Women's LifeStyle Magazine - July 2020 - Dr. Kimberly Yvonne Kennedy-Barrington

Grand Rapids|Holland|Grand Haven

JULY 2020

Dr. Kimberly Yvonne Kennedy-Barrington

Nisha McKenzie

Amanda Sterkenburg

Rosalba Ramirez

Stacie Tamaki

FR EE

Adversity to Advocacy

Small Business Owners!

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Contents

July 2020 Edition #268

womenslifestyle.com

PUBLISHER Two Eagles Marcus EDITOR Elyse Wild

FEATURES 8

Everyday Athena: Rosalba Ramirez

10

From Single Mom to Attorney at Law: Kentwood Attorney Amanda Sterkenburg Eyes the Bench

12

Adversity to Advocacy Q&A with Dr. Kimberly Kennedy-Barringon

22

Inspired Voices Podcast

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Tiny Techniques, Enormous Talent

editor@womenslifestyle.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Elyse Wild Kayla Sosa Kennedy Mapes COLUMNISTS Kate Sage, DO Lindsey Tym Jessica McLeod PHOTOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE COVER

Dr. Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington, Disability Advocate |photo by Two Eagles Marcus

HEALTH & BEAUTY 18

TeleHealth: What it is and What it Means for You

20

Women’s Health Collective Opens in Grand Rapids

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Working out at Home

Two Eagles Marcus

FOOD & DINING SALES

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Healthy and Delicious Family Recipes

sales@womenslifestyle.com

Pot Roast Tacos with Chimichurri Chili Loaded Baked Potatoes

(616) 951-5422 CALL (616) 458-2121 EMAIL

LEARN & DO 14

Reader’s Lounge

19

The Secret to a Well-Organized Kitchen

info@womenslifestyle.com MAIL 3500 3 Mile Rd NW, Ste A Grand Rapids, MI 49534 IN MEMORIAM Victoria Ann Upton Founder 1955 - 2018 To extend an uplifting, inclusive and vibrant invitation to enjoy life, every day, in our community.

COME IN AND SEE

WHAT’S NEW KIDS’ GIFTS, TOYS, GAMES AND MORE!

• Unique kids’ books & games • Baby/kids gifts & gear • Eco-friendly and locally-made items • Always FREE gift wrapping FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL >>

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909 Cherry St. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 hopscotchstore.com • 616.233.4008

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Spotlight on Community Initiatives

Join In

Sponsored by Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Better Wiser Stronger

Better Wiser Stronger mentors young men to build a life platform of respect, confidence and strong relationships while reducing and removing barriers that have lessened their ability to have successful life outcomes. For more information on how to get involved to mentor or volunteer, or donate, visit http://betterwsinc.com/Volunteer.

New City Neighbors

New City Neighbors seeks to empower youth to reach their full potential through a variety of programs including the New City Cafe, New City Farm and youth employment. For more information on how you can help them in their mission by donating or volunteer, visit newcityneighbors.org.

Mel Trotter Ministries

Mel Trotter Ministries is now accepting volunteers to assist in their programming that supports our city’s vulnerable homeless and transient population. Programming includes job readiness, addition recovery, housing readiness and aftercare. Volunteers are required to undergo COVID-19 training. visit meltrotter.org/givehelp/volunteer.

Literacy Center of West Michigan The Literally Center of West Michigan provides 1-on-1 support for adults in our community who face barriers due to low literacy. Volunteer tutors are only required to read and write English. While tutors and learners meet 1-on-1 (virtually), the Literacy Center provides robust support for both parties to order to make for a successful outcome. Volunteer orientations are current taking place online. Visit literacycenterwm.org/volunteer-resources.

Heart of United Way West Michigan

Heart of United Way West Michigan unite community resources to invest in solutions that reduce poverty in West Michigan. With the reduction of shelter in place order, they have listings for organizations that are accepting in person volunteers, as well as remote volunteer opportunities. From assisting with grant writing to distributing food boxes, there are opportunities for everyone to continue to support our community as COVID-19 continues. Visit connect. hwmuw.org/need for more information.

Our future is bright.

Melanie Orozco-Zavala Union High School Class of 2020, Challenge Scholar

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Hats off to all graduates who followed their dreams and are ready to become tomorrow's leaders.

Congratulations, Class of 2020! grfoundation.org 5

From the Editor

I hope the stories in this edition inspire you as they do me. During production, I found myself reading them over and over again, feeling more uplifted than I have in the past couple months. They perfectly capture our mission of amplifying the voices of women in our community doing brave, bold work to make it a better place for everyone. These stories remind me of why I love my job.

On our cover is Dr. Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington, who is as inspiring as she is stunning. Kennedy-Barrington is a full-time disability advocate.

In a Q&A on page 12, she states, “It just takes that one incident that will ignite something on the inside of you to say: ‘ I have to got to make this different. If I can’t do it for myself, I need to do it for those coming behind me.”

PHOTO BY TWO EAGLES MARCUS

Turn to page 25 to wonder at the delicate handmade beauty of Stacie Tamaki’s tinygami. That something so enormously beautiful could exist on such a small scale fills the soul with awe and calm. Tamaki began creating origami with her late grandmother and what was once a former hobby is now a full-fledged career.

Last month, Nisha McKenzie opened the Women’s Health Collective. McKenzie spoke with us about how the center was born out of the great disparities women experience in healthcare and her own desire to educate people about how sexual health has great implications on our mental and physical health (20).

On page 10, Kentwood District Court Judge candidate and attorney Amanda Sterkenburg discuss what it was like to quit her job to pursue her dream of practicing law, all while raising two young children as a single mom, the challenges of running a campaign during COVID-19, what her vision is for the future of the courts, and why integrating technology into judicial processes creates equity and access.

These stories have given me the impetus to dig my heels into my passion, stay focused and forge ahead as our world continues to evolve with COVID-19. I implore you to consider that while the passing of time ushers with it impatience and a perhaps gnawing desire to be more wanton with safety measures, the most vulnerable and divested members of our community continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic. The 49507 zipcode is the city’s poorest, and as of this writing continues to rank highest for coronavirus cases in Grand Rapids. We are, after all, still in this together. On page 5, check out our listing of volunteer opportunities to continue to help those most in need.

