Skip to main content

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

 

Image of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Featured Event: 2024 MLK Celebration

Lake Michigan College is proud to hold our annual week of festivities honoring and celebrating the enduring legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as those who continue to tread in his footsteps. Mark your calendars for January 15-20, 2024 to participate!

 

See Event Details 

 

What is DEI?

Diversity: The range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values systems, national origin, political beliefs, and cultures.  

Equity: Ensuring that everyone has support and access to the resources needed to be successful and identifying and eliminating barriers that have prevented the full participation of communities most impacted by systemic oppression. 

Inclusion: Ensuring that people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, perspectives, and beliefs have an equal opportunity to belong, achieve, and contribute to their communities.  An inclusive institution promotes and sustains a sense of belonging; it values and practices respect where all people are recognized for their inherent worth and dignity, talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of living.  

"Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
(Vernā Myers, Diversity Advocate and author of Moving Diversity Forward).

Extending the analogy, equity is ensuring everyone has appropriate transport to the dance, regardless of their starting location. 

Collage of three images showing students of different ages, races and genders graduating, studying and having fun.

Recommendations

Link to recommendation form.

Do you have a resource to recommend?
Do you know of a DEI event in SW Michigan?
Do you have an idea for a collaboration with LMC?

Martin Luther King  reaching out Power of the Voice

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
­– Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every year, Lake Michigan College invites our community to join us in honoring and celebrating the enduring legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as those who continue to tread in his footsteps.

2024 MLK Celebration Week Events

Week-long events

  • 5-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Register here through Jan 12th.
  • MLK Craft (available to pick up all week while supplies last), Eau Claire District Library
  • MLK Craft (available to pick up all week while supplies last), Coloma Public Library
  • MLK Craft (available to pick up all week while supplies last), Howard Branch, Cass District Library

Monday, Jan. 15

Tuesday, Jan. 16

Wednesday, Jan. 17

Thursday, Jan 18

Saturday, Jan. 20

  • MLK Vocal Showcase, 5 p.m., Howard Center for the Performing Arts, Andrews University, Berrien Springs

 

What started as a one-day community breakfast on MLK Day, has since evolved into a week-long celebration encompassing a diverse array of in-person and virtual events, cultivated through collaborative partnerships between the college and our community members.

Together, these varied voices come together to create an authentic community tribute to MLK and his lasting influence.

The 2024 MLK Celebration Week, slated for Jan. 15-20, will build upon this momentum, offering a compelling blend of in-person and virtual events, including artistic reflections, performances, roundtable discussions, guest speakers, and much more.

This year's theme, "Power of One Voice," draws inspiration from Dr. King's belief in the significance of an individual's voice when it comes to speaking out against injustice.

2024 MLK Celebration Committee

Chairs

  • Cam Herth, Lake Michigan College
  • Charmae Sanders, Lake Michigan College

Members

  • Christina Arseneau, Niles History Center
  • Jeremy D. Bonfiglio, Lake Michigan College
  • Sharon Brown, African American History & Literature Gallery
  • Emanuel Brown, African American History & Literature Gallery
  • Scott Burgess, Lake Michigan College
  • Andrea Burns, Niles District Library
  • Nat Carrow, Krasl Art Center
  • Brett Closson, Lake Michigan College
  • Heather Cole, United Way of Southwest Michigan
  • Leah Coyle, Lake Michigan College
  • Barbara Craig, Lake Michigan College
  • Dr. James Daniels, Lake Michigan College
  • Dani Davis, Krasl Art Center
  • Susan Eastman, Lake Michigan College
  • Larry Feldman, Race Relations Council
  • Sandy Feldman, Race Relations Council
  • Nick Gunn, Andrews University
  • Dawn Howley, United Way of Southwest Michigan
  • Jacquie Johnson, Community Member
  • Kyna Johnson, Kingdom Business ETC
  • Paulette Johnson, Andrews University
  • Brian Joseph, Pizza Hut
  • Brian Keith, Community Member
  • George Kendall, Lake Michigan College
  • Jeff Kyles, Niles Community School District
  • Brittany Lee, Corewell Health
  • Robert Lunn, Lake Michigan College
  • Nathan Margoni, Krasl Art Center
  • Pam McVay, Lake Michigan College
  • Carol D. Moore, Whirlpool Corp.
  • Gerrod Moore, Whirlpool Corp.
  • Mike Nadolski, Community Member
  • Barbara Peeples, Race Relations Council
  • Jerry Price, Corewell Health
  • Debbie Ramirez, United Way of Southwest Michigan
  • Andrew Robinson, Mosaic CCDA
  • Dashuna Robinson, Benton Harbor School Board
  • Laura Simmons, Lake Michigan College
  • Kimberly Sparkmon, Lake Michigan College
  • Jordyn Swinehart, Lake Michigan College
  • Mollie Watson, Niles History Center
  • Beverly Woodson, Niles Community Member / Director of Niles MLK Program
  • Diane Young, Michigan Works    
  • Kristopher Zook, Lake Michigan College

Spirit of MLK Spotlight nominations  

The MLK Celebration Committee is seeking Spirit of MLK Spotlight nominations, which recognize those who embody the love and spirit exemplified by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Nominees are accepted in three categories – Students (any age – 21 and younger), Individuals, and Organizations.  

