Local Women Fighting for Equity
Five Facts of KSO History
Coaxing Students Beyond Campus
Meet Denise Crawford
Celebrating a Century
The KSO plays on
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2 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
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FREE PARKING
Local Women Fighting for Equity
Five Facts of KSO History
Coaxing Students Beyond Campus
Meet Denise Crawford
Celebrating a Century
The KSO plays on
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Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2020, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:
www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383-4433 Fax: (269) 383-9767 Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com 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. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications.
ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE
From the Editor T
he first house my husband and I owned in Kalamazoo was built the same year the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra was created. That brick and stucco Tudor still stands, housing its fifth family. But while houses are built to last, some arts organizations can be tenuous things. So, as the KSO turns 100, having survived a world war, an economic depression and recession and a pandemic, that’s a reason to celebrate. This anniversary does not represent just the survival of the symphony, but how our community itself has also evolved, how it has persevered and thrived, and how it looks to its future. There is no doubt the pandemic has brought about lasting changes for all of us, but for a symphony that was created to bring music to audiences, it has forced a very steep learning curve. In her story on the KSO in this issue, writer Katie Houston explores the dedication of its artists and leadership to keep creating, giving and educating despite the obstacles. It’s an effort we can all take to heart as a model for navigating uncertain and trying times. Also in this issue, we feature two more stories from the Reporting a Word project that was featured in August’s issue. The students in Sue Ellen Christian’s Specialized Reporting course at Western Michigan University were given words and a phrase to choose from, with directions to find a local angle to report on that word or phrase. WMU graduate Jada Cheeks has penned a timely article on women in Kalamazoo who have made careers out of fighting inequity and racism. WMU student Ben Gretchko looks at how university and college officials as well as city leaders and businesses are trying to get college students to cross campus borders and explore the community. These efforts are not just for economic reasons, but to help instill in students an affinity for the community in which they have chosen to spend their college years. Finally, we meet Denise Crawford, president and chief executive officer of the Family Health Center, which has had a starring role in the community’s response to COVID-19. We learn about the growth of the center and Crawford’s role there in our Back Story feature. As all of us face a very different September from those of the past, I would encourage you to take a minute to breathe deeply and appreciate the beauty that autumn brings. It may seem hard, given the upheaval we are experiencing, but sometimes the beauty of nature and music can give our weary minds a rest. Be safe, be kind and take care of one another.
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CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE
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Jada Cheeks
Jada was born and raised in Grand Rapids as the second oldest of three siblings. She admits she never had a passion for school but developed a love for writing in high school and was encouraged by her television broadcast teacher to pursue journalism. This past April Jada graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in business. She is excited to find a career in her field and hopes to focus on sports.
Ben Gretchko
Ben is entering his senior year as a journalism student at Western Michigan University. He became interested in journalism in elementary school by watching the news. He has experience in print, radio and broadcast journalism and has interned at WMUK-FM, WOOD-TV and HOMTV. He is currently the lead news reporter for the Western Herald, WMU’s student news publication, and hopes to work in broadcast journalism upon graduation.
Katie Houston
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Katie wrote this month’s cover feature on the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. She first enjoyed the KSO at a Three Rivers outdoor concert in the 1990s with her two children, “even though our playlist at the time was centered around Raffi, Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead,” she says. She recommends listening to the KSO’s Prometheus Project on YouTube, and the Shazam app to identify a song on the radio or a TV soundtrack. Her attempts at learning an instrument as a child included the violin, flute and guitar. Katie is a Kalamazoo-based freelance writer and marketing consultant.
CONTENTS
S e p t e m b e r 2020
FEATURE Celebrating a Century
Through a war, the Depression and now a pandemic, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra adapts and plays on
20
DEPARTMENTS 5 From the Editor 6 Contributors Up Front
8
First Things — A round-up of things happening in SW
12
Five Faves — Five historical facts about the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
16
Good Works
28
Enterprise
38
Back Story
Michigan this month
Fighting for Equity — Kalamazoo women on the front lines in the battle against racism and inequity Crossing Campus Borders — How college, university, business and civic leaders encourage students to get out into the community
Meet Denise Crawford — This Kalamazoo native is behind the growth and mission of Family Health Center
ARTS 32 Events of Note 35 Poetry
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First Things Something Theatrical
Farmers Alley offers backyard shows If you
can’t come to the theater, let the theater come to you. You can do that in your own backyard this month with Farmers Alley Theatre’s Backyard Broadway performances. A Backyard Broadway show is a private 40-minute performance for an audience of up to 10 people, featuring a musical revue of Broadway hits past and present from shows such as Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. With proper sound equipment, the cast is able to maintain social distancing from the audience at all times. The cost to book a Backyard Broadway performance is $250. One can be scheduled by contacting Rob Weiner at info@farmersalleytheatre.com.
Something Musical Beats on Bates goes on
Summer may be over (well, not officially until Sept. 22), but there are still a slew of outdoor concerts you can enjoy this month. Beats on Bates, sponsored by Downtown Kalamazoo Partnership and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, is offering a full slate of Wednesday evening performances. This series runs from 5-8 p.m. on Bates Alley, located between 200 and 276 E. Michigan Ave., and this is the September lineup:
Out of Favor Boys
Sept. 2: Melissa Lee, a contemporary country singer.
Sept. 23: Lana Hoffman & Steve Kamerling, a duo featuring vocals and guitars.
Sept. 9: Out of Favor Boys, a contemporary blues band.
Sept. 30: Cabildo, an alternative Latin rock collective.
Sept. 16: Kanola Band, a Midwest jazz band playing the music of New Orleans.
For more information or to check for schedule changes, visit kalamazooarts.org.
8 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
Something Active
Run or walk for a good cause If you are missing the flurry of fundraising walks and runs that normally take place this time of year, you can still register to do some of them on your own and at least one in a group of 100. Bronson Children’s Hospital’s Run and Walk, an annual event to raise money for the children’s hospital, will take place as a virtual event Sept. 18–27. Participants can choose where and when they will complete their 5K or one mile run or walk. All registered participants will receive a T-shirt, bib and finisher medal. The event will also feature fun challenges, prizes and videos shared on social media to help participants feel connected. For more information or to register, visit bronsonhealth.com/runwalk. The Kalamazoo Walk to End Alzheimer's won’t be a large in-person gathering either, but you can walk with small teams of friends or family Sept. 20 to raise money for Alzheimer’s support, care and research. To register, visit act.alz.org. On Sept. 26, Gryphon Place will host its annual Suicide Prevention Walk as a virtual
event. It will begin at 9 a.m. via Facebook Live, and participants can complete their walk at any time that day. Participants will receive a T-shirt and wristband and are encouraged to take pictures during their walk and post them on social media, using the hashtag #GPSuicidePreventionWalk. Registration for the event is at gryphon.org/events. The annual SPCA 5K Doggie Dash this year gives you the option of walking or running the Spring Valley Park trails with others or running your own virtual course at the same starting time. Dogs are optional. The event is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 19, and the park is at 2605 Mount Olivet Road. Only the first 100 people to sign up will be able to participate at the park. To register for either the in-person event or the virtual one, visit runsignup.com/ Race/MI/Kalamazoo/5kDoggieDash. And if you don’t like running all that much but want to support a good cause, you can participate in the Duck Derby Point1K on Sept. 26 on the Kalamazoo Mall. This spoof event involves a 329-foot flat course and Duck Derby raffle to benefit Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. Pre-race events begin at 10 a.m. and the race at noon. For details, visit point1k.com.
