health help," Chris says. "But Valarie is undaunted in tackling all these to help them achieve mental wellness." Chris is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Encore.

Jessi Phillips

Jessi is a musician, educator and freelance writer who recently returned to Michigan after living in California for over a decade. "I play music, and I've seen how it can take some time for a new venue to find its audience, especially after a pandemic," she says. When interviewing Stephen Dupuie, artistic director of Kalamazoo's Dormouse Theatre, Jessi saw firsthand the vision and dedication it takes to create a vibrant art space. "He really wants to create something that serves the Edison neighborhood," says Jessi. "It's inspiring to see it starting to take off and gain momentum." This is Jessi's first article for Encore.

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FIRST THINGS ENCORE

First Things

Something Wrapped

Here Come the Mummies to play at Bell's

Something Historic

Walks offer history of local neighborhoods You can get your steps in and learn something about Kalamazoo neighborhoods during the Gazelle Sports Historic Walks this month.

Lynn Houghton — regional history curator for the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collection, coauthor of Kalamazoo Lost & Found and frequent Encore contributor — will lead these walking tours, sharing with participants the history and architecture of the locales. The walks take place rain or shine unless severe weather is predicted. This month's tours will focus on: • The Edison Neighborhood, 8–9:30 a.m. July 8, beginning at the Washington Square Branch Library, 1244 Portage St. • Parkwyn Village, 6:30–8 p.m. July 14, beginning at the corner of Winchell Avenue and Parkwyn Drive.

• The Haymarket Historic District, 8–9:30 a.m. July 22, beginning at Gazelle Sports, 214 S. Kalamazoo Mall.

• Street Names in Kalamazoo, 6:30–8 p.m. July 28, beginning at Gazelle Sports.

For more information, including a full schedule of the series’ tours, visit tinyurl.com/Kalwalks.

Here Come the Mummies, the band that keeps its members’

identities under wraps — literally — will perform in the Bell's Brewery Beer Garden, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., at 8 p.m. July 22.

The 13-member funk-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, is rumored to be made up of Grammy-winning studio musicians, but no one is really sure who is under all those bandages. The group has been performing and recording since 2000.

Opening for the Mummies will be Traverse City's progressive jam band Biomassive.

Tickets are $25 and available at bellsbeer.com or Bell's General Store.

Something Indie

Spoon to perform at State Theatre An Austin, Texas, indie rock band that has endured for more than two decades will perform at 8 p.m. July 12 at the State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St. Spoon, formed in 1993 by singer and songwriter Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, is touring to promote its 10th album, Lucifer on the Sofa, which critics from Rolling Stone to The Guardian are touting as the band's best to date. The punk band Bodega will open.

Tickets are $37–$52 and available online at kazoostate.com or at the theater's box office, which is open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturdays.

8 | ENCORE JULY 2022

Please note: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, some of these events may be cancelled or changed after press time. Please check with venues and organizations for up-to-date information.

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Something Scary

Learn about mythical monsters of Michigan Local storyteller and folk singer Robin Nott will bring tales of mythical, terrifying monsters of Michigan when he visits the Richland Community Library, 8951 Park St., at 7 p.m. July 19.

Nott, a retired Gull Lake Community Schools educator, has been storytelling and singing for audiences since 1983 at libraries, festivals, conferences, schools, community events, and state and national parks.

This program is intended for teens and adults. For more information, visit richlandlibrary.org.

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Something Fun

Dokidokon descends on the Radisson The anime, cosplay and fandom

convention Dokidokon, which touts itself as “the convention with a heart,” will be held July 15–17 at Kalamazoo’s Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave. The convention has a theme this year of maids and butlers, and it will include performances by the Harp Twins, ChiRi Girls and LaPetitePapillon Maid Cafe as well as appearances by G.K. Bowes, Shockolate Energy Cosplay and Sarah Wiedenheft.

Convention activities include a formal ball with ballroom dance lessons available, tabletop and video gaming, contests, photo shoots, panels, team events and a vendors’ room.

Weekend passes are $50 for adults and $25 for children, and a VIP pass is $175. Singleday passes will be available online starting July 10. To register or for more information, visit dokidokon.org.

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FIVE FAVES ENCORE

Five Faves

Historian wishes she could meet these local figures

BY LYNN HOUGHTON

I

t’s a well-known fact that history is not just the stories of the events, organizations, businesses and institutions that are a part of a community but the stories of the people behind them. There are many times I wonder what it would be like to meet these individuals and ask about their lives, their experiences and their inspirations, in addition to finding how accurate the accounts and descriptions written by them or others are. Although my list is long, here are five people in our community's history that are at the top:

Albert M. Todd (1850–1931) Todd

was known for many things, including the company he started in 1869, the A.M. Todd Co., which grew and distilled mint, primarily for medicine. He also promoted public ownership and operation of utilities and ran for political office, serving one term in the U.S. Congress. He also is known for the materials he collected during his travels to Europe and across the country and brought back to Kalamazoo, including rare books, paintings, porcelain, sculpture, furniture and other items.

Initially displayed in his company’s galleries, much of the collection went to local institutions such as the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University. There are many people, including myself, who would like to talk with him about this aspect of his life.

Caroline Bartlett Crane (1858–1935) T

here is much that has been and continues to be written about this woman. In fact, the first piece I wrote for Encore, in 2018, included her. She continues to fascinate me because of what she did and what she accomplished. She was born in Wisconsin and was able to attain her dream of becoming a Unitarian minister, coming to Kalamazoo in 1889 to head the First Unitarian Church, now The People’s Church. She created a kindergarten and manual training and domestic science classes later adopted by the Kalamazoo Public Schools.

She and other women became involved in the major Progressive issues of the day, including women's suffrage, cleaning up cities and improving the lives of women. I would like to know where she got her passion.

10 | ENCORE JULY 2022

Schuyler Baldwin (1822–1900) A

lthough not the first photographer in Kalamazoo, Baldwin was one of the most prolific. He came here from New York, joining his sister and brother-in-law, the latter of whom taught at Kalamazoo College. He purchased a studio and initially produced daguerreotypes and ambrotypes and portraits on copper-plated sheets, eventually turning to paper photographs. He is known for his stereographs, which can be described as two almost identical images that look threedimensional when using a special viewer.

Baldwin's images are some of the earliest views of Kalamazoo. The buildings and streets in these images are interesting, but what draws you in are the people enjoying Bronson Park, standing on South Rose Street or traveling in a carriage near the State Hospital Gate Cottage.

Orville Gibson (1856–1918) T

here is probably a long line of people who would like to talk to Gibson, whose legacy of wellmade musical instruments lives on in Kalamazoo and beyond.

He came to the area in the late 1870s, more than likely because his brother lived here. Along with working as a shoe salesman, Orville participated in local musical performances. By the 1880s he was making a variety of stringed instruments, predominantly guitars and mandolins, receiving his first patent in 1897. In 1902, a group of local businessmen created the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co. Even though Gibson left Kalamazoo in 1909, he and the company that bore his name continue to be known for quality and superiority.

Dorothy Butler (1854–1932) B

utler was born a slave in Kentucky, and when she was 8, her mother, Nellie, learned there were plans to sell her daughters.

Dorothy, her sister Sophie and her mother escaped, traveling on the Underground Railroad.

The three eventually made it to a station run by Dr. Nathan and Pamela Thomas in Schoolcraft, and Nellie chose to stay in the area rather than continuing east to Canada. She got a job with a family outside the village, where her daughters attended school. Sophie eventually married and lived in Van Buren County with her husband and children. Dorothy worked as a housekeeper and cook at several houses in southwestern Michigan. Who knows what Dorothy would have remembered about traveling north, but it would be interesting to ask her.

Photographs courtesy of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the WMU Archives and Regional History Collection.

About the Author: Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator of the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collection. She leads the Gazelle Sports Historic Walks, a series of free architectural and historic walks at various locations in Kalamazoo County that happen during summer and fall, and she is the co-author of Kalamazoo Lost and Found, a book on Kalamazoo history and architecture. She also participated in the PBS documentary series 10 That Changed America, about the history of architecture and urban planning. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.

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SAVOR ENCORE

Here's the Scoop

True North Ice Cream delivers handmade, boozy flavors

BY KATIE HOUSTON

I

“It doesn’t take a lot of bourbon for the Honey Bourbon, but it takes a lot of Bailey’s to get the flavor where I want it,” he says. These spiked flavors require a longer, colder freeze (–8oF) because of the alcohol and are served only in bowls, since they melt so fast that serving them in a cone would be very messy for the customer.