Women’s LifeStyle is a dynamic multi-media platform designed to make beneficial connections in our community. The positive, upbeat, award winning and popular locally owned publication is supported by a dynamic mobile friendly online presence and an interactive website, as well as friendly, helpful and consistent social media interaction with the community. Women’s LifeStyle is favored by an active, engaged and progressive audience. You are now looking at the 268th edition. All content ©Women’s LifeStyle, Inc. 2020.

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Th h r ...

DRIVING THE COMMUNITY TOWARDS CHANGE

Cоgrat ati to

Kelly M. Thompson Making history in a GRAND way!

First African American Female Driver for FedEx in West Michigan

Be Down for the Count

The Urban League of West Michigan 745 Eastern Avenue SE • Grand Rapids, MI 49503 • 800-842-1118 • grurbanleague.org Empowerment Starts Here: Employment • Housing • Education • Health • Racial Equity

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Complete Your Census

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Everyday Athena Rosalba Ramírez Director of College Access Program, Calvin University

This is the sixth chapter in a series spotlighting members of our community who epitomize the Athena standards and live by its principles. Readers will come to know these women, the companies they are representing and the forward thinking employers who have a commitment to elevating women and fairly compensating those women for their contributions in their workforce.

The Athena principles: LIVING AUTHENTICALLY LEARNING CONSTANTLY ADVOCATING FIERCELY ACTING COURAGEOUSLY FOSTERING COLLABORATION BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS GIVING BACK CELEBRATING

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine: Tell us more about your roll as director of college access programs at Calvin University?

Rosalba Ramirez: Calvin has had college access programs for about 30 years. Our mission is to create programs that foster access, interest and readiness for postsecondary education to pre-college age and underrepresented students. Basically, what our programs are about is how to help our students who are graduating from high school and coming to college. We show them what that process is like and how they can learn and inform themselves in the admissions process and how to be ready. It is a very important stage in their lives and it can be scary. Some of our students might be first-generation students that haven’t had any contact with college. We are there to create familiarity to college. Right now, we are running into the summer program, which is one of a popular program for underrepresented students. They take a college course, they stay on campus and get familiar with what college is like.

WLM: I am sure you have seen some inspiring success stories during your time.

RR: I love all of them. All of them resonate with me. But specifically, I would say the collaboration, learning and couragous acts. I believe the three of them are very well connected, they resonate with me in my job.

Collaboration, for example, is very important. We work in teams. I believe strongly believe that jobs need to be done in teams because it’s important to have the mindset of many people coming together for a specific goal. Having different perspectives helps to see things that maybe you aren’t looking for or paying attention to. I love the collaborative rocess that happens when we work in teams.

That connects to the learning process. I am a strong believer that we never stop learning. We are students for life. We can keep learning from other people who have maybe in a situation we haven’t been in or are familiar with in life. L from those experiences helps us. I believe that we have to embrace the learning process.

Now, that connects to courageous acts. In the program that we’re running right now, we have to transition from a campus residential program to an online platform. Being open to all the unknowns can be challenging and scary, but its important for us to push ourselves to those limits and to be uncomfortable sometimes.

I think those three ATHENA principles are so connected to our everyday life. I’m just living them right now.

ATHENA PRINCIPLE: COLLABORATION PHOTO COURTESY OF ROLSALBA RAMIREZ

others and on different perspectives. If you are in a team that has all the same mindset, then you are not advancing. We need that variety of thoughts and variety of beliefs so that is a rich goal set in place.

It’s important now to foster those foundations, relationships and conversations and be facilitators.

Sometimes when we don’t collaborate it’s because sometimes we want to keep control and we are scared to lose that control. My advice would be to take these opportunities and challenges that happen in any professional environment to foster conversations, because none of us know it all. You probably have diamonds on your teams that haven’t been polished yet. Collaboration allows your team members to grow. Take a little bit of a step down and let everybody else step in and see how those collaborations work.

WLM: What advice do you have for people who might be struggling to recognize these principles in their work right now?

RR: I think now, more than ever, we need to realize that we don’t need to know everything. We need to rely on the expertise of

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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From Single Mom to Attorney at Law: Kentwood Attorney Amanda Sterkenburg Eyes the Bench

INTERVIEW BY ELYSE WILD

T

o say Amanda Sterkenburg is driven is perhaps an understatement; the mother of two quit her career in advertising in 2009 to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney. Today, she practices family and criminal law at her own firm in Kentwood. She is passionate about empowering citizens to be well-informed of their rights, something she considers essential to achieving long-sought equity in the criminal justice system. Sterkenburg is currently running for Kentwood District Court Judge, a seat that has been occupied by presiding Judge William G. Kelly since 1979. We talked to Sternkenburg about the unique challenges of running a campaign during COVID-19, what her vision is for the future of the courts, and why integrating technology into judicial processes creates equity and access.

WLM: Tell us what it is like to run a campaign during COVID-19. I imagine you have had to pivot quite a bit.

AS: This my first run for any kind of office. I talked to people who have the wisdom, and I reached out to peers, to resources, and they gave me a lot of advice.

And almost everyone said door-knocking has been a fundamental piece of political campaigning People tend to agree that it brings the most success. Right now, I can’t do that. We were just getting started when the shutdown happened. I went to The Taste of Kentwood, which was a super fun event, and I got to talk to several people. That was the day before everything shut down. And so then the next six things that were on my calendar got canceled. Honestly, it took some emotional energy in several weeks to pivot,come up with a new strategy to decide how we were going to do it. We realized door knocking might never be a piece of this campaign, because even though the restrictions are being lifted, moving forward, I’m not certain that the public is going to receive it very well. There is still a threat; there is no vaccine for COVID. I wouldn’t want to bring uninvited risk into someone’s house. So that’s

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something I’ve decided not to contemplate until after the August primary. My team and I decided we’d make the most of social media, which was new for me. Part of my campaign, part of my law practice and part of what I intend to do as an individual, whether or not I get elected is help educate people on their rights and how to access them. So we said, “Hey, online is a great place to do educational events.” We started with some planning of educational webinars. We have hosted one already. It was on debtor defense. We have one on landlord tenant coming up that I’m super excited about.

WLM: How have you seen COVID-19 impact the courts?

AS: Well, things aren’t going to return to the normal that we knew. That’s something that Judge Kelly, who is the current sitting judge in Kentwood has been really upfront about. I believe have a strong professional relationship with him, and he has said to me more than once, “The new judge coming in is still going to be dealing with this.” It’s his goal right now to minimize the amount of people coming into the courthouse for the rest of the

year. Every hearing that can be conducted by Zoom or in some other virtual format is being conducted that way.

