Encore October 2024

From the Editor

This month's cover story hits home with me. My son was a high school junior when Covid-19 locked the world down, and I watched as he and several of his friends struggled with life after high school. Taking a gap year to work, starting and stopping college, not able to come up with a plan for the future — it just seemed that they couldn't find their way. And they weren't alone, not by a long shot.

Writer Julie J. Riddle explores this group of young adults known as the "Covid Cohort," the 15 million kids who were U.S. high-schoolers during Covid lockdowns and were greatly impacted by what they missed, including educational milestones and rites of passage like graduation ceremonies. Julie's story, which is part of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative's Youth Mental Health Reporting Project, sheds light not only on the whys but also on the local solutions being implemented to help them get back on track.

We also meet Demarra West, an organizational and business development consultant and therapist who for many years has been helping to lift up others in the Kalamazoo area and beyond. After publishing her autobiographical book, Me Too: A Therapist's Journey to Heal, Find Liberation and Joy, West has decided to devote her career to facilitating others' trauma recovery and healing, especially for individuals from populations most affected by trauma, such as those in the BIPOC and LBGTQ+ communities. It's just the latest of the many amazing things this courageous woman has undertaken.

On a sweeter note, we profile Erin Schultz, whose foray into casual caramel making during a difficult time in her life has resulted in her now owning, with partners, not one, but two local shops catering to folks with a sweet tooth: Schultz's Treat Street on Oakland Drive and Schultz Sweets on West Main Street. We learn how hard times sometimes can bring a sweetness we never expected.

Finally, we say goodbye to Jarret Whitenack, our editorial intern for the past year. This native Oregonian has become a bit smitten with Kalamazoo and Michigan, so we asked him to share the top five things he'll miss the most about our area. And while many of us think we know "the hidden gems" of our area, some of his will surprise you.

Enjoy October and enjoy this issue!

Left to right: Morgan Rogalke-Scime, Charles S. Ofstein, Tyler J. Stewart, Olivia A. Kurajian, William B. Millard

Publisher encore publications, inc

Editor marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographer brian k powers

Contributing Writers

marie lee, julie j riddle, sakhi vyas, jarret whitenack

Copy Editor/Poetry Editor margaret deritter

Advertising Sales janis clark krieg lee

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2024, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433

Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications

Julie J. Riddle

Julie wrote this month's cover story. As a mom concerned about the stillreeling “Covid Cohort,” she jumped at the chance to learn how the pandemic impacted today’s new adults. Over and over, young people told her the same story: The experience changed them profoundly, in ways no other generation has experienced. But all is not lost, say experts who weighed in with gentle admonitions and heartening advice. “Parents everywhere are worried about their late-teen and young adult kids,” Julie says. “We worry they’re broken and that it’s our fault. But even the most trauma-scarred among them has more resilience than we realize. It’s our job to help them dig deep and find it, and to cheer them along the way.”

Julie is a Jackson-based freelance writer and the editor of Jackson Magazine

Sakhi Vyas

Sakhi, who wrote this month's Enterprise story, has been visiting the local ice cream shop Treat Street since she was a kid. She would lead a gaggle of cousins on walks along Oakland Drive to get hand-scooped ice cream. Her choice was Mint Chocolate. Decades later, it was a treat for her to learn that a high school classmate had taken over ownership of the shop and would maintain the beloved space that held so many memories. Sakhi’s conversations with owner Erin (Stuedemann) Schultz highlighted the challenges of small-business ownership as well as the role of grief in life’s decisions. “I especially loved hearing Erin talk about how our sense of purpose evolves over time,” Sakhi says. Sakhi lives in Kalamazoo and takes her two kids to Schultz's Treat Street for brightly colored scoops of ice cream.

Jarret Whitenack

For this month’s edition, this native Oregonian wrote about his five favorite things during his time working as an intern at Encore. “The West Coast is a bit different from the Midwest," Jarret says, "and when I first moved here, I was definitely worried about everything, like driving in snow, being bored and getting comfortable. As I spent more and more time here, I came to appreciate the differences and began to view it as home. It is sad to leave, but hopefully whatever is next will be as enjoyable as this.” Jarret, who spent a year with Encore, returned to the Pacific Northwest last month.

First Things

Something Funny Two comics to perform at State

Two comedians will grace the stage of the State Theatre this month.

Eddie Griffin, who has performed standup since 1990 and is known for his role as The Pastor in the 2018 film A Star is Born and his 2018 Showtime special Eddie Griffin: Undeniable, will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 5. Tickets cost $50–$85.

Australian comedian Jim Jefferies, best known for his television shows Legit (FX) and The Jim Jefferies Show (Comedy Central) will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 11. Tickets cost $60–$180.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit kazoostate.com.

Something Nerdy Geek Fest Returns

Fans of all things geeky will be on hand Oct. 12 for the annual Geek Fest at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

The festival is a convention for fans of comics, cosplay, gaming, LEGOs and more. It is sponsored by the Kalamazoo Public, Paw Paw District and Portage District libraries and the Black Arts & Cultural Center of Kalamazoo.

Among the guests who will appear at Geek Fest are DM Scotty of video series, comic artist Paul Sizer and Sew Excited Cosplay, an award-winning creator of costumes. There will also be a cosplay competition.

The event runs from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and admission is free.

Something Informative Lectures

focus on Honorable Harvest

The Indigenous practice of the Honorable Harvest is the focus of a free lecture series that continues this month.

The lectures, presented by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, explore the principle that humans should give back to the land that sustains them. The lectures begin at 6:30 p.m. in Room 223 of KVCC’s Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, at 418 E. Walnut St.

The topics and dates of this month’s lectures are:

• Subsistence Farming: A Story from the Past with Teachings for the Future, Oct. 1.

• Becoming the 'Fourth Sister': A Conversation with the Kalamazoo Seed Collaborative, Oct. 8.

• Aerial Predators at Risk: Modern Agriculture’s Impact on Insectivores, Oct. 15.

• Manoomin: The Food that Grows on Water, Oct. 22.

• Building Food Sovereignty: Neighborhood Scale, Community Impact, Oct. 29.

For more information, including a full schedule, visit valleyhub. kvcc.edu.

Something

Andy Grammer to

ulti-platinum singer-songwriter and record producer Andy Grammer will perform at the State Theatre 8 p.m.

The pop-rock artist is known for the hit singles “Keep Your Head Up,” “Fine by Me” and “Honey, I’m Good” and is touring to promote Monster.

Tickets cost $39–$69. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit kazoostate.com.

Eddie Griffin

Manoomin, or wild rice

Jim Jefferies

Something Historic

Exhibit highlights Black historical artifacts

A mini-exhibit from the huge collection of historical artifacts put together by the late Murphy Darden is on display at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum through March 2, telling stories of Black history and experiences.

Darden was a local civil rights historian and artist who was featured in Encore in 2019 (encorekalamazoo.com/wrangling-black-history). He died in November 2023, and the museum acquired more than 200 items from his collection.

Collecting Black History: Murphy Darden's Legacy, the museum also has an ongoing online exhibit featuring Darden's art.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday–Saturdays, and admission is free.

The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is here every day to ensure that every person in our community has an opportunity to work towards their healthy living goals.

Exceptional Cancer Care

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Encore file photo

Five Faves

Best things about Kalamazoo from an Oregonian’s view

BY JARRET WHITENACK

I am originally from Salem, Oregon, and for the last year I lived in Kalamazoo and wrote for Encore. During this year I experienced many awesome things about the area. As my time here was coming to a close, my editor suggested I do a Five Faves feature on the best things about the area from an outsider’s perspective. It was hard to condense my list into just five things, so I picked the things that I enjoyed the most often. As you’ll see, my favorites include a lot of food, since I eat every day and never ran out of great places to try.

Hard Ciders

Texas Corners Brewing Co.

I really enjoy the hard cider scene in my home state of Oregon, so one of the things that excited me about living in Michigan’s Fruit Belt was that there would be so many opportunities here to try new ciders. I’ve been to Soil Friends, One Well, Latitude 42, Crane’s, and many other local and regional establishments that make their own ciders, but my favorite place by far was Texas Corners Brewing Co., in Texas Township. Housed in a renovated former church, it has a cozy, airy atmosphere, and it serves locally sourced food as well.

With six ciders on tap that cover a range of tastes, from dry to sweet, three of their ciders — Crisp Apple, Cherry and Black Currant — are on tap year-round, while the others, like the drier Crisp Apple and the sweeter raspberry and cherry ciders, rotate throughout the year. I recommend a six-cider flight so you can try them all. Oh, and you can buy cans of their cider to go, so I had some other souvenirs to take with me.

Texas Corners Brewing Co. is located at 6970 Texas Drive and is open 4–9 p.m. Monday–Thursday and noon–10 p.m. Friday–Saturday.