Frentz, 58, makes 50 to 60 gallons of frozen goodness each day, including several dairy-free flavors, like Lemon Poppyseed and Chocolate Pecan Chip, which are made from plant-based milks, and water-based cherry, mango and strawberry-lemonade sorbets. Any necessary food coloring comes from natural ingredients such as turmeric, spirulina, beet juice and purple carrots.

Brian Powers

n the middle of Southwest Michigan’s long, cold spring came the rare gift of an April Saturday when the temperature hit 80 degrees.

That day, True North Ice Cream in Marshall sold 82 gallons of ice cream to 1,100 people — creamy caloric sweetness all handmade by owner Vaughn Frentz.

Even on a cool weekday afternoon, there was a steady stream of customers trying to choose from 32 varieties, including six boozy flavors (yes, you must be 21 to order) — Cherry Amaretto, Honey Bourbon, True North Slide (chocolate ice cream with amaretto and kahlua), Bailey Mountain, Rum Chata and Limoncello. Frentz says the quantity of alcohol in those formulas varies.

12 | ENCORE JULY 2022

ENCORE SAVOR

Opposite page: Vaughn Frentz waited 30 years to open an ice cream shop. This page, top to bottom: Shakes, cones and soft serve are all on the menu; a flight of ice cream gives patrons a trio of tastes; and 10 visits will get patrons a chance to spin the giveaway wheel.

With summer in full swing, lines out the door shouldn’t daunt visitors to True North, since its secret ingredient is a surprising approach to quick service: There are no glass display cases showcasing the ice cream and no free tastes offered at the counter.

“Gawkers take too long,” says Frentz, adding that keeping his super-premium ice cream in covered tubs also prevents cross-contaminating flavors with drips and dollops while scooping. As for the free tastes?

“Look, you don’t get free tastes when you’re out for dinner, but here, if you don’t like anything I give you, I will throw it in the trash and get you something else,” he says, recalling a teenager who went through three cones, which Frentz says he was happy to provide to make the young man happy.

That’s not to say he doesn’t ever share free tastes. He can frequently be found visiting with the shop's patrons holding a gallon of fresh ice cream and a fistful of spoons.

“My goal is to give away two gallons a day one spoon at a time,” Frentz says.

Steady pricing & quality Committed to selling “premium ice cream for grocerystore prices,” Frentz has kept prices steady since opening the shop a year ago, in spite of a 15 percent increase in the price of virtually all of his ingredients — like Madagascar vanilla, which is averaging around $300 per gallon. He sources his ingredients locally as much as possible.

“I don’t care what it costs to make it, it’s all about flavor,” he says. “You can get good ice cream anywhere, so if it’s not exceptional, it’s not here. Maybe people wouldn’t notice if I cut back and saved a little money, but for 10 cents more, would you give your best friend an OK cone or the best cone you could?”

When asked what his favorite flavor is, he replies, “That’s like asking me to pick my favorite kid!” He does say he likes OreoTM and Coffee Crunch and points to the trash with a smile when asked if he takes flavor suggestions from customers, though he admits that a few of the shop’s flavors have indeed been customer ideas, including Root Beer Float, Chocolate ReesesTM and Turtle Cheesecake.

Customers who rack up 10 visits on a punch card can spin a giveaway wheel for a chance to win free ice cream

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Brian Powers

SAVOR ENCORE

True North Ice Cream Location: 403 S. Kalamazoo Ave., Marshall Hours: 2–9 p.m.

Seating: True North offers a walk-up window and outdoor seating for 80, plus six indoor tables.

Originality: Ice cream, waffle cones and waffle bowls (available as waffle chips by the bag) made from scratch.

Drinks: Lattes, cappuccino, and espresso drinks are made with beans roasted locally (available by the bag) by Blossom and Son Roaster. The beans used are a “Grande Mountain” blend named for the Alberta, Canada, region where owner Vaughn Frentz grew up.

Another local connection: Candy maker Kay Rodgers provides the key ingredient for the shop’s Old Pan Toffee ice cream.

Extras: The shop also sells frozen Bakewell quiches made in Kalamazoo.

for a year (or a bottle of water). After being up just six weeks, the wheel had been spun 50 times and two customers had indeed won the big prize.

A dream come true Area residents since 1997, Frentz and his wife, Amy, who owns Harvester Flower Shop in downtown Marshall, imagined “way back when we were dating” 30 or so years ago that running an ice cream shop would be fun. Over time, they explored a Ben and Jerry’sTM franchise and selling gelato, but

the expense put those options out of reach.

Instead, Frentz learned how to make his own ice cream in his basement. One thing led to another, and he ended up selling upwards of 200 quarts a month from home.

“People said it was so good I had to open a shop,” he says.

True North, at 403 S. Kalamazoo Ave., occupies a building that housed Side Track Ice Cream for 12 years. In 2020, Frentz asked the owner if he’d ever thought of selling, and two weeks later Frentz had bought the

building. The previous owner continued to run his business through November, and the Frentzes took the winter to gut and redesign the interior.

The shop was supposed to be a side hustle for Frentz, who had been working full time for 24 years as general manager of Albion Ford Motors after emigrating from Canada with his wife. Just before the launch, the ice cream shop’s manager backed out and Frentz decided to take the helm, giving two weeks’ notice at his job.

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ENCORE SAVOR a nurse with Grace Health in Battle Creek, and Megan, 22, a graphic design student at Western Michigan University.

On a second visit — for important research — this Encore writer spoke with two patrons sharing ice cream flights of three flavors each ($6). Of three boozy flavors, the Rum Chata was proclaimed best, and the SnickersTM was declared tops among three chocolateforward choices. Neither customer was able to finish the generous servings, and while

they were sad to throw the remainder away, they were happy and full, waving to Frentz on their way out.

It’s clear that his second career has given Frentz a creative outlet and a community of fans.

“We don’t look at this as our shop,” he says.

“This is not Vaughn and Amy’s shop. This is Marshall’s shop.”

Top: The exterior and outside seating of True North Ice Cream in Marshall. Bottom: Frentz scoops from tubs of handcrafted ice cream made at the shop.

Since then, Frentz has averaged 16-hour days seven days a week, somehow not gaining any weight while working with all that chocolate, caramel, sugar and cream — even losing 30 pounds as the result of the more active job. Frentz says he’s looking forward to his next day off — on Thanksgiving! — and his next vacation, roughly eight weeks starting at Christmas.

“I would open sooner, but I like to help my wife deal with Valentine’s Day (at her flower shop),” he says, referring to the mid-February opening for the ice cream shop.

True North employs 13 staff members, including many teenagers working part time as well as Frentz’s daughters — Hannah, 25, w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 15

Filling the Gaps For people of color, there are many barriers to accessing mental health care. Valarie Cunningham's Synergy Health Center works to overcome them.

BY CHRIS KILLIAN

16 | ENCORE JULY 2022

By many accounts, the negative societal stigma associated

Among Synergy Health Center staff that work with Valarie Cunningham, far left, are, from left, Sonja Roseman, clinical director; Daja Johnson, digital marketer; and Mark Viel, therapist.

Brian Powers

with mental health problems — seeking counseling in particular — is as low as it’s ever been. Experts point to the pandemic’s effect on the rise in telehealth and how that has helped ease many people skittish about receiving help into therapy or how social media has helped raise awareness of mental health problems and provided a space for people to interact with others who are struggling with the same issues.

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Brian Powers

But reduced stigma and increased awareness haven’t been the case for every demographic, and a local mental health professional is doing something about it.

Valarie Cunningham opened the Synergy Health Center in 2003, a nonprofit mental health services clinic that gives particular attention to issues facing the Black community, to help fill in what she saw as gaps in services. The center is located at 625 Harrison St., strategically placed there to be close to both the Northside and Eastside neighborhoods of Kalamazoo, where large concentrations of Black city residents live.

It is funded mostly by donations and grants from area foundations.

Barriers to seeking care In U.S. Black culture, there is a deeply rooted narrative that one needs to take care of one’s own problems, Cunningham says.

Seeking help, not being able to “handle your own stuff,” carries the risk of looking weak in the eyes of family or peers, she adds. One 2014 study showed that 63 percent of Black people saw a mental health condition as a sign of personal weakness.

There is also a religious component in Black culture that suggests that if a person struggling with a problem “gives it up to God,” it will be taken care of, that talking to God eliminates the need for talk therapy, Cunningham says.