Anywhere you can reduce risk is important. Judge Kelly has always been one for pushing the technology in his courtroom, which is really cool. Just recently he was part of a big and a successful bid to get additional funding for the 62 District Court for new technology that will allow people to bring their own device to show evidence from their cell phone. I think it’s a great idea and that continuing risk management is really important.

WLM: So you’re so you’re campaigning during a pandemic, but it’s not only your campaign that’s adjusted. If you get elected, the life and career of a judge in a courthouse is going to look a lot different than it did a year ago.

AS: Yeah. If I’m elected, I’m going to be on YouTube a lot more than it’s ever been. The public have a right to access hearings. You used to be able to walk into any court, any courthouses anytime and sit in on the hearing.

Everything’s being broadcast from Zoom to YouTube in real time. The incoming judge, whether it’s me or

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

not, will need to be prepared to be on screen more often than not and to utilize these new technologies to make sure that everything goes smooth. It’s not easy.

I’ve been doing it these several months in terms of my law practice, and it isn’t easy,especially when you’re dealing with someone who doesn’t have an attorney, there is a breakdown in that access to technology. So the incoming judge is going to have to look at perhaps putting a kiosk, for example, somewhere where people can be within COVID regulations by accessing the hearing on Zoom that way.

WLM: Tell me about your journey into law.

AS: Going to law school was the best decision of my life.

I grew up in Indiana. I went to undergrad at this tiny college, Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana. I have a B.A. in communications specializing in advertising and right out of college, I got married, which brought me to Michigan because my husband was from Holland. I was a stay at home mom for a long time. I started getting back in the field doing publication work. I enjoyed it, but as I was getting older, I was experiencing a different in life view and I especially got involved volunteering with the Center for Women in Transition in Holland.

They have a safe house for victims of domestic violence and offer counseling and programs and other specific targeted programs for women who are in need. People who were calling the crisis line had these real severe crises and they needed help and they didn’t know what they didn’t know. And I thought, “There’s a real need here. There’s a real gap in them learning what rights they have.” I started thinking I could be someone who really advocated for these women. I had been interested in going to law school for sometime, but it was never the right time. I already had a career by then. I had a family.

But, I really wanted to help women. The Internet came along and kind of wrecked my career and publication because I was specializing in print. The writing was on the wall. I decided that was the right time. So those pieces fell into place. I landed in Kentwood, we reduced our expenses, came up with a five year plan, put me through law school at Cooley. As soon as I went, there was no doubt in my mind that I made the right choice.

It was hard because I’ve been out of school for 10 years.

I had to relearn how to study. I had a seven year old and a one year old. But, I loved it.

WLM: Wow! That sounds like a huge challenge.

AS: One of the things that got me through was that as part of my practice skills curriculum, I was accepted into the Access to Justice Clinic, which is a clinic run by Cooley. At, their client base was all family law clients. I was able to meet clients, so I was already helping people while I was in school. I found that I was good at it.

Things were hard, but I just kept thinking, “The sun is going to come up tomorrow. If I stop now, I will have all of these student loans and nothing to show for it.” And I just powered through. I was really fortunate to because I was able to network during that time and meet a lot of already practicing attorneys who were willing to take me under your wing. And they helped me build leads.

And as I was initially starting my business, I worked for a social attorney doing just this network for part time.

And that allowed me to part time a paycheck and part time build my business.

social justice looks like posting education material on social media, reading books to educate themselves, donating to organizations that further equity. What does social justice look like in law practice?

AS: In my practice it looks like reform. There are several areas of the law that need to be reformed. When we talk about social justice, we’re talking about making sure everyone has equal access to the basic things that they need. For me, it looks like doing education like, for example, this landlord tenant webinar that’s coming up. It looks like advocating for those marginalized populations. Specifically, offenders who now have over a period who face these barriers to housing and to employment, and providing equal access to representation across the board in both civil litigation and criminal litigation. In civil litigation, that looks like bringing those pieces of technology to the forefront so that people can build their case even if they’re not represented. And it means allowing them access to things like alternative dispute resolution, which is not pushed necessarily at the district court level or in any other kind of field other than family lost in the circuit court. And then for criminal litigation, it looks like making sure defendants have adequate defense, they cannot afford their own attorney. So that’s civil litigation. And then for criminal litigation, it looks like making sure defendants have adequate defense, they cannot afford their own attorney. OK, that’s called indigent defense. One of the things that got me here was my interest in how new funding, new funding that became available in 2018 for lawyers who were representing indigent clients and how we were going to use it became really important to me. Who was going to get that money? We need qualified lawyers to get that money. How are they going to use it? Are they going to use it so they could hire experts so that there could be access to justice? We need to use it to do our part to weed out these cases that lead to this increased recidivism.

The other piece of it for me is the restorative model of justice. Restorative justice and social justice are, I think, part of the same picture. Restorative justice when we’re talking about it in the context of law looks like a holistic approach to fixing what is happening in our criminal justice system. I believe that I believe systemic racism is a problem and we need to educate on that. I do believe there are situations in which the police overreach,but I don’t think we need to abolish the police. I think that there are places where prosecutors overreach, but I think stronger defense can help balance that. More people see the district court judge than any other. At the district court level, we’re talking about a lot of first time offenders and then lower level offenders. And we can assist them in a more holistic way. First, we heal the victim. We’ve been looking in to assist in the sentencing and the healing part and provide those people who have found themselves before the district court on criminal charges alternatives like deferral programs, sobriety court, resources to help them find the right motivation so that instead of punitive justice, we are seeking behavior change.

I had been interested in going to law school for sometime, but it was never the right time.

I already had a career by then.

I had a family.

But, I really wanted to help women.

WLM: You are very focused on social justice. Right now, people are seeing a lot of inequities they maybe weren’t aware of before. For most people who aren’t lawyers,

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

INTERVIEW BY KAYLA SOSA

Adversity to Advocacy Q&A with Dr. Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington

D

r. Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington is a fulltime disability advocate in her community.

Through legislation, entrepreneurial support and consulting, she works to fight for a more just society for those with physical disabilities, as well as those who experience racism and sexism.

An honorably charged Navy veteran, KennedyBarrington suffers from PTSD, has undergone five head surgeries, thyroid cancer and suffered a stroke that caused her to use a wheelchair.