Rock Hunting Lake Michigan

Being from Oregon, I am used to water, but usually that water is on the move, either falling from the sky or flowing down a river. We have the Pacific Ocean, which, while beautiful, is ice-cold even in August, and our lakes are fewer and smaller than Michigan's. When I discovered Lake Michigan, I thought it was pretty nice, but then someone introduced me to rock hunting on its shores.

I could walk the beaches all day looking at rocks. I went to Van Buren State Park, Pilgrim Haven, the Leelanau Peninsula and other spots and discovered fossils, lightning stones (Separtian stones), Charlevoix stones, agates and the coveted Petoskey stones, of which I had the honor of finding a few.

With a few rocks in my pocket, I had a souvenir or two to take with me back to the Pacific Northwest.

Tater Tots

Centre Street Taphouse

Taphouses and brewpubs are my usual go-to spots when visiting new places, since they often have local craft beverages and decent-to-good food. While at Centre Street Taphouse the first time, I ordered their tater tots on a whim. I was expecting the same old crispy tots that we all came to know and love in our school cafeterias, but their tots are soft, warm puffballs of potatoes. And I fell in love with them. They were such a fun and delicious take on tots that they became my favorite variation of this food.

Centre Street Taphouse is located at 3251 W. Centre Ave., in Portage, and is open from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday.

Burgers

Studio Grill

A true staple of the downtown food scene, Studio Grill became my favorite lunch spot. The short walk from Encore’s offices to the restaurant on Michigan Avenue took me past the Kalamazoo Public Library, through Bronson Park and past several of the beautiful churches that surround the park. While the walk was great, the best part was the burger that awaited me.

Studio Grill offers stuffed burgers, burgers where the meat patty surrounds a filling such as blue cheese, pesto, jalapenos, chorizo or barbecued pork. My favorites are Mark’s Pesto Burger, the Spicy/Sweet Pineapple Burger, and the blue cheese-forward Kirby Burger. Each of these alone would be my favorite at another restaurant, but at Studio Grill they are just one of many delicious, creative options.

Studio Grill is located at 312 W. Michigan Ave. and is open 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. daily.

Bagels

Bagel Beanery

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast, and I am particularly partial to a good bagel sandwich, so discovering Bagel Beanery in the Vine neighborhood was truly fortuitous. Their sandwiches were good enough to motivate me to leave early for work so I could start my day there.

Bagel Beanery’s sandwiches are loaded for their price. I got the Salsamazoo, which has turkey, onion, tomatoes, cheese, mayo and cream cheese on a salsa bagel. Bagel Beanery has a wide selection of bagels and cream cheeses and coffee. They also have, oddly, a collection of snacks from Asia for purchase on racks across from the cash register. The service has always been excellent and quick and is a bright spot to start a day.

Bagel Beanery is located at 812 S. Westnedge Ave. and is open from 6 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday–Friday and 7 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturday.

Is It Possible For A Medicaid Lien To Take My Home?

A: Yes. Federal law requires that states attempt to recover the funds paid for a Medicaid recipient’s medical care during their lifetime. Under Michigan law, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) may pursue estate recovery against the estate of a deceased Medicaid recipient. Estate recovery applies to Medicaid bene ciaries who are y- ve (55) years of age or older and have received long-term care services on or a er September 30, 2007. As part of the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP), the state may be able to place a lien on a home that must be satis ed before heirs may receive any property sale proceeds.

MDHHS will defer recovery if any of these individuals live within the home: 1) a Medicaid bene ciary's spouse; 2) a Medicaid bene ciary's child under 21 years old; or 3) a Medicaid bene ciary's child who is blind or permanently disabled. In addition, MDHHS will also defer recovery if survivors of the deceased lived in the home and provided care that allowed the Medicaid recipient to remain in their home for at least two years immediately before the Medicaid recipient's admission into a medical facility.

Note, only property that is part of your probate estate is subject to Medicaid estate recovery in Michigan. If you have questions regarding the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program, it is crucial to seek advice from an estate planning attorney.

Please send your questions to Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

About the Author

Jarret Whitenack came to Michigan to be an editorial intern for Encore. After a year of writing stories that covered everything from historic buildings to farming to small businesses, he recently moved back to the Pacific Northwest to pursue new opportunities.

Sweet Success

Grief and dreams fueled owner of Schultz Sweets and Treat Street

BY SAKHI VYAS

When it comes to business, life is sweet for Erin Schultz. The 38-year-old has two shops in Kalamazoo — Schultz’s Treat Street on Oakland Drive and Schultz Sweets on West Main Street. The first is an ice cream shop, and the second a confectionary and café.

A former architect, Schultz made her official foray into shop ownership in 2020 when she and her husband, Keith, became the fourth owners of the former Treat Street, the beloved ice cream shop in Oakwood Plaza that opened in 1998.

The purchase fulfilled a long-harbored dream for Schultz. “Ice cream shops are emotional places. It's often the place where we share our earliest core memories with family," she says. “Even when I was a little kid, I always wanted an ice cream shop, but it didn’t seem like a grown-up goal.”

Treat Street has always had a “malt shop” vibe, with its classic ice cream counter, its painted mural depicting the neighborhood and, of course, its prime location across from Woods Lake. It also has a sunny corner

overflowing with local soaps and trinkets for sale. The shop bursts with nostalgia. And Schultz had no desire to change that.

“It’s a cornerstone — the last traditional ice cream shop in Kalamazoo and the only location that is ice cream focused,” she says.

Among the Schultzes' first actions was to spruce up the community mural with the

Above: A variety of confections, including caramels, created at Schultz Sweets in Kalamazoo. At right: Erin Schultz, right, with business partner Kristina Smith.

help of local artist Gerald King. King added a greater diversity of characters to the mural and updated the scene's street signs to include "Bronco Blvd." and "Wolverine Way," as a nod to the owners’ alma maters, Western Michigan University (Keith) and the University of Michigan (Erin).

The Schultzes started managing the shop in May 2020 before taking full ownership in August of that year, a challenging year to become a new business owner because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the Schultzes were buoyed by "an incredible community of restaurant owners in our region” who boosted one another’s restaurants and shops on social media, shared resources and tools, and cheered one another on through slow times, Schultz says. It was a community that would encourage Schultz in her future ventures.

Started with caramels

How Erin Schultz (née Stuedemann) started in the sweet business, however, is a sad story. In 2006, the Mattawan native moved to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan’s architecture program. During her first year at college, two of her Mattawan High School classmates died: Lance Corporal Luis Castillo, who succumbed to injuries sustained in combat while serving in the vicinity of Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on Jan. 20, 2007, and U.S. Army Spc. Jimmy Arnold, who died in action in Iraq on March 15, 2007, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The loss of those peers in a faraway, ongoing war was confusing and isolating for Schultz, and she felt overcome with grief. "It wasn’t productive to just sit and be sad. I started stress baking," she says.

Her endless supply of homemade cookies and brownies fueled her college classmates’ long hours in the architecture studio, and she frequently returned home to Mattawan on weekends in search of respite and community. During one of those weekends her mom suggested she learn about caramels.

"She was so right!" Erin says emphatically. "There was something therapeutic about dumping sugar into a pot and then standing there stirring, waiting, stirring, getting lost in the color and texture as it turned into caramel. Each element of the process brought me some calm: stirring, cooling, cutting the caramels by hand, even wrapping each individual piece in parchment paper."

Schultz's caramel hobby continued off and on over the next few years. In 2011, she married Keith Schultz, a former WMU football player and current senior project manager at Holtec International. The two settled in Kalamazoo to raise a family (they now have three children). Erin revisited her caramel hobby, and soon the hobby began to grow. She began selling her caramels through pop-up candy shops at various locations in Southwest Michigan under the name “Mrs. Schultz’s Sweets.”

A second shop

After taking over Treat Street, Schultz continued to build up her caramel confectionary prowess. She knew that her production goals would outgrow the Treat Street kitchen. She recalls “the CocoaBomb craze of 2020,” when Treat Street handcrafted more than 5,000 stuffed meltaway hot cocoa spheres in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As those and other confectionary products continued to grow in popularity, Schultz realized she was quickly going to need a bigger space.

She and business partner Kristina Smith opened Schultz Sweets at 6857 W. Main St. in December 2023.