Nominees should meet the following criteria: 

  • Does meaningful work that embodies love and the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood, exemplified by Martin Luther King Jr. 
  • The organization or individual must be actively involved in work that advances or promotes racial and social justice in a substantive way. 
  • The work must directly impact community members in Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren counties. 

Recipients of the Spirit of MLK Spotlight will be recognized during the community-wide MLK Celebration Week, scheduled for Jan. 15-20, 2024. 

Artistic Reflections

Calling all artists, dancers, actors, musicians, and writers! LMC and the MLK Celebration Committee seek original artwork submissions honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired by the theme "Keep Moving Forward." 

Artists of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to submit photos, video, audio, or written expressions by Friday, Dec. 15. Submissions may be in the form of visual artwork, dance, music, poetry, photography, short stories, spoken word, poetry, theatrical presentations, or other creative works.    

Artistic works will be posted in the virtual gallery in January 2024 with select pieces highlighted as part of a community-wide celebration the week of Jan. 15-20, 2024. These works will become part of a perpetual virtual Artistic Reflections gallery on LMC’s website. There is no cost for entry.  

Submit your own Artistic Reflection using this form.

Vocal Tribute Showcase

Individual singers, small groups, and choirs of all kinds are invited to participate in this special vocal performance. Singing gave voice to the hopes, protests, despair, and aspirations of the citizens fighting for equality and justice during the Civil Rights Movement. They sang Negro spirituals, the blues, folk songs, jazz, and gospel as they marched and worshiped. This year’s concert theme is ‘Power of One Voice,’ indicating the unified voice with which the community speaks and collaborates. This free concert will take place at the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University at 5:00 PM on Saturday, January 20, 2024, and is open to the public. We invite school, civic, and church groups, choirs, and individuals to be part of this inspirational vocal tradition. For more information, and to submit your intent to participate, please contact pjohnson@andrews.edu no later than October 31, 2023.

View the MLK Week archive

Meet the Dean

Dean, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Lake Michigan College is striving to display a concerted effort of creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for our entire campus community. We embrace diversity and recognize our responsibility to foster an open, welcoming environment where students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds can collaboratively learn, work and serve. We value the academic, social, and broader community benefits that arise from a diverse campus and are committed to equity, inclusion and accountability.  Diversity enriches our community and is a driving force instrumental to our college success and fulfillment of the Lake Michigan College mission.  We commit to engaging in an ongoing dialogue to thoughtfully respond to the changing realities of our increasingly interconnected world. We will continually strive to work together to address the challenges of the future in a way that removes barriers to success and promotes a culture of inclusivity, compassion and mutual respect.

Read the full Letter of Commitment.

DEI Advisory Council - Mission Statement

Provides leadership in creating systemic change at Lake Michigan College to ensure equitable access, resources, and success of all employees, students, and the greater campus community. As a campus community, we will adopt practices that promote equity, grow the culture of inclusion, demand social justice and use that power to ensure success for all students.

The following meetings and events are open to the public. If you have an event to add, please use this form to submit details.

 

The following groups hold regular recurring meetings and events that are open to the public. If you have a group to add, please use this form to submit details.

Community Group information

Group General Schedule How to Participate
MLK Monuments Project/Arts & Social Justice Committee Monthly virtual meetings Visit the website
Race Relations Council (RRC) Monthly virtual meetings Email Sandy and Larry Feldman - sandyandlarryfeldman@hotmail.com
Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust (ALPACT) Monthly virtual meetings and community forums Email ALPACT - alpactberriencounty@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page
Neighbors Organizing Against Racism Schedule of events varies Visit the Facebook page

 

SUBMIT A SUGGESTION >>

 

Community Grand Rounds: Healing the Trauma of Racism

Hidden History Panel 1

Held virtually April 13, 2021

Speaker bios
Takeaways
 

Recording

Hidden History Panel 2

Held virtually May 11, 2021

Speaker bios
Takeaways

Recording

Find resources below to inspire, educate, and focus yourself on this meaningful work.

These lists include news articles, books, short videos, documentary and feature films, television series, podcasts and more exploring the experiences of groups that commonly encounter barriers to representation, equity and inclusion. It is meant as a tool to explore these topics and to foster greater understanding of each other and the ways we are all different and valuable.

We welcome your input. Please use the form below to send feedback and additions:

SUBMIT A SUGGESTION >>

START HERE

Books

Being Human: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist (2020), by Judith Heumann 

Disability Visibility First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century (2020), by Alice Wong 

Videos

“Crip Camp” (2020), Available on Netflix  
Documentary - a groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality. Learn more about Crip Camp. 

