Thanks for subscribing to the MCIA newsletter. It’s been an interesting week in our community - but we’re hoping the positive outweighs the negative. Read below for more on this week’s news as well as the GOOD things happening in our community.
- The MCIA volunteer team

White Nationalists Target Midland

The Midland County Inclusion Alliance is deeply disturbed by the appearance of white nationalist stickers in a Midland neighborhood, as reported by the Midland Daily News. The hateful rhetoric of this group is destructive and will not be tolerated. Midland County is committed to being an inclusive place where everyone thrives. Hate has no home here.

We stand with those across the county working to make Midland County a safe place for ALL, without exception. This work has long been rooted in our own values as a community and the needs we face, and it persists, regardless of who is leading our nation.

We hope you will stand with us by continuously calling out hate, standing up for your neighbors, and working for fairness, opportunity, and well-being in our community.

MCIA and MPS Partner for Fifth Year on Student Artwork Competition

Artwork created by Midland High School junior Ivy Kickland has been selected from more than 100 designs submitted for the Midland Public Schools (MPS) Chromebook sticker contest. The 16-year-old’s design representing the theme “Celebrating Us,” will appear on the more than 8,000 laptops for Pre-K through twelfth graders.

Kickland used Prismacolor premier colored pencils and Micron pens for the intricate design that features two sets of hands wrapped in vines both holding a flower. The composition as a whole is a reminder to show respect to others and leave judgement behind.

“This image celebrates all our unique identities, abilities and dreams,” Kickland said. “The flower represents inclusion and the harmony that results from unconditional love and kindness. The vines that wrap around the hands show the spread of acceptance and love from one person to the next and demonstrate how people can lift others up regardless of their differences. If we embrace each other with an open heart, we grow trust and kindness just like the beautiful flower.”

-Read more below-

Looking for a way to make an impact? Join us at our upcoming Volunteer Info Session from 7:00-8:00pm to learn more about the Midland County Inclusion Alliance, our work, and how you can use your time and talent to make a difference in our community.

RSVP/add to calendar for September 22 to learn more

We’ll share our history and our work, learn about your passions and experiences in our community, and figure out how to put your talents to work, including in education, advocacy, marketing, fundraising, and community engagement. Let’s go!

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More workshops and programming coming this fall!
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-Stickers continued-
“This beautiful artwork serves as our daily reminder all students not only are valued and supported in our community, but also nurtured to grow,” said Dr. Yang (Joy) Jiao, MPS Director of Family and Community Engagement and Belonging. “We’re excited to see how popular this program has become with our students and love seeing their unique interpretations of how we can celebrate each other. This hands-on opportunity further cements our commitment to create an environment that best supports learning for all students in our school district."

This collaborative program features artwork as a visual reminder of the school district’s vision and proclamation to support an inclusive and equitable learning environment and an action-oriented continuation of the messages of the prior four years, “Better Together,” “Be You,” “Be an Ally” and “Diversity is A Strength.”

This is the fifth year the Midland County Inclusion Alliance (MCIA) has partnered with MPS to turn student artwork into a sticker for Chromebooks throughout the district. More than 50 community and student volunteers helped apply the stickers before the start of the school year. Stickers also are available to teachers and staff.

The MCIA Community Council has worked with the school district on a variety of initiatives in recent years including donating books and Colors of the World crayons and bringing Northwood University students into classrooms as guest readers in an effort to help support a welcoming environment for all students.

“Education helps build strong and healthy communities. We believe in its power to create fairness and inclusion, and we're proud to support the school district’s efforts, said Dr. Amy Beasley, MCIA Board President. “When we respect and value each other, we are better classmates and neighbors – and that’s how we build a community where everyone feels at home.”