“Talking about mental health and how it impacts Black people shifts the narrative from (it being) taboo to normalization, from shame to acceptance, from lack of understanding to a greater awareness,” Cunningham says. “Educating the Black community on the stigmas and their impacts, along with providing them resources they were not aware of or didn't know how to find, changes the narrative.

18 | ENCORE JULY 2022

Above: Valarie Cunningham, a clinical social worker and therapist, founded and runs Synergy Health Center.

Bottom left: Cunningham leads a Let’s Talk: Black Mental Health session. Cunningham's efforts have been featured on WWMT's news broadcast.

“It says it’s OK, that nothing is so wrong that I can't work through it. It says, I can have faith in my God, and it’s OK to have a counselor too. It reverses the stigma to say, instead of feeling weak, I acknowledge my strength by getting the help I need. There is power in perspective. When I change my perspective, I can change my narrative.”

To be effective, therapy requires that trust be built between a patient and a counselor. A person seeking help needs to know that it’s

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safe to be vulnerable so they can enter into a healing space where deep-rooted issues can be brought to the surface and dealt with. But if the therapist sitting across from that person doesn’t understand their unique cultural experiences, the likelihood that they will enter into that space can diminish, Cunningham says.

In 2019, the American Psychological Association noted that 17 percent of the psychologist workforce identified as racial/ethnic minorities. And although studies show that having a counselor who comes from a background similar to yours does not guarantee a beneficial experience, they also show that divulging your struggles to someone who is competent in your culture does help.

In addition to issues of stigma and cultural experience, seeking counseling also involves economic challenges. Counseling is not cheap, running upwards of $100 or more per session. And although mental health services are increasingly covered by insurance providers, people in the Black community — more underinsured than whites — often see the cost of counseling as prohibitive. In 2018, only 11.5 percent of African-Americans were insured, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

About 60 percent of Synergy's revenue comes from billable services, Cunningham says. This is a challenge because the population the agency serves is often uninsured or underinsured, with insurance sometimes not covering the cost of service, she adds.

The rest of Synergy's revenue comes from grants, fundraisers and donations, with support coming from a myriad of groups, including the Stryker Johnston Foundation, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, United Way and KYDNet. “If I didn't write a lot of grants and work at building partnerships, then it would not be sustainable to provide services to the underprivileged even when they have insurance,” Cunningham says. “It’s (often) still not enough. I was once told my model was not sustainable, and my response was ‘Of course, it’s not’ because of the population we are serving. That’s why funding support is always needed.”

In an effort to break the stigma and increase mental health in Black and other minority communities, Synergy offers a slate of indepth programming that is rooted in cultural awareness as well as outcome-based research.

One of the most popular programs offered by Synergy is a series of monthly gatherings called Let’s Talk: Black Mental Health, aimed at creating a space where Blacks can gather and be open about what they are struggling with while being supported by one another.

Almost 250 people came to the first gathering in 2019. And though Cunningham had to push pause on the events during the pandemic, she says she is ramping up the get-togethers this year.

The gatherings have focused on such topics as the psychological evolution of the Black male, racial disparities in Black mental health, and suicide prevention. The events are meant to provide a space to continue dialogue about stigmas surrounding Black mental health and how to heal and get past them.

Cunningham also knows that overcoming stigmas about mental health should start earlier rather than later in people's lives and that Black youth are experiencing mental health problems at increasingly higher rates. A 2018 study found that Black children between the ages of 5 and 12 are almost twice as likely to die by suicide as white children in the same age range. Another study notes that suicide rates among Black children and adolescents have been worsening: Between 2003 and 2017, suicides rose among Black youth, especially Black girls, whose rate of increase was more than twice as high as that of Black boys. While the Suicide Prevention Resource Center says a combination of approaches is needed to address suicide prevention comprehensively, two important components are helping people build life skills and resilience and promoting social connectedness and support.

Synergy offers many youth-centered programs through its UrbanZone. UrbanZone is a youth-driven center that provides opportunities for youth in the areas of arts, education, mental health, and social and emotional well-being. Located on the third floor of the Synergy Health Center’s building, the UrbanZone space features computers, a commercial kitchen and open spaces for meeting or just hanging out.

One of its programs, the Mind Health Ambassadors Program (MiHAP) is a peer-to-peer mentoring program that focuses on educating Black and Brown students in grades 9–12 in Kalamazoo County about mental health and its impact in school and on their families and communities. Each ambassador engages in their own therapy journey as a part of the program, which helps them work through any issues they may have and, in turn, helps them walk their peers through the process of receiving mental health care.

A study of similar peer-to-peer clubs for high school students conducted by Bring Change to Mind, a national nonprofit working to end stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health, found that the programs resulted in important improvements in

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students’ knowledge of mental health, their attitudes toward mental illness and their intended actions to combat stigma.

Utilizing yoga, journaling, mindfulness techniques, role playing and other strategies, the UrbanZone's MiHAP informs teen ambassadors to recognize the signs of someone who may need mental health help, identify when to get an adult involved, and educate on how best to present resources and other ways of helping.

Another UrbanZone program, Be BRAVE (Brilliant, Resilient, Attuned, Virtuous, Empowered), meets weekly for one hour.

Initially formed as a trauma group to meet the needs of girls who lived in a group home, it has expanded to include teenage girls within the entire community. At the meetings, girls participate in activities focused on developing self-esteem and selfworth and establishing healthy boundaries.

The UrbanZone is also looking to host an event for teens called Breaking the Stigma: Black and Brown Adolescent Symposium and to continue to host events on Instagram about adolescent mental health.

“Mental health counseling is woven through everything that the Synergy Health Center does,” Cunningham says. “What we don’t often talk about is mindfulness and giving people the tools to help themselves,

teaching them to rewrite the narrative of their lives and transform their pain into something powerful.”

Dealing with trauma The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of white police officers and other acts of violence against the Black community have accentuated for Blacks a shared trauma — both historical and presentday — that both binds them together and also holds some of them back from living a life free of anxiety and worry and realizing their full potential, Cunningham says.

“We say, ‘Therapy works, therapy is dope,’” she says. “If we can normalize it and say it’s OK to seek it out, then we change the narrative.

All of a sudden, it’s not a weak thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you take your pills or your insulin. You need your mental health medication too, and that’s therapy.”

Generational trauma is a large, if unspoken, issue in Black culture, Cunningham says. It is common for many in the culture to chalk up issues they’re dealing with to simply being the struggles of life, when, in fact, these are manifestations of having survived a traumafilled past.

“From the foundation of America, there was the idea that we (Blacks) were inferior

in body and mind, that we are less than,” Cunningham says. “Jim Crow, segregation, slavery — I don’t think the nation has thought about the mental impact of these injustices.

It’s not as blatant as 50 years ago, but it’s had a large impact on the mental health of Black lives. There are layers on layers that have to be peeled back.”

Synergy provides a safe place where members of the Black community can find culturally relevant help, the kind that gives voice and credence to their unique experiences while utilizing best-practices approaches such as cognitive behavior therapy that, if done under the supervision of a professional, consistently show results.

“Your problem is my problem, but your healing is also my healing,” Cunningham says. “We need to support each other — Black, white and all other races. The greatest gift God gave us all is our mental health.”

This story is part of the Mental Wellness Project, a solutions-oriented journalism initiative covering mental health issues in Southwest Michigan, created by the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative. SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. For more information, visit swmichjournalism.com.

Credit Lori Gottschling

WHAT’S

FREE SUMMER CONCERTS RETURN TO DOWNTOWN KALAMAZOO!

NEW

Sundays in Bronson Park*

Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo

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Fridays in Haymarket Plaza

Presented by the ACGK as part of the Summertime Live concert series, Concerts in the Park and Music in the Plaza are happening June through August on select weekends in downtown Kalamazoo. All eight concerts are free to attend, so bring your family and friends. Both venues are part of the downtown Commons Area, so purchase food and drinks from any downtown restaurant and enjoy them while watching the show! *Except for special Saturday, July 2nd concert

Visit KalamazooArts.org

Dormouse Theatre

T heArts

Spotlighting greater Kalamazoo's arts community

Venue provides platform for many voices

Brian Powers

BY JESSI PHILLIPS

T

he moment you step inside the Dormouse Theatre, at 1030 Portage St., the energy and ethos of the space assert themselves.

Two naked mannequins flank the worn wooden stage of the former church. Above the dais towers a grand wooden arch. Rainbows of light filter through stained-glass windows. The works of local artists line the walls.

It’s the unique vision of Artistic Director Stephen Dupuie that has turned this 200-seat performance space in the Edison neighborhood into a creative hub for a community of actors, artists and musicians and their offbeat performances of sketch comedy, scripted theater and music.