Something Old
Workshop looks at old windows More than 50 percent of the houses in Kalamazoo were built before 1960, so chances are that the average Kalamazoo homeowner has an old double-hung window or two. And for those who don’t know the difference between a stool, a stop and a parting bead, the Kalamazoo Public Library is offering a free online workshop at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 to explain the intricacies of old windows. “How to Understand Your Window” will be presented by the Old House Owners Workshop (OHOW), a program of the city of Kalamazoo’s Historic Preservation Commission. The workshop will explore window anatomy and function. North Coast Window Works owner Peter Carroll joins Historic Preservation Coordinator Sharon Ferraro and OHOW Planning Committee member Lenee Powell-Wilson to answer common window questions. The workshop is available to view at kpl.gov/venue/online. For more information, visit kpl.gov.
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emporium Explore. Shop. Enjoy.
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Noteworthy Invitations
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emporium Explore. Shop. Enjoy.
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Gazelle Sports
Horton’s Haberdashery is a lifestyle clothing store that offers a personalized shopping experience. Offering a full selection of men’s and women’s apparel from brands such as lululemon, Johnnie-O, Vineyard Vines, Peter Millar and more. Stop by today!
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FIVE FAVES ENCORE
Five Faves
Five essential aspects of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra by
JANE ROOKS ROSS & ZAIDE PIXLEY
How remarkable it is to have a century of symphonic music in Kalamazoo, performed in good and tough times, buoyed by community support and committed musicians! As the authors of a book celebrating the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s 100-year history (available in fall 2021), we offer these five essential aspects of the KSO’s history and achievements:
The Beginning
Leta Snow
The KSO began because of Leta G. Snow, a tenacious, creative woman with a vision and the ability to put it into action. She made the case, found the musicians, connected with the community, persuaded civic leaders to join her, set up rehearsals in Harry Parker’s automobile showroom downtown and named the right conductor in Chester Bronson. Her orchestra made its debut in 1921. Snow, along with determined conductors and musicians, kept the orchestra playing through challenging times, refusing to be daunted, always finding a way to respond. During the Depression, she gave patrons IOUs to keep them coming to concerts. During World War II, when 26 players left the orchestra to join the armed forces, she went to Fort Custer and recruited more. Her vision extended to the nation. In 1941, she founded the American Symphony Orchestra League, which is still going strong as the League of American Orchestras. She gained a reputation for the KSO that’s bigger than the size of its home. She lived to be 101.
Accolades and Awards Over the years the symphony has been recognized nationally for its outsized impact:
• 1937: Harvard University praises it as a “model orchestra.”
• 1943: The Office of War Information chooses the KSO for a concert recording reaching tens of thousands of service members. • 1 966: The Ford Foundation awards the KSO a Community Building Grant. • 1980: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) awards the KSO for its Adventuresome Overall Programming of Contemporary Music. • 2004: The League of American Orchestras presents its Silver Medal to the KSO League in honor of the Instrument Petting Zoo. • 2007: The Mellon Foundation selects the KSO for its Music Alive/Meet the Composer grant. • 2 008: MetLife gives the KSO its Award for Arts Access in Underserved Communities. • 2014: The Midori Orchestra Residency Program brings the renowned violinist Midori to Kalamazoo to work with the KSO and Junior Symphony in rehearsals and concerts. • 2018-2020: Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute for PlayUSA selects the KSO’s youth programs Kalamazoo Kids in Tune and Orchestra Rouh as grant recipients.
12 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
ENCORE FIVE FAVES
A Stellar Roster of Conductors The KSO has a history of outstanding conductors who have
stretched the orchestra and inspired its audiences, including:
• Herman Felber (1934–1959), who solidified the orchestra’s professionalism — and brought lobsters for the players to enjoy during rehearsal breaks. • Gregory Millar (1961–1968), who began the popular “Starlight Concerts” on the Gilmore Bros. department store’s parking structure roof. • Pierre Hétu (1968–1974), who added sophisticated French music to the mix. • Yoshimi Takeda (1974–1999), who helped establish the KSO String Quartet, hired an education director, and enhanced the orchestra’s artistry. • Raymond Harvey (1999–2017), pictured above, who engaged audiences in “World of” concerts and pre-concert talks and brought a new level of precision and discipline to the orchestra. • Julian Kuerti (appointed in 2018), who has presented stunning performances of masterworks, promoted enticing new music, and initiated the “Craft Music” performances at Bell’s Eccentric Café.
A Collaborative Effort Formed by musicians eager to play in an orchestra, a civic-
minded community ready to support them and audiences wanting to hear symphonic music, the KSO has partnered with educational, arts and other organizations to bring inspiring musical experiences to the community throughout its history. These collaborations bring a richness of resources and expertise and have even spawned new arts entities. In 1977, when an adult chorus was needed for a performance, the singers who participated had so much fun that they formed a community choir: the Kalamazoo Singers. Four years later, when an opera called for children’s voices, those involved became the Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus. More recently, a Family Discovery Concert coupled the Westhuizen Duo pianists in Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals with Djembe Yaru West Afrikan Drumming and the Rootead Youth Dance Company.
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FIVE FAVES ENCORE
A Mission to Educate Education has been a priority from the beginning. In the 1930s, the KSO’s Women’s Committee presented programs to build the community’s knowledge about the symphony. In the late 1940s, a concert was attended by 500 schoolchildren who had been studying the music. In the 1950s, KSO musicians formed ensembles that traveled to area schools — ensembles that are still on the move. The early 1970s marked the start of the Young People’s Concerts, attended by hundreds of schoolchildren who were bused to performances in Miller Auditorium. By the 1990s these concerts were performed for thousands of students from six counties. In 1994, the Upjohn Mason Grandchildren’s Chair in Music Education was created — a full-time music education position — making the KSO one of the few American orchestras of its size to have such resources. Jane Rooks Ross (coauthor of this piece) was chosen as its first director. Now the KSO offers more than 20 education and community programs, including Kalamazoo Kids in Tune and Orchestra Rouh for school-aged children, Marvelous Music for preschoolers and sensory-friendly programming for all ages. Education programs reach approximately 26,000 students and their teachers annually and occur in more than 100 schools. These include annual Youth Concerts for up to 13,000 students and their teachers, capping months of in-class music study. The 10 concerts over five days serve students from 38 school districts across 10 Southwest Michigan counties. About the Authors Jane Rooks Ross is the founding director of education for the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. A lifelong educator, she has taught in area grade schools and the WMU Honors College and at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kalamazoo College. As a consultant, she writes grants and educational materials, including “Listener’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Ross holds a master of music degree in music education from WMU. She has been honored as a YWCA Woman of Achievement and Community Medal of Arts Award winner by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and received the PRISM award from the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity. She was featured in Amazing Women of West Michigan and serves on the KSO Board of Directors.
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Zaide Pixley’s work as an educator began at P.S. 58 in the Bronx, New York, and continued at Interlochen and the University of Michigan, where she earned a Ph.D. in musicology. A member of the faculty at Kalamazoo College for 31 years, she is now professor emerita. She has offered courses on a wide range of subjects from music history and theory to rock ’n’ roll. Pixley has served as executive director of the Kalamazoo Bach Festival, was a concert reviewer for the Kalamazoo Gazette and is now program note annotator for the Gilmore Keyboard Festival. She is the author of Great Ensemble, a history of the first 75 years of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
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GOOD WORKS ENCORE
Fighting for Equity
Kalamazoo women are on the front lines
Brian Powers
Brian Powers
BY JADA CHEEKS
Lifelong challenges brought on by racial
inequities have shaped four Kalamazoo women into the people they are today and influenced the work they do. For Candy McCorkle, Evelyn WinfieldThomas, DeMarra West and Donna Odom, their daily work is focused on the elimination of policies, practices, attitudes and cultural assumptions that reinforce different outcomes based on people’s race or ethnicity, although that is not the limit of their equity work. McCorkle, vice president of diversity and inclusion at Western Michigan University,
16 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
Above, from left, Demarra West, Evelyn WinfieldThomas and Donna Odom, and Candy McCorkle, pictured at right, are actively working to combat racism and inequity in the community.
says her work seeking equity began early, since she is Black. The Dayton, Ohio, native says that after kindergarten she was tested and deemed gifted and sent across town to a predominantly white school with students from higher economic backgrounds. In this new setting, outside of her neighborhood, there were only a few Black students, and she had to quickly learn how to live bi-culturally, she says.