While she wasn’t in a wheelchair until 2013, Kennedy-Barrington says as a black woman, she’s technically been disabled her whole life.

Women’s Lifestyle spoke to Kennedy-Barrington about her life, her work and how the symptoms of society and injury collide.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine: What prompted you to advocate for people with disabilities?

Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington: A decision was made about me, for me, concerning me, without me. I had just had my stroke and when I came home from the hospital, care started immediately. I’m a United States veteran, so the VA paid for care. That December, there was a horrible storm and the caregivers decided to only send (care to) persons that were quadriplegic.

So I was left for three days in my own excrements.

My caregiver left me. I wasn’t able to shower myself at that time, dress myself, prepare my oatmeal. It was horrible.

It was then, just to make a phone call and I said I wanted to talk to who does the schedule. How do you make this decision?... I want to know who does the policies and procedures - who is that person? I want to have a conversation with them.

Just the righteous indignation I had in that moment.

I never thought it would have led me to this point…

It just takes that one incident that will ignite something on the inside of you to say: “I have to got to make this different. If I can’t do it for myself, I need to do it for those coming behind me.”

WLM: How do people react when you have had to advocate for yourself in those situations?

KK-B: When you stand up for yourself, it makes people notice. It makes them feel guilty on some level. Like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not doing my job or I’m not doing the very best that I could have done.’

Those who have some simmilance of a conscience as a person, it does hurt their heart. I’m no longer with

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

that agency just because they had so much turnover and I said, ‘if you can’t keep your own staff, then there’s no way that I need to stay.’ So I did choose to leave, not because of that specific incident, but it was one of the many factors. I do appreciate that they listened and realized, ‘Yeah, we probably could’ve done a better job.’

It goes to, who are you to ration care? And then here we are again in this pandemic, and the same thing is happening. It’s a common theme that’s woven into the fabric of our society.

When we start talking about those ‘-isms’ - racism, ableism, sexism, classism. We see how systemic every set institution that you need to go to - if there’s not an A clause or a B clause that includes even me and even you - then there’s something wrong with that system.

WLM: What changed in your life when you had your stroke?

“It just takes that one incident that will ignite something on the inside of you to say: ‘ I have to got to make this different.

If I can’t do it for myself, I need to do it for those coming behind me.’”

environment and that you have some sort of quality of life. They do provide you with computers, cell services or phone based on your disability so that you can find a way to stay connected to your community and/or to friends and things that you like to do. And with my care plan, they also included not just them coming in doing chore services, personal care, but also they put in a section for them to do activities with me. If I wanted to play word games or puzzles, whatever it was. I appreciated the care plan that the VA came up with me. It was all inclusive. The other piece of that is they also partnered me with Disability Advocates of Kent County peer support program.

WLM: When you talk about “-isms”, how have you seen those intersect? For example, racism and ableism?

KK-B: It always intersects. When I get a phone call, it’s usually from a person of color. I can only speak about my perspective and my experiences. My experience is that black and brown communities do not get the same opportunities.

A systems thinking approach to tackle real issues facing our community is what Leadership Grand Rapids hopes all who leave the class will be: having a community-focused mindset that creates a lifelong commitment to creating a thriving and prosperous West Michigan for all. So when I was interviewed for the 2020 cohort and was asked: who is my role model? My response: I Am! Their response: How can YOU be your own role model? I am 53 years old, hearing impared, visually impared, physically impared in a wheelchair and I have a doctoral degree. They all just sat there like, “Hmm.” You tell me how many African American women do you know that have a doctoral degree, had a stroke, that’s had 5 head surgies, two mouth surgeries, lost their hearing, can’t see out of one eye, and is an advocate for the state of Michigan? I’ll wait! Systemic ableist thinking at it’s finest.

Kennedy-Barrington co-hosts the podcast “Rolling on the Road.” To tune-in, visit her Facebook page at Dr. Kimberly Y Barrington.

KK-B: I was in school two classes away from my master’s in the voc(ational) rehab program. [Veteran Readiness and Employment] And when I had my stroke, they said I was no longer eligible for the voc rehab, but I was eligible for what they call Independent Living. So basically they teach you how to be handicap, make sure that you have a good, safe

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Learn & Do

READER’S

by Jessica McLeod

A

s you ease back into making travel plans, you may decide to keep it local. Check out the following books for some great Michigan destinations and day trips!

Backroads & Byways of Michigan: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions

by Melissa Michaels and KariAnne Wood

100 Things to do in Grand Rapids Before You Die

by Norma Lewis and Christine Nyholm Explore Michigan’s second largest city with the guidance of this book, which is broken up into sections for Food and Drink, Music and Entertainment, Sports and Recreation, Culture and History, and Shopping and Fashion to help you easily plan your visit according to your interests. Each activity and destination includes contact information, and tourist tips sprinkled throughout are guaranteed to help you make the most of your trip.

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Maybe you’d rather avoid the city and take the scenic route. Author Matt Forster expresses the sentiment that “if the highway is the short cut, I want to take the longcut.” The book is divided into trips, and each gives an estimated length in miles, estimated drive time, highlights, and directions for “getting there.”

Each section ends with “in the area” lists suggesting accommodations, attractions and recreation, and dining. Forster even provides a key to pricing for these suggestions to help you budget for your trip.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Michigan Day Trips by Theme

by Michael Link

Lost in Michigan: History and Travel Stories from an Endless Road Trip

by Mike Sonnenberg Now spanning three volumes, Mike Sonnenberg’s Lost in Michigan series will help you to get off the beaten path as you explore The Mitten. The books are broken up into regional sections: Southern Lower Peninsula, Central Lower Peninsula, Northern Lower Peninsula, and Upper Peninsula. Each tells the story of various locations throughout Michigan. Some locations could have entire books written about them, while others remain fascinating places despite their stories being lost to time. Pick a story that piques your curiosity and go get lost!

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Maybe you’re less interested in exploring by region and more likely to seek out adventures associated with your interests. In that case, this is the book for you. It is organized into 22 themes including outdoor adventures, fun getaways, lighthouses, waterfalls, festivals, historic buildings & architecture. There’s even a section for bird watchers and nature lovers! Websites are listed for each location featured, but I would highly recommend checking them for currency and accuracy before venturing out as this book was originally published in 2013.