Dormouse Theatre founder Stephen Dupuie inside the theater — a former church — located at the corner of Portage and Lake streets.

When asked about the spirit of the Dormouse, whose name comes from the classic Lewis Carroll novel Alice in Wonderland, Dupuie says, “Part of it has to do with where we are situated. We’re not downtown.

I see us fitting into ‘alternative downtown.’”

The story of the Dormouse began in 2017, when Dupuie, a Michigan native and alumnus of Northern Michigan University’s performing arts program, decided to finally pull the trigger and launch his own venue. He initially cast a citywide net in his search for space, viewing w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 21

several empty churches around Kalamazoo before noticing one on Portage Street, right down the street from where he lived.

“I have no idea why it didn’t dawn on me that it was sitting here, but as soon as I walked in and saw that,” he says, pointing at the wooden arch cresting over the stage, “I was like, this is it.”

After purchasing the 125-year-old building, he spent several years fundraising, organizing and repairing the building. He was prepared to open the Dormouse in 2020, but the opening was delayed by the pandemic.

The Dormouse held its first public event in March 2021.

Finding its place Now, after a year in operation, the Dormouse is continuing to find its place on the local scene. With a mission that Dupuie describes as “providing a platform for people to say what needs to be said,” the venue stages a new theater performance every month and hosts live music and a variety of other events.

Dupuie’s own Dormouse Theatre Troupe, which produces character-centered, “absurdist and experimental” sketch comedy, has been a key player in the venue since the beginning and sets the tone for the kind of work audiences can expect to see there.

The group doesn’t shy away from the strange or controversial — a recent show, for example, focused on drugs and featured skits about soccer mom ’shroom parties, sugar addiction support groups and a psychic who communicates with plants.

“One of my friends came to the show, and I talked to her afterward. She said she loved one sketch and thought it was so funny and that another sketch punched her in the gut and she couldn’t even laugh,” says Dupuie. “I walked away feeling like I did my job.”

Queer Theatre Kalamazoo, whose sixth Dormouse show, a staging of John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig & the Angry Inch, opened June 16, has also been a resident of the theater since the beginning.

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“The moment I walked into the space, I said, ‘This is a queer theatre,’” says Connar Klock, the managing artistic director of Queer Theatre Kalamazoo. “It’s where these kinds of companies have a place to be and be together. It has a certain dress-up feel to it while still being accessible, underground, us.”

Face Off Theatre Company, which presents work by artists of color, is also a Dormouse resident and collaborated with Queer Theatre Kalamazoo in May to premiere Dirt, Ash, Dead Tree, a work of magical realism by Jarrett McCreary that touches on themes of youth depression and suicide.

Both theater troupes offer a “pay what you can” option for tickets, and Dormouse is committed to keeping all events at an affordable price.

“Going to an event should feel like going to an event but still not be exclusive,” says Klock. “I think the Dormouse has found that middle space, that middle way. I’m seeing people of all different varieties walking in and out of these shows.”

Dormouse is also branching out into live music of all genres, engendering the kind of intimate, listening-room atmosphere that encourages audience engagement.

On July 23, Kalamazoo musician Darcy Wilkin will present the first in a monthly

series called the “Darcy Wilkin Whatzit Hour,” which will feature Wilkin and a featured singer-songwriter in conversation about their creative process.

Wilkin says she chose the Dormouse after she caught a show there and was reminded of the coffeehouse shows her parents and their friends used to host when she was a kid.

“This town has some cool rooms to play in, but not enough of them,” she says. “I really

Brian Powers Top left: The former church lends itself to a cozy, colorful performance venue. Artfully lit mannequins are part of the venue's decor as seen above and at lower left.

wanted a place with a listening crowd, and the fact that it’s an old church and it’s set up for that … it’s just going to be perfect.”

Wilkins describes the event as “filled with a lot of music, more music than talking.”

Her first guest will be singer-songwriter and renowned banjo player Joe Newberry of North Carolina.

Jarad Selner, a Kalamazoo musician and sound tech at the Dormouse, agrees that the space facilitates a rich experience for

musicians, one where the music itself is the main focus.

“Dormouse is an art-forward performance space, which is refreshing compared to the majority of places most bands get to play,” says Selner. “You're not competing with loud televisions or karaoke in the other room. People come to fully experience the art at hand.”

Whatever the offering, it’s important to Dupuie that the theater continue to reflect and embrace the neighborhood. Having lived

in Edison since 2008, he recently became executive director of its neighborhood association and knows the area is experiencing something of a renaissance.

But Dupuie is committed to “keeping it scrappy.”

“I don’t intend to replace the tables,” he says, laughing. “I’m not coming in here trying to polish all the knobs in this place. I’m trying to revitalize the building and present things in it that I feel are informed by this neighborhood. That’s how the Dormouse fits into the grander scheme of things.”

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TheArts

FESTIVALS Black Arts Festival July 6–8 Various venues

This annual celebration of Black culture and arts in Kalamazoo will include networking, visual art and a Youth Day. Among the events scheduled are a presentation on the metaverse and NFT art, which will discuss how to monetize artwork with digital currency, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. July 6; a networking event for artists, gallery and museum curators and arts program managers from 6–8 p.m. July 7; and an Art Hop exhibition from 5–8 p.m. July 8. These events will be held at the Black Arts and Cultural Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 102.

In addition, the festival's Youth Day, with art, performances, games, vendors and food, will be held from noon–4 p.m. July 8 at the Douglass Community Center, 1000 W. Paterson St. For more information or to register for events, visit blackartskalamazoo.org.

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Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts July 6–11 Kindleberger Park

What began 40 years ago as a play in the park has become a week-long performing arts celebration in the heart of Parchment.

The festival begins July 6 with a performance of the youth theater production Bedtime Stories (As Told by Your Dad Who Messed Them Up) at 5:30 p.m., followed by a production of The Wizard of Oz at 7 p.m. on The Stage at Kindleberger. Bedtime Stories will also be performed at 5:30 p.m. July 7 and 8 and 3:30 p.m. July 9 and 10, and The Wizard of Oz will be performed again at 7 p.m. July 7 and 8 and 5 p.m. July 9 and 10.

July 9 is the busiest day for the festival, with activities including a pancake breakfast from 7–9 a.m.; a 5K walk and run at 7:30 a.m.; an arts and craft show, pop-up museum, book sale and plant sale all happening from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; a parade through downtown Parchment at 10 a.m.; and “A Play in a Day” performance at 2 p.m. In addition, the festival will also feature a car cruise-in, children's activities and a cornhole tournament.

For a complete schedule, visit kindlebergerarts.org.

THEATER Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Cinderella Groundhog Day Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre is busy this month, with three shows scheduled.

First up is the rowdy musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, running through July 10. The production is based on the 1954 MGM musical set in the Wild West and includes new songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. Show times are 8 p.m. June 28–30, July 1, 2 and 5–9 and 5 p.m. July 3 and 10.

On July 12, the Barn will take on another classic with Cinderella, an adaptation of the original 1957 musical and the timeless fairy tale.

Show times are 8 p.m. July 12–16 and July 19–23 and 5 p.m. July 17 and 24.

The Barn will end the month with another classic — well, a cult classic — with its performance of Groundhog Day, inspired by the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray that follows a man’s journey of self-discovery.

Show times are 8 p.m. July 26–30 and Aug. 2–6 and 5 p.m. July 31 and Aug. 7.

The Barn Theatre is located at 13351 West M-96, Augusta. Tickets are $41–$49. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 731–4121 or visit barntheatreschool.org

Jar the Floor

July 15–17 Face Off Theatre Company Family secrets and old wounds are uncovered when four generations of African-American women gather to celebrate the 90th birthday of the family matriarch in this production of the dramatic comedy Jar the Floor at Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St. The play, written by Cheryl L. West, depicts the connections and dysfunctions in a family that is both loving and chaotic.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. July 15–16 and 2 p.m. July 16–17. For more information and ticket prices, visit faceofftheatre.com.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast July 8–17 Center Stage Theatre

The all-volunteer Center Stage Theatre company will perform the classic love story of Belle and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress, at 7 p.m. July 8, 9, 15 and 16 and 2 p.m. July 10, 16 and 17 in the Comstock Community Auditorium, 2107 N. 26th St. The July 16 performance will be sensoryfriendly for those have autism or other challenges that create sensory sensitivities.

Tickets are $10–$12. Wearing face masks is recommended for patrons. For more information or to buy tickets, visit kzoocst.com.