Brian K. Powers

It’s a bright and airy café space with large windows allowing visitors to view caramel production in action. The atmosphere is luxurious, with navy walls and gold Art Deco trimmings. But the details honor her regional roots. There’s an enormous portrait at the entrance — a relic given to Schultz by the original owner of the High Wheeler Ice Cream Parlor, which had three locations in Kalamazoo in the 1970s and '80s. The coffee served by Schultz Sweets is sourced from Celery City Roasters in Portage, while MOOville Ice Cream of Nashville provides the dairy treats. Nearly every tool in the sweet shop's kitchen is pre-owned and pre-loved, such as a caramel cutter given to Schultz by Maria Brennan, owner of The Victorian Bakery. "I couldn’t have dreamed of opening Schultz Sweets without the longstanding encouragement from these business partners or other restaurant owners," Schultz says. "Those relationships have been so crucial and

Clockwise from above: The interior of Schultz' Sweets has a cozy feel; an employee there makes caramels for sale; a plethora of treats are for sale in the shop; and the mural in Treat Street was updated by the Schultzes shortly after taking over the shop.

Brian K. Powers

special, especially over the last few years. Even if we aren’t sharing tools or recipes, just having support from others who are in the thick of it makes a world of difference. I’m really proud to be an active part of the local restaurant and confectionery industry."

Schultz Sweets' confectionery menu is extensive: 17 flavors of handmade caramels (11 regular and six seasonal flavors on rotation throughout the year), glazed nuts, fudge, truffles, enrobed chocolates, pecan pralines, caramel pretzels, and "Donatello" treats (because the word "Turtle" is trademarked).

Homemade breakfast and lunch options, by way of wraps, salads and sandwiches, "offer lightness alongside decadence,” Schultz says.

Looking ahead, Schultz hopes to expand the business through regular wholesale contracts and by increasing corporate

partnerships. As growth is on the horizon, Schultz knows that she will remain true to her local roots.

“Supporting a local business doesn’t just come back to benefit me as the business owner,” she says, buzzing with passion. “We’re so early in this business — I’ve only paid myself twice this year, and we’re paying down lots of foundational expenses.

"It’s not about me. It’s about being an active part of a larger community. Every dollar spent at a local business is an investment in each of the nearly 40 employees across our locations, and that investment ripples out to the children of those employees and those kids’ schools or sports teams or whatever they do that enriches their lives right here. It’s about the connections we all share. Supporting a local business is what you do when you want your community to thrive.”

THE 'COVID COHORT'

How the 'pandemic skip' is affecting young adults

BY JULIE J. RIDDLE

Time stopped for Helena Cole in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic confined the high school freshman to her bedroom most of the time.

Upon graduation, “suddenly, like, I’m basically an adult,” the softspoken now-19-year-old from Mattawan says, “and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Cole is among what some refer to as the “Covid Cohort,” the nearly 15 million U.S. students whose formative high school years were rocked by the pandemic. Staring at screens when they most needed the refining fire of in-person interactions, these now late teens to early-20-somethings missed crucial steppingstones to adulthood.

And it shows, many say.

Pandemic restrictions, social isolation and missed opportunities for support in planning their futures, layered on top of the economic precariousness and social turmoil of recent years, left many in the Covid Cohort more emotionally uncertain and less prepared for adulthood than previous generations, professionals and parents say. But hopeful signs include college-run preparation programs, job training and individualized wrap-around services that help fill in the gaps for today's new adults and encourage them to accept an adulthood that many of them hesitate to embrace.

Meanwhile, experts say, parents and other adults need to be patient, meet young people’s basic needs, and push them lovingly but firmly into a world that might make them uncomfortable.

Although some of the Covid Cohort bear the emotional scars of a traumatic time, today’s new adults are resilient, says Paige Eagan, provost and vice president for instruction at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. “But we have to be open to what that resilience looks like. It may not be what we originally pictured or fit in a neat societal box. But they are resilient, and they have a lot to provide us, now and in our future.”

The 'pandemic skip'

Cole overcame a dismal attendance record to graduate from Mattawan High School in 2023. Now, as a youth peer support specialist at ASK Family Services in Kalamazoo, she listens to other young people talk about the emotional distress and stalled momentum many link to the pandemic.

Adolescents nationwide had already reported increasing levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts prior to 2020. With

Morgan Smith, who was a high school freshman when the pandemic started in 2020, says the isolation of the lockdowns had a damaging effect on her social skills.

the advent of the pandemic, those trends blossomed into a mental health crisis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As classrooms went virtual, high school dropout rates increased. Kalamazoo Public Schools alone lost 16% of high school students to dropping out in the 2022–23 school year, compared to fewer than 9% before the pandemic.

The novelty of online education wore off quickly for students sequestered at home. Cole says that, alone in her room, with no hands-on learning to engage her and no human contact to make school seem real, she turned off her camera, slept through classes, and sank into anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

Cole wasn't alone. The CDC's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported two out of five teens felt disconnected from adults and peers in their school — a factor linked to an increased propensity for poor mental health, drug misuse and other risky behaviors.

Around the country, the already thriving social media landscape boomed as stuckat-home teens found solace in texts, chats and TikTok videos. Algorithms turned kids into targets, pushing unhealthy behaviors and encouraging friendships with strangers who could exploit them. Memes became the universal language, as teens absorbed the world in disappearing photos and fast-paced video snippets.

“Everyone I know has ADHD,” Cole says. “Our attention spans are just ruined.”

When she returned to in-person learning, Cole, like many of her classmates, was overwhelmed by how much education she’d missed. Panic attacks crippled her, and she felt unequipped to hold a simple conversation, much less work on group projects or give a speech.

Anxiety-triggered headaches kept her home more and more often, until she set a school record for absences. She constantly felt behind and resisted getting a job or a driver’s license.

“I just felt like I was in this hole,” she says, “and I couldn't get myself out of it.”

She graduated feeling like she was still a freshman − a phenomenon known as the “pandemic skip,” which the Newport Institute describes as “a sense among many young adults of having skipped an important

period of social and emotional development due to shutdowns, social distancing, and remote learning and/or work."

"Three years after the height of the pandemic, despite normal life having fully resumed, some young adults feel their mental age and their current stage of life don’t match up to their chronological age,” the Newport Institute says. This arrested development can manifest as procrastination, outbursts, discouragement, evasion of responsibility, lack of motivation, and other symptoms of stunted emotional growth.

Cole still mourns her high school years, which feel to her like they didn’t exist, but holding down a job now helps her believe she can move forward despite that loss. Young people might have to take a leap into a frightening adult world to figure out how to survive in that world, Cole says.

“You just have to do it,” she says. “It’s uncomfortable, but it works.”

Guidance and a little push

New adults need a caring push to move them past the pandemic skip, says Kalamazoo psychotherapist Chris Olson.

The late teen years are supposed to be a time of “figuring out who you are and what you are and why you are and where you’re going” by building social, intellectual and emotional muscle via in-person interactions, Olson says. “And all that was stripped away from them as they sat in their bedrooms.”

While the pandemic made it easier to talk about mental health, it furthered a confusion between anxiety, a clinical disorder, and the discomfort that naturally accompanies stress. Teens who didn’t have to interact with “the weird kid” or decide where to sit in a crowded classroom missed out on discomfort that would have pushed them to learn social skills they needed, the therapist says.

“You crawl before you walk,” Olson says. “They’ve had to leap now, and they’re just paralyzed.”

Today’s parents don’t want their kids to be uncomfortable, so they hesitate to push these high school grads to enroll in college, attend in-person classes or get a job. Covid put teenagers in their bedrooms, but parents made it OK for them to not come out, Olson says.

Let your kids be uncomfortable, the therapist advises parents who seek her help. Make them live in a dorm. Ask if they know

how to find a job. Talk about what to do with their hands if they feel awkward. Hold and nurture them with one hand and push with the other. “Tell them it’s OK to be scared,” she says, “but you still have to do it.” ‘Unprecedented’ help

While in college, young adults learn to do laundry, pay bills, manage money, expand their social circles and make weighty decisions. They see posters for seminars, job fairs and guest speakers. They learn about services and social opportunities and start to figure out what they like and where they belong.

More and more, however, high school grads opt out of those opportunities for growth. U.S. college and university enrollment, which was already in decline before 2020, nosedived during the pandemic. Locally, 40% of 2021 Kalamazoo Public School grads did not go on to college, compared to 30% who did not in 2019.

“We had so much attention around students’ lost contact with teachers during the pandemic, which I think is true, but there are also so many other supports that they get in schools, such as counselors, after-school programs, and nonprofit organizations that work with and through the schools, who end up being really key in terms of everything from the college prep up to entry,” Bridget Terry Long, the dean and a professor of education and economics at Harvard Graduate School of Education, told Education Week in 2021.

Now, to keep students receiving the benefits of a higher education, colleges need to meet physical and emotional needs more than ever, says KVCC Provost Eagan. Several programs on KVCC’s campus focused on meeting those needs have improved grades and strengthened confidence for incoming students.

“It’s an odd time and an unprecedented time for our students,” Eagan says, “and how we handle it is unprecedented too.”

