UPDATE | Spring 2022

KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SPRING 2022

SPIRIT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE SCHOLARSHIP LIVES ON DUANE ROBERTS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT THRIVES AS COMMUNITY LEADER PAGE 4

Carrie Pickett-Erway President/CEO

Getting to the Groundwater To capture the essence of the Community Foundation’s new mission, I’ve borrowed a metaphor the Groundwater Institute uses to illustrate the importance of addressing systemic racism.

UPDATE is a newsletter published three times a year by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TEAM Sarah Lee Director

Jordan Duckens Communications Officer

Tim Smolenski Marketing Communications Coordinator

Lauren Boulton

If you walked by a lake and saw a fish floating on the surface, you would assume something unfortunate happened to this fish. Was it sick? Was it injured? Whatever the case, it didn’t survive.

However, the next day, you walk by the lake and there are hundreds of lifeless fish floating at the surface. It’s easy to assume there is something wrong with this particular lake.

You keep walking, and lake after lake you pass, you see the same disturbing scene. Now, you must ask the question: What is wrong with the groundwater? There’s something poisonous in every lake, affecting every fish.

This illustrates how our interventions must address systemic racism as we continue to respond to immediate needs. Racism sells a myth

Marketing Officer

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL EDITORIAL TEAM Sandy Barry-Loken Sue Bos Sharayl Moore Lina Mwema Lily Salas Frances Vicioso Hollywood Watkins LAYOUT & DESIGN Eric Schmidt, Frogsplash LLC QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Please email Sarah Lee at slee@kalfound.org.

that there is something inherently wrong with people or communities, like the fish or the lakes in the metaphor. In reality, there is something impacting the larger environment, like poisonous groundwater, allowing widespread injustice and oppression.

As we address these deep, systemic issues, our strategy also holds

GIVE

• Give online at kalfound.org/give-now • Mail a check directly to KZCF

space for interventions that address immediate needs. This multilayered strategy allows for a variety of people, organizations and tactics to move this work forward.

support

We all want to live in an equitable community, free of injustice and

• Kalamazoo County 501(C)(3) nonprofits

oppression. That is why our new mission is to mobilize people,

• Scholarships for college

resources and expertise to advance racial, social and economic justice. This is a mission that needs all of us and we are energized about you being here.

connect KALFOUND

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Notable Numbers It’s impossible to quantify the impact of efforts to make Kalamazoo County the most equitable place to live. Here is just a snapshot of what we are accomplishing with the support, creativity and partnership of this community.

324

Scholarship Awards

193

Love Where You Live Donors

35

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation awarded 324 scholarship awards to Kalamazoo County students in 2021. Every year, the 60+ KZCF Scholarship funds award over $1 million to hundreds of students from a variety of backgrounds, life stages, and disciplines.

Last year, 193 individuals became Love Where You Live donors at KZCF! Gifts to this fund help address our community’s greatest needs and aspirations and invest in local organizations that are collaborating to make long-term, transformative change.

New Partners To deepen impact, KZCF has been intentional about engaging with new partners within our community. Many of the new partnerships established since 2018 are led by People of Color and focused on advocacy efforts and transforming systems that increase injustice in our community.

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Spirit of social justice scholarship lives on When Gwendolyn Hooker was a student at Kalamazoo

Since 1993, the Duane Roberts Scholarship has been

Central High School, she dreamed of attending Western

awarded annually to Kalamazoo Public School seniors and

Michigan University.

graduates who show a commitment to social justice and

“I lived on the Eastside and I would always hear the band playing,” she said. “I told myself, I want to go there.”

The ability to earn scholarships as an adult is one of many factors that brought her to where she is today: a dedicated community leader nearing completion of a degree from her dream school.

community service. Roberts was known for his community activism. He was also a Kalamazoo Public Schools graduate and member of the KPS Board of Education.

Gwendolyn is one of many Duane Roberts Scholarship recipients that are influential leaders in our community.

She is executive director of Helping People Exceed thru Navigation (H.O.P.E thru Navigation) and co-founder of Justice Against Bullying at School (JABS).

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“Success stories keep me going because we serve populations with the statistics stacked against them. Finding people good paying jobs, and affordable, safe housing ... seeing the work come together and people noticing an improvement in their life is one of my biggest joys.” – Gwendolyn Hooker

and investing in the community for the long term.”

Education Without Exception

And her work reflects that. H.O.P.E thru Navigation

Many events brought Gwendolyn to where she is presently,

connects individuals with criminal backgrounds

but she says a turning point was being able to get

and/or substance misuse disorders to services that

scholarships to go back to school.

“For me, leadership means being connected to the community,” Gwendolyn said. “Advocating for marginalized populations. Consistency, reliability

promote a stable life. JABS gives students the tools to cope with and end bullying that occurs in school, and outside of school.

The work is heavy, but she finds joy, energy and motivation in the people she engages.

“Success stories keep me going because we serve populations with the statistics stacked against them.

Finding people good paying jobs, and affordable, safe housing ... seeing the work come together and people noticing an improvement in their life is one of my biggest joys.”

“Going to WMU seemed like an impossible goal,” she said.

“If you couldn’t afford it, you weren’t going. The day I got my scholarship and was able to enroll changed my life.”

Stories like Gwendolyn’s are often labeled “exceptional” – a term attached to individuals who are forced to overcome obstacles created by our poorly designed systems in order to access benefits others receive without facing similar barriers.

The mission of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) is mobilizing community to create just systems that allow resources, like education, to be accessible for all instead of a benefit for a few.

Gwendolyn also says working with youth for JABS is a highlight. “They keep me young, and they are always so joyful! When we paused for COVID, I received Facebook messages from kids asking me when we were going to start back. Those are the little things

“Going to WMU seemed like an impossible goal.