Sandy Bremer: You’d Never Believe It! July 29 & 30 Farmers Alley Theatre

Actress and singer Sandy Bremer will reminisce about her long theatrical career in this show, offering humorous stories and tales of behind-the-scenes shenanigans.

Bremer grew up in Kalamazoo and began treading the boards of local stages before going on to perform with national tours and regional productions of such shows as Funny Girl, Sweet Charity, Cats, Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls, Grease, Little Me, South Pacific and Gypsy.

Farmers Alley Theatre is at 221 Farmers Alley. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and available at farmersalleytheatre.com.

Bright Star

July 2–10 Farmers Alley Theatre

Bedtime Stories (As Told by Your Dad Who Messed Them Up) The Wizard of Oz July 6–10 Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts

See the entry under Festivals. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 25

TheArts

VISUAL ARTS Art Hop July 8 Downtown Kalamazoo

This month’s Art Hop, running from 5–8 p.m., will have the theme “Art is Good for the Mind, Body and Soul.”

This free event organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo features a variety of artists’ works in downtown Kalamazoo locations as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses.

The Arts Council has an app that provides a guide and map of Art Hop sites, information about participating artists, and walking directions. For more information or to access the app, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Photo Exhibition July 1–Sept. 9 Portage City Hall Atrium

The winning photographs from the Portage Parks & Recreation's annual photo contest will be on display 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday at 7900 S. Westnedge Ave. This year's contest challenged amateur shutterbugs to take and submit images that document Portage parks. The photos were judged by a panel of area photography professionals and will be displayed in four categories: seasonal change; outdoor recreation; flora, fauna and wildlife; and youth.

For more information, visit portagemi.gov/calendar.

Richland Art Fair July 16 Gull Meadow Farms

The Richland Art Fair is happening for its 48th year but moving from its traditional spot in downtown Richland to Gull Meadow Farms, 8544 Gull Road.

The juried show, presented by the Gull Lake Area Community Volunteers, will feature fine artwork and handicrafts by artists in many media. Proceeds from the show will support educational, medical, dental and emergency funds to aid those who reside in the Gull Lake Community Schools district. For more information, visit glacv.org.

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

Art created by KBAC interns as well as art created with the help of a Grants for Arts Projects award that the KBAC received from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2021 will be on display this month.

The NEA Grants for Arts Projects Exhibition runs until July 29 and includes work created by two studio artists funded by the grant as well as the center's newly produced books and its Poets in Print broadsides from 2021 and 2022. Studio artist Laura Citino created a chapbook of flash fiction pieces and two broadsides, while Rachel Stickney prepared a series of collagraph prints.

KBAC interns from 2021 and 2022 will share projects completed during their internships as well as their own work July 22–Aug. 26. A reception for the artists will be held from 5–8 p.m. Aug. 5.

The KBAC is located at 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A and is open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. For more information, call 373-4938 or visit kalbookarts.org.

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts:

Jack Faxon: A Michigan Artist and Advocate Through July 31 Stephen Hansen: You Are Here Through Aug. 28

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NEA Grants for Arts Projects Exhibition & Intern Exhibition

West Michigan Area Show Through Sept. 4 Surrealish: The Absurd and Unexpected Through Sept. 11

Balancing the Cosmos: Works

by Li Hongwei Through Oct. 2 Unveiling American Genius Through December

MUSIC

Summertime Live Concerts Various times Various venues

Grab a lawn chair or blanket and head outdoors to enjoy the full slate of concerts sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo this month.

The concerts are free. The groups performing in July and the concert locations are: • Carrie & The McFerrinheits, 11:30 a.m. July 1, Bronson Park • Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. July 6, Bronson Park • Sam Luna Band, 5:30 p.m. July 6, Bates Alley (between Pitcher and Portage streets), downtown Kalamazoo • Mike Struwin, 11:30 a.m. July 8, Bronson Park • Cabildo, 5 p.m. July 8, Haymarket Plaza, 139 N. Edwards St. • Shout! A Fabulous Tribute to the Fab Four, 8 p.m. July 8, Richland Area Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave. • Kalamazoo Concert Band & Kalamazoo Concert Brass, 3 p.m. July 9, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive • Moonshot Band, 4:30 p.m. July 9, Texas Drive Park • Denise Davis & The Motor City Sensations, 4 p.m. July 10, Bronson Park • The Michigan Nightingales, 6 p.m. July 10, Flesher Field Gazebo, 3664 Ninth St., Oshtemo Township • Matt Giraud, 6:30 p.m. July 11, The Stage at Kindleberger, Kindleberger Park, Parchment • Samuel Nalangira's Trio, 5:30 p.m. July 13, Bates Alley • HairMania, 7 p.m. July 14, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage • Sam Luna Band, 11:30 a.m. July 15, Bronson Park • The Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty, 5:30 p.m. July 15, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St. • Matt Gabriel, 6:30 p.m. July 17, The Stage at Kindleberger • Flylite Gemini, 5:30 p.m. July 20, Bates Alley • Jordan Hamilton, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. July 22, Bronson Park • Dogpatch Lullaby, 4:30 p.m. July 22, Celery Flats, 7328 Garden Lane, Portage • Iconix, 6:30 p.m. July 22, Celery Flats • The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute, 6:30 p.m. July 24, The Stage at Kindleberger

Gershwin & Dvorak’s New World July 16 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Soprano and Western Michigan University faculty member Rhea Olivaccé will join the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra for an outdoor performance at the Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 W. Hickory Road, from 7–8:30 p.m.

The performance will include George Gershwin’s lively An American in Paris and other Gershwin tunes like “I Got Rhythm.”

Closing the program will be Antonín Dvorák’s luscious and dramatic Ninth Symphony, “From the New World.”

Tickets are $55 for the front section and include a chair; tickets are $5–$30 for the lawn, where patrons should bring their own chairs or blankets to sit on. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit kalamazoosymphony.com.

Violapalooza

July 3 Crescendo Academy of Music If violas are your passion, then Violapalooza is right up your alley.

This full-day festival for student violists, running from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., will feature workshops with and performances by guest clinicians, including Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra violist Arturo Ziraldo, Karin Code of Kalamazoo College and Code Studio Strings, and KSO Artistin-Residence Nicholas Jeffery.

Crescendo Academy is located at 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 12.

The cost to participate in the festival is $25. To register or for more information, visit crescendoacademy.com.

T heArts

is published in partnership and funding provided by

• Chick & the Boomers, 5:30 p.m. July 27, Bates Alley • Monte Pride, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 29, Bronson Park • Blue Water Ramblers, 6:30 p.m. July 31, The Stage at Kindleberger For more information, visit kalamazooarts.org.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 27

EVENTS ENCORE DANCE Outdoor Dance Performance — By Wellspring Dance Academy of Kalamazoo, 2–2:30 p.m. July 1, Richland Village Square, 8001–8039 N. 32nd St., Richland, richlandlibrary.org.

MUSIC Bands & Solo Artists Please Note: Due to the COVID–19 virus, some of these events may have been cancelled after press time. Please check with the venue and organizations for up–to–date information.

PERFORMING ARTS THEATER Plays

Bedtime Stories (As Told by Your Dad Who Messed Them Up) — Youth production of the Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts, 5:30 p.m. July 6–8, 3:30 p.m. July 9 & 10, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Jar the Floor — Face Off Theatre Company presents this dramatic comedy about a quartet of black women spanning four generations who come together to celebrate the matriarch’s 90th birthday, 7:30 p.m. July 15–16, 2 p.m. July 16–17, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., faceofftheatre.com.

War on the Catwalk — A one-of-a-kind drag show with drag queens from Canada and the United States, 8 p.m. July 16, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Musicals

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers — A rowdy, riproaring adaptation of the MGM musical based in the Wild West, with songs and dance numbers for the entire family, 8 p.m. July 1–2 & July 5–9, 5 p.m. July 3 & 10, Barn Theatre, 13351 West M-96, Augusta, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org.

Bright Star — A bluegrass musical about love and redemption set against a backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s, 7:30 p.m. July 2, July 8–10, 2 p.m. July 3 & 10, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, farmersalleytheatre.com.

The Wizard of Oz — The classic family musical about Dorothy visiting the magical land of Oz, 7 p.m. July 6–8, noon July 9, 5 p.m. July 9 & 10, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Beauty and the Beast — The classic story of Belle and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress, 7 p.m. July 8–9 & July 15–16, 2 p.m. July 10, 16 (sensory-friendly) & 17, Center Stage Theatre, Comstock Community Auditorium, 2107 N. 26th St., kzoocst.com.