A year before the pandemic hit, hoping to help students afford college, KVCC launched a grocery giveaway program. The more than 10,000 boxes of food distributed — about 150 boxes a week during the school year — have removed one stressor for today’s stressedout students, Eagan says.

Michigan Reconnect, a state program removing financial barriers for qualifying

adult learners 25 and older, this year will temporarily include young adults ages 21–24. KVCC hopes the change bumps enrollment among the oldest members of the Covid Cohort, Eagan says.

Just prior to the pandemic, KVCC had shifted its student advising model to better help students explore career possibilities, Eagan says. The new model assigns incoming students to subject-specific advisors who connect them to tutoring, counseling and other services as needed. The change proved fortuitous for pandemic-impacted students, who benefit from its more-focused attention.

Noticing that collaboration is a missing skill among new students, instructors of lab-based courses intentionally plan activities that teach teamwork and group communication skills.

“It’s OK if you don’t have all those skills,” Eagan says. “We just have to meet you where you are.”

Catching up

In addition, for the past two summers, KVCC has offered Valley Advantage, a threeweek, state-funded program designed to let

incoming students brush up on academic and social skills they may have missed in high school.

Last year 27 colleges across the state offered similar “catch-up” programs using funding allocated in the state budget and administered by the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA).

In KVCC’s program, students brush up on basic math and English skills, learn about college resources and discuss classroom anxiety, stress management and career options. As importantly, Eagan said, they relearn how to connect with other people and create relationships.

Because they may have to forgo work to attend, students get paid to complete the program. An analysis of last year’s program shows that Valley Advantage participants went on to achieve GPAs higher than the college average and reported increased selfconfidence.

However, according to the MCCA, some colleges offering such catch-up programs report low participation, a lack of student engagement and logistical problems such as staffing, scheduling and transportation, the

analysis notes. Some colleges indicated they might not continue their programs if state funding ends.

Eagan doesn’t yet know if KVCC will continue Valley Advantage, but she hopes so.

The program helps struggling young adults thrive, she says.

“We’re excited to get them in the door,” Eagan says, “but we’re also excited to support them along the journey.”

Connections and check-ins

LOVE IS: Gratitude

(Volume 8)

Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 at 4pm

Kalamazoo College, Light Fine Arts Center

Join the KCA Ensemble and Kalamazoo College Singers for our 8th annual “Love Is” Concert, this year with a theme of Gratitude and featuring repertoire primarily from composers who are historically underrepresented In Partnership with Kalamazoo College Singers

Another program, this one administered by The Kalamazoo Promise, focuses on a specific demographic “just getting lost in the wind” after high school — Black, Hispanic and Native American boys, says Melissa Nesbitt, pathway coach manager for The Promise.

While this local trend parallels a national trend of young minority males not enrolling in college, Nesbitt says that in the case of many KPS graduates, they don’t take advantage of − or don’t know about − The Promise, a scholarship program that could pay their college tuition.

“We’re reaching out to students, and it’s zero — radio silence,” Nesbitt says.

The Promise recently established Males of Promise, a program specifically targeting young minority males. Beginning with the 2024 graduating high school class, the program will provide these KPS grads intentional long-term interactions, regular check-ins and one-on-one encouragement and assistance, with the goal of more of the teens going to and staying in college.

Time will tell if the program works as planned, but already advisors have made more connections with The Promise’s 2024 cohort than with the previous year’s graduates, Nesbitt says.

Breyana Wilson, a 2020 Loy Norrix High School graduate and now a Promise pathway

coach serving students at Phoenix High School and the Kalamazoo Innovative Learning Program, says connections and check-ins make all the difference when you spent high school talking through screens.

In her freshman year at Western Michigan University, Wilson attended all her classes virtually. The virtual format had the comfort of familiarity, but having 75 strangers’ faces peering into her home made her anxious, and remote learning made it harder to get help from a professor or engage in group projects.

Wilson says that year she was “riding the struggle bus” and probably wouldn’t have stuck it out without a class called “Humanities for Everybody.” The class’s weekly one-onone check-ins with an advisor helped Wilson get past mental health and other struggles, gave her a sense of community and kept her in school.

Meanwhile, she says, many of her high school friends didn’t go to college or went but dropped out because they were overwhelmed, unprepared and disconnected from on-campus supports that might have helped them stick it out. Others, inundated with the version of young adulthood hawked on social media, expected to land highpaying positions that required little work and no training.

Mostly, Wilson says, her peers feel pressured to make money quickly and may eschew college for the immediate payoff of even a low-paying job, preferring what feels like security over a four-year educational commitment.

“School just doesn’t seem profitable to a lot of students,” Nesbitt confirms. While data show that higher education does pay off financially, many grads who in previous years might have taken advantage of The Promise are walking away from tuition help. And program officials don’t know how to find them.

“How do we get to them?” Nesbitt muses. “That’s the tricky part. Where are they?”

Become part of a network of members that share a similiar respect and passion for the arts! New added benefits reach even further to connect you with the community. Each Arts Council membership includes:

• Unlimited event listings on the arts calendar

• Promotional opportunities through select media channels

• Waived application fees for Grants & Art on the Mall

• Rental discount rates at partner organizations

• Membership at Public Media Network

• And much more!

Membership has its benefits.

Skills and growth

Some of them, it appears, are learning job skills and getting to work.

Job training has long been the focus of the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency’s MyCITY program, which teaches communication skills, teamwork, selfconfidence and other competencies that are needed now more than ever, says Molly Fitz Henry, program coordinator.

Students 14 to 24 years old gain paid work experience through MyCITY, which places young people in supervised positions with local employers. MyCITY serves about 200 students during the summer and about 50 during fall and spring sessions.

Fitz Henry says teaching job skills is more critical now than ever. Work supervisors have seen that pandemic experiences can cause problems in the workplace for many in the Covid Cohort.

Members of the cohort know what they’re willing — and not willing — to do, but they struggle with constructive criticism. They often lack teamwork skills and don’t engage in social aspects of employment, she notes.

Morgan Smith, now 19, was a freshman at Loy Norrix High School when the pandemic lockdowns started stripping away her social skills.

Disconnected from teachers and peers, the gregarious teen slept through virtual classes and skipped homework. When she returned to in-person school, she couldn’t

Top: Helena Cole says the isolation of virtual high school left her anxious, depressed and not ready for the future.

Above: A member of the 'Covid Cohort,' Morgan Smith, pictured with MyCITY's program coordinator, Molly Fitz Henry, regained her confidence and relearned critical social skills through the KRESA job training program. (Photos by Julie J. Riddle)

Invoke

Multi-instrumental quartet blending classical, folk, bluegrass + Americana

Sunday, October 13 – 5:00 PM Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo

Syrian vocalist joined by the Bahar and Bayati Ensembles + Orchestra Rouh

Thursday, October 24 – 7:00 PM Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College

Dave Meder Jazz Ensemble

Trio led by the acclaimed pianist

Monday, October 21 – 7:00 PM Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

Internationally renowned women’s vocal ensemble

Friday, October 25 – 7:00 PM St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo

face teachers whose classes she had failed online, so she missed more instruction. Her confidence and GPA ruined, she was held back and lost track of which grade she was in while her classmates fumbled toward graduation.

That lack of connection spread to students’ interactions with one another, she says. The school’s once-boisterous cafeteria was silent, students who used to laugh and talk looked at the screens that had become their primary connection with the world.

“It’s more chill now,” and kids are starting to talk to each other again, a smiling Smith reports. She’s doing better too, crediting her several-year participation in the MyCITY program, where her employment at two thrift stores, Public Media Network, and at a summer camp taught her to build a resume, hold conversations, identify her skills and see her own value. With those skills in her pocket, Smith says she feels ready to be an adult and has the confidence it takes to eventually land her dream job as a nursing home caregiver.

Research by the Brookings Institute and Child Trends provides evidence of the importance of connecting young people to the workforce, and the U.S. Department of Labor highlights the positive impact work training can have on young people's mental health. The pandemic ratcheted up the value of such experiences, says Fitz Henry, and programs like MyCITY could hold a key to connecting the Covid Cohort to a productive, healthy future.

Instead of bemoaning the state of “kids these days,” Henry says, community members can invest in the young people who need a little extra help but also have a lot to offer. Take them seriously. Give them jobs. Include them in decisions, she advises.

After all, she says, “young people have so much potential to do amazing things.”

TheArts

SmartPeople

Oct. 18–27

Face-Off Theatre

This comedy, penned by Lydia Diamond, looks at four multicultural Harvard students searching for identity, love and success, but, despite how smart they are, find that when broaching the topic of race, they stumble and make wrong turns.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18, 19 and 26 and 2 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Jolliffe Theatre, in the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are on a "pay-what-you-wish" basis and available online at faceofftheatre.com.