7 incredible real stories

Portrayals of People with Disabilities

Organizations

Michigan Disability Resources

National Council on Disability

Americans with Disabilities Act

Disability Network Southwest Michigan

Pure Michigan Talent Connect

Being Human: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist (2020), by Judith Heumann  

Disability Visibility First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century (2020), by Alice Wong  

Same But Different (2018), by Holly Robinson Peete, RJ Peete, and Ryan Elizabeth Peete 

If At Birth You Don’t Succeed: My adventures with disaster and destiny (2016), by Zach Anner 

The Warner Boys: Our Family’s Story of Autism and Hope (2018), by Ana and Curt Warner  

Look Me In The Eye: My Life with Aspergers (2007), by John Elder Robison 

Haben: The deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law (2019), by Haben Girma 

Laughing at My Nightmare (2014) by Shane Burcaw 

Criptionary: Disability Humor and Satire (2014) by Maria Palacios 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2004), by Mark Haddon  

Pride Against Prejudice: Transforming Attitudes to Disability (1991), by Jenny Morris 

It’s Just Nerves: Notes on a Disability (2017), by Kelly Davio 

The Girl from Aleppo: Nujeen’s Escape from War to Freedom (2017), by Nujeen Mustafa, with Christina Lamb 

Welcome to Biscuit Land: A Year in the Life of a Touretteshero (2012), by Jessica Thom 

Ugly by Robert Hoge (2013), by Jessica Thom 

Uniquely Wired: A Story About Autism and Its Gifts (2018), Julia Cook  

Who Are You?: Ella The Enchanted Princess (2017), Rosaria L. Calafati 

The Invisible Boy (2013), Trudy Ludwig 

Why Am I Me? (2017), Paige Britt 

 A Friend Like Simon (2008), Kate Gaynot 

The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (2017), Julia Finley Mosca 

I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism (2014), Pat Thomas 

Emmanuels’ Dream (2015), Laurie Ann Thompson 

All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism (2015), Shaina Rudolph, Danielle Royer, and Jennifer Zivoin 

Where Oliver Fits (2017), Cale Atkinson 

I Have Asthma (2007), by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos  

My Brother is Austistic (2008), by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos  

Taking Cerebral Palsy to Schools (2000), by Mary Elizabeth Anderson  

Our Stripy Baby (2006), by Gillian Shields  

My Brother Charlie (2010), by Holly Robinson Peete  

Whoever You Are (2006), by Mem Fox  

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay (2015), by Cari Best  

What’s Inside of You is Inside Me Too (2014), by Deslie Webb Quinby and Jennine Visootak  

Just Because (2014), by Rebecca Elliott  

We All Have Different Abilities (2012), but Melissa Higgins  

DocsWithDisabilites hosted by Dr. Lisa Meeks and Dr. Peter Poullos. Join them as they take a deeper dive into understanding the lived experiences of doctors with disabilities through critical conversations with the doctors, researchers, administrators, faculty and policymakers that work to ensure medicine remains an equal opportunity profession. 

“Crip Camp” (2020), Available on Netflix  
Documentary - a groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality. Learn more about Crip Camp.   

“Atypical” (2017),  Available on Netflix  
When a teen on the autism spectrum decides to get a girlfriend, his bid for more independence puts his whole family on a path of self-discovery. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2013), by Simon Stephens 

ARTICLES

BOOKS

  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (2020), by Michelle Alexander
  • Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America (2020), by Michael Eric Dyson
  • Lakewood: A Novel (2020), by Megan Giddings
  • Parenting for Liberation: A Guide for Raising Black Children (2020), by Trina Greene Brown
  • The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person (2020), by Frederick Joseph
  • Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities (2020), by Andre M. Perry
  • Me and White Supremacy (2020), by Layla Saad
  • Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow (2019), by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
  • Building Bridges Across the Racial Divide (2019) by Larry and Sandy Feldman
  • How to be an Antiracist (2019), by Ibram X. Kendi
  • So You Want to Talk About Race (2019), by Ijeoma Oluo
  • The Racial Healing Handbook (2019), by Anneliese A. Singh
  • Detroit’s Birwood Wall: Hatred and Healing in the West Eight Mile Community (2019), by Gerald Van Dusen
  • I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness (2018), by Austin Channing Brown
  • We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy (2018), by Ta’Nahisi Coates
  • White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (2018) by Robin DiAngelo
  • What Truth Sounds Like (2018), by Michael Eric Dyson
  • Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side (2018), by Eve L. Ewing
  • Small Great Things (2018), by Jodi Picoult
  • The End of Policing (2018), by Alex S. Vitale
  • How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide (2018), by Crystal Fleming
  • Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race (2017), by Reni Eddo-Lodge
  • Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (2017), by Ibram X. Kendi
  • The Hate U Give (2017), by Angie Thomas
  • Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America (2017), by Michael Eric Dyson
  • When Race Breaks Out: Conversations About Race and Racism in College Classrooms (2017), Third Edition by Helen Fox
  • The Dawn of Detroit (2017), by Tiya Miles
  • Racism Without Racists (2017), by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
  • White Rage; the Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide (2016) by Carol Anderson
  • Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence (2016), by Derald Wing Sue
  • Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories (2015), edited by Eddie Moore, Marguerite W. Penick-Parks, and Ali Michael
  • Between the World and Me (2015), by Ta’Nahisi Coates
  • The Turner House (2015), by Angela Flournoy
  • Understanding Jim Crow: Using Racist Memorabilia to Teach Tolerance and Promote Social Justice (2015), by David Pilgrim
  • The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism (2014) by Edward Baptist
  • Black Looks: Race and Representation (2014), by Bell Hooks
  • Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race (2014), by Debby Irving
  • Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Year (2014), by Tavis Smiley, with David Ritz
  • Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (2014), by Bryan Stephenson
  • Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (2011), by Raymond Arsenault
  • The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century (2011), by Grace Lee Boggs
  • The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates (2011), by Wes Moore
  • White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son (2011), by Tim Wise
  • The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration (2011), by Isabel Wilkerson
  • Benign Bigotry (2010), by Kristin J. Anderson
  • What Comes Naturally: Miscegenation Law and the Making of Race in America (2010) Peggy Pascoe
  • Letter to My Daughter (2009), by Maya Angelou
  • Can We Talk about Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation (2008) by Beverly Daniel Tatum
  • The Bluest Eye (2007), by Toni Morrison
  • Sister Outsider (2007), by Audre Lorde
  • Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing (2005), by Dr. Joy DeGruy
  • Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism (2005), by James W. Loewen
  • Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights and Murder in the Jazz Age (2004), by Kevin Boyle
  • Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race (2003), by Beverly Daniel Tatum
  • The First R: How Children Learn Race and Racism (2001), by Debra Van Ausdale and Joe R Feagin
  • The Other Side of the River: A Story of Two Towns, a Death, and America's Dilemma (1999), by Alex Kotlowitz
  • Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race (1999), by Matthew Frye Jacobson
  • The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1998), edited by Clayborne Carson
  • From Selma to Sorrow (1998), by Mary Stanton
  • Racial Healing: Confronting the Fear Between Blacks & Whites (1996), by Harlon L Dalton
  • Killing Rage: Ending Racism (1996), by Bell Hooks
  • Invisible Man (1995), by Ralph Ellison
  • Race Matters (1993), by Cornel West
  • Black Americans (1992), by Alphonso Pinkney
  • The Fire Next Time (1992), by James Baldwin
  • Beloved (1987), by Toni Morrison
  • Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells (1970)
  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1964), as told to Alex Haley
  • Discourse on Colonialism (1955), by Aimé Césaire