Cinderella — An adaptation of the original 1957 musical and timeless fairy tale, 8 p.m. July 12–16 & July 19–23, 5 p.m. July 17 & 24, Barn Theatre, 731– 4121, barntheatreschool.org.

Groundhog Day — A musical about one man’s journey of self-discovery, inspired by the movie of the same name, 8 p.m. July 26–30 & Aug. 2–6, 5 p.m. July 31 & Aug. 7, Barn Theatre, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org; recommended for ages 13+.

Sandy Bremer: You’d Never Believe It! — Bremer shares experiences from her theatrical career, featuring songs from past performances, 7:30 p.m. July 29 & 30, Farmers Alley Theatre, farmersalleytheatre.com.

28 | ENCORE JULY 2022

Lunchtime Live! — A free weekly community event with live music, games and food, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Fridays, through Sept. 2, Bronson Park, kzooparks.org.

Charlie Mench — Singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist, 8–10:30 p.m. July 1, Final Gravity Brewing, 246 N. Burdick St., discoverkalamazoo.com.

Beats on Bates — Weekly live outdoor music under the lights of Bates Alley, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Sam Luna Band, July 8; Samuel Nalangira’s Trio, July 13; Fly Lite Gemini, July 20; Chick & The Boomers, July 27; downtownkalamazoo.org.

Matt Landon Trio — Performing jazz standards and originals, 8–10:30 p.m. July 8, Final Gravity Brewing, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Concert in the Corners — Free outdoor concert featuring Kalamazoo Concert Brass, Kalamazoo Concert Band and Moonshot Band, 3 p.m. July 9, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive, texastownship.org.

Matt Giraud — Local singer and songwriter who performed on American Idol, 6:30 p.m.

July 11, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Spoon: Lucifer on the Sofa Tour — The Austin, Texas, rock band performs, 8 p.m. July 12, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Hair Mania — Performing ’80s hard rock, 7 p.m. July 14, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road; bring a blanket or chair; portagemi.gov/calendar.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Back Room Concerts — Spirit of the Beehive, July 14; Will Evans, July 15; Will Hoge w/Adeem the Artist, July 16; all shows begin at 8 p.m., 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.

Blackberry Smoke — Georgia rock band, 8 p.m. July 30, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Blue Water Ramblers — Performing ballads, rallying cries, paeans, humorous love songs and gospel music, 6:30 p.m. July 31, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More KSO Patriotic Pops — Outdoor concert by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. July 2, Bronson Park, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Violapalooza — A guest workshop and performance

by Arturo Ziraldo from the KSO and other area violists, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. July 3, Crescendo Academy of Music, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 12, 345-6664, crescendoacademy.com.

GLAMA Acoustic Slow Jam — Members of the Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association lead a jam for acoustic stringed instruments, 5:30–7:30 p.m. July 12, Van Deusen Room, Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St.

Gershwin & Dvorák’s New World — The KSO performs an outdoor concert with guest soprano Rhea Olivaccé, 7–8:30 p.m. July 16, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 W. Hickory Road; bring a blanket; gilmorecarmuseum.org.

FILM Kzoo Parks Summer Cinema — Free outdoor movies, with face painting and snacks, Encanto, July 8, U-Pick the Flick, July 22; disc golf clinic at 6 p.m., movie at 7 p.m., Frays Park, 4400 Canterbury Ave., kzooparks.org/ summercinema.

VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org Exhibitions

Jack Faxon: A Michigan Artist and Advocate — A boutique-style presentation of the late state senator and artist’s works, through July 31.

The Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty — 5:30 p.m.

July 15, outside the State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Stephen Hansen: You Are Here — Papier-mâché sculptures depicting humans, animals and hybrid figures, through Aug. 28.

Out of Favor Boys — Contemporary blues band, 8–10:30 p.m. July 15, Final Gravity Brewing, discoverkalamazoo.com.

West Michigan Area Show — Juried exhibition of works by West Michigan visual artists, through Sept. 4.

Matt Gabriel — Folk and blues singer and songwriter, 6:30 p.m. July 17, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Surrealish: The Absurd and Unexpected — Works by Surrealist masters on display alongside contemporary and regional artists, through Sept. 11.

Bell’s Beer Garden Concerts — Japanese Breakfast w/The Linda Lindas, July 17; Here Come the Mummies w/Biomassive, July 22; Drive-By Truckers w/Lydia Loveless, July 24; Audiotree Presents: mewithoutYou Farewell Tour w/WHY?, July 25; Steppin’ In It, July 29; all shows begin at 8 p.m., 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.

Balancing the Cosmos: Works by Li Hongwei — An intersection between traditional Chinese ceramic forms and contemporary glaze and sculpture, through Oct. 2.

Country Dirt — Blues and rock band, 8–10:30 p.m. July 22, Final Gravity Brewing, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Gordon Lightfoot Tribute — The Canadian singer and songwriter's hits performed by Mike Fornes, 6:30 p.m. July 24, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

12 String Memories — Solo guitar, keyboard and vocals covering many great songs from the last six decades, 8–10:30 p.m. July 29, Final Gravity Brewing, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Unveiling American Genius — Abstract and contemporary works from the KIA’s permanent collection, emphasizing stories that AfricanAmerican, Latino and other artists have told about our cultures, art and history, through December.

Events

Balancing the Cosmos: Evening with Li Hongwei — Discussion of his works representing balance between Chinese tradition and innovation, 6 p.m. July 7, KIA Auditorium and via livestream.

ARTbreak — Program about art, artists and exhibitions: How I Found My Muse Hiding in Plain Sight, discussion led by artist Mary Hatch, July 12; Art of Healing — Using Art Therapeutically, discussion

ENCORE EVENTS led by Gay Walker, an instructor at WMU, and Jim Carter, a retired internal medicine physician, July 26; both programs begin at noon, KIA Auditorium or via livestream; reserve free tickets on KIA website.

Other Venues Annual Photo Exhibition — A glimpse of Portage parks through the lens of the community, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday, July 1–Sept. 9, Portage City Hall Atrium, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov.

NEA Grants for Arts Projects Exhibition — Projects completed through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, through July 29, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

Five Wishes Advance Directive — Informational session by Medical Care Hospice, 10:30–11:30 p.m.

July 27, Oshtemo Branch; registration required.

Oceans of Possibilities Painting Event – Led by Coleen Austin, 6 p.m. July 19; limit of 12 participants, reservations required.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagedistrictlibrary.info

Friends of the Library Book Sale – Outside the library during the Kindleberger Festival, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

July 9.

International Mystery Book Discussion — Discussion of Dear Child, by Romy Hausmann, 7 p.m.

July 14, Long and Gourdneck Lake rooms.

Parchment Book Group – Discussion of The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson, 6 p.m. July 11.

Bees Knees and Beeyond — Talk by expert beekeeper Charlotte Hubbard, 7 p.m. July 21, Austin, Sugarloaf and West Lake rooms; registration required.

Mystery Book Club – Discussion of Saint Brigid's Bones, by Philip Freeman, 4 p.m. July 18.

Art Hop — Displays of art at various locations in downtown Kalamazoo, 5–8 p.m. July 8, 342–5059, kalamazooarts.org.

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Richland Art Fair — Featuring art in all media, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 16, Gull Meadow Farms (new location), 8544 Gull Road, glacv.org.

Intern Exhibition — The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center’s annual display of its interns’ work, July 22– Aug. 26, KBAC, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

Personal Coverage • Homeowners • Automobile • Umbrella Liability • Life Insurance • Annuities

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org Family Storytime at Merrill Park — Stories, songs and rhymes, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Wednesdays, through July, Merrill Park, 5845 Comstock Ave.; bring a blanket or chair.

Benjammin — Singing and dancing to educational and fun music for families, 11–11:45 p.m., July 18.

Adult Book Club — Discussion of By the Sea, by Abdulrazak Gurnah, 4–5:30 p.m, July 29.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov KPL Mobile Library: Family Literacy Day — Multigenerational activities designed to strengthen literacy skills and foster a lifelong love of learning, 4:30–6:30 p.m. July 6, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, 420 E. Alcott St. Ask a Lawyer Family Law Clinic — Attorneys address common family legal questions for lowerincome persons not able to afford a lawyer, 4–6 p.m.

July 7, 10 a.m.–noon July 20, Law Library, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St.; registration required.

