WYCE's Community Closeup (*conversations concerning issues of importance in West Michigan)

We spoke with Chana Edmond-Verley, Executive Director of Vibrant Futures MI, about how Vibrant Futures MI helps people in West Michigan gain access to childcare, affordable childcare, and funding for childcare. Vibrant Futures creates cradle-to-career opportunities and experiences that hold sacred the vibrant promise and potential in every child, youth, family, and caregiver to ensure more vibrant...

We spoke with John McNaughton, Executive Director at Grand Rapids Public Library, about resources the library offers for residents of Grand Rapids, whether that be through checking out books and media or through the plethora of events they host. The library is our community’s source of accessible information, resources, and programs. They offer a wide selection of books, movies, music, that can be...

We spoke with Evelyn-Esparza-Gonzalez, Executive Director, and Gabriella Cordova, Communications & Development Director, of the West Michigan Hispanic Center about their goals of empowering West Michigans Hispanic community. Located in the heart of the Roosevelt Park, the largest Latino neighborhood in Grand Rapids, the Hispanic Center directly serves more than 30,000 individuals annually. Not...

We spoke with professor and author Dr. Randal Jelks about institutional racism, impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., race, relations, black owned businesses, black history and more. Randal Maurice Jelks is an award-winning author, documentary film producer, and professor. He is the author of four books. His writings have appeared in the Boston Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, blogs, jour...

We spoke with professor and author Dr. Randal Jelks about institutional racism, impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., race, relations, black owned businesses, black history and more. Randal Maurice Jelks is an award-winning author, documentary film producer, and professor. He is the author of four books. His writings have appeared in the Boston Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, blogs, jour...

We spoke with Dave Bulkowski, Executive Director of Disability Advocates of Kent County, about serving people of West Michigan who live with disabilities, the history of Disability Advocates and more. Disability Advocates strives to eliminate systemic barriers and enhance programs so that people with disabilities can live the self-directed life they choose. They look to aid in community benefits b...

We spoke with Noemi Gonzalez, Girls Rock GR's Community Engagement Coordinator at the Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities about opportunities for girls in the music scene in Grand Rapids. Girls Rock! Grand Rapids (GR!GR) is a week long summer camp that exists to empower girls and gender-expansive youth through music. Each year, kids and teens at camp get to participate in instrument explor...

We spoke with the League of Women Voters Greater Grand Rapids Chapter President Courtney Winell and Board Secretary Kristin Brace about voter rights, voting rules, and regulations, election safety, voting laws in Michigan, and their get out the vote efforts. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is repre...

We spoke with Paul Soltysiak, Vice President and Co-Founder, and Steve Tibbe, Chief Officer, about historical preservation, arts funding, neighborhood improvement, baseball funding at Valley Field. Fans of Valley Field exists to preserve the heritage and promote the usage of Sullivan (Valley) Field. They intend to create a year-round community space for the surrounding neighborhoods and all of Gra...

We spoke with Jazz McKinney, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Pride Center, about pride month, LGBTQ+ equality, gender, equity, transgender education, housing challenges and equal employment opportunities. The Grand Rapids Pride Center works to create positive change for the 2-SLGBTQ+ community by breaking down barriers, creating awareness, providing inclusive services, and bridging relation...

We spoke with Steve Salter, President of The Killer Blues Headstone Project, about blues music, blues culture and musicians, and headstones for blues musicians in unmarked graves. The Killer Blues Headstone Project exists to provide headstones  for blues musicians lying in unmarked graves. They have placed over 150 headstones in 14 years. In 2009, The Killer Blues Headstone Project became a non-pr...

We spoke with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss about city funding, affordable housing funding, public safety, Homelessness, Mental health co- response in policing. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss became the City of Grand Rapids’ first female Mayor when she took office on January 1, 2016. She was re-elected for a second term in November 2019.  She previously served as a Second Ward City Commissioner for 10 y...