ENCORE GOOD WORKS
When she attended college at Wright State University, in Dayton, McCorkle was one of a small percentage of Black students at the predominantly white research institution. The education she received in discrimination was swift, she recalls. In her sophomore year, in front of an entire psychology class, a white professor told McCorkle, “You don’t have the right to be here — you are the wrong color, you are the wrong gender and you are the wrong socio-economic background.” With a flip of a switch, it was then that she became committed to working for equity, she says. Equity is a huge part of McCorkle’s role at WMU. As the executive spearheading WMU’s diversity and inclusion efforts, McCorkle works to lead the university in its efforts to achieve diversity via inclusion, acceptance, respect and empowerment. This means understanding that each individual is unique and that people’s differences can make the contributions they have to offer valuable. At the same time, McCorkle notes that is her responsibility to represent the interests of a wide spectrum of people. “I am one of the only vice presidents of color (at WMU),” she says. “There are two other persons of color on the (university) cabinet — our president and the director of strategic communications. When I come into cabinet, I don’t get the luxury of just coming to cabinet as Candy the Black woman. I have to come in there as Candy the Hispanic male, Candy the blind person, Candy the LGBT person. I have to try to put the identities that are not in that room in that space so that when we are thinking about things, I am challenging people to think about how it looks for everyone.”
Equity recognizes individual needs Promoting a campus environment that offers equal opportunity and equity in an atmosphere free of discrimination, harassment or retaliation is the daily job of another WMU leader: Evelyn Winfield-
Thomas, the university’s executive director of institutional equity and special assistant to the president. Winfield-Thomas says that giving everyone the same thing does not always mean achieving equality or equity. Every person starts off with different characteristics, abilities and resources and therefore has different needs, she says. “You have to give people what they need to level the playing field,” she says. “We can work toward equity, but everyone and institutions have to be motivated to achieve this outcome. The goal is to create systems and structures that afford equitable access and opportunities for everyone. This is a
This story was written for the WMU journalism program’s Reporting a Word project, which was featured in August’s issue of Encore. Information about it and other stories from the project are available online at encorekalamazoo.com. stronger pathway toward equity and equal opportunity.” Winfield-Thomas’ office focuses on programs and policies to ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion are part of WMU’s campus culture. For example, before COVID-19 restrictions, the office was scheduled to launch a 30-hour training for employees about ways they can work to cultivate an inclusive, diverse workplace. Additionally, the office offers anti-bias training to members of search committees for faculty, staff, administrator and student leadership positions, to “increase awareness of various forms of individual, group and institutional implicit or unconscious biases that are barriers to diversity, equity and inclusiveness in hiring decisions and outcomes, according to the office’s website.
Views and evidence on inequity According to a 2016 Pew Research Center report, nearly six in 10 Americans said the U.S. needs to continue making changes in order for Black people to have equal rights with white people. Thirty percent said the country has already made enough changes. A 2019 report from Pew indicated a bleaker view among Black Americans: More than eight in 10 Black adults said the legacy of slavery affected the position of Black people in America, and about eight in 10 Blacks also said the U.S. hasn’t gone far enough when it comes to giving Black people equal rights with whites. Half of those surveyed said it was unlikely that the country would eventually achieve racial equality. Economic inequity is evident on the local level. In the Kalamazoo-Portage metropolitan area, the median wage for workers of color was $4 less than the median wage for white workers in 2015, according to the National Equity Atlas produced by both PolicyLink, a national research institute focusing on racial and economic equity, and the University of Southern California Program for Environmental and Regional Equity. The atlas calculated that in 2015 the region’s economy would have been $1.07 billion larger if there had been no racial gaps in income — meaning that people of color earned the same as their white counterparts. “Racial economic inclusion is good for families, good for communities, and good for the economy” because fewer families will be living in poverty, will contribute more to tax revenues and pay into Social Security, according to the organization’s website.
Consulting for change Working to bring equity in the community is at the heart of one Kalamazoo small business. Through her company, Change Agent Consulting, principal and lead consultant Demarra West works with organizations and individuals on a range of subject areas, from
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GOOD WORKS ENCORE strategic planning to career development to personal relationships. “Change Agent Consulting understands how diversity and inclusion can be utilized as a tool to maximize performance, build stronger teams, and produce better internal and external work outputs/ outcomes,” says her organization’s website. West, who is multiracial but identifies as African-American, says she serves as a resource for people from all different walks of life in her work with the consulting firm. She also hosts yoga, retreats and other events through a program she created called Be Well Beautiful Woman. The program is designed to help women prioritize wellness so they can lead joyous, abundant lives. West says she grew up in a home where her identity was not discussed, but she knew at a young age what was right and wrong. At 6 years old, she was called the n-word. “I knew it was a malicious stab at me,” she says. As a student at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, West faced another moment of inequitable treatment. She and her classmates were in class preparing to take a test. All the students were moving around and handling last-minute tasks, but in a room with a majority of white people, West’s professor walked up to only her and grabbed her arm and made her sit down at a desk. “Those moments were very pivotal for me,” West says. She hopes to share her stories so that her past will not be repeated in the lives of future generations.
Black – White Disparities Whites continue to have an advantage over the Black community in housing, income employment and health.
$
Housing
18% of Black people will not
On average white homeowners will have less mortage debt on their first home than Black homeowners on their first home by $15,000
own their first home until the ages of 60-61, compared to white people buying their first home at 35
In 2018, whites’ wages were 73.3% higher than Blacks’ wages
As of 2018, there has been very little to no wage growth for Black workers
Income
3.1% of white workers were
Employment
Healthcare
unemployed compared to 6.1% of Black workers in 2019
As of 2018, 7.5% of whites did not have healthcare coverage
Even Black workers with the same education as white workers are 1.3% more likely to be unemployed
As of 2018, 11.5% of Blacks did not have healthcare coverage
Seeking racial healing Another professional woman in Kalamazoo whose work focuses on culture and equity is Donna Odom, executive director of the Society for History and Racial Equity (SHARE). The organization, which Odom founded in 2013 as the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society (it changed its name in 2015), is committed to education about the importance of Southwest Michigan’s African-American heritage. It
seeks to develop connections and conversations on race, racial healing and the “broad societal benefits” of eliminating racism, according to the group’s mission statement. Odom, who was one of three Black students in Kalamazoo College’s graduating class of 1967, believes full equity can be reached only when society has done away with the hierarchical structuring and valuing of
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buy-sell, then it would be best if each of you own the policies on each other’s life with the policies payable to yourselves on your partner’s life. The result of this would be a “step up” for capital gains tax purposes when one of you dies, on the interest that the survivor then purchases from the deceased partner’s estate or trust. This differential could be extremely important when the surviving partner later sells his or her interest in the company, as capital gain taxes will be much lower given the “step up” in basis that the surviving partner received in the ownership interest of the deceased partner.
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.
18 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
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one group of people over another that racism involves. Through racial healing workshops, trainings about historical and institutional racism, racerelated book group discussions and cultural events such as the Taste of Jazz and its annual Summit on Racism in November, SHARE promotes the concept that each person’s success and achievement are benefits to the community as a whole, that equity helps everyone and is not a threat. “What we try to do is shine a light on the history as well as the inequities, to highlight for younger African-Americans how the strength and resilience of their ancestors led them to achieve greatness in many areas against all odds,� says Odom. Odom is seeing younger generations getting involved in equity work. “While I am heartened by the level of involvement in a community like Kalamazoo in anti-racist activities, I see much more that needs to be done,� she says.