GhostStories

Oct. 18–26

New Vic Theatre

Just in time for the spooky season, New Vic will present an original production bringing ghost stories to life.

The program will feature a compilation of tales, including original stories and scary classics. Show times are 8 p.m. Oct. 18–19 and 25–26. Tickets are $33 and can be purchased online at thenewvictheatre.org or by calling 381-3328.

FindingNemoJr.

Oct. 25–Nov. 3

Civic Youth Theatre

Based on the popular Pixar film Finding Nemo, this musical is the latest in the Civic's Penguin Project, which gives children with special needs the opportunity to participate in the performing arts.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 10 a.m. Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, and 2 p.m. Oct. 26–27 and Nov. 2–3 at the Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St. Tickets are $15 and available by calling the Civic box office at 343-1313 or online at kazoocivic.com.

HauntingofHillHouse

Oct. 25–Nov. 3

WMU Theatre

Spine-chilling suspense will be in the offing with the production of this play inspired by the Shirley Jackson novel and Netflix series.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25–27 and Nov. 1 and 2, 2 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, and 7, 9 and 11 p.m. Oct. 31 in Western Michigan University's Williams Theatre. Tickets are $7–$22 and available online at wmich. edu/theatre or by calling the box office at 387-6222.

LetItBe

Oct. 4–13

Senior Class Readers Theatre

The Civic's Readers Theater group will transport audiences to the turbulent times of the 1960s and '70s in this revue of The Beatles music.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4–5 and 11–12 and 2 p.m. Oct. 6 and 13 at the Parish Theatre, 405 W. Lovell St. Tickets are $17–$32 and available by calling the Civic box office at 343-1313 or online at kazoocivic.com.

Let’sHavea SatanicOrgy!

Oct. 17–19

Queer Theatre Kalamazoo

This campy cabaret will have vignettes and music centered on sexual liberation and freedom from Puritanical norms and feature the doo-wop music of the rock duo Twin Temple.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17–19 in the performance hall of the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave. For ticket information, visit queertk.org.

Ongoing Productions

• POTUS, Oct. 3–13, York Arena Theatre, WMU • Jersey Boys, Oct. 3–6, Farmers Alley Theatre

TheArts

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Throughout the month

Various venues

During KSO concerts this month, audiences can tango, go to the movies and enjoy sounds from an immense organ.

The fiery rhythms and melodies of tangos will be played by KSO's Artists in Residence at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Tickets for CraftMusic:Tangos are $5–$30.

Selections from iconic film scores for movies such as Jaws, Jurassic Park and Star Wars will be performed by the full symphony in The Music of John Williams , set for 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at Miller Auditorium. Tickets are $5–$68.

The mighty organ of the former First Baptist Church, now the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition Building, at 315 W. Michigan Ave., will ring out with the music of Bach in Pipe Dreams , set for 2 p.m. Oct. 27. The concert features KSO Artist in Residence Karl Schrock on organ and Barry Ross on violin. Tickets are $10–$30.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit kalamazoosymphony.org.

Julius Rodriguez

Oct. 6

Bell's Eccentric Cafe

The jazz pianist will perform with his quartet at 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at the cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., as part of The Gilmore's Rising Stars Series.

Rodriguez has performed with artists such as Kurt Elling, Wynton Marsalis and A$AP Rocky and is touring to support his new album, Evergreen. Tickets are $10–$28 and available at thegilmore.org.

TheJoyofaRichHarvest

Oct. 6

Early Music Michigan

A concert with a distinct fall feel will kick off EMM's season. The selections will include music celebrating autumn and include pieces by Vivaldi, JeanBaptiste Lully, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier and James Oswald.

The concert is at 4 p.m. in Connable Recital Hall, in Kalamazoo College's Light Fine Arts Building. Tickets are $15–$50 and available at earlymusicmichigan.org.

Here,There&Everywhere

Oct. 19

Kalamazoo Concert Band

The KCB takes a musical trip across the globe in this performance at 7:30 p.m. at Comstock Community Auditorium, 2107 N. 26th St.

Among the selections will be music by John Philip Sousa and an original composition by Scott Boerma, who will serve as guest conductor. Admission is free. For more information, visit kalamazooconcertband.org.

VISUAL ARTS

BookArtsinItaly

Oct. 4–25

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

Prints and books created by members of student groups that traveled in Italy this summer will be showcased in this exhibit.

The exhibit will open Oct. 4 at the KBAC Gallery, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, with a reception from 5–8 p.m., and will remain in the gallery until Oct. 25. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

Ongoing Exhibitions

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts:

• LegendaryVoices:ArtfortheNextCentury , through Feb. 16.

• PowerfulForces:Legends,Rituals&WarriorsinEastAsianArt , through Jan. 19.

Author Talks

Throughout the month

Various venues

LITERATURE

A handful of talks by authors will happen this month: Gina Stevens, author and illustrator of the children’s books A Tree Could Be and Color Me Blue, will speak at 6 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Richland Community Library, 8951 Park St. For more information, visit richlandlibrary.org.

Kathy Conder, author of Hauntings, Spirits, and Eats: Michigan, will talk about local and statewide haunts at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane. To register for this event, visit portagelibrary.info.

Kelly J. Baptist, author of five children’s and young adult books, including Isaiah Dunn is my Hero and Eb & Flow, will speak at 5:30–7 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Kalamazoo Public Library's Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St. For more information, visit kpl.gov.

MUSIC

WMU School of Music Concerts

Throughout the month

Various venues

Western Michigan University's School of Music has an eclectic schedule of performances in October. Unless noted, the performances will be in the Dalton Center Recital Hall and are free. Scheduled this month are:

• WMU Symphony Orchestra, with 2024 Stulberg Silver Medalist Joshua Kovác, 3 p.m. Oct. 6, Miller Auditorium, $5–$15.

• University Jazz Lab Band, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8.

• Hub New Music, chamber music quartet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., $5–$15.

• University Jazz Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10, $5–$15.

• Choral Showcase, featuring Amphion, Anima & University Chorale, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, $5–$15.

• University Bands, with University Wind Symphony, Concert Band & Symphonic Band, 2 p.m. Oct. 13, Miller Auditorium, $5–$15.

• JungHae Kim, harpsichordist, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, with preconcert talk at 7 p.m., $5–$15.

• Tubaween, tuba performance, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24.

• Western Winds, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29, $5–$15.

• Patricio Cosentino, tuba, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., $5–$15.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit wmich.edu/music/events.

Connecting Chords Music Festival

Throughout the month

Various venues

From silent movie soundtracks to a Syrian vocalist, the Connecting Chords festival is offering several performances this month:

• Live Music for Silent Classicswill feature the chamber orchestra Silent but Deadly, playing original soundtracks during screenings of classic silent short films. The screenings are at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Admission is free, but tickets are required and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Donations to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Connecting Chords Music Festival will be accepted on site.

• Invoke, a quartet playing classical, folk & bluegrass music, will perform at 5 p.m. Oct. 13, at Kalamazoo College's Light Fine Arts Building.

• The Dave Meder Jazz Ensemble, led by pianist and composer Meder, will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Western Michigan's University's Dalton Center Recital Hall.

• Syrian vocalist Lubana Al Quntar will perform with the Bahar and Biyati ensembles and the children's group Orchestra Rouh at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Kalamazoo College's Stetson Chapel.

• Kitka, an American women’s vocal ensemble inspired by traditional songs and vocal techniques from Eastern Europe and Eurasia, will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 247 W. Lovell St. Unless noted otherwise, tickets for each performance are $5–$17 in advance. A festival pass for admission to all the 2024 Connecting Chords Festival concerts is $75. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit connectingchordsfestival.com.

Hub New Music Kitka

Lewis Reed & Allen P.C. attorneys

Front row, center: Richard D. Reed

Middle Row (L-R): Wesley J. Todd, James M. Marquardt, Michael A. Dombos, Stephen M. Denenfeld, Lana M. Escamilla, Jennifer Wu, Owen D. Ramey, Kimberly L. Swinehart, Vernon Bennett III

Back Row (L-R): Christopher D. Morris, Jonathan J. Vander Horst, Joseph W. Vander Horst, David A. Lewis, Ronald W. Ryan, Michael A. Shields, Thomas C. Richardson

PERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

Plays

OLLI Senior Readers Theatre — Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute perform a play about growing older, 1:30–3 p.m. Oct. 2, Oshtemo Branch, Kalamazoo Public Library, 7265 W. Main St., kpl.gov.

POTUS— WMU Theatre presents this comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3–5 & 10–12, 2 p.m. Oct. 6 & 13, York Arena Theatre, WMU, 387-6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

SmartPeople— Four Harvard students search for love, success and identity, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18–19 & 26–27, Face Off Theatre Company, Jolliffe Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, faceofftheatre.com.

