A Fall Snapshot from Kalamazoo
It’s been a busy and exciting month as we continue to celebrate our 50th anniversary, were featured in Global Ties U.S.’ Exchange Matters magazine, as well as in the Heartland Hub of USGLC (U.S. Global Leadership Coalition), participated in numerous IVLP programs, including a virtual concert, and welcomed new Singapore-based fellow Miruna Ranjan as part of a CSP (Community Solutions Program) Fellowship practicum.
In the lead up to COP26, together with the brand new Fulbright Alumni Association of West and Mid-Michigan, we co-hosted a film discussion featuring the producer, director and scientists from the film “Between Earth and Sky: Climate Change on the Last Frontier” looking at deep challenges already facing indigenoius communities in Alaska. Read more about this lively and well-attended virtual event on our blog.
You can read more about all of the above by scrolling down below, and learn more about upcoming programs and ways to get involved here.
If you missed the event, hosted and facilitated by Ian, a complete recording with notes can be found both on our blog and on our YouTube channel.
IVLP highlights: Water Security and Women in Business
One IVLP program we hosted in the past month, “Water Security: Interagency Cooperation and Alternative Water Sources” focused on the need to provide safe and clean drinking water and the myriad challenges presented in doing so. Our four visitors from the Philippines were all water utility administrators or policy makers seeking to safeguard their systems from both the more typical challenges of pollution and demand changes to the pressing concerns presented by climate change.
Their first of two professional sessions was with City of Kalamazoo Director of Public Services, James Baker. He discussed his department's role in keeping Kalamazoo’s drinking water safe from pollutants like PFAS/PFOS and other challenges the city’s infrastructure faces.
The second session was jointly hosted by Ryan Baker, CEO of the Kalamazoo River Alliance, and Liz Kirkwood, executive director of For Love of Water (FLOW), based in Traverse City. This session focused on holding bad actors accountable for their actions and on building lasting cooperation between stakeholders of the Great Lakes. Ms. Kirkwood, an environmental lawyer, spent several years working in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, and this led to an excellent discussion.
As part of their visit, we were able to organize a live, virtual concert by local musician, songwriter, and radio host, Darcy Wilkin. Coming from a family of folk musicians, Darcy’s wonderful performance included both originals and cover songs and provided a ton of story-filled fun the whole time. It was a special Saturday.
Another IVLP program, “Women in Business”, welcomed women entrepreneurs and focused on both general challenges of starting and operating a small business, as well as the more specific obstacles faced by women around the world.
Caitlin Nash, of MI Boba, showing our guests what bubble tea looks like and how to drink it.
To that end, we welcomed two local entrepreneurs, Caitlin Nash of MI Boba, a brand new bubble tea cafe here in Kalamazoo, and Nicole Dewey of Release Resistance, a getaway outdoor “glamping” experience business, also founded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both businesses were rather new in concept to our visitors and they absolutely loved Nicole’s virtual, outdoor tour of the yurts, giving a small glimpse into Fall in West Michigan.
One quick takeaway from our discussion:
Wherever in the world and in whatever field ... women are resourceful, innovative, creative, and nimble, finding opportunity in challenges.
Welcome to the Team!
We have had the great good fortune to welcome two incredible women to the Global Ties Kalamazoo team in late summer/early fall of 2021.
Miruna Ranjan, CSP Fellow - Practicum
As a team lead for partnerships, communications and grants management in SportCares, the philanthropic arm of national statutory board Sport Singapore, Miruna Ranjan has nearly 10 years’ experience using sport as a force for social good by working with vulnerable communities through innovative sport for community development programs. Miruna is a 2021 Community Solutions Program (CSP) fellow. An international learning exchange and leadership program, CSP is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and supported in its implementation by IREX.
As a CSP fellow in the peace and conflict resolution thematic area, Miruna aims to advocate for diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility for a more peaceful and equitable world. For her practicum component of CSP, Miruna joins Global Ties Kalamazoo to connect and learn tools and strategies to strengthen her community development work. Miruna also shares her expertise in using sport for community building and partnerships, and strategic communications with Global Ties Kalamazoo and the broader Kalamazoo community.
Beth Clark, Social Media and Storytelling Specialist
We also recently welcomed Beth Clark to our team as Social Media and Storytelling Specialist. You may recognize her face as Beth has worked extensively in the region as a community journalist and recently served as social media consultant for Feed the Fight Kalamazoo, for which Global Ties Kalamazoo served as fiscal sponsor. She also serves as Public Relations Specialist at Rootead.
Beth is excited to connect with visitors, local meeting hosts, hospitality/home hosts, volunteers, board members, and others who’ve been part of Global Ties Kalamazoo during its 50-year history as we celebrate this major milestone. If you’ve got stories to tell or testimonials to share or know someone with some great stories, please DM us at info@globaltieskzoo.org or email Beth directly at beth@globaltieskzoo.org. Be sure to follow us on social media. The links are at the bottom of this email!
Read more about Beth, Miruna, and the rest of the Global Ties Kalamazoo team on our team page.
In the News
Global Ties Kalamazoo Executive Director Jodi Michaels wrote a piece in Global Ties U.S.’ quarterly ‘Exchange Matters’ magazine discussing the new Global Ties network-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group and its efforts to infuse social justice and racial equity into our work.
At times, it may be difficult to look inward at what this country is and has been. It may feel like a constant struggle to center DEI in our work, but it is essential that we break down stereotypes in our own local communities, including here in Kalamazoo, that exchange ‘isn’t for me’ or is ‘elitist.’ Exchange is for everybody, and ensuring that everyone has access to exchange, as a goal, makes our local communities stronger, and makes our world stronger.
We appreciate the incredible people in the Working Group for all the work they are doing and encourage our supporters to check out the mission statement, which can be found at this link.
We were also delighted that Jodi was interviewed by Nezar Jamal for a piece in USGLC’s Heartland Hub, entitled “50 years of connecting the world to Kalamazoo”. We recently partnered with USGLC on the Heartland Summit in late September.
Board Member Call for Applications
We are currently seeking new board members, for 3 year terms to begin in January 2022. Do you know someone who’s devoted to global relationship-building and diplomacy who’d like to join us? Maybe the person you’re thinking of is you! Either way, email us at info@globaltieskzoo.org to get the ball rolling.
While our 50th celebrations will take place in earnest in 2022, we are continuing to lift up stories from our first five decades. Here is some hope that was shared back in 1996, on the occasion of our 25th anniversary (much of this sentiment remains the same!):
The best collective memories issue forth substantive challenges for the future. Our secret hope for this 25th anniversary is that we are recharged, empowered, inspired and even propelled to continue the vital work of cross-cultural training and exchange. We can make priceless contributions to the health of our own community and the collaborative possibilities afforded through our quality programs.
Fritz MacDonald, Then President of the Board, in 1996. Quote in celebration of our 25th anniversary