Jessica McLeod is an Adult Services Paraprofessional at the Englehardt (Lowell) Branch of Kent District Library. She grew up in the Thumb, attended college in Mid-Michigan, and now resides in Grand Rapids. She looks forward to continuing to explore her favorite state as soon as it is safe to do so again.

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BY KATE SAGE, D.O.

Telehealth: What it is and What it Means for You

W

elcome to the world of working from home, webinars, virtual happy hours… and online doctor visits. Here is your tutorial to navigating these virtual visits. First of all, not all doctor’s offices, hospitals or healthcare systems do things the same way, so expect some differences if you go from one virtual visit to another. However, in general, the same few things will be covered.

Before your visit, you will likely receive a phone call to confirm. You may actually get several phone calls to remind you of your appointment time, tell you how to sign on virtually to the visit, and to verify your insurance and billing. You may get a phone call from a medical assistant to go through some health history. Alternately, you may also receive an email with a link to update your health history. Many patients have noticed the (helpful?) increase in communication when planning a virtual visit.

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To start a virtual visit, both the patient and the physician need a visual and audio device. For most people, that’s a phone or a computer with the video and audio options turned on. It’s recommended to test the video and audio before the visit to make sure that you can see and hear your doctor, and that your doctor can see and hear you.

Make sure that you have a consistent Internet connection so that the video and audio are clear and not delayed. For some exams, it’s also helpful to move the video around to help show the doctor a part of your body that may be hurting or injured.

Again, virtual visits vary by office, but most places will direct the patient toward a “patient portal” or a specific website where the patient will wait in a virtual waiting room for the visit to begin. While in the waiting room the patient may be asked to fill out online paperwork to make sure that the health history on file is up to date and

Not all doctor’s offices, hospitals or healthcare systems do things the same way, so expect some differences if you go from one virtual visit to another. continued on page 18

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Connect from home.

Treating anxiety, depression, and more Teletherapy is available for all ages.

200+ licensed, West Michigan clinicians.

Visit pinerest.org/telehealth or call 866.852.4001.

Virtual walk-in psychiatry now available for adults from the Psychiatric Urgent Care Center. Call 616.455.9200.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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continued from page 16 accurate. If a medical assistant called you before the visit, you shouldn’t have to do much of this. Usually this includes medical conditions (e.g. diabetes or high blood pressure); surgical history (e.g. tonsillectomy, knee replacement); an allergy list; a medication list; a social history (e.g. how many cigarettes the patients smokes or how much alcohol the patient drinks); and family history (e.g. if a first degree relative like a mom or dad died of a hereditary disease). You may be asked to fill out a brief history of the medical problem, and answer some relevant questions related to that problem. Also in some cases, you may be asked to enter physical exam findings such as a height and weight, a temperature, or your pulse rate if you know how to find it. Sometimes, a medical assistant will enter the virtual waiting room, ask the patient about all of the above, and then fill it in for the patient. There is also a place where the patient consents to the virtual visit, but this may be a check box, an online signature, or a verbal consent.

After all of this is filled out, the doctor arrives! Virtually! First, the doctor usually makes sure that the patient and doctor can see and hear each other. Your doctor may ask you to verify who you are and your birthday.

Don’t be offended! Your doctor recognizes you and is just confirming that you’re the correct patient for legal purposes. Your doctor may ask you a few strange questions; for example, in some health systems, the physician has to verify that the patient is not driving during the virtual visit. The doctor then may review any changes that were made in the first part of the visit regarding the medical history or surgical history. Then, the visit starts.

At this point it tends to be like a regular doctor visit. The patient tells the doctor about the medical problem and the doctor asks relevant questions. Sometimes the doctor may ask the patient to point to certain areas on the body that may be painful, or the doctor may ask the patient to move the camera so the doctor can see the relevant area.

Your doctor may also ask you to do part of the physical exam yourself so that the doctor can see it. For example, the doctor may have you put your hand in front of the camera and then squeeze and let go of your fingertip so that the doctor can assess your circulation.

The physical exam portion of the visit is tricky on a virtual visit. Your doctor may ask you to perform relevant physical exam findings, so if you have a cough, for example, your doctor may ask you to cough and deep breathe on camera so the doctor can see and hear.

If you have knee pain, the doctor may ask you to walk, move your leg, or squat to help make a diagnosis.

Your doctor may also ask you to do part of the physical exam yourself so that the doctor can see it. For example, the doctor may have you put your hand in front of the camera and then squeeze and let go of your fingertip so that the doctor can assess your circulation. Depending on the medical problem, there are many different types of exams that your doctor may ask you to do. If you’re uncomfortable with any of it, just tell your doctor.

Once you’ve gotten through that part of the virtual visit, your doctor can make recommendations. The doctor can put in virtual orders for labs or X-Rays, and can send prescriptions to the pharmacy. Your doctor may recommend that you make an appointment to come into the office, or may refer you to a different office. The medical assistant may come back on in order to help coordinate that part, but typically you end the virtual visit and the office calls you later to set up the follow up appointment.

What about HIPAA?

HIPAA, the acronym for the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, is the law that protects patient privacy. At the beginning of COVID-19 there was some relaxation of the guidelines in order to let doctors speak with patients virtually through minimally encoded systems. At this point, most health systems, hospitals and offices are using robust online systems that make it very difficult to trace personal medical information.

What about cost?

Billing for online visits varies. A virtual visit with audio and video may be billed as a telehealth, and you may be expected to pay a co-pay. If your doctor has a thorough discussion with you and is able to do part of a physical exam on video, then you may be billed at the same level as an office visit. If you do a virtual visit, expect that you will be billed in some capacity, that you may have a co-pay, and that you may have to pay some of your deductible for your care. The specifics will depend on your insurance and the complexity of the virtual visit. It may be worth checking in with your insurance company before the visit if you’re concerned.

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Dr. Katherine Sage is an Orthopaedic surgeon. She likes to write about medicine, science, and women’s place in the universe.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

The Secret To a Well-Organized Kitchen

BY LYNDSEY TYM

I

am excited to share an easy tip you can use all over your home to get organized and stay that way!

Effectively use the prime real estate inside your home.

Although this tip is super simple to put into practice, many of us frequently fail to utilize it. Most often when I’m organizing kitchens and pantries for a client’s, I notice seldom-used items stored in the most easily accessible drawers or cupboards. Examples: holiday plates stored with everyday use plates, and the turkey roasting pan stored with regular pots and pans.

