My2024 Declaration for the Futures of the LGBTQ Movement
The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center is excited to invite you to join in a nationwide call to help shape the future of the LGBTQ movement. On October 8, the KGLRC will
be one of the first organizations across the country to participate in My2024.
My2024 is an online game, a national conversation, and a giant party for 10 days in October 2014. My2024 asks lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people across the United States how our lives and communities could change by the year 2024. KGLRC is proud to be a local collaborator of My2024, which is a partnership between the Arcus Foundation and the Institute for the Future.
Visit here for additional details and to pre-register for My2024.
Is there a future for the LGBTQ movement? No, there are thousands. One of them is yours. Help build the future of the movement. We need your voice. My2024 will help participants imagine new possibilities for life in the future. So much can happen in 10 years! Every story you share helps to build the My2024 Declaration, a call-to-action for the next decade of the LGBTQ movement. Because your future is the future of the LGBTQ movement.
Join us at the KGLRC on Wednesday, October 8, from 4-5:30pm as we build our futures together. There will be dinner and refreshments for participants. Now is the time for us to collectively imagine the future of LGBTQ life in the U.S.
Louie’s Trophy House Grill will host our September 4th Mixer
Join us on Thursday, September 4th, from 6-9pm for the First Thursdays LGBTQ Mixer at Louie’s!
Louie’s is located on the corner of East North St. and Walbridge St. (440 East North Street). You will find us gathered in the back courtyard if the weather permits. Otherwise, you will find us as soon as you open the front door. (Let’s just say, good things come in small packages!) If you’ve always wanted to have your picture taken with a stuffed bear, Louie’s is your place. If you’re looking for some great food and a casual atmosphere, Louie’s is your place. And, if you’d like to connect with other members of the LGBTQ community, First Thursdays is your group. See you there!
Community Forum to be Held Aug. 14 by Hate Crime Awareness Coalition
Kalamazoo community leaders aim to begin to build awareness in the community about current hate crime legislation in Michigan at a community forum on August 14. The group wants to ensure that Kalamazoo is a safe and affirming place for all sexual orientations and gender identities. 
The formation of the Hate Crime Awareness Coalition is a result of the latest in a series of attacks on LGBT people living in the Kalamazoo area, most notably the violation of the home of Katrina and Marashette Burks on July 16.
These acts have prompted a collection of LGBT and anti-violence organizations to form a coalition. Equality Michigan, the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, the Kalamazoo Alliance for Equality, Community AIDS Resources and Education Services, Badland Strategies, WMU Office of LBGT Services, Mothers of Hope, Fire, Disability Network Southwest Michigan, YWCA of Greater Kalamazoo and other community partners have formed the Hate Crime Awareness Coalition to help educate and inform the Kalamazoo area on the impact of hate crimes.
The coalition will be holding a community forum at the Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson Street in Kalamazoo on August 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. All members of the Kalamazoo community are invited and encouraged to attend. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; program starts at 6 p.m.
Jay Maddock, executive director of the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, shares the collation’s concern of ensuring that LGBT individuals and families are safe and feel free to love who they are in Kalamazoo and in Michigan.
“We need to stand up as a community to put pressure on our legislators to update the hate crime law to include the LGBTQ community,” says Maddock. “Additionally, this coalition and this forum aim to show that messages of love and support are louder than messages of hate in Kalamazoo.”
The Burks have thanked the KGLRC again and again for their support and really want to make sure the community knows how thankful they are.
“We just want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped us and to everyone who is showing us support and kindness,” says Marashette Burks. “We really appreciate everything, and we think the community forum is a step in the right direction for creating a safer community for LGBT individuals.”
For more information about the forum, contact Jay Maddock at (269) 349-4234.
Hate Crime Awareness Coalition: Community Forum
An attack on one of us impacts all of us.
In the early morning hours of July 16, Katrina and Marashette Burks returned to their Kalamazoo home to find that their safe haven had been violated. This was the latest in a series of attacks on LGBT people living in the Kalamazoo.
These acts have prompted a collection of LGBT and anti-violence organization to form a coalition. Equality Michigan, the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, the Kalamazoo Alliance for Equality, Community AIDS Resources and Education Services, Badland Strategies, WMU Office of LBGT Services and other community partners have formed a Hate Crime Awareness Coalition to help educate and inform the Kalamazoo area on the impact of hate crimes.
The coalition will be holding a community forum at Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson Street in Kalamazoo on August 14, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. All members of the Kalamazoo community are invited and encouraged to attend. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; program starts at 6 p.m.
