ISAAC welcomes two new staff members, Johnnie Berry, Community Organizer for Youth Violence & Drug Prevention initiatives, and Vanessa Miller, Community Organizer for Education & Early Childhood initiatives. Both are from the Kalamazoo area and have strong experience locally, working for a more just community. Come meet them March 29 at the ISAAC Banquet!
If you or someone you know would like to learn the skills to build a more just community, and become more engaged or more effective in ISAAC, don’t miss this chance! There are still a few openings for the ISAAC Organizing Skills Training Workshop on Saturday, November 9, so the due date for applications is […]
Come see why we’re not voting on changing our issues this year! We’re in the middle of so much good work! Join us. Put feet to your faith. Help build a more just community. Thursday, October 3 at 7:00 pm First Congregational Church UCC 129 S. Park St. Kalamazoo 49007 Enter on W. Michigan Ave. […]
Our new address is: ISAAC c/o St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 247 West Lovell St. (between Rose St. and Park St.) Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Enter at the wide driveway on Lovell St. or from Park St. Park in the angled parking spaces at the back of the lot. (The numbered spaces in the front are rented […]
Public Meeting on 10/11/12 at Galilee Baptist Church The whole crowd of 500+ rose to their feet when Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley answered, “Yes. Absolutely. 100%,” to the question of whether he was committed to implementing Ceasefire, David M. Kennedy’s dramatically successful approach to reducing youth violence. Click the links to see the media […]
The whole crowd of 500+ rose to their feet when Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley answered, “Yes. Absolutely. 100%,” to the question of whether he was committed to implementing Ceasefire, David M. Kennedy’s dramatically successful approach to reducing youth violence. Click the links to see the media coverage in the… Kalamazoo Gazette WWMT TV WKZO […]
2012 Task Forces Chosen: Education & Early Childhood, Youth Violence & Drug Prevention, Transportation, Affordable Housing
Ed Genesis is an artist, poet, musician, organizer, entrepreneur, and community leader. Born and raised in Gary, Indiana and moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan permanently in his early 20’s, his love of art/music, his passion for his people and community, and his gift of creativity are evident in all areas of his work. In October 2018 Ed Genesis released a song to accompany the campaign he was working on around school push out, entitled Junior High, which was distributed nationwide including on his own iHeart radio station, Spotify, and iTunes.
In 2017 Ed Genesis created Poetic Justice, a monthly open-mic that was hosted/led by 5 local poets. He has performed as well as hosted several events such as the Black Arts Festival, the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival, and the National Day of Racial Healing.
Ed Genesis is Lead Mentor and head of community relations at Speak It Forward where he teaches youth at Lakeside Academy, Starr-Commonwealth, and the Kalamazoo County Juvenile home healing through music and art. In 2017, he started WE ACTIVE! a community organization aimed at fighting against mass incarceration and the school to prison pipeline. The organization was recognized by the State of Michigan and presented with a Special Tribute by Representative Jon Hoadley for its work on Criminal Justice Reform and Mass Incarceration in the Kalamazoo Community. Ed Genesis has been a panelist and featured speaker in Washington D.C., Chicago, and Milwaukee. He has and continues to collaborate with artists local to Kalamazoo, youth included, to create music to address social justice issues. In 2018 Ed Genesis joined Truth Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT). He leads the Racial Healing design team with a focus on healing justice and is also part of the Law Design Team.
ISAAC
