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

We spoke with Derek Reed, Co-Founder of Rockford’s Rotary Rocks for ShelterBox, about this years music festival that was held in downtown Rockford.

Rotary Rocks held their 2nd annual event on August 22, 2023 at Garden Club Park. The evening featured music from Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions, Low Phase, and Roosevelt Diggs. Fan favorite Roosevelt Diggs won the band competition by garnering the highest number of "votes" via donations for the night. But the big winner was ShelterBox, an international disaster-relief organization.  The event raised over $3,100.

Online: Rotary Rocks

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 futures for all. Vibrant Futures aims to ensure more children and families from all walks of life achieve their full potential.

Online: Vibrant Futures MI

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 checked out physically and/or downloaded digitally. The library also offers a wide range of programming for people of all ages and interests. 

Online: Grand Rapids Public Library

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 limited to Grand Rapids, they seek to address the needs of Latinos in West Michigan. The staff is largely bilingual and multi-cultural. Their staff understands the needs of their Latino neighbors, working to connect with them, and to achieve self-sufficiency together.

The Hispanic Center of Western Michigan is a non-profit 501(c) (3) community-based organization.

Online: Hispanic Center of West Michigan

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, journals, and periodicals.Randal Maurice Jelks is represented by Crichton & Associates Inc. 

Online: ⁠Randal Maurice Jelks⁠

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, journals, and periodicals.Randal Maurice Jelks is represented by Crichton & Associates Inc. 

Online: Randal Maurice Jelks

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 by becoming more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for all. They have become recognized locally and across the state, specifically for their transit advocacy, education, technical assistance on accessibility, and Universal Design through our Absolutely Accessible Kent program. 

Online: Disability Advocates of Kent County

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 exploration, workshops, band forming, song writing, and logo and album art creation. They also get to record their new songs in a professional recording studio and then perform them live in front of an audience.

Online: GR!GR

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 represented in our democracy. They empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation, at the local, state, and national levels.

Online: League of Women Voters

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 Grand Rapids. They seek to expand their offerings to include numerous events. Fans of Valley Field works closely with the City of Grand Rapids to rebuild, expand and maintain this community gem. They seek to restore the park to its former grandeur while making it the premier community gathering space in our city.

Online: Fans of Valley Field