Kate Opalewski
Opening the Doors to LGBTQ-Focused Care
HELPs staff has grown in the last 30 years from just a handful of dedicated individuals to around 30 people, who will provide culturally-competent care to LGBTQ patients. A clinical dietitian at the Corktown Health Center provides medical nutrition [...]
Freedom House Funding Restored
Program Manager TJ Rogers said Freedom House will refine a plan that decreases their reliance on government funds going forward. BTL File Photo: Andrew Potter. A technical error in grant application scoring by the federal Department of Housing and [...]
Annual Spring Bash Raises Funds for Affirmations
123456789101112ÔÑÑÔÑÖ Affirmations' Annual Spring Bash themed Emerald City was "an incredible success" this year with over 450 people in attendance. The event on March 18 at the MGM Grand Detroit raised a total of $194,000 for the [...]
Transgender Women of Color Need Access to Public Resources, Better Allies
Julisa Abad, director of transgender outreach with the Fair Michigan Justice Project. During various local LGBTQ community meetings over the last few months, someone always raises their hand to ask how they can be a better ally for the transgender [...]
Friends Before Lovers: Building a Relationship to Last
Sometimes, the best love relationships are the ones that are based on friendship. As is the case with Hannah Hartley and Diane Schultz, two transgender women who met four years ago during an LGBT community meeting at Affirmations in [...]
Assault on Marriage Equality Under Banner of 'Religious Liberty'
Robert Ingersoll, left, and Curt Freed were refused service by the owner of Arlene's Flowers in Richland, Washington, for their 2013 wedding. It took the work of an entire community across the U.S., and the dedication and time of legal teams in many [...]
Emerge Michigan Prepares Democratic Women for Public Office
Emerge Michigan board Emerge Executive Director Beth Kelly. One of the few good things to come out of the presidential election is the enormous uptick of women who want to influence positive change. "We haven't had to go out and build that passion [...]
Q&A with New EQMI Board Member Buzz Thomas
Former State Senator Buzz Thomas was added to Equality Michigan's board of directors in January to strengthen the work of the organization as the LGBT and allied communities of Michigan continue to build the path towards expanding statewide [...]
Affirmations: There's No Place Like Home
Affirmations board of directors president Frank Aiello with program services director Lilianna Reyes, and recipient of the 2016 Lorna Utley Outstanding Ally Award, Jennifer Stacer. Photo courtesy of Affirmations The annual Spring Bash at [...]
Horses' Haven Provides Humane Care for Majestic Creatures
Horses' Haven is a volunteer-run agency in Howell that depends solely on the generosity of its volunteers and supporters who share a love and compassion for horses, ponies, donkeys and other large animals in need. Snickers, a dark chocolate Bay, is [...]
Places to Adopt Pets in Michigan
Michigan Humane Society Mackey Center for Animal Care at the Dresner Foundation Animal Care Campus 7887 Chrysler Drive, Detroit, 313-872-3400 Rochester Hills Center for Animal Care 3600 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 248-852-7420 Berman Center [...]
Powering Progress Together at Michigan Summit
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow addresses the summit.Photo courtesy of Ann Savage LANSING – More than 700 progressives, both veteran organizers and newcomers to progressive activism, came together on March 4 at the Lansing Center for the Michigan [...]