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

  • Clean Getaway (2021), by Nic Stone
  • From the Desk of Zoe Washington (2021), by Janae Marks
  • The Undefeated (2020), by Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson
  • Just Like Me (2020), by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
  • Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice (2020), by Mahogany L. Browne
  • I Believe I Can (2020), by Grace Byers
  • Felix Ever After (2020), by Kacen Callender
  • The Only Black Girls in Town (2020), by Brandy Colbert
  • Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration (2020), by Samara Cole Doyon
  • Bedtime for Sweet Creatures (2020), by Nikki Grimes
  • Are Your Stars Like My Stars? (2020), by Leslie Helakoski and Heidi Woodward Sheffield
  • Let Me Hear a Rhyme (2020), by Tiffany D. Jackson
  • Black is a Rainbow Color (2020), by Angela Joy
  • Antiracist Baby (2020), by Ibram X. Kendi
  • What Lane? (2020), by Torrey Maldonado
  • A Good Kind of Trouble (2020), by Lisa Moore Ramée
  • Slay (2020), by Brittney Morris
  • A Girl Like You (2020), by Frank Murphy
  • Black Brother, Black Brother (2020), by Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • The Field Guide to the North American Teenager (2020), by Ben Philippe
  • Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (2020), by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
  • Papa, Daddy, and Riley (2020), by Seamus Kirst
  • Your Name Is a Song (2020), by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
  • I Am One: A Book of Action (2020), by Susan Verde
  • Genesis Begins Again (2020), by Alicia D. Williams
  • My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich (2020), by Ibi Zoboi
  • The King of Kindergarten (2019), by Derrick Barnes
  • Hair Love (2019), by Matthew A. Cherry
  • Just Read (2019), by Lori Degman
  • Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Color (2019), by Monique Fields
  • We Rise We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (2019), by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson
  • A Boy Like You (2019), by Frank Murphy
  • Say Something! (2019), by Peter H. Reynolds
  • M is for Melanin: A Celebration of the Black Child (2019), by Tiffany Rose
  • What If?: What makes you different makes you amazing! (2019), by Sandra Magsamen
  • Finding Kindness (2019), by Deborah Underwood
  • I Am Love: A Book of Compassion (2019), by Susan Verde
  • Welcome to Our World (2018), by Moira Butterfield
  • I Am Enough (2018), by Grace Byers
  • Mixed: A Colorful Story (2018), by Arree Chung
  • Let the Children March (2018), by Monica Clark-Robinson
  • Hats of Faith (2018), by Medeia Cohan
  • What Can a Citizen Do? (2018), by Dave Eggers
  • If You’re Going to March (2018), by Martha Freeman
  • I Walk with Vanessa (2018), by Kerascoët
  • We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands (2018), by Rafael Lopez
  • Happy in Our Skin (2018), by Fran Manushkin
  • Everywhere Babies (2018), by Susan Meyers
  • Be Kind (2018), by Pat Zietlow Miller
  • All Are Welcome (2018), by Alexandra Penfold
  • Racism and Intolerance (2018), by Louise Spilsbury
  • Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights (2018), by Rob Sanders
  • I Am Human: A Book of Empathy (2018), by Susan Verde
  • The Day You Begin (2018), by Jacqueline Woodson
  • Lovely (2017), by Jess Hong
  • Skin Again (2017), by Bell Hooks
  • Happy to be Nappy (2017), by Bell Hooks and Chris Raschka
  • Most People (2017), by Michael Leannah
  • What’s the Difference? (2017), by Doyin Richards
  • Can You Say Peace (2016), by Karen Katz
  • Skin Like Mine (2016), LaTashia M. Perry
  • We Came to America (2016), by Faith Ringgold
  • Amazing Faces (2015), by Lee Bennett Hopkins
  • Last Stop of Market Street (2015), by Matt de la Peña
  • Peace is an Offering (2015), by Annette LeBox
  • Counting on Community (2015), by Innosanto Nagara
  • One Love (2014), by Cedella Marley
  • A is for Activist (2013), by Innosanto Nagara
  • Each Kindness (2012), by Jacqueline Woodson
  • The Story of Ruby Bridges (2010), by Robert Coles and George Ford
  • Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters (2010), by Barack Obama
  • God’s Dream (2010), by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
  • Shades of People (2010), by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
  • The Peace Book (2009), by Todd Parr
  • Let’s Talk About Race (2008), by Julius Lester
  • My America (2007), by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
  • Accept and Value Each Person (2006), by Cheri J. Meiners
  • The Skin You Live In (2005), by Michael Tyler
  • Freedom Summer (2005), by Deborah Wiles and Jerome Lagarrigue
  • The Skin You Live In (2005), by Michael Tyler and David Lee Csicsko
  • I Am America (2003), by Charles R. Smith, Jr.
  • The Other Side (2001), by Jacqueline Woodson and E.B. Lewis
  • We’re Different, We’re the Same (1992), by Bobbi Kates
  • Amazing Grace (1991), by Mary Hoffman