Sky Deck will host our August 7th Mixer
Join us on Thursday, August 7th, from 6-9pm for the First Thursdays LGBTQ Mixer at Sky Deck!
Sky Deck is located above Monaco Bay at 300 E Michigan Avenue. Head to the back and then take the elevator up to the rooftop. Watch the sunset and relax under the stars while you take in the beautiful views of the city with a full service bar and seating. We look forward to seeing you there!
Hate Crime Awareness Coalition Formed
We all want to be able to live as our authentic selves free of fear and violence. And even when the world feels scary, we hope that our home can always be our safe haven. In the early morning hours of July 16, Katrina and Marashette Burks returned to their Kalamazoo home to find that their safe haven had been violated. Their home had been broken into, robbed and vandalized. Messages with homophobic slurs and “Move or die” were spray painted on walls in their home. A wedding photo that hung on their living room wall was smashed and their wedding album—gone. Katrina and Marashette currently cannot go anywhere in their home without seeing the messages of hate. They are still visibly shaken.
Unfortunately Wednesday’s incident is not the only recent crime in Kalamazoo that targeted the LGBT community. There have been several over the last month. When a hate crime happens to an individual or family in our community, it affects us all. The realization that it could have been any one of us quickly rises to the surface. The comforting feeling of a safe and affirming community begins to dissipate. We know that many LGBTQ people do not feel safe living out and openly. In fact over 50% of LGBT individuals live in fear of being the targets of anti-LGBT violence. The LGBT community is certainly a vulnerable population which is the target of hate specific crimes. Yet, Michigan is one of 18 states, which does not include sexual orientation in its hate crime legislation, and one of 22 states which does not include gender identity in its hate crime legislation. Put simply—this is not acceptable. We need legislation that protects LGBTQ folks and their families. Everyone wants a safe place to live. We want to make Kalamazoo and Michigan a safe place to live for all Michiganders.
So what can you do?
The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, the Kalamazoo Alliance for Equality, Community AIDS Resources and Education Services, Equality Michigan, Badland Strategies, WMU Office of LBGT Services and other community partners are forming a Hate Crime Awareness Coalition to help educate and inform the community.
- Donate. Your donations will help us provide direct support to Marashette and Katrina and others who find themselves targeted. Marashette and Katrina’s rent money was stolen along with other items and really need our support, in fact they are struggling to ask for help. Donations will also help us hold community forums and educate and advocate to the greater Kalamazoo community about the importance of protecting the LGBTQ community. (Please designate your donation to “Hate Crime Awareness Coalition.”)
- Stay Informed and Keep Others Informed. We as a community need to always look out for one another and be on high alert. If you hear of an incident, report it and keep your neighbors and friends in the loop. We all want to stay safe and staying informed keeps us all safe.
- Get Involved. We’ll be holding a community forum on August 13. Attend and bring others with you. More details to come. Contact Jay at (269)349-4234 or [email protected] for more information.
DONATE TO THE HATE CRIME AWARENESS COALITION
Please designate your donation to “Hate Crime Awareness Coalition.”
Maddock appointed KGLRC Executive Director
The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center (KGLRC) is excited to announce that it has appointed Jay Maddock as the organization’s new Executive Director, effective immediately. Maddock has been working as the Program Director at the KGLRC since October 2012 where he led programmatic initiatives ranging from the Triangle Mentorship Program and LGBT inclusivity trainings to services for aging LGBT populations and the Transgender Committee.
Jay Maddock
Jay Maddock begins his tenure as Executive Director ready to lead the organization in its efforts to create a safe, affirming and welcoming community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender individuals, and their allies. Maddock says, “I’m honored that the Board of Directors has given me this opportunity to lead the KGLRC into its exciting next chapter.” Adding, “The Resource Center has a long and rich history of providing essential programming and services to the LGBT community of Greater Kalamazoo, and I’m very excited to lead our efforts to ensure people love who they are. The KGLRC board, staff, and volunteers are a group of talented and dedicated individuals who do amazing work every day. I know, together, we are going to continue to accomplish great things and make positive impacts for all LGBT individuals and families in the Greater Kalamazoo area.”
He has lived in Kalamazoo for ten years, leaving his Ann Arbor and California roots to attend Western Michigan University for Social Work. In Kalamazoo, Mr. Maddock has worked at a number of local non-profits including Great Lakes PeaceJam and Planned Parenthood Mid South Michigan.
