Anti-Racism was chosen again at the ISAAC Issues Convention on October 26, 2017, after personal accounts about experiencing racism, historically and presently, were shared by:

• Cradle Kalamazoo
• Anti-Racism Task Force Co-Chair Al Dixon
• Kalamazoo Public Library Anti-Racism Team and Board Member Kerria Randolph
• PFC Anti-Racism Team members Jo Woods and J. Kyon

Our task force is working to build a stronger anti-racism community to benefit all of us. Our community voted for our task force to continue our fight against racism.

• 7 task force members participated in a “Change the Mascot” rally, led by members of our indigenous community because names like “R—skins” are very demeaning.
• 1 Critical Cultural Competency Workshop is being planned with ERACCE for community businesses and agencies to help them recruit and retain people of color at all levels.
• 5 State of Michigan leaders – Gov. Rick Snyder, Senator Margaret O’Brien, Representatives Jon Hoadley and Brandt Iden, and School Reform Officer Natasha Baker – received the ISAAC letter about school closures: “Federal housing policy is largely responsible for creating segregation and the concentrated poverty that surrounds most low-performing schools.” “Schools serving students living in concentrated poverty have a monumental task caused by failures outside their walls. These schools deserve extra resources, not closure or harsh interventions.”
• We hosted three Health Equity Workshops to help health providers end racial disparities in health care.
• We conducted one-on-ones with leaders of SHARE, ERACCE, W.E. Upjohn Institute, Kalamazoo Community Mental Health Substance Abuse Services, Commissioners Workforce, Kalamazoo Public Library.
• We participated in an ISAAC Racial Healing Circle facilitated by the Center for Courage & Renewal, hosted by SHARE (Society for History And Racial Equity.)
• We hosted “Stand Up: Protect the Vote”, a public forum on voter rights with Mt. Zion Baptist Church and The League of Women Voters Kalamazoo.
• We participated in the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) process
  • Engaged in the First Annual National Day of Healing in Kalamazoo
  • ISAAC representatives participated in Racial Healing Work Group, Separation Sector, and Implicit Bias Sessions
  • ISAAC representatives attended the TRHT Kalamazoo kick-off and visioning session

We partnered with WMU Lewis Walker Institute on “The Death Gap: How Inequity Kills.”