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Making equity a priority One organization attempting to do some of that work is the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, which adopted equity as one of its funding priorities in 2018. The foundation, which is one of the area’s largest philanthropic organizations, works with community leaders, other community members and local nonprofits to eliminate the barriers preventing adults and children from reaching their full potential. “Creating an equitable community means every individual in Kalamazoo has the opportunity to provide a livelihood for their family, which includes high-quality education and care for their children, a safe and affordable home, and the ability to earn a living — no matter the zip code, race or gender,� Carrie Pickett-Erway, the foundation’s president and CEO, says in a YouTube video. Like Odom, West, Winfield-Thomas and McCorkle, Pickett-Erway hopes to communicate loudly and clearly that equity benefits everyone and that it is everyone’s job to work toward it. For her part, McCorkle puts it this way: “Inclusion and equity are not the work of one office.�
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Celebrating a Century
Through a war, the Depression and now a pandemic, the KSO plays on BY KATIE HOUSTON
20 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
An image of KSO musicians playing from the Prometheus Project video that was produced by KSO Music Director Julian Kuerti.
W
hen the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra begins its 100th season this month, it will be a memorable milestone celebration. It won’t look exactly like what the board, leadership and musicians had been planning for years, but that’s 2020 for you. As an organization that has survived the Great Depression, World War II and the 2008 recession, the KSO has a proud history of being malleable and adaptable. As well as grateful. When its season begins in October, it will do so with an online “thank you” event for the community. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 21
“An organization doesn’t reach 100 years on its own,” says Executive Director Jessica Mallow Gulley, who joined the KSO in December. “We’re preparing a presentation of two major orchestral works surrounded by videos from our partners in the community, so we can actually thank Kalamazoo for helping us turn 100.” And while hope cannot be considered a strategy, it plays an integral part in facing the unknown.
Clockwise from top: The symphony in its first year; KSO Music Director Julian Kuerti; and the KSO performs the score live while the movie Star Wars plays.
“Rethinking the entire season from the ground up — and such an important season — has been challenging,” admits Julian Kuerti, the KSO’s music director since mid2018, “but it has given us a chance to create experiences we wouldn’t have considered.” In addition to the October thank-you event, live-streamed and recorded events will continue through the end of the year, with live performances set to return in January. “This summer (was) all about imagination,” says Resident Conductor Daniel Brier, who completes the leadership trio working to meet the challenges the organization faces this year because of COVID-19. He’s the veteran of the three, having been on staff with the KSO since 2014. “Usually we work years ahead, so adapting to work in the moment has been kind of fun,” Brier says. “It’s been like a puzzle. We’ve built all our plans with contingencies, as there are so many different ways it may all shake out.” “Musically, this has been difficult,” says Kuerti of his time in self-isolation due to the pandemic. “Remember, as conductors, we don’t produce any music. It’s in our heads until we can stand in front of the musicians who can play for us.” 22 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
The Prometheus Project Early in the statewide shutdown, Kuerti recruited dozens of KSO musicians to record themselves playing Beethoven’s Overture to the Creatures of Prometheus. “It was a welcome diversion and kept us working together,” Kuerti says of the project, which debuted on YouTube in April and can be seen at tinyurl.com/KSOPrometheus. He says he was "absolutely not” a video editor before, but he taught himself how to sync 36 performances into a final product. Kalamazoo native and KSO bassist Noah Krzan was one of the performers. “Maestro Kuerti poured his heart into this,” says Krzan. “It was certainly different to perform alone in my living room, playing the bass into a phone, listening with one ear to the click track — an audio metronome that helps sync the parts together. I know I'm biased, but if you check out the many similar projects that orchestras put out this spring, our project sets the standard musically and in its visual aesthetics.” Kuerti and Brier both have contracts with music organizations in other cities — Kuerti with Orchestre Métropolitain de Montreal in Canada and Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Concepción in Chile, and Brier with Opera
Wilmington (North Carolina) — just as many of the KSO musicians also play with other groups, teach, and/or compose. When asked how Kalamazoo compares to, say, Montreal or Santiago, Kuerti’s answer is gratifying. “Kalamazoo is a small town with a worldclass appetite for music and culture,” he says. “I joke that the audiences in Kalamazoo are often more attentive than audiences I encounter in Montreal.”
Symphony origins The KSO is the state’s third largest orchestra, with an operating budget of nearly $3 million and 80-plus musicians and 18 professionals employed full or part time. It is supported by a host of donors, sponsors, funders and volunteers, including a board of nearly 30. The symphony provides more than 30 concert performances yearly, reaching more than 40,000 music lovers. Founded by Leta G. Snow, the KSO held its first concert on Dec. 18, 1921, when Chester Z. Bronson conducted 25 volunteer musicians in a performance at the Kalamazoo Masonic Temple (a building that became the Rose Street Market and is now being renovated into a hotel). A retrospective created for the KSO’s 75th anniversary can be found
The show intermission must go on. And all the while, Greenleaf Trust will be a proud supporter of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
211 South Rose Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.388.9800 greenleaftrust.com w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 23
Thank you for 100 years of making beautiful music.
at kalamazoosymphony.org, and a 100th anniversary book is in the works. Among the points of pride in this historical year is that, despite the economic impact of the pandemic, the KSO has cut no jobs and no one’s pay. “We couldn’t be prouder to be honoring our financial commitments to our staff and musicians,” says Mallow Gulley, adding that the organization received federal payroll assistance and emergency support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
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For this, Krzan is grateful. “With all the uncertainty of the world, it has been very reassuring to see how much the KSO board and management are doing to make sure the musicians' well-being is taken care of,” he says.
The players With it being hard to maintain a routine these days, KSO musicians have responded in various ways to the constraints of the pandemic. Composer and KSO cellist Elizabeth Start admits to being distracted by domestic projects and gardening over the summer — “I am not used to being home all the time!” — but says she enjoyed participating in a Rapido! composition contest, for which she wrote a piece in 14 days to get “unstuck.” She also composed a piece for the KSO anniversary season that she hopes to hear performed in 2021. “I really look forward to playing somewhere, sometime, for people who are nearby and visible,” she says. “There’s nothing like working towards a common goal with my colleagues. Music has always been a communal thing for me, about connections and collective efforts and, of course, feeling the response of an audience.” A Kalamazoo native, Start has connections to the KSO’s origins — she delivered newspapers to the KSO’s founder as a child. And as she looks toward the KSO’s future, she sees plenty
and answered each other for a while. It was amazing.” Whaley thought about retiring after his 50th season, in 2016, during which the KSO staged a tribute to him, but he then learned that the next year’s schedule would include Mahler’s Symphony No. 6. “It has a great tuba part I’d never played, so I stuck around, and that just keeps happening,” he says, now preparing for his 55th season. “I’m still playing.”
Connecting through education Above: Young and old attend the KSO performances, like this one at Miller Auditorium. Left: Members of the KSO’s youth group Orchestra Rouh practice.
of upsides. “I don't think we could have better leadership now than we do, putting us in the best position to move forward in this bizarre and shifting terrain,” she says. Principal tuba player Robert Whaley joined the orchestra in 1966 and is the KSO’s longest-serving musician. His career has included everything from a solo performance at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall that was reviewed by The New York Times to playing
the famous here-comes-the-shark riff in the Jaws film soundtrack 35 times during one of the KSO’s movie nights, but he cites a local concert with Bobby McFerrin in 2015 as one of his most memorable moments. “It was an evening of Gershwin at Miller Auditorium. We had just played Porgy & Bess, when McFerrin walked off the podium, through the musicians, and came right up to me. He said, ‘You play something, and I will imitate you.’ I was stunned, but I played a few little jazz things — and I’m not a jazz player — and he vocalized back. We played
The KSO’s contributions to the community go beyond performing. Education has always been one of its priorities. Among its programs are the afterschool programs Kalamazoo Kids in Tune and Orchestra Rouh (“soul” in Arabic). The latter, implemented in partnership with the Suzuki Academy of Kalamazoo, is led by founder Ahmed Tofiq and designed for children of refugee and recent immigrant families. During the last few months of the 2019-2020 school year, the KSO served students in both programs simultaneously with a focus on maintaining community and connection.
