Celebrating Pride: J. Kyon
J. Kyon, Director of Community Impact at YWCA of Kalamazoo, is an advocate for gender equity and a leading voice in the fight against racism.
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2022/06/28/celebrating-pride-j-kyon/Big Pride
Celebrating Pride: Dell Darnell
Dell Darnell is the owner of The Dapper Hammer. They are passionate about helping others gain access to information about gender diversity.
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2022/06/23/celebrating-pride-dell-darnell/
Celebrating Pride: David Feaster
David Feaster, Community Investment Officer at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, is a leader in the Kalamazoo LGBTQIA+ community.
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2022/06/18/celebrating-pride-david-feaster/
Celebrating Pride and Local Black Heroes: Dr. Michelle S. Johnson
Dr. Michelle S. Johnson,CEO of Playgrown and co-founder of The Institute of Public Scholarship, changes Kalamazoo through her work.
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2022/06/09/celebrating-local-black-heroes-and-pride-michelle-johnson/
Celebrating Pride: Avery Green
Avery Green wants LGBTQ+ youth to hear, “Be yourself, be unapologetic. It’s going to be okay, you’ll find your people and your place. Sometimes it can be hard and people may not understand you, but you are strong. Everything that makes you different or stand out- people will value those things the most.”
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/24/celebrating-pride-avery-green/
Celebrating Pride: Demetrias Wolverton
Demetrias Wolverton wants BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth to know they shouldn’t, “… be afraid of occupying spaces as your authentic self, because queer people of color have been the pioneers of social justice and civil rights movements since the beginning of time.”
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/21/celebrating-pride-demetrias-wolverton/
Celebrating Pride: Denise Miller
Denise Miller says they would tell their younger self to, “Trust your heart, your self, your intuition, and your relationship with God.” Miller reflects that spending so much of their life fighting with their self-narrative only harmed them, no one else.
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/17/celebrating-pride-denise-miller/
Celebrating Pride: Donta Andrews
Donta Andrews shares, “Women issues, race issues, LGBTQ issues are human issues. If you don’t care about them, you should be examining that.”
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/14/celebrating-pride-donta-andrews/
Celebrating Pride: Maggie Adams
Maggie Adams hopes that one day there is “no such thing as ‘coming out’ … that ‘normal’ is young kids feeling valid and accepted …”
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/09/celebrating-pride-maggie-adams/
Celebrating Pride: Janelle “Nelly” Smith
Janelle “Nelly” Smith encourages LGBTQ+ youth to: “Live for you. Most people that are scared to come out … end up eating at themselves their whole life.”
https://www.bbbsmi.org/2021/06/03/janelle-nelly-smith/