Ghost Stories— Stories celebrating the spooky season, 8 p.m. Oct. 18–19 & 25–26, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., 381-3328, thenewvictheatre.org.

HauntingofHillHouse— A supernatural drama about a house with a morbid history, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25–27 & Nov. 1–2, 2 p.m. Oct. 27 & Nov. 3; 7, 9 & 11 p.m. Oct. 31, Williams Theatre, WMU, 387-6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

Musicals

Jersey Boys — History of the band Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3–5, 2 p.m. Oct. 6, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, farmersalleytheatre.com.

LetItBe—Musical celebration of The Beatles, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4–5 & 11–12, 2 p.m. Oct. 6 & 13, Parish Theatre, 405 W. Lovell St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Let’sHaveaSatanicOrgy!— Queer Theatre Kalamazoo presents a cabaret featuring the music of Twin Temple, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17–19, Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave., queertk.org.

Finding Nemo Jr . — The Civic Youth Theatre’s Penguin Project presents an adventure based on the Pixar film, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 & Nov. 1, 10 a.m. Oct. 26 & Nov. 2, 2 p.m. Oct. 26–27 & Nov. 2–3, Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

DANCE

Christa Smutek — Open rehearsal with this National Choreography Competition winner, 5 p.m. Oct. 4, Dalton Center Studio B, WMU, wmich.edu/dance/events.

MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Liquid Note Concert Series — Blues Jam w/Alex Mays, 7 p.m. Oct. 2; Open mic w/Dan Agne, 7 p.m. Oct. 3; Da’Veonce & The Funk Gang, 8 p.m. Oct. 4; Silver Creek Revival, 8 p.m. Oct. 5; Blues Jam w/Joe Johnson, 7 p.m. Oct. 9; Strum, Dumb & Dumber, 8 p.m. Oct. 11; Pretty Rage, 8 p.m. Oct. 12; Blues Jam w/Michael Howe Jr., 7 p.m. Oct. 16; Megan Rae Band, 8 p.m. Oct. 18; Dew South, 8 p.m. Oct. 19; Blues Jam w/J.R. Clark, 7 p.m. Oct. 23; Nosferatu Live, 7 p.m. Oct. 24; Out of Favor Boys, 8 p.m. Oct. 25; Billy Gunther & The Midwest Riders, 8 p.m. Oct. 26; Blues Jam w/Dave Allemang, 7 p.m. Oct. 30; 119 E. Allegan St., Otsego, liquidnote.com.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Smells Like Nirvana, Oct. 4; The Dead Tongues w/Libby Rodenbough, Oct. 5; The Dead Floyd Brothers: A Tribute to The Grateful

Dead, Pink Floyd and Allman Brothers, Oct. 10; The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show, Oct. 11; Horseshoes & Hand Grenades w/Full Cord Trio, Oct. 12; Will Wood's Slouching Towards Bethlehem! Tour w/Shayfer James, Oct. 19; Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers w/Bri Bagwell, Oct. 20; Tigers Jaw, Oct. 22; Kitchen Dwellers w/Sicard Hollow, Oct. 23; Emo Nite, Oct. 25; Lower Leisure Class w/The Wild Woodys, Oct. 26; Shwayze w/Sensamotion & CLoud9 Vibes, Oct. 31; all shows at 8 p.m., 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332, bellsbeer.com.

Styx — The legendary rock band, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, wingseventcenter.com/ events.

The Hoot Owls — Acoustic country, bluegrass, folk, & blues, 2 p.m. Oct 13, Parchment Community Library, 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org.

Andy Grammer — Multi-platinum singer-songwriter, 8 p.m. Oct. 25, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More

WMU Symphony Orchestra — With 2024 Stulberg Silver Medalist Joshua Kovác, 3 p.m. Oct. 6, Miller Auditorium, WMU, stulberg.org.

Julius Rodriguez Quartet — Jazz quartet, 4 p.m. Oct. 6, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 342-1166, thegilmore.org.

The Joy of a Rich Harvest — Early Music Michigan Ensemble presents baroque chamber music for autumn, 4 p.m. Oct. 6, Connable Recital Hall, Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo College, earlymusicmichigan.org.

University Jazz Lab Band — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, wmich.edu/music/events.

CraftMusic:Tangos— Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra musicians perform, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 382–2332, kalamazoosymphony.org.

The Music of John Williams— The KSO performs film scores from Jaws, Jurassic Park, Star Wars & more, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.org.

Hub New Music — Chamber music quartet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9, Dalton Center Recital Hall, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

University Jazz Orchestra — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Candlelight: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and More — Presented by the Listeso String Quartet, 6 p.m. Oct. 12, Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St., feverup.com.

Choral Showcase — Featuring Amphion, Anima & University Chorale, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics — Performed by the Listeso String Quartet, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St., feverup. com.

Band Spectacular — Featuring University Wind Symphony, Concert Band & Symphonic Band, 2 p.m. Oct. 13, Miller Auditorium, 387-2300.

Invoke — Quartet playing classical, folk & bluegrass music, 5 p.m. Oct. 13, Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo College, connectingchordsfestival.com.

Kalamazoo Concert Band — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Comstock Community Auditorium, 2107 N. 26th St., Kalamazoo, kalamazooconcertband.org.

Dave Meder Jazz Ensemble — Guest artist recital, 7 p.m. Oct. 21, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

JungHae Kim — Harpsichordist, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Dalton Center Recital Hall, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

Lubana Al Quntar — Syrian vocalist with Bahar & Biyati ensembles and Orchestra Rouh, 7 p.m. Oct. 24, Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College, connectingchordsfestival. com.

Tubaween — Tuba performance, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Kitka — Women’s vocal ensemble, 7 p.m. Oct. 25, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 247 W. Lovell St., connectingchordsfestival.com.

Pipe Dreams — Organ music of Bach & others, 2 p.m. Oct. 27, KNAC/First Baptist Church, 315 W. Michigan Ave., kalamazoosymphony.org.

Western Winds — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Patricio Cosentino — Tubist, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Dalton Center Recital Hall, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

COMEDY

Eddie Griffin — 8 p.m. Oct. 5, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Jim Jefferies — 7 p.m. Oct. 11, State Theatre, kazoostate. com.

Cat & Nat’s Reckless Abandonment Tour — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

FILM

Coco — Film screening in celebration of Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), 1:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St., kiarts.org.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show — Screening of the 1975 movie with a live shadow cast, 9 p.m. Oct. 12, State Theatre, kazoostate.com; and 8 p.m. Oct. 26, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert — A live band plays along with the film, 4 p.m. Oct. 27, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org

Exhibitions

PowerfulForces:Legends,Rituals&WarriorsinEast Asian Art — Themes of power & legend intrinsic to East Asian heritage depicted in art, through Jan. 19.

LegendaryVoices:ArtfortheNextCentury— Artwork celebrating the KIA's centennial year, grouped by periods, artists & genres, through Feb. 16.

Events

ArtBridges Access for All — Free general admission every fourth Thursday of the month, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

DeVries Student Gallery Exhibitions — Ceramics Area Exhibition, Oct. 1–4; Kinetic Imaging Area Exhibition, Oct. 8–11; Print Media Area Exhibition, Oct. 22–31.

Visiting Artists Lecture Series — Suzie Shin, Oct. 10; John M. "Jack" Carney, Oct. 11; Sara Strong Glupker, Oct. 17; Aimee Lee, Oct. 29; all lectures begin at 5:30 p.m. in Room 2008.

Other Venues

Portage Community Art Award Exhibition — Works on the theme A Natural Place to Move, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Monday–Friday, through Oct. 30, Portage City Hall Atrium, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar.

BookArtsinItaly — Showcasing prints & books created during student group trips to Italy, Oct. 4–25, Kalamazoo

The Librarian’s Escape Room — Figure out how to escape the librarian’s locked room, 6–7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, children must be accompanied by an adult; 6 p.m. Oct. 30, adults and teens only; registration required.

Adult Book Club — Discussion of Waubgeshig Rice's Moon of the Crusted Snow, 6 p.m. Oct. 29; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

No Shelf Control: A Graphic Novel Book Club — Discussion of Marjorie Liu's Monstress Volume 1: Awakening, 6 p.m. Oct. 1, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St. Tea & Etiquette — An introduction to Chinese tea & a Chinese tea ceremony, 1 p.m. Oct. 4, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St.; registration required.

Community Visioning on Climate Action & Climate Justice Plan — A forum for input from Kalamazoo residents, 11 a.m. Oct. 5, Oshtemo Branch.

Kalamazoo Lyceum: A Life Well Lived — Screening of Sky Bergman's documentary Lives Well Lived, 1 p.m. Oct. 5, Central Library.

Monday Movie Matinee — 11 a.m. Oct. 7, Central Library.