PODCASTS

  • Blindspot: Tulsa Burning is a six-part podcast produced by The History Channel and WNYC Studios in collaboration with KOSU public radio in Oklahoma that explores the 1921 Tulsa massacre.
  • Teaching While White Podcast, hosted by longtime educators Jenna Chandler-Ward and Elizabeth Denevi, seeks to move the conversation forward on how to be consciously, intentionally, anti-racist in the classroom.
  • Time To Act: A Podcast About Diversity And Inclusion, hosted by Y-Vonne Hutchinson, features CEOs and C-suite leaders from multinational brands and regional businesses who reveal why diversity and inclusion are defining factors in a company’s growth and success.
  • Scene On Radio – Seeing White, hosted by John Biewen talks with an array of leading scholars and regular guest Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika in this fourteen-part podcast series.
  • NPR’s Code Switch, hosted by journalists of color, this podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. They explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.

VIDEOS

TED TALKS

DOCUMENTARIES

  • "Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre" (2021), The History Channel 
    Co-directed and executive produced by Emmy-winner Stanley Nelson, "Tulsa Burning" tells the epic tale of how Black people migrated to Tulsa and built a bustling, successful business district, keeping dollars in the Black community until two days of mob violence destroyed it all. 
     
  • "Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten" (2021), PBS
    lthough rarely mentioned in textbooks, there is no question that the Tulsa Race Massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of racial violence in American history. This new documentary, directed by Jonathan Silvers, examines this deadly assault on humanity on the 100th anniversary of the crime.
     
  • "Jim Crow of the North" (2019), YouTube
    Roots of racial disparities are seen through a new lens in this film that explores the origins of housing segregation in the Minneapolis area. But the story also illustrates how African-American families and leaders resisted this insidious practice, and how Black people built community — within and despite — the red lines that these restrictive covenants created
     
  • “King In The Wilderness” (2018), Hulu
    Chronicles the final 18 months of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. The documentary covers his part in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, his relationship with key political figures of the time, and his assassination in 1968. Winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary.
     
  • “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” (2017), Netflix
    Marsha P. Johnson was a black trans woman described as the “Rosa Parks of the LGBT movement.” This doc focuses on her life before and after the Stonewall riots in 1969 and investigates her death. Johnson died in New York City, reportedly by committing suicide. Many believe that Johnson was murdered, possibly by the police.
     
  • “13th” (2016), Netflix, YouTube
    Director Ava DuVernay uses the words of scholars and changemakers to explore how racial inequality fuels the country’s mass incarceration levels. It was nominated for an Oscar and won best documentary from the African-American Film Critics Association Awards.
     
  • “I Am Not Your Negro” (2016), Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
    Through the lens of James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript “Remember This House,” Samuel L. Jackson narrates this telling of the civil rights movement while reflecting on the current state of race relations. Baldwin’s words reflect his relationships with Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers, as well as their stories. It was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Academy Award.
     
  • “Olympic Pride, American Prejudice” (2016), Tubi
    In 1936, 18 African American athletes, dubbed the "black auxiliary" by Hitler, participated in the Berlin Olympic Games, defying Nazi Aryan Supremacy and Jim Crow Racism, history forgot all except one. This is the story of the other 17.
     
  • "Let The Fire Burn: Tragedy in Philadelphia" (2013), Amazon Prime Video
    On May 13, 1985, a longtime feud between the city of Philadelphia and controversial radical urban group MOVE came to a deadly climax. By order of local authorities, police dropped military-grade explosives onto a MOVE-occupied rowhouse. TV cameras captured the conflagration that quickly escalated and resulted in the deaths of 11 people and the destruction of 61 homes. 
     