The Board of Directors chose Mr. Maddock after an extensive search beginning when their previous Executive Director, Zach Bauer, joined the Kalamazoo Community Foundation in March. Dr. Carol Anderson, President of the Board, said “We are thrilled to be able to bring Mr. Maddock into the role of the Executive Director. We had a highly competitive pool of candidates and the choice was not an easy one. We are confident that Mr. Maddock understands the dynamic role of the KGLRC in Southwest Michigan and the rapidly changing landscapes for non-profits today.”
The Board of the KGLRC is looking forward to consolidating our recent initiatives with Mr. Maddock: our emerging job training program, designed to introduce employers and employees to the unique needs of the LGBT community throughout Southwest Michigan; our innovations with our youth support group, Connections; and our collaborative work to provide LGBT inclusive care to seniors. The KGLRC just held their most successful Pride celebration last month, with a record-breaking attendance. Maddock concluded, “The KGLRC has a bright future in Southwest Michigan.”
July 10th Mixer is at Bell’s Eccentric Café
Due to the holiday, July’s first thursdays mixer will be held on the SECOND thursday – July 10th, from 6-9pm at Bell’s Eccentric Café. Join us in the beer garden to spend a summer evening toasting a huge thank you to Bell’s Brewery – the presenting sponsor of Kalamazoo Pride again this year. Not only did they give financial support to Pride, Bell’s went above and beyond by advertising for the event, giving away a ton of swag during the event, providing onsite assistance throughout the weekend, AND they allowed us to offer great quality craft beer to those who attended. (Sparkleberry anyone?) Let’s bring in a crowd and show Bell’s how much we appreciate their support of our community!
Bell’s is located at 355 East Kalamazoo Avenue, downtown Kalamazoo. (Must be 21+ after 8pm.)
HRC to Address Faith and LGBT Equality at Kalamazoo Pride Brunch
KALAMAZOO—The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will discuss their religion and faith program during the Pride Brunch, held annually during Kalamazoo Pride weekend, with proceeds going to support the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center (KGLRC).
Dr. Sharon Groves, Director of the Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign, will speak at the event that begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Cityscape (125 S. Kalamazoo Mall), delivering a presentation on engaging all faith traditions in a deeper dialogue on questions of fairness and equality for LGBT Americans.
Tickets are $35 and include brunch, Saturday admission to Kalamazoo Pride 2014 and entry in hourly Pride Raffles. Tickets can be purchased at the KGLRC in advance or at the door. Reservations are requested at [email protected], or by phone at (269) 349-4234.
“We are tremendously excited to have participants in Kalamazoo Pride who are advancing equality at a national level,” states Jay Maddock, Program Director for the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center. “In particular, the involvement of Dr. Sharon Groves and the Human Rights Campaign supports the actions that local faith leaders have taken toward full inclusion of the public and religious lives of LGBT community members.”
The Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign is working to create a world where nobody is forced to choose between who they are or who they love and what they believe. Through her work, Groves engages extensively with religious leaders nationwide to advance dialogues around faith and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.
She has guided the mobilization of faith organizers in statewide advocacy work, including marriage efforts in Oregon, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland and Washington State. Groves has also overseen the development of many training tools and resources for advocacy efforts as well as efforts to increase understanding of LGBT family and friends from a faith perspective.
“The Pride Brunch has become one of our most sought-after tickets of the year, and we have changed venues to accommodate the growing interest in this event,” Maddock says. “This is the first year that the HRC has participated in Kalamazoo Pride, and the KGLRC is extremely pleased to welcome them.”
Kalamazoo Pride 2014 is June 13 and 14 at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo. For more information, or to volunteer, visit kglrc.org/pride.
The Wine Loft will host our June 5th Mixer
Join us on June 5th, from 6-9pm for the First Thursdays LGBTQ Mixer, upstairs at The Wine Loft, located at 161 East Michigan Avenue.
Housed in the historic “Haymarket” building in downtown Kalamazoo, The Wine Loft is the perfect place to catch up with friends, enjoy a wine tasting, and sometimes even meet the wine makers. Exposed brick walls, original beams and the cozy loft space (where we will be gathered) make for a warm and inviting atmosphere. And, just next door is Arcadia Creek Festival Place - home of Kalamazoo Pride!
Speaking of Pride, if you haven’t already done so, this will be one of your last opportunities to purchase a $10 weekend pass or a $50 VIP pass - both are available in advance only. So, bring some extra cash and then get ready to celebrate with us at Pride on June 13th and 14th.
See you at The Wine Loft!
Annual Events