It seems natural to put items like these with other likeitems. However, when storing that way clutters up and shrinks storage space, it is not the most effective use of the area. Effectively using the prime real estate in your home means considering how you use the space most often and storing accordingly.

In our kitchen, we have plates, bowls, and glasses stored in the same cupboard closest to the dishwasher. These items are used the most often, so they are stored in one of the cupboards that is most easily accessible and nearest for unloading the dishwasher. We don’t use mugs as often, and storing them with glasses and cups means having to stack them – thus cluttering the space and making it more time consuming to grab or put things away. Because of how

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

we use our kitchen, I have organized everyday use items using prime real estate. Other items not used as frequently are stored in the cupboards that we rarely access due to its location. Example: the hard-to-reach cupboards above the refrigerator stores wine and beer glasses and extra silverware for when hosting a large crowd.

When organizing and storing, many of us defer to putting all like-items together even if it means crammed spaces.

Organizing by how often you use items typically will free up space, saving time searching and digging around in full cupboards and drawers.

Start with your kitchen and consider how frequently you use items stored there. It might be worth moving some things around to free up space and save some time in the long-run.

When organizing and storing, many of us defer to putting all likeitems together even if it means crammed spaces.

Happy organizing!

Lyndsey Tym, owner of Simple Spaces, desires to help others declutter and simplify in their homes to free up time for the things they love. Learn more at facebook. com/simplespaceslyndseytym.

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BY ELYSE WILD

WOMEN’S HEALTH COLLECTIVE OPENS IN GRAND RAPIDS

N

isha McKenzie is on a mission to elevate the experience of female-bodied individuals when it comes to their sexual health.

“If people come to us for answers, we have to be able to help them better. That is how this collective was born.”

— Nisha McKenzie,Founder of the Women’s Health Collective

“I want to help people understand that sexuality impacts so many other areas of our health,” she said. “It affects our mental health, our physical health, our relational health. I think it is wildly important and so misunderstood, and because sex is so interlaced with power, we shy away from it.”

Last month, McKenzie opened the Women’s Health Collective. She has practiced medicine as a physician assistant for nearly 20 years, having spent the first part of her career in family medicine. During that time, she encountered countless women who were at a loss to clearly communicate their questions and concerns about sexual health issues they were experiencing. She realized that as a practitioner, she too was at a loss on how to help them.

“I had so many women in a joking tone cry for help,” she said. “And it

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was followed by a nervous chuckle and I would nervously chuckle along.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. It was a brewing issue for years.”

Gender-bias continues to exist in patient care. A study published in 2018 found that women are less likely to survive a heart attack in men when treated by male physicians.

In an article published in 2019 by medicaleconomics.com, Jane van Dis, MD, OB/GYN, suggest that this bias is the reason that the average woman with endometriosis — painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside the uterus —goes nine years before she is diagnosed. In the same article, van Dis goes on to state that menstrual issues are lumped together and dismissed as par for the course for those with female anatomy.

McKenzie’s experience reflects what van Dis believes is the issue: A lack of proper training during early medical education that results in general practitioners emerging from school with a general discomfort or aversion to performing pelvic exams and

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

9

— The number of year the average woman with

endometriosis — painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside the uterus —goes before she is diagnosed.

10-20

— The percentage of women in the US who experience painful sex.

3 Million

— The number of women in the US

whose first sexual experience was rape. Forced sexual initiation is associated with adverse health comes.

discussing sexual health with patients.

“It is so commonly left out and described as its own little niche over in the corner that only certain people deal with,” she added. “That is what I am trying to change ... there shouldn’t be any shame. Every single being on the planet is affected by sexuality in some way, and we get really poor training as human beings on what that means for us. And as women, for sure, we get no talks about pleasure.”

McKenzie says that society has normalized unpleasurable or even painful sex for women.

“Women really only get the fear tactics,” she said, “Like, ‘close your legs,’ ‘be careful,’ ‘be a nice girl,’ ‘if you do this or this, you will be viewed this way.’ Then, low and behold, on your wedding night, you are supposed to scream out in ecstasy. And that is scary.”

“Female-bodied people tend to experience sex as a weight,” she added.

In 2018, The National Center for Biotechnology Information reported that between 10-20% of women experience painful intercourse. They also reported that, “Many women do not report genital pain, and most providers do not inquire about this type of pain.”

McKenzie’s interest in medicine began at age 7 when her grandmother passed away from a heart condition.

“I remember thinking, ‘I am going to be a heart doctor and help hearts because people shouldn’t die of heart problems,’” McKenzie said. “Which is a little unrealistic but I just wanted to help people.”

McKenzie opted to pursue a career as a physician assistant (PA) as opposed to a medical doctor so that she could fulfill her dreams of practicing medicine but also be present while raising a family. According to the Michigan Academy of Physician’s Assistants, PAs maintain national certification and perform a wide range of medical procedures and duties, including diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret tests/ studies, assist and surgical procedures, write perspectives, develop treatment plans and more. After practicing family medicine, McKenzie made the switch to women’s health in 2011 so she could focus on women’s sexuality.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

“I learned that as I learned sexual medicine, I could ‘fix’ vaginas, painful sex, dryness, tears — all of the painful things people were having, but people kept coming back and saying, ‘But I still don’t have a libido,’ ‘my relationship is falling apart,’ or ‘what is wrong with me?’ I realized I was missing the human and the brain portion of sexuality. I was just treating the medicine part.”

McKenzie goes on to talk about how often when a women’s sexual issue is physically cured but their issues persist, patients often receive the message that there is something innately wrong with them.

“That began to infuriate me,” she expressed. “If people come to us for answers, we have to be able to help them better. That is how this collective was born. There are many people who have healing hands, not just medical doctors or PAs, but massage therapists, pelvic floor physical therapists, mental health therapists.”

At the Women’s Health Collective, McKenzie has aggregated a group of practitioners that allows the clinic to offer patients medical treatment and support for their overall wellness. Among the dozen conditions the clinic treats, as listed on its website, are overactive pelvic floor, arousal disorders and recurrent vaginitis. They also offer support, such as therapy and counseling, to alleviate the stress, anxiety and depression often experienced by gender non-conforming individuals.

Along with offering a comprehensive team that can treat and support women through a variety of health challenges, McKenzie says that the center’s approach to bedside manner is focused on transparency and validation.

