Silver Linings on #GivingTuesday 2021

Dear Friends,

As 2021 nears its end and Covid-19 refuses to go away, and as we ask you to support Global Ties Kalamazoo this #GivingTuesday, we would like to focus on silver linings.

Maintaining our mission of enriching the local community with global diversity, one relationship at a time, is not easy in the Zoom space. It is not organic. We continue to work very hard to make virtual exchange meaningful and we are proud of what we have been able to do over the past two years.

First, we deeply believe that exchange is for everybody and we organize our programs and projects with this principle in mind. Here is a silver lining; while in 2019 – our last full year of in-person programming – we hosted 382 people from 58 countries, in 2021, in a 100% virtual exchange environment, we have been able to host 583 visitors from 112 countries. Zoom has made the world smaller and opened up exchange to more people. For this we are thankful. Please support us on this journey.

Virtual visitors to Kalamazoo in 2021 (in green), from 112 countries.

Also in 2021, we have taken on our new identity as Global Ties Kalamazoo. Years in the making, this rebrand, during our 50th anniversary, allows us to carry forward our legacy of exchange as Colleagues International (a name we held since our 25th anniversary) and look to the future as we reimagine what equitable and accessible exchange, for all, might look like over the next 50 years. Please support our investment in the future of international exchange in Kalamazoo.

Finally, everything we do is about people. It is about making the magic happen and tapping into that energy that we all find when we are learning new things, meeting new people, exploring the overwhelming challenges that we are facing – and in so doing, having life-changing moments.

In the words of longtime volunteer host and former board president, Judy Huth:

“I think the organization's done an amazing job in the last 50 years. It's weathered a lot of challenges. Certainly this last year has been a challenge with the pandemic and I think (Global Ties Kalamazoo) has done a phenomenal job of adapting and figuring out how to move forward. I think we're going to come out of it stronger than ever, and I just want to see us continue to break down those barriers.”

Thank you so much for believing in the power of exchange, and for being part of the magic. Navigating life during Covid-19 is challenging. Finding the silver linings, creating human connections in a time of physical distancing, makes us proud and keeps us going.

We are so thankful for silver linings. Please consider supporting our work this #GivingTuesday and thank you for believing that Exchange is for Everybody.

Sincerely,

The Global Ties Kalamazoo Staff and Board of Directors