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Coffee Talk — A short talk and a discussion about big ideas while drinking coffee, 10:30–11:30 a.m. July 12, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St. Kalamazoo County ID Mobile Unit Event — 1:30–3:30 p.m. July 12, Alma Powell Branch, 1000 W. Paterson St. Reading Race Group — Discussion of The City We Became, by N.K. Jemisin, 6:30 p.m. July 12, Bronson Park, 200 W. South St. John Ball Traveling Zoo — An up-close encounter with live zoo animals, 1 & 2 p.m. July 16, Van Deusen Room, Central Library; tickets available the day of the event.

Virtual Reality Fun Night — Experience being inside a shark cage surrounded by sharks, 6:30–7:30 p.m.

July 18, Eastwood Branch, 1112 Gayle Ave. Kalamazoo County ID Mobile Unit Event — 1:30–3:30 p.m. July 21, second-floor rotunda, Central Library.

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EVENTS ENCORE

Pollinator Garden Tour: Monarch Waystation — Outdoor tour of the library’s native plantings and information on how to grow your own, 6:30 p.m.

July 26, northwest corner of the building, weather permitting.

Bioblitz Challenge — Learn about the weird and wonderful species of animals and plants that live in Portage, 10 a.m.–noon July 30, Austin, Sugarloaf, West, Gourdneck and Long Lake rooms; registration required.

MUSEUMS Air Zoo 6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org Saturday Science Floor Shows — Super Science of Superheroes and Super Villains, July 2 and 23; Life on Mars, July 9 and 30; Subzero Science, July 16; shows at noon and 2 p.m.

Tractor Show — Featuring vintage tractors, tractor parade, farm machinery displays, sawmill and demonstrations, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 29–30.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

The Forgotten Fights of the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy — Traces the history of the academy while focusing on fighters who recount their personal experiences, through Sept. 18.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Summer STEAM Engineering Saturdays — Free outdoor community events with hands-on science stations staffed by local businesses and educators, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. July 23 and Aug. 20.

Team Trivia on the Patio — Teams of two to five people compete, 7 p.m. July 7 & 21; registration required.

Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

Mythical Monsters of Michigan — In this program for adults and teens, local storyteller and musician Robin Nott talks about mythical monsters of Michigan, 7 p.m. July 19.

Wednesday Night Cruise-Ins — Collector cars, oldies music and food, 5–8 p.m. Wednesdays on goodweather nights, through September.

Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Deutsche Marques — An all-German auto show, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. July 9.

Behind the Scenes of Animal Care — Learn how the Nature Center keeps its animal ambassadors healthy and content and assist in daily tasks of an animal caretaker, 10–11:30 p.m. July 16; registration required.

Wine 101 — Learn the basics of wine, from varieties to scents and pairings, 7 p.m. July 20; registration required.

End of Summer Water Party in the Square — A celebration of the end of the Summer Reading Program, with a large inflatable obstacle course, bounce house and water, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. July 30, Richland Village Square, 8001–8039 N. 32nd St., Richland, richlandlibrary.org.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen — British-made vehicle show, plus swap meet, bagpipes and British tea time, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 10.

Celebration of Brass — The Museum of the Horseless Carriage presents a car show, swap meet and on-site activities, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 15–16.

Wonder Media: Ask the Questions! — This interactive exhibition tests visitors’ literacy skills and shows how to discern misinformation and disinformation in the media, through 2023.

NATURE

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Corvette Envy — Show and swap meet for Corvette enthusiasts, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 17.

Birds and Coffee Chat Online — Discussion of the various types of insect eaters, 10 a.m. July 13; registration required.

MOPARs at the Red Barns — An all-Chrysler show featuring muscle cars, antique cars and specialinterest vehicles, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 23.

Other Venues Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Sessions — “The Moon & Double Stars of Summer,” July 9; “Saturn & The Summer Triangle,” July 23; both sessions 9:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m., Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave.; register at kasonline. org. Sessions will be canceled if the sky is mostly cloudy or overcast; check the website for updates.

A world of cheese, curated wines, and accompaniments.

Ranger Hike: Moonlight Expedition — Enjoy a hike under a full moon playing sensory games and listening to our nocturnal neighbors, 9 p.m. July 16, Schrier Park, 850 W. Osterhout Ave., portagemi.gov/ calendar.

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The Cheese Lady Kalamazoo, 7035 West Q Avenue

Guided Bird Hike — Staff will lead a morning hike, 9–10:30 a.m. July 16.

(269) 353-3050

Ramona Beach Bonfire — Relax and enjoy the summer night air, with live music and a bonfire and s’mores materials provided, 8 p.m. July 23, Ramona Park, 8600 S. Sprinkle Road, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Social Hike at Pilgrim Haven — Led by a volunteer hike leader, 5:30 p.m. July 28, 77000 block of 18th Ave., South Haven, swmlc.org.

KRVT Self-Guided Scavenger Hunts — Download family scavenger hunt sheets and mail them in for monthly prize drawings, kalcounty.com/parks/krvt/ trailprogramming.

MISCELLANEOUS Kalamazoo Farmers Market — Featuring over 100 businesses weekly, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays, 2–6 p.m.

Thursdays, 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturdays, Night Market, 5–10 p.m. July 21, 1204 Bank St.; pfcmarkets.com.

Portage Farmers Market — With farmers, vendors and music, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays, outside Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., 329–4522.

Workout Wednesdays — Free socially distanced workouts offered by local fitness organizations, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Bronson Park, downtownkalamazoo.org.

30 | ENCORE JULY 2022

ENCORE EVENTS

Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts — Live concerts, theater performances, parade, book sale, vendors and more, July 6–11, Kindleberger Park, Parchment, kindlebergerarts.org.

Historic Walks: Edison Neighborhood — A walk looking at the history and architecture of the Edison neighborhood, 8–9:30 a.m. July 8, beginning at the Washington Square Branch Library, 1244 Portage St., discoverkalamazoo.com.

Black Arts Festival Youth Day — Activities for youth to experience African art and dance, spray painting and virtual reality, with free food available, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. July 8, Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson St., blackartskalamazoo.org.

ENCORE POETRY

What if clouds suddenly appeared in shapes and formations never seen before, like millions of white dots in the sky, or spirals, or wavelengths, or giant snowflake designs? And what if everyone went out on the streets to gaze up in wonder, holding their devices aloft, thousands of arms stretched upward, and news trucks with their antennae raised, reporters interviewing baffled scientists,

Kalamazoo 4-H Open Horse Show — Public horse show with over 65 classes and most riding disciplines, 9 a.m. July 9–10, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., msue.msu.edu/kalamazoo.

and doomsday prophets proclaiming, “It’s a sign,” while you and I hold hands

Black Arts Festival — A celebration of Black culture and arts in our community, with music, food vendors and more, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. July 9, blackartskalamazoo.org.

— Hilary Harper

Vintage in the Zoo — An outdoor vintage market and handmade goods, with music, noon–7 p.m. July 9, Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Anna Whitten Hall, 202 N. Rose St., discoverkalamazoo.com.

as we watch them drift by from the comfortable lawn chairs in our grassy yard?

Harper has lived in Kalamazoo now and again for more than four decades. During those years she has been a librarian, theater director, writer, photographer, student and grandmother. Her many interests include gardening, genealogy, traveling and staying home.

Historic Walks: Parkwyn Village — A walk discussing the neighborhood where some of the homes were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Norman Carver, 6:30–8 p.m. July 14, beginning at the corner of Winchell Avenue and Parkwyn Drive, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Buy, sell or trade a variety of reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and other exotic pets, plus supplies & food, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. July 16, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, 2900 Lake St., kalamazooreptileexpo.com.

Vicksburg Vintage Market — Vendors selling a variety of household items, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. July 17, Vicksburg Pavilion, 300 N. Richardson St., discoverkalamazoo.com.

Historic Walks: Haymarket Historic District — A walk discussing the neighborhood’s history and architecture, 8–9:30 a.m. July 22, beginning at Gazelle Sports, 214 S. Kalamazoo Mall, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Friday at the Flats — Local food trucks, live music and vendors, 4:30–8:30 p.m. fourth Friday of each month, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Makers Tour: A Walking Tour of a Downtown Kalamazoo Winery, Distillery and Brewery — Spotlighting craft beverage makers, noon–4 p.m.

July 23, beginning at Old Burdick’s Bar & Grill, 100 W. Michigan Ave., 350–4598, westmibeertours.com.

Historic Walks: Street Names in Kalamazoo — A walk around downtown looking at the origins and history of many of the street names, 6:30–8 p.m. July 28, beginning at Gazelle Sports, 214 S. Kalamazoo Mall, discoverkalamazoo.com.

