Conner McBride, a senior at Loy Norris High School in Kalamazoo and a Voices of Youth correspondent, examines what Kalamazoo is doing to protect the environment, and how teens can get involved.
Kalamazoo
JungleBird, located on the ground floor of the Exchange Building on Michigan Avenue in Kalamazoo, opened its doors to the public in September and has quickly built a reputation thanks to an extensive, exciting cocktail menu, and a menu that is rooted in Caribbean fare.
The union representing hundreds of nurses at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo announced late Friday that the group has reached a tentative agreement with the hospital’s administration that would avert a potential strike, boost wages and offer additional benefits.
Western Michigan professors and students alike are normalizing and destigmatizing conversations around mental health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two recent Western Michigan University graduates have formed a support group for Spanish-speaking young adults who may be thinking about or have previously thought about suicide.
If you are Spanish-speaking and are roughly in the age group of 18 to 25, the group meets every Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Centerpoint City Church, 326 W. Cork St. in Kalamazoo.
Experts in the field agree that some old methods of treating mental illness belong in the past. But one may be due for revival, a professor at Western Michigan University said.
Former Three Rivers DDA executive director Brian Persky is moving up in the world after earning an expanded role with Discover Kalamazoo, the local convention and visitors bureau for Kalamazoo County.
WSV Columnist and psychotherapist Charles Thomas writes, “I’ve met more than a few people in my life who believe counseling and psychotherapy are nothing more than a big pile of steaming horse (radio edit). And honestly, I understand why some people feel that way.”
A sudden lack of baby formula can be another mental health stressor for parents at a time of intense pressure. Formula can be a nutritional life saver, but its prominence has come at the expense of unrivaled mother nature’s milk.
The pandemic has increased the already large need for mental health services. The system hasn’t kept up, putting more pressure on those on the frontlines.
We call them heroes. We call them rock stars. But when it comes to meeting the emotional and social needs of educators, have school districts been paying enough attention to teachers?
Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan, Inc., at 1020 South Westnedge in Kalamazoo, is run entirely by peers. The nonprofit was established in 2006 on the peer support concept. The 16 staff members, with the exception of the executive director Shawn Harris, have all traveled the challenging path of recovery with various mental health and/or substance abuse issues.
Folks from Kalamazoo, Three Rivers, White Pigeon, Centreville and other surrounding communities were treated to two-and-a-half hours of poetry and spoken word, rap, hip hop, gospel and folk/Americana music to raise money for local, independent journalism.
Kalamazoo recording artist, producer, and songwriter Sherridan Harris returns to Keep Your Voice Down to chat with Doug and Alek ahead of Saturday’s Watershed Voice Artist Showcase. The trio discuss Sherridan a.k.a. Sherdizzil’s sophomore record “The Vine Album,” his growth as an artist and as a performer, rap and hip-hop nerdom, and how this year’s showcase will be different from last year’s show.
Brian Persky, former Three Rivers DDA Executive Director and Watershed Voice supporter since 2021, explains why he supports WSV and why you should too.
For people of color, there are many barriers to accessing mental health care. Valarie Cunningham’s Synergy Health Center works to overcome those.
You may be feeling sad, or lonely, or overwhelmed, or just confused about what to do next. You aren’t standing on the edge of a cliff, but you could really use someone to talk to. For you, a new initiative in Southwest Michigan, called the Warmline, was established in October 2021 by three local nonprofits: Gryphon Place, ASK Family Services, and Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health.
Glen Oaks Community College recently announced its outstanding scholars for the Winter 2022 Semester.