If you couldn’t afford it, you weren’t going. The day I got my scholarship and was able to enroll changed my life.”

that mean a lot to me.”

As a Kalamazoo native, Gwendolyn sees endless opportunities to improve this community, but says there is a lot of good happening.

“I love the commitment so many people and organizations have to a more inclusive and equitable community. In the past, some have had a very narrow view of what community is and now that is expanding.”

As KZCF strives to transform our systems for a better future, scholarship funds are supporting the dreams and aspirations of outstanding Kalamazoo County students right now.

If you’d like to learn more about setting up a scholarship fund, Beth Gregory-Wallis is ready to connect with you.

Start the conversation by calling 269.381.4416 or emailing bgreory-wallis@kalfound.org.

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New Trustee Q&A In January 2022, Artrella Cohn (pictured at left), Kama Mitchell and Dr. L. Marshall Washington (right) joined the KZCF Board of Trustees. During a Q&A conversation, they shared more about how they learn and stay inspired. Look out for Kama’s Q&A in the next edition of UPDATE newsletter!

Q: Who is someone you admire or regularly learn from?

Artrella Cohn (AC): The late Mrs. Dorothy P. Young. My only professional mentor. I met her my senior year of high school and served alongside her for more than a decade before she passed from this life. Although she is no longer with us on earth, she made such an enormous impact on Kalamazoo and specifically in education that I continue to learn from her contributions today and always will.

Dr. L. Marshall Washington (LMW): There are a number of people who had an impact on my life and the learning experiences that have shaped me. Many of those individuals are parents, spouse, children, siblings, cousins, godparents, aunts, uncles, students, neighbors, friends, teachers, colleagues and sometimes the lessons have come from people who didn’t have my best interests

LMW: I am hoping to grow by learning, listening and interacting with others in our community. I want to understand what is currently happening to impact people and what could be done to expand positive opportunities for others.

Q: Share a quote that inspires or uplifts you.

AC: “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. LMW: “You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone any person or any force dampen, dim or diminish your light ... Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won.” – John Lewis

in mind but I still learned from them and the situations.

Q: What movie, book or podcast has helped you deepen

Each day life is a learning experience.

your understanding of anti-racism, equity, or justice?

Q: How are you hoping to grow in your role as a Trustee

AC: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (book and movie).

at KZCF?

LMW: Watchmen series (2019); Finding Your Roots –

AC: I am hoping to gain a better, more in depth

PBS series; Montage of a Dream Deferred by Langston

understanding of what position KZCF must exist in,

Hughes (1952).

in order to fully and intentionally serve Kalamazoo equitably. I plan to remain open and available to opportunities to gain knowledge from internal staff and community members alike.

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Follow KZCF on social media @kalfound for answers to some fun Q&A questions. See where our new trustees stand on books vs. podcasts and who prefers Michigan spring over Michigan fall.

Grantmaking highlights Kalamazoo Community Foundation awards grants to Kalamazoo County nonprofits throughout the year. In the second round of 2021 grantmaking, 33 nonprofit programs received $2 million in grants. Additionally, many local nonprofits receive grants and distributions from Advised, Field-of-Interest and Designated Funds. Each grant is made considering the impact it will have to support everyone in our county reaching their full potential, as well as alignment with KZCF’s investment priorities of equity and education. For more details on the programs funded, visit kalfound.org/grants/grants-awarded.

• B lack Arts and Cultural Center • C ommunity Promise Federal Credit Union • Confident S.O.L.E. • C ount MI Vote Education Fund • Eastside Youth Strong • Ecumenical Senior Center • F air Housing Center of Southwest Michigan • F amily & Children Services

• J ustice for Our Neighbors – Michigan • K alamazoo Drop-In Child Care Center • K alamazoo Institute of Arts • K alamazoo Refugee Resource Collaborative

• Residential Opportunities, Inc. • R ootead Enrichment Center • SHARE • S peak it Forward • U rban Alliance

• M ichigan Center for Youth Justice

• W estern Michigan University Foundation

• N ew/Nueva Opinion

• W estern Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine

• O pen Doors Kalamazoo

• F ire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative

• O utFront Kalamazoo

• G ryphon Place

• P lanned Parenthood of Michigan

• H elping Other People Exceed (HOPE) thru Navigation

• Portage Community Center

• ISAAC

• P ublic Media Network

• Y oung Kings and Queens, Inc. • Y WCA of Kalamazoo

• P revention Works, Inc.

Donors create new fund at KZCF KZCF donors established one new Advised fund since the Winter issue of UPDATE. Other types of funds not listed include Designated Funds, Field-of-Interest Funds, Scholarship Funds and Unrestricted funds.

ADVISED FUNDS

For a complete list of KZCF funds visit kalfound.org/

These funds are for donors, or family of donors, who

giving/list-of-funds. Contact a Donor Relations Officer at

want to be actively involved with their fund.

269.381.4416 to learn more on how to open a fund.

• Ann and Don Parfet Fund

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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage paid Kalamazoo, MI Permit Number 66

402 East Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.381.4416 kalfound.org

YAC grant application now open The Kalamazoo Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) invites Kalamazoo County nonprofits to apply for up to $5,000 for their 2022 grant cycle. The deadline to submit your grant proposal is April 22, 2022 at 5 p.m.

The KZCF YAC is committed to funding organizations that are focused on correcting imbalances, expanding opportunities, and improving access to resources for young, marginalized community members.

Interested organizations can find more details and apply online at kalfound.org/YAC. Questions? Contact YAC Advisor Allie VanHeest at avanheest@kalfound.org.