100 YEARS?!
Thank you to the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra for enriching our community with music for the past century! We are proud to support your organization. Our horn section salutes you!
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90-minute programs were offered on alternate days in order to avoid “Zoom fatigue.” For students without instruments, teachers shared talks about jazz and the tango, hosted yoga and drawing classes, and shared relaxation and mindfulness techniques. The education and community engagement team even maintained virtual contact with its youngest students through the Marvelous Music preschool initiative, which, during a normal school year, sends music specialists to 35 classrooms weekly in partnership with the Crescendo Academy of Music, reaching 600 kids. Brian Powers
“We checked in with the families to make sure their basic needs were met,” says Elizabeth Youker, KSO cellist and director of education and community engagement. “Our team plugged them in to lunch pickups and homework packets, checked on internet access and even shared job postings.” In mid-March Youker had just returned to work after the December birth of her third child. She was hoping to “ease back into things” — an idea that quickly evaporated when Michigan schools shut down because of the pandemic. Her team pivoted to create online music education through the end of the school year. “We have been so pleased to continue serving students and families when everything else had seemingly stopped,” she says. “It really gave all of us a lot of hope.” Private lessons were offered for those who had instruments at home. The team created videos of instructors sharing cues over orchestra recordings so the students could play along using their sheet music. Instead of daily two-and-a-half-hour convenings,
From left: The KSO’s violin section in a performance at Chenery Auditorium; a student and instructor in the Kalamazoo Kids in Tune program; a Craft Music performance at Bell’s Brewery; and students showcase their talents in a performance.
The symphony’s robust schedule of performances in schools, undertaken by eight full-time musicians in residence, also hit a full stop. In what was a typical year, the 20182019 season, the KSO gave 150 performances in more than 100 schools, reaching more than 38,000 students. “The pandemic stopped us in our tracks right before our biggest week: five days of fulllength concerts in front of 14,000 students,”
Our first Gilmore Artist, David Owen Norris, performs with the KSO in 1991.
100 years of musical inspiration! We salute our partner and friend, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
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26 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
says jazz pianist Rufus Ferguson, who is in his second year as the KSO’s education manager and also teaches music at Western Michigan University. “It completely shifted our concept of programming, but, in a way, it was just what we needed to break traditional modes. “This fall my hope is that students will still experience the things they look forward to from us in a way that’s meaningful, as the pandemic challenges us to reach our students with 21st-century technology.” For the new school year, the KSO is creating a virtual classroom that will include instrument introductions, composer biographies, a library of “musical storybooks,”
small ensemble performances, explorations of topics like reed- and mallet-making, tours of area instrument workshops, and both new and archival videos of the full orchestra. “Our online platform could reach more students by not being bound to a building,” Youker says.
Plans for 2021 The KSO plans to resume live performances for audiences in January, with six “Masterworks Concerts” scheduled through June. The audience numbers may be limited and programs held to 90 minutes to eliminate the extended socializing of intermissions.
There will be no vocalists, as singing is considered a “superspreading” activity. Bassist Krzan echoes other KSO members when he says, “I dream of packing together into a large concert hall. I miss the connection with colleagues and our audience. I cannot wait to gather again on stage in performance with everyone together and to have our supportive audiences able to safely take it in.” Kuerti feels the same. “Our lifeblood is to be on stage and to connect with the public,” he says. Given the variability of mandates for how many people can convene indoors and requirements for social distancing, each date on the 2021 schedule has Plans A, B and C in place. But Mallow Gulley says she is particularly looking forward to the final concert, planned for June. “It will be an outdoor production of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The triumph of that work is about overcoming fear and embracing joy together. That’s a powerful message for this year.”
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ENTERPRISE ENCORE
Crossing Campus Borders
Programs get college students to go beyond campus borders
Keith Mumma — Kalamazoo College
BY BEN GRETCHKO
S
ome students from Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College go beyond campus borders and into the Kalamazoo community for work, service-learning projects and volunteering, but city leaders, business owners and university and college officials wish students would cross the campus borders even more often. “Kalamazoo’s got a lot going for it,” says Mike Teel, owner of Teel Jewelers, located on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall. “Why would any kid go to college and spend their whole time on campus?” To that end, both schools use a variety of ways to encourage students living on campus to get off campus and explore what the community has to offer. 28 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
Kalamazoo College students talk about the pond ecosystem with elementary students at Woodward School for Technology & Research.
WMU’s efforts WMU promotes students getting off campus by “making sure that we educate students on the availability of the transportation (and) also providing the information from Discover Kalamazoo on events that are going on around town,” says Kara Wood, WMU associate vice president for community partnerships. Partnerships with local businesses to provide students with discounts can also help draw students into the community, she says.
ENCORE ENTERPRISE
WMU has about 22,000 students, and riding on Metro buses is free for them with their Bronco ID. Grocery stores often offer student discounts, including 10 percent off purchases at Sawall’s Health Foods and 5 percent off food purchases at Harding’s Friendly Markets every Thursday. Sawall’s management says the store has seen an increase in student traffic as a result of the discount, but it doesn’t keep track of the total number of students using it. Another big way that WMU incorporates students into the community is through community service, which can also benefit students in the long run. “We’ve got a lot of service-learning opportunities that students tend to get involved in through classwork, and that then gets them into the community with nonprofit organizations or businesses. And I would say that leads to more engagement with the community because they become familiar with the community,” Wood says.
WMU wins recognition In response to its community engagement efforts, WMU received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. To win this designation, the university tracked student, staff and faculty involvement in the community. “That could be through experiential learning,” Wood says. “It can be projects that have been done in the community. It could also be any array of programming that is offered to the community.” Community service sites for WMU students, staff and faculty include the YWCA, the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Erica Goble, who attended Western from 2012 to 2016 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work, participated
as a sophomore in a service-learning project that was required for a gerontology class. As part of the class, Goble had to pick a local aging agency to work with and chose the Ecumenical Senior Center on North Burdick Street. The purpose of her project was to raise money for a blood pressure monitor. “It was also a congregant meal site, so, like Meals on Wheels, they serve all the meals to the people that come to the center during the day, and they were really trying to make it into a one-stop shop where older adults would come in to be a part of the senior center’s activities and do some health monitoring,” Goble says. Goble did a second service-learning project in which she participated in planning the Rainbow Run 5K, a benefit run that raised money for a local LGBT organization. Goble says she believes that service learning helped her connect with people. “In social work, so much of it is interfacing with
WMU students offer information on bicycle maintenance during Kalamazoo’s 2019 Earth Day Celebration in Bronson Park.
people and making relationships and actually being in the community to understand how the work that you’re doing actually impacts the community you're trying to serve,” Goble says. “You don’t get it until you can actually go out and do it. There’s nothing as beneficial as making the partnerships and trying to work with the community.”