“The trait of saying, ‘I don’t know, but will find out,’ is not taught very well in medical school,” she said. “I think it is helpful to a patient to be able to hear their practitioner say, “That is so valid and so worth an answer, and I am going to find it for you.”

To learn more, please visit whcollective.com.

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Inspired Voices PODCAST w/ Elyse Wild

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

Tiny Techniques, Enormous Talent

BY KENNEDY MAPES | PHOTOS COURTESY OF STACIE TAMAKI

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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S

tacie Tamaki has made quite an impression with her origami, not only because of her incredible talent, but also because of the meaning behind her art. Tamaki began practicing origami as a child. She first learned the basics of the art from a beginner’s book, however, she learned how to do what she is now known for, the paper crane, from her grandmother when she was seven years old, a few years before her grandmother’s passing.

Tamaki learned this technique at a young age, but it wasn’t until much later, in 1995, that she decided to create a hobby out of it.

“This thought occurred to me that I wanted to try to fold a thousand cranes, but make them small enough that when hung in the form of a mobile I could put them inside of a glass display case to keep them protected from dust and damage,” Tamaki said.

She described a time when she had seen a mobile of a thousand cranes before, and she thought it was beautiful, but it was also eight feet high. She wanted to create something that was just as beautiful but that allowed for a more practical display.

Tamaki began to tackle the challenge by continuously cutting her origami paper down until she discovered she was able to fold a three quarter inch square of paper into a three-eighth inch high crane, completely by hand.

The first miniature mobile she made consisted of a combination of cranes, both three-quarter inch and three-eight inch in size. Once she completed this first mobile, she decided to turn it into a full-fledged hobby. She continued for years, and either kept the mobiles for herself or gifted them to friends and family.

“When I heard about ArtPrize in 2013, I thought, ‘The public gets to choose the

“It means many things to me. I have an emotional connection to it because it is one of the fondest memories I have of my grandma, so I feel I am carrying on her legacy. Then there is the collective view that most people recognize the crane as a symbol of peace and hope.”

— Stacie Tamaki winner?’ This is exactly what I have been waiting for,” Tamaki said.

After an incident at an art gallery in the West Coast in 2002, in which the owner dismissed her art as “just crafting” and undermined her confidence, Tamaki realized that the only way she would ever want to exhibit her work would be through a public display where everyday people, in their everyday lives, could stumble upon it, be surprised by it, and truly appreciate it. ArtPrize gave her that opportunity.

Tamaki participated in ArtPrize five years in a row and gained a large following of people who loved her work and wanted to purchase it. After listening to her viewers opinions and suggestions, she realized she really could turn this hobby that she loved so much into a career.

When asked what origami means to her, Tamaki replied, “It means many things to me. I have an emotional connection to it because it is one of the fondest memories I have of my grandma, so I feel I am carrying on her legacy. Then there is the collective view that most people recognize the crane as a symbol of peace and hope.”

She explained that quickly after she opened an Etsy shop, she noticed her customers were buying her pieces for people who were struggling emotionally. “People were buying gifts from me to give to someone who was bereaved because they felt that this tiny crane, or dragonfly, or whatever it was, would give a bit of happiness to someone who was sad.”

She also expressed that the intricate art of origami allows her to introduce to her audience the concept that we are all capable of more than we think.

For more information on Stacie Tamaki and her beautiful miniature origami, please visit tinygami.com.

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

HEALTHY (AND DELICIOUS) FAMILY RECIPES

F

ocusing on a healthful diet may lead you back to the same tried-and-true tricks, however, conventional wisdom doesn’t always pay dividends. These recipes offer up new twists to help you and your family eat meals you enjoy without forgoing your health goals.

Courtesy of Family Features

Pot Roast Tacos with Chimichurri

Recipe courtesy of Always Eat After 7 PM,”by Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT Chimichurri: 1 1/2 1 2 1 1/4 2 1 1 1

cups fresh Italian parsley cup fresh cilantro tablespoons green onion, chopped tablespoon garlic, chopped cup olive oil tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoon water teaspoon sea salt teaspoon crushed red pepper

Tacos: 3 8 1 4 1/4

cups chuck roast, slow cooked and chopped yellow corn tortillas (6 inches) ripe avocado, pitted and sliced radishes, sliced cup queso fresco, crumbled

To make chimichurri: In food processor, combine parsley, cilantro, onion and garlic until chopped. Add olive oil, lemon juice, water, salt and red pepper; process until fully combined.

To assemble tacos: In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook chopped chuck roast 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 cup chimichurri. In grill pan, char tortillas then fill evenly with meat, avocado, radishes and queso fresco. Serve with remaining chimichurri.

“Everything goes better with tacos.”

– Rachel Caine, Author

Chili Loaded Baked Potatos

Recipe courtesy of Always Eat After 7 PM,”by Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

6 sweet potatoes (8 ounces each) nonstick cooking spray salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 pounds ground chuck 2 yellow onions, diced 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 3 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 can (15 ounces) butter beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 Anaheim chile, minced 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1/4 cup red onion, minced

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Heat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet or pan with parchment paper. Rinse and scrub sweet potatoes; pat dry with paper towel and pierce several times with fork or knife. Place in prepared pan. Lightly spray sweet potatoes with nonstick cooking spray and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake 45 minutes- 1 hour until tender when poked.

In pot, heat olive oil. Saute chuck until fully cooked.

Drain fat and return to pot; add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne pepper.

Reduce heat to medium-low and saute until onions are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add broth, crushed tomatoes and vinegar to pot. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Add butter beans, cilantro and chile; cook 5 minutes. Season with sea salt.

Split potatoes lengthwise; fluff flesh with fork. Top evenly with chili, yogurt, cilantro leaves and red onion.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

BY KELSEY EMMANUEL

Working Out From Home Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

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W

ith most Americans having to stay home due to the pandemic, we are required to shift the way we live. Now a lot of people are working from home, virtually socializing, and looking for ways to create structure for themselves. When we experience uncontrollable, quick changes in our life, it can lead to feeling overwhelmed, fearful and distressed. In order to create more peace, comfort, and safety, it is important to get more connected to your body.

One way to connect with your body is through movement. If you are having a hard time working out at home, that is totally okay and normal; there are many creative ways to get your body moving.

