Be the Beloved Community Part 2

In 2010 ISAAC brought to us “Be the Beloved Community” under the leadership of Executive Director Rachael Tanner and Community Organizers Jomil Wells and Rev. Nathan Dannison. I thank them for this powerful foundation and their awesome work! The year 2017 has brought fear and concern of the unknown, as well as divisiveness as a […]

Schedule your Video & Discussion by May 2017

How can we help adults react positively to behavior of chronically stressed children? A first step is raising awareness that there is such a thing as chronic stress, and that it affects children’s behavior. The ISAAC Early Childhood and Education Task Force has organized screenings of the Raising of America videos on chronic trauma, Wounded […]

Future Leaders for Peace Kick-Off March 18, 2017

Do you know any 8 th-12th graders who’d like to learn to do youth-led advocacy and community organizing? They are invited to the Future Leaders for Peace Kick-Off on Saturday March 18, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (where the ISAAC office is), 247 West Lovell St. in downtown Kalamazoo. Over the next year, Future Leaders […]

Service of Remembrance & Action February 19, 2017

On Sunday, February 19th at 4:00 PM there will be a Service of Remembrance and Action at Second Baptist Church located at 609 North Rose St, across from Metro Transit in downtown Kalamazoo, to remember those in our area who have died by firearms. If your family has experienced the tragedy and grief of a […]

Let’s fill the Alamo Feb. 24!

I emailed the Kalamazoo Alamo Drafthouse Movie Theater to ask if and when the James Baldwin film I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO will be showing there. The Alamo replied, “We finally got a confirmed date for I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO on February 24.

National Day of Racial Healing

RSVP at storiesunite.eventbrite.com or call Lanna Lewis at (269) 381-4416. According to Lanna Lewis, community investment manager at Kalamazoo Community Foundation, “We’ll be showing segments in a film festival format, with opportunities to interact, discuss, and reflect, as well as build relationships with community members.” Area partners planning this event include ISAAC (Interfaith Strategy for […]

Future Leaders For Peace

ISAAC will start taking applications for its youth advocacy program “Future Leaders For Peace” in February. Youth in 8th-12th grade will be eligible.

ISAAC’s primary goal for its youth is to ensure that their voice is present in both their community and school settings, as well as local, state, and national policy arenas.

Banquet DVD with Dr. J. Louis Felton’s Keynote

DVD’s of the sold-out ISAAC Banquet in June 2016 are finally ready!  If you missed it, you will want to see the keynote address by Dr. J. Louis Felton, former Senior Pastor at Galilee Baptist Church and co-founder of ISAAC 15 years ago.  If you were there, you know you want to hear it again! […]

President’s Message

What am I going to do now? Why did this happen this way? How could this have happened? I’m excited for the future. It’s not that bad! Finally there will be some needed change. I’m going to move. Can you believe what just happened? OMG! The country has truly shown it colors. Social Justice is […]

“Follow me to Justice” ISAAC Bumper Sticker

Beautiful new ISAAC bumper stickers are about to arrive! Your stickers will spread the word about our work, and help fund it at the same time! ($5 each) Thanks to Rabbi Matt Zerwekh for the wording on the sticker, Amy Peterson for great design work, Tobi Hanna-Davies for organizing and Steve Barber for inspiring and initiating the whole idea.

Youth Violence Prevention – Urgent Message

Michigan Senate Bill 442 would allow hidden, loaded handguns to be carried into schools, college classrooms and bars.  It was voted out of Committee and will be voted on by the full Michigan Senate sometime SOON. Please call your State Senator.  It is easy and takes less than a minute.  When you get connected to your senator or their […]