K College’s commitment Kalamazoo College also encourages service-learning opportunities. Its Mary Jane Underwood Center for Civic Engagement, which was created 20 years ago, uses service learning to give students a better understanding of the community. About half of the approximately 1,450-member student body gets involved in servicelearning opportunities, says Director of Civic Engagement Alison Geist. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 29
ENTERPRISE ENCORE “We are less focused on encouraging students to take advantage of retail, arts, culture,” Geist says, “although we hope that having students more involved in the city, they will in turn want to be involved in those ways as well.” The Underwood Center has 30 community partners, including the YWCA and Kalamazoo Public Schools. Students and organizations work on issues aimed at building a world sustainable for everyone. “With Kalamazoo Public Schools, we have students working in about five different schools providing academic enrichment as well as just fun and other kinds of great stuff to promote the possibility for all students to take advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise (scholarship program),” Geist says. Geist says more than 150 students work at the schools every week, including at Woodward and El Sol elementaries. This opportunity allows them to learn about the barriers elementary students may face in living successful lives. Service learning is also done through various classes at the college. For example, sophomore psychology major Lena Gerstle helped provide childcare for some of the children at the YWCA as part of a health psychology class. “I was working with 4- and 5-year-olds and it was just really fun, because at college it’s easy to hang out with people your own age,”
Gerstle says. “We would develop relationships with (the kids) and it was really nice.” As a result of this experience, Gerstle says, she learned how the YWCA works to empower women, by improving maternal and child health, caring for victims of abuse and advocating for systemic change.
More service opportunities In addition to becoming involved in service learning opportunities, local college students also do other types of community service. WMU’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity for women, presents an annual Valentine’s Day concert at the Friendship Village retirement community. The group also helped members of a local Girl Scout troop earn their music badges. “Often what service does in general is just put you in contact with populations that you don’t generally interact with,” says Raine Kuch, who majored in journalism at WMU. “When I went to Friendship Village, I’m a young person that usually interacts with college students, so being in a setting where I’m interacting with older individuals, that’s also outside of the norm.”
development coach at Linden Grove Middle School. At first, her job was the only way she connected with the city but having a new dog and encouraging friends eventually led her to explore downtown and local dog parks. “My friends and I like to catch movies so we would go to the downtown movie theater,” says Aguirre. "We like to walk our dogs downtown or go to any dog park around the city. I think having a dog gives you more motivation to go outside.”
Night life and dog walks
Students want to know more
A chance to have some fun also brings local college students into the community, especially into downtown Kalamazoo. Veronica Aguirre, a WMU student from Grand Rapids, worked as a youth
Community partnerships help get the word out to students about the community, but not everyone is aware of everything going on in the community. WMU sophomore Ethan Silverman says he has heard of the shows
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ENCORE ENTERPRISE
WMU students attending the 2019 Earth Day Celebration in Bronson Park were able to get information on sustainable practices and organizations in Kalamazoo.
that come to WMU’s Miller Auditorium as well as some events in the community, but he has not been to downtown. “I know about all the plays and the shows at Miller and that’s cool, but I don’t know of any community events other than the (Kalamazoo) Farmer’s Market,” Silverman says. He says one way to better promote community events to students would be to use the billboards around campus to post flyers about them alongside WMU events. Some international students also say they feel disconnected from the downtown area. “Usually what I know mostly about Kalamazoo is from other students that I’ve
met here and also from international student organizations when they organize events,” says Ivylove Cudjoe, who came to WMU from Ghana last fall. Cudjoe says WMU could personalize its community outreach efforts more and spread the word by emailing students directly.
Downtown reaches out The Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership (KDP), formerly known as Downtown Kalamazoo Inc., looks for ways to incorporate students into the community, so when the organization created four citizen coalitions to impact downtown, it did not leave college students out. “We actually wanted to get students involved in our leadership decisions. We think it’s a good opportunity for us to learn from them,” says Jennifer Kitson Jelenek, KDP’s chief operating officer. “It’s also a good opportunity for students to get involved and be civically engaged in what’s going on in their community directly.” Service on the coalitions is done on a yearly basis, and Jelenek says she would like to see more students applying to be on them. She also believes in taking other steps to reach out to students. “In every kind of event and marketing promotion initiative that we take on,” she says, “one of our questions is: How do we get students downtown and how are we creating programming that’s accessible to students?”
Jelenek says the organization plans downtown events that it hopes will attract college students. Last fall’s SkeleTour, for example, which involved decorated skeletons at businesses throughout the downtown area, had the WMU Alumni Association as one of its sponsors. “Our hope was that we are representing these campuses downtown so we hope that students come and engage more with these activities,” Jelenek says. While KDP puts on this and other activities to try to get students downtown, she believes there is room for improvement. “We still don’t see the numbers that we would like to see downtown,” Jelenek says. “We have students that come and volunteer with us during the holiday season and we appreciate that, but we really want that number to grow.”
This story was written for the WMU journalism program’s Reporting a Word project, which was featured in August’s issue of Encore. Information about it and other stories from the project are available online at encorekalamazoo.com.
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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 The Bar Show — Enjoy bar food and beverages while enjoying this outdoor show, 8 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, Barn Theatre, 13351 West M-96, Augusta, 731-4121, barntheatreschool.org. Farmers Alley Theatre Online Events — Visit the theater’s website: farmersalleytheatre.com. MUSIC Bands & Solo Artists Brena — Gun Lake Live Summer Series concludes with this band performing classic rock, R&B, country and dance music, 6–10 p.m. Sept. 2, Lakefront Pavilion, Bay Pointe Inn, 11456 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, 269-672-8111, baypointeinn. com. Melissa Lee — Contemporary country singer, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 2, Beats on Bates, Bates Alley, kalamazooarts.org. Out of Favor Boys — Contemporary blues band, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 9, Beats on Bates, Bates Alley, kalamazooarts.org. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band — American roots music, 8 p.m. Sept. 12, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., 345-6500. Road to Summer Camp with Marcus Rezak’s Shred is Dead — Recording artist and guitarist, 8:30 p.m. Sept. 12, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332 or bellsbeer.com. Kanola Band — Midwest jazz band pays tribute to music of New Orleans, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 16, Beats on Bates, Bates Alley, kalamazooarts.org. Satsang — Conscious music collective quartet, 8 p.m. Sept. 16, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 382-2332 or bellsbeer.com.
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Out of Favor Boys — Contemporary blues band in a drive-in concert, 3–5 p.m. Sept. 19, Portage District Library parking lot, 300 Library Lane, 585-8711 or kjones@portagelibrary.info. Lana Hoffman & Steve Kamerling — Duo featuring vocals and guitar, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 23, Beats on Bates, Bates Alley, kalamazooarts.org. Robin Trower — British blues-rock guitarist, 8 p.m. Sept. 25, State Theatre, 345-6500. Cabildo — Alternative Latin rock collective, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 30, Beats on Bates, Bates Alley, kalamazooarts.org. Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Choreography & Cocktails — Wellspring/ Cori Terry & Dancers premieres a new original documentary series exploring classic Wellspring pieces and the creative process, featuring the 1990 piece Hive of Glass, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12; visit wellspringdance.org for details; registration required. Gilmore Rising Star Mackenzie Melemed — The American pianist performs a diverse program, including works by Liszt and Beethoven, live streamed from the Wellspring Theater, 4 p.m. Sept. 20; see thegilmore.org for details. VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org As of press time, the KIA had reopened. See its website for more information on the reopening.
West Michigan Area Show — Works by regional artists in a variety of media. Nature-Inside/Out: Selections from the Permanent Collection — Works from the KIA’s collection featuring natural themes. Other Venues Westminster Art Festival — Local artists’ work on the theme “Sacred Places, Wild Spaces,” open for personal or small group self-guided tours, through Sept. 30, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1515 Helen Ave., Portage, 344-3966; visit westminsterartfestival.org for hours and more information. Virtual Art Hop — Art displayed online by area artists, 5–9 p.m. Sept. 4, kalamazooarts.org or facebook.com/acgk.359.
