Tag: BlackHistory

Reflection and Statement on Antiracism and Recent Events

“… being American is more than a pride we inherit, it’s the past we step into and how we repair it.” -Amanda Gorman, 2021 Inaugural Poet As we begin Black History Month, as well pass the one year mark since Access launched our current antiracism team, we wanted to pause and reflect on our commitment to the work of antiracism as well as the events we’ve witnessed in the past month. In January we watched as our nation celebrated a time-honored tradition of the beginning of a new presidential administration. Amanda Gorman recited her inaugural poem, The Hill We Climb, […]

Black Wall Street, Durham, NC

Honoring Black History Series: This month as a part of our commitment to honor black history, Access team members will be sharing about businesses, books, literature, stories, podcasts, films, songs, or pieces of art created by black authors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists that have impacted us. By Erin Skidmore, Good Food Systems Coordinator “In the early twentieth century, Parrish Street in Durham, North Carolina, was the hub of African American business activity. This four-block district was known as “Black Wall Street”, a reference to the district of New York City that is home to the New York Stock Exchange and […]

Celebrating Madame C.J. Walker

Honoring Black History Series: This month as a part of our commitment to honor black history, Access team members will be sharing about businesses, books, literature, stories, podcasts, films, songs, or pieces of art created by black authors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists that have impacted us. By Kim Starks, Poverty Education Director Sarah Breedlove, known as Madam C. J. Walker, was an African-American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a political and social activist. Walker was considered the wealthiest African-American businesses woman and wealthiest self-made woman in America at the time of her death in 1919. She was the first African American woman […]

Celebrating Malamiah Juice Bar

Honoring Black History Series: This month as a part of our commitment to honor black history, Access team members will be sharing about businesses, books, literature, stories, podcasts, films, songs, or pieces of art created by black authors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists that have impacted us. Christina Swiney, Co-Executive Director at Access shares with us about one of her favorite black-owned businesses in Grand Rapids. Malamiah Juice Bar, owned by Jermale and Anissa Eddie, is a locally owned juice bar in Grand Rapids. Malamiah recently moved to the new Studio C building downtown and expanded their menu to include healthy breakfast and lunch […]

Reflections on Woman of Color in Leadership

Honoring Black History Series: This month as a part of our commitment to honor black history, Access team members will be sharing about businesses, books, literature, stories, podcasts, films, songs, or pieces of art created by black authors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists that have impacted us. By McKenzie Jackson, a member of Good Food Systems Team McKenzie shares below a reflection on two books that have been impactful this year: The Memo by Minda Harts and I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown.  Why do you want to share this with others?I […]

Reflections on Impactful Literature

Honoring Black History Series: This month as a part of our commitment to honor black history, Access team members will be sharing about businesses, books, literature, stories, podcasts, films, songs, or pieces of art created by black authors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists that have impacted us. By Lily Lemkuil, a senior Social Work student at Calvin University and current intern for the Congregations Connections program at Access of West Michigan.   â€œLetter From a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Tears we Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson  One of the most impactful pieces of […]