Community Updates: Friday, March 10

Grand Rapids Public Museum to Add Two New Programs to its GR Stories Series

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) has announced that, later this month, it will be adding two new programs to its GR Stories series. Both of the in-person events will be free and open to the public, though registration will be required. 

The first program is called GR Stories - The Grand River Burial Mounds, The Place Where Our Ancestors Rest. According to a press release that was sent out by the GRPM on Tuesday, this program will offer Grand Rapidians a chance "to learn more about indigenous perspectives on and relationships with the site known by many as the "Norton" mounds." Two presentations will be given at this event, one by Ron Yob (Chairman of the Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians), and the other by Dr. Andrea Riley-Mukavetz (Grand Rapids' Community Engagement Manager, former GVSU Associate Professor, and citizen of the Chippewa of Thames First Nation). Jannan Cotto, the Anishinaabe Curator at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, made the following statement in Tuesday's announcement:   

"We are excited that Chairman Ron Yob will be joining us to share tribal perspectives on the mounds and the ancestors, as well as how tribal communities have maintained relationships with the mounds site over time. We are also very excited that indigenous scholar Andrea Riley-Mukavetz will share insights and connections she is making through her sabbatical research project, focusing on trail marker trees and burial mounds."

Additionally, Jannan Cotto will be speaking about the Grand River Burial Mounds Interpretation Initiative, "a partnership between the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the City of Grand Rapids, and regional tribes, [that] will allow for expanded public knowledge and appreciation of one of the few surviving indigenous burial mound groups in the region."

GR Stories - The Grand River Burial Mounds, The Place Where Our Ancestors Rest will be held in the Meijer Theater from 4:00pm to 5:30pm on Saturday, March 25. Registration is available here.

The second program, called GR Stories - Public Health History in Grand Rapids, will be held in partnership with Grand Valley State University (GVSU). Through this program, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the history of public health in Grand Rapids, including numerous advancements in science and infrastructure that were pioneered right here in the City. Attendees will also get to hear research-based presentations from Hannah Krebs, Callie Dzurisin, and Coltrane Bodbyl-Mast -- all three of whom are students at GVSU. Faculty from Grand Valley State University, Dr. Carolyn Shapiro-Shapin (Professor of History), Dr. Abigail Gautreau (Assistant Professor of History), and Dr. Matthew Daley (Professor of History), will be moderating the event. 

GR Stories - Public Health History in Grand Rapids will be held in the Meijer Theater beginning at 6:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm) on Wednesday, March 29. Registration is available here.

Those who cannot attend these events in-person can also watch recorded versions on the GRPM's website, YouTube, and Facebook.

Grand Rapids Community Encouraged to Attend Upcoming "Public Safety Outreach" Engagement Sessions  

On Tuesday, the City of Grand Rapids announced that it will be holding two community engagement sessions later this month. These sessions, organized by the National Civic League and the GR Public Safety Committee, will serve as a forum for Grand Rapidians of all backgrounds to share their thoughts, concerns, and questions regarding safety and public health in the City.

Residents, local business owners, and other interested parties will also have the chance to learn more about what the City has been doing recently to improve public health and safety in Grand Rapids and discuss these projects/initiatives with City staff. 

The event schedule provided in Tuesday's press release can be found below:

For more information about these community engagement sessions, visit the City's website here. 

Also in the News:

• On Thursday, the Grand Rapids Public Museum announced another upcoming event (not part of the GR Stories series). This event, RE: Models Fashion Show and Exhibition, will be held on April 18 in partnership with Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.

• The City of Grand Rapids has announced that the Community Master Plan Launch Party that was originally scheduled to take place in the First Ward on Wednesday, February 22 has officially been rescheduled. It will now begin at 5:00pm on Wednesday, March 15 at Harrison Park Academy. For more information, visit the City's website here. 

Sharing Your Stories

The Rapidian encourages local residents to share their own stories related to civic, economic, and public health developments in the Grand Rapids area on The Rapidian’s platform. To get started as a community reporter, visit TheRapidian.org/write.