  • "The Central Park Five" (2012), PBS, Amazon Prime Video
    This film from award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park in 1989. This Peabody Award winning film chronicles the Central Park Jogger case, for the first time from the perspective of the five teenagers whose lives were upended by this miscarriage of justice.
     
  • “More than a Month” (2011), PBS, Amazon Prime Video
    In this 2012 documentary, African American filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman sets off on a journey across America asking the question “Should Black History Month be ended?”
     
  • “Freedom Riders” (2011), PBS
    Based on Raymond Arsenault's book Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice, this two-hour documentary tells the story of the summer of 1961 when more than 400 Black and white Americans risked their lives traveling together in the segregated South to protest segregation.
     
  • “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975” (2011), Amazon Prime Video
    Archival footage shot by Swedish filmmakers decades ago was found and revived for this film, which examines the anti-war and Black Power movements. Modern black activists and scholars provide commentary on the cultural and societal waves that helped bring change forward.

FEATURE FILMS

  • "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (2020), Netflix
    Based on August Wilson's play, Viola Davis stars as the blues legend in this fictionalized story that takes place in a Chicago recording studio in 1927.
     
  • “Just Mercy” (2019), YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max
    Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx depict the real-life story of lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan), who appealed the 1988 murder conviction of Walter McMillian (Foxx), an innocent black man.
     
  • “The Best of Enemies” (2019), Showtime, Amazon Prime Video
    Civil rights activist Ann Atwater faces off against C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina over the issue of school integration.
     
  • “Queen & Slim” (2019), HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video
    A couple's first date takes an unexpected turn when a police officer pulls them over.
     
  • “The Hate U Give” (2018), Amazon Prime Video
    Based on the bestselling YA novel by Angie Thomas, this movie follows Starr's journey into activism after she witnesses her best friend Khalil's death at the hands of police.
     
  • "If Beale Street Could Talk" (2018)
    Based on a novel by James Baldwin, this 1970s love story centers on sweethearts Tish and Fonny from Harlem who get ripped apart when Fonny gets wrongly accused of a crime.
     
  • “Green Book” (2018)
    Set in 1962, the film is inspired by the true story of a tour of the DeepSouth by African-American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Italian-American bouncer Frank Vallelonga who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard.
     
  • “Get Out” (2017), Amazon Prime Video, You Tube
    In Jordan Peele’s comedy-meets-horror film, interracial couple Chris and Rose go to visit Rose's parents for the weekend, and at first, they seem overly hospitable. But a much more sinister reality soon reveals itself.
     
  • “Mudbound” (2017), Netflix
    Two men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after war.
     
  • “Moonlight” (2016)
    In this acclaimed coming-of-age drama, a young man who grows up poor, black and gay in a rough Miami neighborhood tries to find his place in the world. Winner of three Oscars, including Best Picture.
     
  • “Hidden Figures” (2016), Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+
    The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
     
  • “Loving” (2016), Amazon Prime Video
    Based on the landmark Supreme Court case, an interracial couple fights the law that they cannot be recognized as married in the state of Virginia.
     
  • "Fences" 2016, Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play
    A working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life, in this adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Stars Denzel Washington, who also directs and produces the film, and Viola Davis.
     
  • “Selma” (2014), Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, iTunes
    This film depicts Dr. King’s march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, which helped propel the Civil Rights Act of 1965 into law. It was nominated for Best Picture for the Academy Awards and received four trophies from the African-American Film Critics Association, which also dubbed it a Top 10 film of 2014.
     
  • “Dear White People” (2014), Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, YouTube
    This comedy drama uses satire as it follows the stories of four black students at a prestigious university, where a riot breaks out over a popular African-American-themed party thrown by a white fraternity.
     
  • “12 Years a Slave” (2013), Amazon Prime Video
    The true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who gets abducted and sold into slavery. After a 12-year odyssey, he meets a Canadian abolitionist who will change his life forever.
     
  • “Fruitvale Station” (2013), Amazon Prime Video
    Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan tell the true story of Oscar Grant, killed by police on the BART subway system.
     
  • “The Help” (2011)
    A young, white writer stirs up the status quo in 1960s Mississippi by interviewing black housemaids and bringing their stories to the masses.
     
  • “Remember the Titans” (2000), Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
    The true story of a newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team on their first season as a racially integrated unit.
     
  • "Boyz N' the Hood" (1991), Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes
    This film follows the lives of three young men living in the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence, and future prospects. Stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Ice Cube.
     
  • “Do The Right Thing” (1989), Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, iTunes, Showtime
    The comedy-drama from director Spike Lee focuses on a single day in the lives of a racially diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn on one of the hottest days of the summer. It received Oscar nominations for screenplay and supporting actor.
     
  • “In The Heat of the Night” (1967), Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
    A black police detective is asked to investigate a murder in a racially hostile southern town.
     
  • “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (1967), Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
    A couple's attitudes are challenged when their daughter introduces them to her African-American fiancé.

TELEVISION SERIES

  • “Watchmen” (2019), HBO Max
    Set in an alternate history, this series based on the DC Comics focuses on events surrounding racist violence in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2019

  • “When They See Us” (2019), Netflix
    Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on a true story.

  • "This is Us" (2016-present), NBC, Hulu
    The series follows the lives and families of two parents, and their three children, in several different time frames.