Substance Use Disorder Overdose Prevention and Rescue — COPE Network educators talk about reducing stigma, responding to overdoses & recovery, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 7, Central Library; registration required.

Rose Street Poetry Club — Poetry reading & writing session for adults, 9 a.m. Oct. 8, Central Library.

Coffee and Connections — A community gathering with library staff, 1 p.m. Oct. 8 & 28, Central Library; light refreshments served.

All the Beauty in the World: Art & Healing — A handson workshop on the power of art in coping with life’s challenges, 2 p.m. Oct. 8, Oshtemo Library; registration required.

Bike Safety Workshop — Learn about road safety & preparing bikes for the colder months, 5 p.m. Oct. 8, Central Library.

A Potion Master’s Guide to Zero-Proof Elixirs — Angie Jackson’s non-alcoholic elixirs, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8, Oshtemo Branch; registration required.

Exploring Psychedelic Healing & Mental Health Treatment — A discussion on mental health benefits from Schedule I substances, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10, Central Library; registration required.

Learn EFT Skills with SWMI Health Matters — Discussion of the Emotional Freedom Technique, known as tapping, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 12, Oshtemo Library.

Should I Click on That? — Common scams, suspicious pop-ups, advertisements, links & your haywire computer, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Eastwood Branch, 1112 Gayle Ave. Haunted House — Family-friendly haunted house featuring Ghost Hunters host Dustin Pari, 4 p.m. Oct. 16, Central Library; refreshments served & family-friendly costumes encouraged.

KPL Mobile Library Family Literacy Day — Multigenerational activities in the Read & Seed Community Garden, 5 p.m. Oct. 16, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, 420 E. Alcott St.

Classics Revisited — Discussion of Voltaire’s Candide, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 17, Central Library.

Spooky Candy Houses — Made from graham crackers, frosting & candies, 10:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19, Central Library; registration required.

Music & Memories — Songs & discussion about how music brings up memories, 11 a.m. Oct. 21, Oshtemo Branch.

COLD BROOK

RIVER OAKS

Senior Citizens’ Breakfast — A hot breakfast & opportunity to ask healthcare questions, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 25, Eastwood Branch.

Bujo & Chill for Teens & Adults — A morning of lo-fi hip-hop music & bullet journaling, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 26, Oshtemo Branch.

Literacy in Your Community — Kalamazoo Literacy Council on the state of adult literacy in Kalamazoo, 4 p.m. Oct. 30, Oshtemo Branch.

Dungeons & Dragons Game Night — Adults from beginner to experienced levels, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Washington Square Branch, 1244 Portage St.; registration required.

Can Poetry Be Funny? — Friends of Poetry readings of short, humorous poems, 6 p.m. Oct. 30, Central Library.

Kelly J. Baptist — Discussion by the author of children’s & young adult books, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31, Oshtemo Branch.

Mary Calletto Rife Youth Literature Seminar — Online event featuring authors Vashi Harrison, Kelly Baptist and Emmy Kastner, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Nov. 1; registration required.

Parchment Community Library

401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Parchment Book Group – Discussion of Elizabeth Letts’ Finding Dorothy, 6 p.m. Oct. 14.

Mystery Book Club – Discussion of Andrea Penrose’s Murder on Black Swan Lane, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15.

Silent Book Club Sessions – Bring a book & read in companionable silence, 1:15 p.m. Oct. 23 & 5:15 p.m. Oct. 28.

Yum’s the Word: Decolonized Eating with Madalene Big Bear — 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23; limited seating; registration required with payment.

Portage District Library

300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info

Is an Electric Car Right for Me? — Steve Grieve discusses the evolving technology & marketplace of electric vehicles, 6 p.m. Oct. 1; registration required.

Home Staging — Tips & tricks on home staging, 4 p.m. Oct. 2; registration required.

Muffins and the Market — A discussion of stock market trends and resources, 9 a.m. Oct. 3 & 17.

Introduction to Mindful Meditation — 6 p.m. Oct. 3; registration required.

Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m. Oct. 5; members can shop early, 4 p.m. Oct. 4.

Kalamazoo County Historical Society — Monthly presentations on topics relating to Southwest Michigan, 7 p.m. Oct. 7.

International Mystery Book Club — Discussion of Leonie Swann’s The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp, 7 p.m. Oct. 10.

Documentary & Donuts — Viewing of Esther Newton Made Me Gay, 10 a.m. Oct. 11.

Yoga — An hour of gentle movement, 4 p.m. Oct. 15; registration required.

Plots & Pages: A Local Writers Group — Author Mark Love discusses the craft of writing, 6 p.m. Oct. 15.

Kathy Conder — The author of Hauntings, Spirits, and Eats: Michigan will talk about local & statewide haunts, 6 p.m. Oct. 17; registration required.

Edgar Wright Movie Night — Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, rated PG-13, Oct. 18; Last Night in Soho, rated R, Oct. 25; both shows 6:30 p.m.; registration required.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Help with Macintosh programs and accessories, 9 a.m. Oct. 19.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium members play instruments for relaxation and well-being, 10 a.m. Oct. 19; registration required.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — Open to anyone interested in genealogy, 7 p.m. Oct. 21; inperson and online.

SKYWARN® Storm Spotter Training — With the National Weather Service, 6 p.m. Oct. 22; no prior experience necessary; registration required.

Invasives as a Resource — Presented by the Kalamazoo Wild Ones chapter, devoted to environmentally friendly landscaping, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23.

Kalamazoo Plant It Forward October Swap — Indoor & outdoor plant swap, 10 a.m. Oct. 26.

Light Lunch & Literature — Discussion of a selection from Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, noon Oct. 28, with light lunch served; registration required.

Richland Community Library

8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Gina Stevens — An evening with the author & illustrator of several children’s books, 6 p.m. Oct. 2.

Cookbook Club — Sample & discuss recipes from Jenny Mollen’s Dictator Lunches, 6 p.m. Oct. 8.

Things That Go Bump in the Night — Historian Rhiannon Cizon shares spooky Michigan lore, 6 p.m. Oct. 9.

Dungeons & Dragons Bravo Team — Play a live game with other adults, 3 p.m. Oct. 10; registration required.

Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m. Oct. 12 & 26, in person & online.

RCL Book Club — Discussion of Elizabeth Camarillo

Gutierrez’s My Side of the River, 6 p.m. Oct. 17.

The Mystery Writer’s Murder — Help solve a crime at this murder mystery party, 6 p.m. Oct. 18; registration required.

Halloween Team Trivia — 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23; registration required.

Vicksburg District Library

215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.

Movie Club — Psycho, 6 p.m. Oct. 2, with refreshments served.

Book Club for Adults — 9:30 a.m. Oct. 3; this month’s book at the circulation desk.

MUSEUMS

Gilmore Car Museum

6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

Deutsche Marques Oktoberfest & Color Tour — A gathering of German cars, 9 a.m. Oct. 12; cars will depart on a color tour at 10 a.m.

Trunk or Treat — A free cruise-in style family event for the community, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

Exhibitions

Kalamazoo State Hospital: 165 Years of Psychiatric Care — The history of Michigan’s longest-operating mental hospital, through January.

Collecting Black History: Murphy Darden's Legacy — A mini-exhibit of artifacts from the Black history collection of the late Kalamazoo artist Murphy Darden, through March 2.

Events

Live Music for Silent Classics — Silent But Deadly performs original soundtracks to silent films, 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Oct. 5.

Photography and Imaging: Picture Perfect Chemistry — Techniques of artifact preservation & safely exhibiting fragile objects, noon Oct. 19.

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center

7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Bird Banding Up Close — View researchers banding birds for study, 8 a.m. Wednesdays, through Oct. 23; meet at the Banding Barn near KNC Camp. Kalamazoo River Guardians — Take samples & identify macroinvertebrates from the Kalamazoo River Watershed, 9 a.m. Oct. 5, beginning at Merrill Park, 5845 Comstock Ave.; registration required.

Returning & Reskilling Series — Jams & jellies, 4 p.m. Oct. 5, DeLano Homestead, 555 West E Ave.; registration required.

Know Your Nature Series: Foraging the Edible Wilderness — Foraging basics along KNC trails, 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17.

Raptor Run 5K & Kids Raptor Run — 9 a.m. & 10 a.m. Oct. 19; registration required.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Online Birds and Coffee Chat — Planning birding trips, 10 a.m. Oct. 9; registration required.

Bird Hike for World Migratory Bird Day — Guided bird hike, 9 a.m. Oct. 12; registration required.

Owl Prowl — Nighttime walk to listen & call for owls, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17; registration required.