Portage Community Art Award Exhibition — Works from this year’s winning Portage artist of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ West Michigan Area Show, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 18–Oct. 30, Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov. LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS Most libraries offer a large variety of digital options, including e-books, e-audiobooks, e-videos, and e-music. To learn more, visit the libraries’ websites. Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org As of press time, the library was open. Visit the library’s website for more information and new hours. Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov As of press time, all KPL locations were open, with limited service at reduced hours. See the library website for more information on temporary hours for each branch. Inside the Artist’s Studio — Online tours with artists: Paul Sizer, Sept. 3; Bonus Saves/Patrick Hershberger, Sept. 10; Meg Tang, Sept. 17; all events begin at 4:30 p.m.; registration required. How to Understand Your Window — Old House Owners Workshop presents an online workshop on window anatomy and function, 6 p.m. Sept. 10. Baseball Book Discussion League — Read any book about a specific era or season for an online discussion, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17; registration required. Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibary.org As of press time, the library was open and curbside delivery was available. Visit the library’s website for new hours and more information. How to Be an Election Worker – Zoom presentation by Parchment City Treasurer/Clerk Shannon Stutz, 7 p.m. Sept. 15; see website for Zoom information.
ENCORE EVENTS
Mystery Book Club — Discussion of any mystery you have read, 4 p.m. Sept. 21; visit parchmentlibrary.org/mystery-book-club for information on joining Zoom discussion. Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info As of press time, the library was open in a limited capacity. Visit the library’s website for information on new hours and curbside pickup. The Joker: From His Start to Joaquin — Online discussion of the history of the Joker character from the Batman comic books and movie series, 7 p.m. Sept. 8.
Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org
Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org
As of press time, the museum was open to the public.
As of press time, the museum was closed. Visit the website for information on planned fall reopening and upcoming exhibits.
Summer Saturdaze — Little Orphan Autos, featuring cars no longer made, Sept. 12; Jeeps & Trucks, Sept. 26; both events 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Tracing the Path: The 1980 Kalamazoo Tornado — An online exhibit at kvmexhibits.org.
Summer Sundaze — Muscle cars, Sept. 13; Camaros, Sept. 27; both events 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
International Mystery Book Discussion — Online discussion of The Right Sort of Man, by Allison Montclair, 7 p.m. Sept. 10.
Hamilton Trivia Challenge — Test your knowledge of Hamilton on Zoom, 7 p.m. Sept. 16; registration required. Michigan Notable Book Author Spotlight — A Zoom discussion of Sport: Ship Dog of the Great Lakes, with local author Pamela Cameron, 6 p.m. Sept. 23; registration required. Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org As of press time the library was open limited hours by appointment and for curbside pickup. See the library’s website for new hours. Other Venues Online Book Arts Intern Exhibition — Showcasing the work of past and present interns, through Sept. 4, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, kalbookarts.org. MUSEUMS Air Zoo 6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org As of press time, the Air Zoo had reopened to the public. Visit its website for information on limited admission and hours. Launchpad to Learning — Explore new games, activities and documentary clips online daily at airzoo.org/launchpad-to-learning.
Alien Worlds and Androids — Join scientists in the search for alien life in and beyond our solar system through this new exhibit. Amelia: Adventurous Aviatrix — A new exhibit that explores the adventures and legacy of Amelia Earhart.
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EVENTS ENCORE
360 Virtual Tour – Explore all of the museum exhibits online at theasys.io/viewer/ voCUaA0Rj0hZXb0WW0nH7WdbQA5ybj/. Click on the arrows to move through the museum. Call for COVID-19 Community Stories – Share your COVID-19 story online with the museum staff as they document experiences in our community. See website for details on how to submit your story. NATURE Binder Park Zoo 7400 Division Drive, Battle Creek, binderparkzoo.org The zoo is now open. Visit website for details. Binder Park ZooCam — Offers remote access to watch a variety of savanna animals go about their business in real time, binderparkzoo.org/ zoocam. Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org As of press time, the Visitor Center was open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday and 1–5 p.m. Sunday, and trails were open 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. daily.
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu. As of press time, trails were open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday. Birds and Coffee Chat — Online chat about birds of prey with your morning beverage, 10 a.m. Sept. 9; registration required. MISCELLANEOUS Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays, 2–6 p.m. Thursdays, 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturdays, 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets.com. Portage Farmers Market — 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sundays, Portage City Hall parking lot, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage, farmersmarket. portagemi.gov. Lunchtime Live! – Food truck vendors, live music, retail vendors and activities, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Sept. 4, Bronson Park, kalamazooparks.org. Late Night Food Truck Rally – Enjoy a variety of food options, 8–11 p.m. Sept. 4, West Water Street, between Rose and Church streets, foodtruckrallykz.com.
Paw Paw Vineyard Classic Bicycle Tour — Tour past lush vineyards at the peak of harvest season, 8 a.m. Sept. 13, starting at Van Buren County Human Services Building, 801 Hazen St., Paw Paw, vineyardclassicbiketour.com. Bronson Children's Hospital Virtual Walk & 5K Run — Run or walk a 5K or one-mile course anytime between Sept. 18 and 27 to support the children's hospital, 341-8100. To register, visit bronsonhealth.com/runwalk. Mom-to-Mom Sale — Gently used children’s clothing, toys, books, furniture and maternity items, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Sept. 19, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., 903-5820. Fall Craft Show — Local crafters, artists and vendors, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 19, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, 903-5820. Vintage Market — Antiques, salvage, retro and shabby-chic items, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 19, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 903-5820. SPCA 5K Doggie Dash — Walk or run the park trails to raise money for the SPCA, 10 a.m. Sept. 19, Spring Valley Park, 2605 Mount Olivet Road, or run a virtual course at the same starting time; for details, visit runsignup.com/Race/MI/ Kalamazoo/5kDoggieDash. Kalamazoo Walk to End Alzheimer's — Walk with small teams of friends or family to raise money for Alzheimer’s support, care and research, Sept. 20, act.alz.org. Suicide Prevention Walk — Join Gryphon Place for a virtual 5K walk to raise awareness for suicide prevention, 9 a.m. Sept. 26; see gryphon. org/events for details. Kalamazoo Gun & Knife Show — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 27, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 517-676-4160. Duck Derby Point1K — A 329-foot flat course and Duck Derby raffle to benefit Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan; pre-race, 10 a.m.; race at noon Sept. 26, Kalamazoo Mall, point1k.com. Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Buy, sell or trade reptiles, amphibians and exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 26, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 779-9851.
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Kalamazoo Black Business Expo — Celebrate black-owned businesses, 1–5 p.m. Sept. 26, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, blackwallstreetkalamazoo.org/expo2020.
ENCORE POETRY
Kalamazoo Croquet Imagine a fairway-mown lawn on Kansas-flat terrain with a Roman stone wall surrounding it, wild roses arching over and around that wall, and smooth, glistening wickets carefully pushed into the supple soil, strategically placed at just the right intervals, and corseted ladies in long navy dresses that … Wait a minute. We gals trip over tree roots and our striped balls roll down the bare hill to land next to the gargoyle statue or under the pines or in the neighbor’s yard. The wickets have red tape on them to identify their twisted existence.
And some are not hoops at all but black flamingo legs. One wicket is a man-sized rooster, also painted black. The most challenging wicket is inside the circled garden hose, each ring a level of Dante’s hell to bounce up and over. Cucumber-sized pine cones whop the ground next to us, thanks to pesky squirrels’ or gods’ intervention. We are clothed in jeans and Kalamazoo T-shirts, covered with mosquito repellent and carrying glasses of wine. Imagine that. — Elaine M. Seaman Seaman lives in Texas Township and is a longtime member of the local writing group Poetry Dawgs. When the weather cooperates, the women in the group play a highly competitive game of “extreme croquet” in poet Elizabeth Kerlikowske’s hilly, root-filled yard. Seaman is also the author of My Mother Sewed Dresses for Five, a book that combines her poems with images of quilts she has made.