  • “Queen Sugar” (2016-present) Hulu
    This drama follows the life of three siblings, who move to Louisiana to claim an inheritance from their recently departed father ¬– an 800-acre sugarcane farm.

  • “Black-ish” (2014-present) ABC, Hulu
    A family man struggles to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood.

  • “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross” (2013), PBS
    This Emmy Award-winning documentary series premiered in 2013 and looks at more than just black history, it explores black identity and what it means to be an African American in the U.S. today.

  • “Eyes on the Prize” (1987), Amazon Prime Video
    This award-winning, 14-hour documentary series covers all of the major events of the Civil Rights Movement from 1954-1985, including the Montgomery bus boycott in 1954, the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the birth of the Black Power Movement, and the courageous acts of the crusaders that contributed along the way.

  • “The Jeffersons” (1975-1985), Starz, Amazon Prime Video, iTunes
    An African-American family move into a luxury apartment building in Manhattan and develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants.

  • “All in the Family” (1971-1979), iTunes
    A working-class man constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day.

TELEVISION SERIES FOR CHILDREN

  • “Sesame Street” (1969-present), PBS Kids, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video
    On a special inner-city street, the inhabitants, human and muppet, teach preschool subjects with comedy, cartoons, games, and songs.
     
  • “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” (2012-present), PBS KIds, Amazon Prime Video
    The adventures of the children of the characters of Fred Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
     
  • “Dora the Explorer” (2000-2019), YouTube, Vudu
    Along with her friend Monkey Boots, Dora goes on adventures.
     
  • “Doc McStuffins” (2012-present), Amazon Prime Video, Disney Now, Disney+
    In this imaginative animated series, a young girl who aspires to be a doctor like her mom communicates with and heals broken toys and stuffed animals.

PLAYS

  • Exit Strategy (2018), by Ike Holter
  • Hamilton (2015), by Lin-Manuel Miranda
  • Clybourne Park (2010), by Bruce Norris
  • In the Heights (2005), by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes
  • The Color Purple (2004), by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray
  • Caroline, or Change (2003), by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Tony Kushner
  • The Piano Lesson (1990), by August Wilson
  • Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (1988), by August Wilson
  • Fences (1987), by August Wilson
  • Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1984), by August Wilson
  • A Raisin in the Sun (1959), by Lorraine Hansberry

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

OTHER RESOURCES

START HERE

Books

Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities by Terie Dreussi Smith and Ruby K. Payne

Grit and Agency: A Framework for Helping Students in Poverty to Achieve Academic Greatness by Anindya Kundu

Poverty in America: A Handbook by John Iceland

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Articles

"Wealth's Influence on Enrollment and Completion," Inside Higher Ed, May 23, 2019

Video/Films

"The 'opportunity gap' in US public education & how to close it" Anindya Kundu, TED Residency

"The boost students need to overcome obstacles" Anindya Kundu, TED Residency

"The story we tell about poverty isn't true" Mia Birdsong, TEDWomen

"Why do we jail people for being poor?" Salil Dudani, TEDxStanford

"Poverty isn't a lack of character, it's a lack of cash" Rutger Bregman, TED2017

Ms. Hutchison Testimony on Proposed Changes to the Poverty Line Calculation U.S. Senate hearing, Feb. 5, 2020

Books

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals by Stephanie Brill & Rachel Pepper    
The Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals and Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens by Stephanie Brill an Lisa Kenney    
Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution by Susan Stryker    

Films/Videos

LGBT 101: An introduction to the Queer community (YouTube), Margalit Schindler
Pride: Based on a True Story (2014, for purchase on YouTube)   
Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen. [Documentary]    
Paris is Burning [Documentary] + Kiki [Documentary]    
Kai Shappley: A Trans Girl Growing Up In Texas [short documentary]    
Changing the Game [Documentary]
Rebekah: Meet the Girl Who Lawmakers Want to Ban From Playing Sports, Short Video by the Human Rights Campaign
Raising Ryland, Short Documentary by Sarah Feeley

Web Resources

Human Rights Campaign
American Civil Liberties Union    
The Gender Cool Project    
Transgender Law Center    
Gender Spectrum

Other

Dismantling a Culture of Violence: Understanding Anti-Transgender Violence and Ending the Crisis, Report by the Human Rights Campaign
Gender: When the body and brain disagree, by Amanda Leigh Mascarelli, ScienceNews for Students

Books

Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi, & an Imam  by Mackenzie, Don, Ted Falcon, and Jamal Rahman. SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2012. (192 pages)
Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, in the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation  by Patel, Eboo. Beacon, 2011. (217 pages)
God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World - and Why Their Differences Matter by Prothero, Stephen R. HarperOne, 2011. (404 pages)
The World's Religions by Smith, Huston. HarperOne, 2009. (448 pages)
Toward a True Kinship of Faiths: How the World's Religions Can Come Together by The Dalai Lama. Doubleday Religion, 2010. (217 pages)

Web Resources

Religious Landscape Study, Pew Research Center
The Pluralism Project, Harvard University
The five major world religions, John Bellaimey, TED Ed

An awareness and equity guide for Berrien, Van Buren and Cass Counties

Shop Local. Shop to Make a Difference!

