Connecting Communities: Kalamazoo Earth Day

Adelante or Forward is Dano Ororpeza's philosophy on how we help others. It is evident in all his talent as content creator, WMUK Alma Latina co-host and United Farm Workers Foundation State Organizer. Listen how he focuses on the challenges migrant farm workers face in Michigan from heat protection, fair pay and educating farm workers on their rights.

Author, WMU professor, and podcast host David Benac shares his experiences in researching and writing his book Rainforest Radicals: A History of Rainforest Action Network and Transnational Organizing. David gains insight through direct oral history with organizers and outlines how Rainforest Action Network's strategies gained power as a non-violent transnational action network.

If you have ever had a stray cat approach your house, you may have felt unsure how to handle it. Do you scare them away? Do you try to pet them? What if you feed them and they come back? You may not want them to come back but you may feel sad to think of them fending for themselves. Dee Chauvin has faced this problem many times over, fixing, feeding, and rehoming dozens of cats. Dee wants to share their lessons learned and we hope this episode will give some listeners practical strategies when a stray cat finds them.

Seth Chapman of Birds With Seth tells how his life long love of birds has led him to creating guided bird tours that focus on nature and learning how nature can help us be present in our lives.

Meet the three co-founders of Peace House, a free after school program for kids in the Eastside neighborhood, as they share stories along with Jennifer Spicer a current mom with children at Peace House and Pereshieanna Smith one of the first children to come to Peace House and now a supervisor to support the next generation.

Patrick Hershburger shares his new found artist adventure by archiving what is considered dead media; the VHS tape. Gathering used tapes from persons around Kalamazoo and cataloging them on a site, Patrick gives viewers the opportunity to see life as it was through the lens of the original creator whether through television media choices or real life videography.

In our last episode, we heard the stories about modern day fire starters who tend to the land by burning it. This episode provides more context about the history of fire in Michigan, going back to the glaciers, and to the first people who lived here.

Michigan Natural Features Inventory Website

Another twist on conservation - helping the ecosystem in unexpected ways. Over the last several years, fires have burned through Canada, California, and Colorado, causing massive destruction. However, burning can be a medicine for our land that prevents disastrous wildfires, and gives native plants a chance against the overwhelming invasives. Our guests from Michigan Prescribed Fire Council have joined us to discuss the fire work they do in Kalamazoo County, and how you can even help.

Firecouncil.org

Are you familiar with your local conservation district office? So you know about the initiatives they are leading? Wherever you are in the United States, discovering the work of your local Conversation District will tell you a lot about the issues are priorities in your area. Chandra Kinney, District Manager for the Kalamazoo Conservation District, sat down with us to talk about the local initiatives in our area. You won't be surprised to know that our county, in the southwest region of the Great Lakes state, has priorities related to wetlands, deer management, and agriculture - very relevant work that every Michigander can get behind.

Participate in the next community assessment to keep the Conversation District's priorities relevant! Follow on Facebook or join their newsletter (link on their website) to be notified when the assessment opens.

Kalamazoo Conservation District website: https://www.kalamazooconservation.org

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooConservationDistrict

When a data center makes plans to build a facility in Pavilion Township, residents nearly shut down the township hall meeting due to the number of interested folks who wanted to join the meeting and share their thoughts about the prospect. Widely, it was found that the residents are against letting the data center come to live in their neighborhood. Two residents, Bill Farmer (a long-time activist and previous guest on the show), and Katelyn Clarey team up to bring attention to the issue and organize their neighbors. Listen to them discuss the issue of data centers, the problems that they pose, and the terms on which the community is rejecting the idea (and what terms they would want to see in place in order to allow a data center to be built).