Together, we can do better

I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by people who are passionate about making Kalamazoo County a vibrant, thriving community where every person can reach their full potential.

Over the last decade, I have learned that in order to have meaningful impact in our community we have to address the root cause of an issue. This requires a deeper understanding of the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing what they need to live positive lives.

The Board of Trustees at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) more than three years ago began to enhance its understanding of community issues. Our trustees developed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) curriculum to sharpen their ability to contribute to our mission: removing barriers so every adult and child in Kalamazoo County can reach full potential.

The board’s DEI curriculum is a year-long effort that includes on-site training, reading materials, and attending area art exhibits and seminars. The topics include housing segregation, white fragility, implicit bias, ableism, dynamics of race, micro-aggressions and the power imbalances that exist in philanthropy.

We are not the only local organization exploring and embedding DEI in our work. Our cover story (found on page 4) features the journey the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo’s (ACGK) leadership team is taking to make its programming and internal culture more inclusive.

It is stories like these that inspire us to be more intentional about creating a sense of community and a sense of belonging for every individual in Kalamazoo County.

As Maya Angelou’s quote suggests, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Knowing better is the result of curiosity, learning and adapting. Join our learning journey by reading our publications, such as UPDATE, and connecting with us on social media. Share your curiosity with us.

Together, we can do better.

Carrie Pickett-Erway President/CEO