Other Venues

Honorable Harvest Lecture Series — Exploring the principle that humans should give back to the land that sustains them: "Subsistence Farming: A Story from the Past with Teachings for the Future," Oct. 1; "Becoming the 'Fourth Sister': A Conversation with the Kalamazoo Seed Collaborative," Oct. 8; "Aerial Predators at Risk: Modern Agriculture’s Impact on Insectivores," Oct. 15; "Manoomin: The Food that Grows on Water," Oct. 22;

and "Building Food Sovereignty: Neighborhood Scale, Community Impact," Oct. 29; all lectures, 6:30 p.m., Room 223, KVCC’s Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St.; valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting & Speaker — Discussion of astrophotography & showing of photos taken locally, 7 p.m. Oct. 4, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., or online, kasonline.org.

Beginning Birding Walk — 9 a.m. Oct. 5; meet at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's second parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Session The Moon, Jupiter & Saturn, Oct. 12; Galaxies of Autumn, Oct. 26; both sessions 7 p.m., Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., kasonline.org.

Leaf-A-Legacy: Tree Planting Project — Help with planting of 400 trees over the next two years in Portage parks, 10 a.m. Oct. 27, Celery Flats, 7335 Garden Lane, portagemi.gov/calendar.

MISCELLANEOUS

Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 7 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 26; mini markets, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays through Oct. 10, 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets. com.

Kalamazoo County Senior Expo — Free event for older adults, with vendors & information booths, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 1, Main & South expo halls, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., AAA3Ainfo@kalcounty.com.

Festival Friday — Live music, vendors & food trucks, 5–10 p.m. Oct. 4, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., foodtruckrallykz.com.

Kalamazoo Hamfest 2024 — Event for amateur radio & electronics enthusiasts, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 5, Main & North expo halls, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kalamazoohamfest.org.

Taste of Heaven Community Block Party — Celebrating 25 years of a nonprofit enterprise of Youth for Christ Kalamazoo, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 5, Taste of Heaven, 2328 Winters Drive, discoverkalamazoo.com/event.

Olde Tyme Harvest Festival — Hayrides, pumpkin patch, corn shucks, husker shredder & more, Oct. 5–6, Scotts Mill County Park, 8451 S. 35th St., Scotts, 579-4627, kalcounty.com/newsandevents.

Portage Farmers Market — 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays through October, outside Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/643/markets.

Kalamazoo Record & CD Show — New & used records & CDs, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 6, Room A, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, rerunrecords.com.

People's Plant-Based Party — Vegan market, noon–4 p.m. Oct. 6, Kalamazoo Farmers Market; pfcmarkets.com/ peoples-plant-based-party.

Geek Fest — Robotics, games, art, comic books & cosplay, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 12, South Expo Hall, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 553-7911.

Vintage in the Zoo — Outdoor vintage & handmade goods sale, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 13, Kalamazoo Farmers Market, vintageinthezoo.com.

White Cane 5K — Raising awareness for the blind & visually impaired, 10 a.m. Oct. 13, Spring Valley Park, 2600 Mt. Olivet Road; registration required, whitecane5k.com.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals & exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 19, South Expo Hall, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kalamazooreptileexpo.com.

2024 Arts & Eats Tour — A tour of art, food & farms in Southwest Michigan, Oct. 19–20, various locations, see website for map, thornapplearts.org/artsandeats & Facebook page facebook.com/artsandeats.

Strange, Unusual, Crazy & Weird Highway Signs — Presentation by John Geisler, 2 p.m. Oct. 20, Vicksburg Historic Village Township Hall, 300 N. Richardson St., vicksburgmi.org.

Experience the Power of Sound Healing — Sound bath of singing bowls, chimes & drums, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22, Northside Association for Community Development, 612 N. Park St., kpl.gov/event.

Halloween Forest — A free event with a costume contest, inflatables, a corn maze, a magic show & games, 2–5 p.m. Oct. 26, Milham Park, 607 E. Kilgore, kzooparks.org.

Southwest Michigan Train Show & Sale — Presented by the Kalamazoo Model Railroad Historical Society, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 27, Main Expo Hall, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kmrhs.org.

Locations in Portage and Kalamazoo

Demarra West (continued from page 30)

clinical work as a school-based, home-based therapist, working in the substance abuse realm and in the holistic wellness space. I started Be Well Beautiful Woman in 2009, a program for female leaders and entrepreneurs that prioritizes wellness so they can heal, live joyous, abundant lives and have business success.

After the book was released, I realized that I only wanted to focus on healing and liberation work, particularly trauma recovery and trauma advocacy. And this beautiful business that I built (Change Agent Consulting) and that has fed me in a multitude of ways no longer fit in terms of my identity. I made the radical decision to close Change Agent Consulting's doors and launch Be Well Beautiful People, which is all about accessible healing and liberation support for the communities and the identities that need it the most. I also host the Be Well Beautiful People podcast and have a blog that's connected to that work.

Everyone, of course, can be supported by Be Well Beautiful People, but I'm really focused on the groups of people that are more susceptible to experiencing trauma across their lifespan and creating a safe space in the form of organizational and individual wellness. That could be assessment strategy, planning day and overnight retreats, therapeutic support, leadership development in the form of coaching, racial healing and everything in between.

It is a lot. It's huge. But with all the things that I've done over the years, I knew this is what I was born to do. Anything I put out there in the world and I talk about, I live it, I've been trained in it, I embody it, I practice it.

How did your childhood influence your work?

There's this saying that when you set out to heal the world, you realize that you have to heal yourself.

Even when I was doing clinical work, I didn't have any level of awareness that I had my own trauma recovery to do. The more of the ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) you have, the more complex your trauma. I had lived experiences with eight of 10 ACEs, including

physical, emotional and sexual abuse, poverty, neglect and domestic violence. The more I became certified to work with individuals on these issues, the more I started getting an awareness about my own trauma.

I didn't even say out loud that I was a survivor until about two or three years ago, which is actually much more normal than we think because of people believing that the past is the past, not being ready to share their story, the shame that they may carry as a result of that story, or the lack of awareness about the impact of how what they went through may be playing out within their lives.

This book was 26 years in the making. It was a lot of on-and-off writing, because when you're writing about your trauma, there's a re-traumatization that happens. It meant that I had to tell the story of my mother. I had to tell the story of my father. I had to talk about my siblings. I had to talk about all of the individuals who harmed me and the most painful things that I had endured.

I believe in divine timing. I wasn't supposed to write the book until now. I needed to go through my own healing. My healing allowed me to see the people who harmed me through the lens of trauma and through the lens of their own healing This allowed me to write the story with a level of neutrality, of truth telling with compassion, and an understanding of the humanity of someone who caused you grave harm.

This work has also caused another shift in your life.

I grew up and had my business in Kalamazoo and was laying the groundwork for Be Well Beautiful People to be here. But I felt that my time was coming up here, that what I was supposed to do here I had done. And Detroit was a place that, for whatever reason, just kept calling me. I moved there at the end of May. My work will continue to bring me to Kalamazoo. I have projects here that I'm working on right now. But I felt that I needed to be in a place that was beyond Kalamazoo to do the work that I know that I'm being called to do.

—Interview by Marie Lee, edited for length and clarity

Lori Hannemann, Michael Brundage, CFP® & Michelle Eldridge, CFA,CPWA® Wealth Management Partners

Demarra West Therapist, entrepreneur, author

Propelling others forward is what Demarra West, 44, has been doing for nearly two decades. Through her company, Change Agent Consulting, West worked as an executive coach and trained others in organizational and community development and business development. She was also the founding director of the Educating for Freedom in Schools program, providing out-of-school educational enrichment for youth in Kalamazoo. After getting a graduate degree in clinical mental health, she became a licensed therapist, a move that made her face her own complex childhood trauma. She chronicled that process in the book Me Too: A Therapist's Journey to Heal, Find Liberation, and Joy, which she released in December 2023. "I wrote my book based on my own lived experience with complex childhood trauma, and then a lot of things started shifting for me after that," she says. The experience, West says, made her want to dedicate herself to making trauma recovery and healing accessible to those most affected by it. She launched Be Well Beautiful People, a nonprofit organization that focuses on trauma recovery and wellness, especially for those of the BIPOC, LGBTQI+ and low-income populations and those impacted by incarceration and foster care. How did you get where you are today?

I have been an entrepreneur for the last 16 years, running Change Agent Consulting. My work takes me all over the world, focusing on things like strategic planning, business development and executive coaching and anti-racism training and a lot of things in between. During that time, I became a licensed therapist and have done

(continued on page 29)

CULTURAL MEMBERSHIP EXCHANGE

Six cultural institutions join together offering free admission to each other’s members all October! Join today, visit in October!

Simply present your membership card from any one of these cultural sites to visit the others for free! Additional fees may apply for classes and special attractions.

EXPLORE MORE THIS OCTOBER ONE MEMBERSHIP, SIX AMAZING DESTINATIONS! Visit three in October & ENTER