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ENCORE BACK STORY Denise Crawford (continued from page 38)
Since then, Family Health Center has expanded to three facilities and two mobile units providing health and dental care for more than 43,000 patients annually. How did you get where you are today? I had an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work from WMU and had worked my way up in the behavioral unit at Borgess. I was 34 and ready for something else. I met with Pat Dyson, the president of the hospital at that time, and he asked, “What do you think is next for you?” I remember I looked around his office and said, “This is pretty nice.” He kind of chuckled and said, “Well, I plan on being here for a little bit longer, so please don't move in too soon.” That was his way of being nice to me, but it really gave me validation. At least in his mind, maybe I could do this, so we began talking about it. He encouraged me to get an MBA (Master of Business Administration degree), which I did through the Executive MBA program at Notre Dame. And when I got my MBA and was ready to take on the world, Borgess sent me to Dowagiac to work. I initially thought, “Are you kidding me? You're punishing me. When are you going to invite me to the corporate office?” Being in Dowagiac ended up being one of the most transformational aspects of my career. Because it was a small facility, I did things I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I didn’t have a team of people — legal, facilities and maintenance, etc. — to help run things. It was just me. We built a new emergency room. We built a new health care facility. I ended up loving that community, the work that I did and its impact. How did you end up at Family Health Center? After several years in Dowagiac, I got a call from Family Health Center, and they were looking for a CEO. And I thought, “Well, that wasn't really where I was planning to go,” but my husband said, “Why don't you? This is what you wanted ever since you were in Pat Dyson's
Claim Your Space!
office. You talk about wanting to make a difference.” And I remember saying, “I'm not a miracle worker,” because I didn't know a whole lot about Family Health Center, but I knew it wasn't gorgeous. But the job really gravitated to my heart. I wanted to do it for the community. How has Family Health Center grown since you’ve become CEO? I came in 2009, and it was the perfect time because the recession hit in 2008 and Obama had just been elected president. The government was trying to stimulate the economy and create health care reform and grant money was available specifically for federal qualified health centers. We thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if we built a facility that would house KCMS-MSU’s (Kalamazoo Center for Medical StudiesMichigan State University’s) medical residency program, where they could deliver care and the patients would have access to care?” We put together a 300-page grant application in a month, got support letters from Borgess and Bronson hospitals, and we were awarded $10.3 million. We expanded the Paterson Street facility by 75,000 square feet, going from 16 exam rooms to 104. We got another grant to build a new facility on Alcott Street to provide services to the south side of Kalamazoo, which opened in 2017. We have a third facility on Burdick Street and two mobile units that provide health and dental care. Describe the role FHC has played in the COVID-19 pandemic. The one thing that became clear during the pandemic was that people needed testing and needed to have access to tests for the virus. With the exception of the two emergency rooms or urgent care facilities, most health care facilities had shut down, so we created drive-in testing sites and were able to test over 5,000 individuals. Our commitment was to serve everyone in the community, so we had sites in underserved communities and in more affluent communities. We went wherever the need was. — Interview by Marie Lee and edited for length and clarity
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BACK STORY ENCORE
Denise Crawford President & CEO, Family Health Center
Denise Crawford has come a long way from the “Blue Pad
Team.” As a student at Western Michigan University, Crawford had the unenviable job of working the overnight shift at Borgess Medical Center (now Ascension Borgess Hospital) replacing the absorbent blue pads placed under incontinent patients. “It was a job many, many college students had at Borgess, and we didn’t really have a formal job title so we called ourselves ‘The Blue Pad Team,’” Crawford says with a chuckle. “It was our job throughout the night. We would go and essentially check and change the pads for the patients, so that was my very first kind of foray into health care and it was, oh, so sexy.” But it didn’t dissuade her from a career in health care. The Kalamazoo native, now 51, spent a majority of her career in the Borgess health care system, working up the ranks until she was the director of physician services and ambulatory care at Borgess Lee Hospital in Dowagiac. In 2009, ready for a new challenge, she took the helm of Family Health Center, which provides medical care for the low-income and minority populations of Kalamazoo County.
Brian Powers
(continued on page 37)
38 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Coronavirus Investment Concerns? Consider Past Health Crises. During the last week of February 2020, the S&P 500 lost 11.49% — the worst week for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis — only to jump by 4.6% on the first Monday in March.1 By all accounts, the drop was largely driven by ever-increasing fears about the potential effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its ultimate impact on the global economy. Although many market observers contend that the market was overvalued and due for a correction anyway, the unpredictability, strength, and suddenness of the historic tumble was unnerving for even the most seasoned investors. If recent volatility is causing you to consider cashing out of your stock holdings, it may be worthwhile to pause and put recent events into perspective, using history as a guide. A look back Since the turn of the millennium, the market’s negative response to health crises has been relatively short-lived. As this table shows, approximately six months after early reports of a major outbreak, the S&P 500 bounced back by an average of 10.47%. After 12 months, it rebounded by an average of 17.17%. Although there are no guarantees the current situation will follow a similar pattern, it may be reassuring to know that over even longer periods of time, stocks typically regain their upward trajectory, helping long-term investors who hold steady to recoup their temporary losses, catch their breath, and go on to pursue their goals. What should you do? First, keep in mind that market down-
turns sometimes offer the chance to pick up potentially solid stocks at value prices, which could position a portfolio well for future growth. Again, there are no guarantees that stocks will perform to anyone’s expectations — and decisions could result in losses including a possible loss in principal — but it may be helpful to remember that some investors use downturns as opportunities to buy stocks that were previously overvalued relative to their perceived earnings potential.
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Moreover, if you typically invest set amounts into your portfolio at regular intervals — a strategy known as dollar-cost averaging (DCA), which is commonly used in workplace retirement plans and college investment plans — take heart in knowing you’re utilizing a method of investing that helps you behave like the value investors noted above. Through DCA, your investment dollars purchase fewer shares when prices are high, and more shares when prices drop. Essentially, in a down market, you automatically “buy low,” one of 6-month performance, S&P 500
12-month performance, S&P 500
April 2003
14.59%
20.76%
Avian (bird) flu
June 2006
11.66%
18.36%
Swine flu (H1N1)
April 2009**
18.72%
35.96%
MERS
May 2013
10.74%
17.96%
Ebola
March 2014
5.34%
10.44%
Measles/Rubeola
December 2014
0.20%
-0.73%
Zika
January 2016
12.03%
17.45%
Epidemic
Month end*
SARS
Source: Dow Jones Market Data, as cited on foxbusiness.com, January 27, 2020. Stocks are represented by the Standard & Poor’s 500 price index. Returns reflect the change in price, but not the reinvestment of dividends. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index that is generally considered to be representative of the U.S. stock market. Returns shown do not reflect taxes, fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses typically associated with investing. The performance of an unmanaged index is not indicative of the performance of any particular investment. Individuals cannot invest directly in any index. Actual results will vary. *End of month during which early incidents of outbreak were reported. **H1N1 occurred during the financial crisis, when, as during other periods, many different factors influenced stock market performance.
the most fundamental investment tenets. Over extended periods of volatility, DCA can result in a lower average cost for your holdings than the investment’s average price over the same time period. Finally and perhaps most important, during trying times like this, it may help to focus less on daily market swings and more on the fundamentals; that is, review your investment objectives and time horizon, and revisit your asset allocation to make sure it’s still appropriate for your needs. Your allocation can shift in unexpected ways due to changes in market cycles, so you may discover the need to rebalance your allocation by selling holdings in one asset class and investing more in another. (Keep in mind that rebalancing in a taxable account can result in income tax consequences.) Questions? After considering the points here, if you still have questions about how changing market dynamics are affecting your portfolio, contact your financial professional. Often a third-party perspective can help alleviate any worries you may still hold.
Retirement & Investment Services Saundra Ivy, Advisor
www.kalsee.com | 269.382.7898 No-cost, no-obligation appointments.
We believe in building relationships and cultivating financial wellness, empowering you to focus on what matters. 1 Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center, February 28, 2020, and March 2, 2020. Performance reflects price change, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments. Representatives are registered, securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, which is not an affiliate of the credit union. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. Prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions Copyright 2020.
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