Submit revisions and additions to this directory

*Woman-Owned Business

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Neon Movement: War on Obesity *

International Sports Sciences Association Certified Fitness Trainer, Specialist in Exercise Therapy and Wellness Coaching. Specializing in weight loss, personal training, group fitness, online training and nutrition coaching.

Owner: Kibra Williams

Skyywalker Sensual Touch *

Husband & wife team spa service providing a one hour, sensual, four handed, full body rub down enhanced with aromatherapy and mood enhancing music and scenery. Ladies only (until staff increases to extend services to gentlemen).

Website
Owners
: Nate and Kibra Williams

Soulfully Unique *

Holistic lifestyle brand uplifting the mind, body, and spirit organically with yoga, meditation, sound bath healing, reiki healing, holistic products, and plant-based recipes.

Website
Owner: Samantha Jordan
Contact: SoulfullyUniqueinfo@gmail.com

ENTERTAINMENT

DJ Skyywalker

DJ Skyywalker is a professional DJ, producer, sound engineer, song writer, rapper and radio host. Provides DJ services at nightclubs, event halls and outdoor events. Nate Skyywalker can be hired for weddings, graduations, birthday parties, anniversary, corporate or community events.

Website
Owner
: Nate Williams

Its Buddha Productions

Music production and creative consultation services.

Website
Owner
: Billy Coleman III

WSMK

Website
Owner
: Marion Williams (manager Marci Taylor)
Address: 925 N 5th Street or 920 Phillips Road
Phone: (260) 683-4487

REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE

Global Gaddy Realty Group*

Owners: Althea “Candy” and Wil Gaddy
Call or text: (269) 369-1234

Becky Brown at Edward Jones

Address: 213 E Main Street, Niles, MI
Phone: (269) 684-6418

Cindy McCall at AAA Insurance

Address: 815 E Main Street, Niles, MI
Phone: 683-3500

DIGITAL MEDIA

Reasonz 2 Share, Digital Media Services, LLC

Photography and video production and services.

Owner: Diandre Hureskin
Call or text: (269) 210-1420
Email: reasonz2share@gmail.com

FOOD

Shef Lyfe Creations

Homemade southern style food & desserts from scratch - all custom and handmade.

Owner: Shavarr Goodloe
Call or text: (269) 932-5757

Evelyn Mae’s BBQ

Specialty meats, event catering and homestyle BBQ.

Website
Owner
: Anton Lockett
Address: 401 North Street, Saint Joseph, MI
Call or text: (407) 233-7848
Email: evelynmaesbbq@gmail.com

Moorehouse Grill*

Barbeque to go.

Website
Owner
: Danetta Randolph

Katharos Catering

Website
Owner:
Cynthia Gallero
Address: 219 N 4th Street, Niles, MI
Phone: 269-340-0316

FASHION

Love To Embrace*

Online plus-size boutique.

Website
Owner: Raquesha Crossley

EVENT PLANNING

Magical Memories Wedding and Event Planning*

Wedding and event planning.

Website
Owner: Apollonia Williams

Unique Elegance*

Wedding and event planning.

Website
Owner
: LaShonda Holton
Address: 520 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor
Phone: (269) 449-8289

HAIR/SELF-CARE

Twisted Sista’s Natural Hair Care*

Website
Owner
: Sheri Robinson
Address: Divine Hair Salon, 1682 Berrien Street, Benton Harbor, MI
Call or text: (269) 757-4314

R Love Artistry*

Certified/licensed eyelash technician, cosmetic teeth whitening and trainer.

Website
Owner
: Roneshia Love
Call or text: (269) 363-9926

Abisayo’s Beautiful Braiding Boutique*

Website
Owner
: Abisayo Muhammad
Address: 151 Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI
Call or text: (269) 861-6506

Faithful Style Hair Studio

Owner: Danelle Hayes
Address: 24 N 3rd Street, Niles, MI
Phone: 269-357-7126

In the Cut Barbershop

Owner: Eric Williams
Address: 507 Sycamore Street, Niles, MI
Phone: (269) 687-9532

BAKED GOODS AND SWEET TREATS

Cakes by Christina

Custom cakes.

Website
Owner: Christina Williams
Phone: (269) 308-0086

Treat Me Sweetly, LLC*

Specializing in dipped fruits, decorative arrangements, sweet treats & artistry for any occasion

Website
Owner
: Dwana Olivia
Email: treatmesweetly@yahoo.com

Lena’s Decadent Desserts and Treats *

Website
Owner
: Alberlena Adams

LIFE COACHING

Kingdom Business ETC*

Kingdom Business ETC is a minority, women owned and operated community outreach service provider.  Our mission is to ignite purpose in the clients we serve and open doors to paths beyond barriers.  We provide an array of life enrichment programs to at-risk youth which include but are not limited to life skills training, workforce development, financial literacy and most importantly self-discovery.  Additionally, we provide personal and business development to minority women.  Our service delivery includes: one on one coaching, workshops, seminars and community projects.

Website
Contact
: KC Johnson
Location: Serving Southwest Michigan
Email:kcjohnson@kingdombusinessetc.com
Phone:269-363-1465
Facebook: Kingdom Business ETC

Thank you to our Sponsors

Lake Michigan College
Whirlpool Corporation
Kinexus Group
United Way Southwest Michigan logo.
Andrews University logo.
Corewell Health logo.

 

 

Back to Top Apply Now