In this episode we welcome Brianna Shahly, Communications and Marketing Coordinator of the Humane Society of West Michigan. Brianna touches on animal welfare, pet adoption, spaying and neutering of pets, pet rescue, and feral cats. The Humane Society of West Michigans mission is to promote the humane treatment and responsible care of animals in West Michigan through education, example, placement &...

In this episode, we welcome Mariah Malone, Communication Specialist with John Ball Zoo. Mariah spoke with us about the Zoo's Lantern Festival is a one-mile light tour through John Ball Zoo. The festival features handcrafted Asian lantern displays that will illuminate the Zoo and tell the intersecting story of wildlife and Asian culture. John Ball Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation commit...

In this week's program, we welcome two members of the Grand Rapids Prime Time Brewers Association: Jeremy Gavin and Mies Martin, President of the GR Prime Time Brewers. According to the team of club historians, GR PrimeTime Brewers goes back to the late 70's.  Originally, this loosely associated group of homebrewers would sporadically meet to share beers and generally try to get others to...

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes GRPD's newly named Deputy Chief, Joseph Trigg. Incoming Deputy Chief Trigg has held additional duty assignments as a Field Training Officer, a member of the department’s Board of Awards, and an advisor to Grand Rapids Police Explorer Post 1871, working with young people who are interested in learning more about policing as a profession; he is a member...

This week's program welcomes Sara Olson, marketing and communications manager with the Grand Rapids Public Museum. We spoke with Sara about their Sensory-Friendly Museum Night at the GRPM. During a Sensory-Friendly Museum Night, the Museum adapts sounds, lighting, and activities within the current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience for the evening. One in every sixty-eight children is...

In this week's program, we welcome Broadway Grand Rapids and Meghan Distel, their executive director. Broadway GR celebrates its 35th year with a stellar lineup of performances, including the Michigan premieres of “MJ” the musical, a revival of “Funny Girl.” Plus “Tina,” the Tina Turner musical, and Disney’s “Aladdin.” “To Kill a Mockingbird," a new critically acclaimed play will debut ne...

In this episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower welcomes Guillermo Cisneros, President & CEO of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 2003, The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to working with all members of the community to increase the economic advancement of Hispanic-owned businesses and to assist the professional growth of Hispanics in West Mich...

In this episode we welcome Liz Nienhuis, executive director of Gracious Grounds located in Grand Haven, MI. Gracious Grounds is a nonprofit housing community that supports successful independent living for adults with intellectual disabilities. Gracious Grounds was established in 2013 and has been serving adults with disabilities for over 10 years. Gracious Grounds has 3 housing locations with a t...

On this week's program, we spoke with Lisa Hegenbart, the Executive Director of Girls On The Run West Michigan. Girls on the Run® exists to enhance participants' social, emotional, and physical skills to navigate life experiences successfully. Girls On The Run seeks to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates run...

In this week's program, we speak with Sydney Baxter, marketing and communications manager at Blandford Nature Center. Sugarbush allows visitors to experience the science of maple syrup production in the heart of Blandford’s Sugarbush! The educational program helps visitors identify maple trees and learn the history of maple syrup production through the centuries.  The mission of Blandford is t...

This episode features a conversation between WYCE Station Manager PhilTower and Lynne Brown Tepper, Executive and Artistic Director at Circle Theatre Grand Rapids. Lynne spoke about the rich history of Circle Theatre here in Grand Rapids and profiled their upcoming season. Circle Theatre is the only community theatre in the West Michigan area that specializes in summer theatre. The Theatre was fou...

In this week's episode, we spoke with Melissa Perrin, Program Director with The Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan ( Melissa told us that the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan (DSAWM) was formed in 1985 by six couples who had children with Down syndrome. Their original aim was to provide support and share knowledge with other families. Through the years, the goals of the Assoc...

In this episode, station manager Phil Tower speaks with Dave Ringler, recently elected president of the Michigan Brewers Guild. The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to promote and protect the craft beer industry in Michigan. While most of the Guild’s activities are focused on the promotion of the industry, they also exist to protect the interests of Michigan’s brewers. Online: The Michigan Brewers Gu...