The Pressure To Workout

The amount of fat on your body does not equal how healthy you are. Yes, I am addressing the elephant in the room: everyone is absolutely terrified to gain weight during quarantine. Fat is an essential part of what makes up our body; without it, we wouldn’t be able to function. Diet culture has deeply influenced the way we view ourselves and others.

You are constantly bombarded with weight loss ads and get-skinny-quick propaganda. These types of messages can poorly impact your self-talk and your relationship with your body. When it comes to working out, do not pressure yourself into doing something you dislike. For instance, I am amazed by the number of women who practice running 5Ks when they don’t really enjoy running at all. There are so many ways to move your body, and you should incorporate movement into your life that you enjoy.

This is a far more efficient and effective way to improve your physical health.

You should view your workouts as something “I get to do” versus “I have to do”. The best place to take care of yourself is from a place of love and compassion. Fear can be a motivator for working out, but it is not sustainable.

How To Love Your Body Via Movement

Most people work out because they are chasing a feeling. You want to feel more confident in your skin. You want to feel strong, empowered, and energized. You want to feel loved and admired by your friends and family. You want to build more trust and acceptance within yourself. Movement is a great way to connect with your body and achieve all of those qualities in your life. If you feel like you are slipping into a sedentary lifestyle during quarantine, integrate simple exercise routines into your day.

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For example, if you are working from home, set an alarm every hour and schedule in a 5-minute movement break. Those 5 minutes could look like stretching, walking around the house, dancing to your favorite music and shaking out your body.

Change of scenery is a great way to shift your energy and move your body as well. For example, take a few hours in the evening to take a walk around the neighborhood or visit a nearby park to hike a new trail. Your body is meant for movement; treat your body well and engage in activity that is enjoyable for you.

At-Home Workouts For Improved Physical Fitness

Two signs that you might be at risk of getting bored from your at-home workouts: your workouts are too long and you are doing the same exact exercises over and over again. The best types of workouts are the ones that improve the functionality of your daily life. Strength training is an easy way to improve your overall health and physical fitness. It helps boost your metabolism, regulate stress hormones, improve quality of sleep, and build lean muscles.

Oftentimes, people associate strength training with dumbbells, barbells, and heavy weights. This is a way of strength training, but it is not the only way. Whether you are new to strength training or not, do not underestimate the power of body weight movements. Different variations of squats, lunges, and push-ups are a great way to strength train. If you don’t have fancy workout equipment in your home, it is time to get creative! You can fill up a backpack with books and do weighted squats, shoulder presses, deadlifts, and several other compound exercises.

When it comes to working out, do not pressure yourself into doing something you dislike.

There are so many ways to move your body, and you should incorporate movement into your life that you enjoy.

With the way the world is changing, there are several coaches and gyms that are taking their services online. If you want accountability and support, you can reach out to your local fitness and health professionals who will be able to get you moving in the right direction.

Kelsey Emmanuel is a certified CrossFit Level 1 trainer. Follow along with her workout tips and tutorials on Instagram @kelsey. emmanuel and on Facebook at Kelsey’s Health Journey.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • July 2020

West Michigan COVID-19 Business Coalition The West Michigan COVID-19 Business Coalition is a collaborative effort by several West Michigan organizations working to provide resources, guidance, and businesses services to the employers and employees of our community that have been affected by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

Leaders from Experience Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Chamber and The Right Place, Inc. convened the coalition aimed at making critical information more accessible to all area businesses and their employees. Coalition members include Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce (West MI), City of Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc., Kent County, LINC UP, Local First, National Business League, Inc., Urban League of West Michigan, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber and West Michigan Works!

COVIDWM.ORG

FOOD, BEVERAGES & RESTAURANTS

■ Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano ■ Aperitivo ■ Bistro Bella Vita ■ Brewery Vivant ■ Byron Center Meats ■ Essence Group ■ Ferris Coffee & Nut ■ Field & Fire ■ Grand Rapids Cheesecake Company ■ Grove ■ Malamiah Juice Bar ■ Railside Golf Club ■ Reserve Wine & Food ■ Terra GR ■ The B.O.B. ■ The Cheese Lady Grand Rapids - CHZ Enterprise ■ The Green Well

AUTOMOTIVE

■ Arie Nol Auto Center ■ Community Automotive Repair ■ Harvey Automotive, Cadillac, Lexus, Auto Outlet ■ Pfeiffer Lincoln

SHOPPING & RETAIL

■ Art of the Table ■ Bill & Paulʼs Sporthaus ■ Frames Unlimited ■ Schuler Books ■ Spirit Dreams ■ Stonesthrow ■ Supermercado Mexico ■ Switchback Gear Exchange ■ The Shade Shop

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

■ A-1 Locksmith ■ EPS Security ■ Gerritʼs Appliance ■ Gordon Water ■ Morris Builders ■ Nawara Brothers Home Store ■ Rockford Construction ■ Tazzia Lawn Care ■ Verhey Carpets

BUSINESS SERVICES

■ Innereactive ■ The Image Shoppe ■ Womenʼs LifeStyle Magazine

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

■ Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC) ■ Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) ■ Grand Rapids Public Library ■ Neighbors Development ■ Slow Food West Michigan ■ The Rapid ■ West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC)

PET PRODUCTS & SERVICES ■ Chow Hound Pet Supplies

HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLNESS

■ AgeWise Eldercare Solutions ■ Design 1 Salon Spa ■ Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness ■ Grand Rapids Wellness ■ Grand Ridge Orthodontics ■ Mommas Home ■ The hairport ■ The Village Doula GR

FINANCIAL & LEGAL ■ Lucy Shair Financial ■ United Bank

TRAVEL & LODGING ■ Breton Travel ■ Countryside Tours ■ Witte Travel

When you support a locally owned business, more resources stay in the community and get reinvested in the economy.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ■ Celebration Cinema ■ Community Circle Theatre ■ Frames Unlimited ■ Glitter Booth Photo Booth ■ Grand Rapids Art Museum ■ Grand Rapids Civic Theatre ■ Grand Rapids Public Museum ■ LaFontsee Galleries ■ LowellArts ■ River City Improv ■ ShowSpan, Inc. ■ The Ruse Escape Room ■ Triumph Music Academy

FLORAL & GARDEN

LOCAL FIRST means PEOPLE FIRST Communities thrive when the economy puts people first.

■ Ball Park Floral & Gifts ■ Eastern Floral ■ Romence Gardens

Local First •345 Fuller Avenue NE • GR, MI 49503 • (616) 808-3788 • www.localfirst.com