Hop Harvest Beer Tour — A tour highlighting this key ingredient in beer, noon–6:15 p.m. July 30, with tour setting off from Old Burdick's Bar & Grill and making stops at Twisted Hops Farm, Tantrick Brewing Co. and Latitude 42 Brewing Co.; purchase tickets at westmichiganbeertours.com/tour.

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Chaz Rawls (continued from page 34)

I went to Minnesota to help my uncle move and ended up staying for about four years. It was very rural, out in the middle of nowhere, and we were surrounded by farmland. It was a slower life. I got to camp and do outdoorsy things I had never experienced before. Being in all that wide openness led me to dream about future possibilities I hadn’t previously been able to imagine. One of those was farming.

How did you decide where to locate your urban farm?

It’s a little crazy, like coming full circle.

I grew up in Kalamazoo, on the east side of town, near Borgess Hospital (now Ascension Borgess), right on the border between Kalamazoo and Comstock schools. My farm is just off Gull Road, on property I rent close to where I grew up. To have grown up in the neighborhood, then leave and then have my farm here has given me a context and deeper meaning to the land. It sounds like a cliché, but I feel good about being able to go back and make the place a little better.

Farming is dependent on so many things outside your control. Why do it?

Farming is one of the first things I’ve done that feels like I’ve succeeded. Not everything is a win, but it’s something I’m able to do, to learn to deal with bumps and bruises and growing pains.

For me, it’s a grounding thing. A reconnecting, recharging. A direct connection with our food feels like the way things are supposed to be.

Growing food is about relationships. It’s a way of being in sync with other living things.

It affects how you are in the world and with the people around you.

When did you leave Kalamazoo?

I moved during my senior year of high school at Kalamazoo Central. I didn’t like the trajectory I was on, so I went to an adulted program in Parchment to graduate. To be honest, by then I was already grown up, working a job. After graduation, I went into the Navy and was stationed in Japan.

The military was hard for me. Being on water months at a time was mind-blowing.

It changed me. It taught me this life lesson: You gotta be able to float, to be buoyant. It led to seeing I had a choice about what kind of person I wanted to be. When I came back, a big part of me was unsure what I wanted to do.

But another part was going against society. As a teenage boy, society tells you what you are supposed to be doing. I didn’t feel like I was meeting those expectations. I couldn’t. If this was a race, it was one I wasn’t going to win.

What do the plants and the land teach you?

How to maneuver. The tortoise always wins the race, slow and steady. Nature does what it does on a slow scale, but it lasts. It’s a way of paying attention and observing that other life forms have their own intelligences, so different from ours.

I’ve also learned the more control I let go of, the better the crops turn out.

ASK Please send your questions to:

Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

ASK Q. Why would I

Q.

How have you been supported by the community?

The opportunity to work with the farm manager at DeLano Farm (part of the Kalamazoo Nature Center) in 2019 and 2020, was huge. Kirsten (Clemente) believed in me, encouraged me, and by seeing, learning and hands-on doing I gained so much confidence.

Serving on the board of Zoo City Food & Farm Network gives me access to the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, aggregated resources, and people that share my ethics.

By that I mean as a culture we have to think differently about resources and ways to foster healthy relationships. I know we all have to make a profit, but by intentionally partnering, we can feed each other.

And my customers who support me by buying my produce and my teas — they fuel me to keep going.

THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING

LAWYER

My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true?

ASK

THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING

LAWYER

THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING

LAWYER

Please send your questions to:

I’m a single father of two very active twin boys. One of the reasons I wanted to farm is so they can be with me. Being a dad is my first job. I also work full time at Kendall Electric as a forklift operator, and it’s a balancing act to manage my roles as a father, farmer and at the company and stay true to my core values.

For me, it’s not the farm work itself that’s hard. The harder part is the mental aspect of creating and building a business. There are so many scenarios to think about, I’ve had to learn to shift the way I think about things. It requires a lot of discipline.

— Interview by Donna McClurken and edited for length and clarity

Ask MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW

What challenges do you face?

A. You might consider a Trust instead of a simple Will because a so-called “liv-

AND ESTATEing trust” will generally avoid probate when you die, whereas a simple Will as you put a Trust in place PLANNING describe generally would not. Avoiding probate avoids significant costs and time a simple Q. instead of LAWYER Will which distributes delays. Next, when one creates a Trust, we see the possibility of creating asset Willis Law protection for Trust beneficiaries (you and your children). A simple Will which A. Q. all my assets outright directs and distributes assets outright (noting that this is the same for a Trust that 491 West South Street Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. and directly to my distributes assets outright) provides no asset protection for its beneficiaries. Third, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 A. children? if estate tax is a concern, a trust is able to minimize against estate tax for current and 269.492.1040 Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.492.1040 www.willis.law

Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

A.

THE BUSINESS

Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there Please send your questions to: husband going into a nursing home.that I’ve told it is is anMy irrevocable trustisfor persons in your circumstances can been be established withtoyour assetsatotrust the extent they exceed protected possible for me create and protect my the assets from the spend Willis Law amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). down at the nursing home. Is that true?

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Willis Law

Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

9471992-01

down at thepractice nursing home.and isyour Is thata certified true?

491 West South is andanCounselors irrevocable for persons Michael J. WillisStreet is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys at Law, is licensed totrust law in Florida and Michigan, in registered ascircumstances public accountant that can be the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, Kalamazoo,insignifies MI 49007 established with foryour the Heextent exceed that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized the highestassets levels of skill to and integrity. is listed in thethey Best Lawyers in America. the protected 269.492.1040 amount (whichYes. under Michigan law will cap folks at a little Most often when talkover on$125,000). trust planning, they are www.willis.law If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there asset, isbutset instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. is a sophisticated I highly is an This irrevocable trust forplanning personstechnique, in your and circumstances that can be encourage you to seek this technique or the protected established withcounsel your before assetsimplementing to the extent they exceed any other Medicaid planning. amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000).

Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors Law, istrust licensed toispractice law in Florida andand Michigan,the and isassets registered asare a certified public accountant established in an Ifatthe irrevocable effectively in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognizedincome for the highest stream levels of skill and integrity.to He isyou listed inper the Bestthe Lawyersterms in America.of the trust, then in annuity back such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid This is a sophisticated technique, and I highly Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneyspurposes. and Counselors at Law, isplanning licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent encouragewhich you to seek before implementing this over technique or Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, hascounsel been rating lawyers for a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. any other Medicaid planning.

He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America.

future generations which is not at all available when one simply distributes assets directly outright through a Will or otherwise. These are some of the reasons why you might consider a Trust instead of a Will, but it would be wise to talk with an estate planning attorney to acquire more information specific to your circumstances.

Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America.

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www.willis.law

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BACK STORY ENCORE

Chaz Rawls

Owner & Founder, Rooted Luv Farm

Chaz Rawls has come and gone from Kalamazoo a few times —

sometimes spending months at sea — but he has found that his kinship with the land has drawn him home.

The Kalamazoo native operates an urban farm, Rooted Luv Farm, off Gull Road, a stone's throw from where he grew up. Rawls grows produce and makes tea blends that he sells at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, but he says he is also cultivating something else of value: his role as an example to others.

"Being a person of color in this work has made more people that look like me want to participate by volunteering on my farm and with me at the farmers market," he says. "I believe being a vendor at the farmers market can help people of color get exposed to how food is grown. To be able to grow some of your own food, to control some of your diet — it’s empowerment. It’s healing."

What’s the significance of the name of your farm business, Rooted Luv? The name reflects some of the things that have impacted me in my life. The

Chaz Rollins with his 3-year-old twin sons, Chaz Jr., left, and Chance, right.

34 | ENCORE JULY 2022

choice of the word “rooted” has a multi-layer component that goes beyond plants. “Rooted” for me means I’m down, I’m understanding, I’m in touch. In touch with myself and the world. If you think about roots, they are in touch with each other. That’s the vision and energy I want to cast out there. It’s rooted. It’s love. It’s a farm.

What do you grow on your farm?

I grow a wide variety of vegetables such as lettuces, cabbage, peppers and a lot more. The PFC Grocery & Deli sells some of my produce, and I’m in conversation with several restaurants and organizations interested in carrying my products.

My initial business was tea blends, and I grow some ingredients for those, like Tulsi basil and hibiscus.

Some of the ingredients I import from Africa.

I wanted the teas to be an extension of some of my beliefs — some of the things I’ve been influenced by — so some are named after African deities. (continued on page 33)

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