Instructor Shawn Nichols leads the Monday night adult band class at East Hill's Triumph Music Academy
Instructor Shawn Nichols leads the Monday night adult band class at East Hill's Triumph Music Academy Tommy Allen
Tommy Allen
Disability Advocates of Kent County celebrates another successful Interview Day.
Disability Advocates of Kent County celebrates another successful Interview Day. Tommy Allen
Grand Stand Pictures welcomes Detroit's Marvin Towns, special segment director, for the final day of "A City Within a City" production.
Grand Stand Pictures welcomes Detroit's Marvin Towns, special segment director, for the final day of "A City Within a City" production. Tommy Allen

Features

Feature Story andrewdoyleronyob

Now showing: Calvin College filmmakers among the highlights of environmental film festival

Genevieve FoxWednesday, March 26, 2025
Folks from all over Michigan gathered in Manistee to promote environmental stewardship through an annual film festival and other events.  
Feature Story Cody Kirby, visiting economics professor at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business, and Daniel Montanera, assistant professor of economics there, Co-authored a paper calling Grand Rapids a "beacon of light" for health care jobs.

Study: Greater Grand Rapids a ‘beacon of light’ in health care hiring

Paul R. KopenkoskeyWednesday, March 26, 2025
A study by two economics professors finds that Greater Grand Rapids’ healthcare labor market and real wages in key occupations are a “beacon of light” amid Michigan’s slower job growth.
Feature Story Shanika P. Carter

Author channels passion for writing into new book and upcoming retreat

Shandra MartinezWednesday, March 26, 2025
Rapid Growth contributor Shanika P. Carter celebrates storytelling with a new book and a writing retreat, inspiring others to bring their stories to life.
Feature Story Youth in the NCN program are helping families who need food get farm-to-table meals.

Educating Teens About Food and the Farm Through New City Neighbors

Luke FannWednesday, March 26, 2025
Learning about nutrition, cooking, and food scarcity helps prepare youth for adult life and deepens their empathy. New City Neighbors, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit's after-school program, gives area teens a head start and connects them with impactful experiences. 
Feature Story Wangler sees events like South by Southwest, which she recently attended, and Tech Week as important stages to share the West Michigan tech story.

Women in tech find community in Grand Rapids

Shandra MartinezWednesday, March 26, 2025
In Grand Rapids, women in tech are building supportive spaces like Go Beyond and Coffee Circles to connect, grow, and lead together.
Feature Story KCAD's Fashion Studies students gather around the table to discuss runway show plans.

Couture Code: KCAD’s students' capstone collections aim to be more inclusive …and sustainable

Tommy AllenWednesday, March 26, 2025
The Grand Rapids Public Museum's main floor will again transform into a catwalk for emerging designers from the Pamella Roland DeVos School of Fashion at KCAD. This year’s student-led show, “Couture Code,” features original creations and innovative ideas, with each garment telling a story of sustainability, inclusion, and resilience.
Feature Story A major attraction of GR Stories is its focus on research within community reporting to provide context.

GR Stories: How community storytelling builds bridges, fosters belonging, & preserves hidden history

Tommy AllenWednesday, March 26, 2025
In a time of widening divides, a quiet revolution in connection is emerging at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. What began as a few Zoom calls during the pandemic has evolved into GR Stories — a series highlighting how even the most personal histories can bring communities together.
Feature Story SMALL-WrapIssue

Trust Women: Rapid Growth's Publisher looks back on women who are making a difference in WM

Tommy AllenWednesday, March 19, 2025
When equity initiatives face unprecedented backlash, striving for genuine equality transcends mere aspiration.  
Partner Content Gala Banner

Gala rocks and raises funds to advocate for autistic Michiganders

Estelle SlootmakerFriday, March 14, 2025
The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) Michigan Shines for Autism Gala, its largest fundraiser, will rock Detroit’s Motor City Casino Hotel on April 25, 2025 with “an electrifying evening blending a black-tie event with a rebellious twist.” 
Feature Story LifeWays staff

Community mental health delivers care to Michigan's schools

Brianna NargisoFriday, March 14, 2025
Michigan's CMHs play a critical role in schools, providing counseling, crisis intervention, and case management to students who might otherwise slip through the cracks.  
Feature Story THE-Project

Rising demand for project managers spurs competition to train future leaders

Shandra MartinezWednesday, March 12, 2025
A high-pressure competition challenges students to master problem-solving, teamwork, and risk management, where the most strategic team emerges victorious.
Feature Story The Tony Roussey Building Futures Scholarship starts with a $100,000 contribution to an endowment at West Michigan Construction Institute.

Scholarship honors construction leader, expands career pathways for trades

Shandra MartinezWednesday, March 12, 2025
EV Construction’s $100,000 endowment at WMCI honors Tony Roussey’s legacy while addressing workforce shortages by funding scholarships for future skilled trades professionals.
Feature Story webinar-1

Empowering voices: Black disability history workshop returns

Shandra MartinezFriday, March 7, 2025
Disability Network Southwest Michigan brought back a popular workshop on Black disability history, led by Frances Vicioso, highlighting intersectionality and civil rights contributions.
Feature Story Small-Crip-Camp

'Crip Camp’ screening in Muskegon highlights disability inclusion

Shandra MartinezFriday, March 7, 2025
A free “Crip Camp” screening at the Frauenthal Center will spark conversations on disability rights, accessibility, and community inclusion in Muskegon.
Feature Story Lack of access to equipment, education, and platforms often limits entry into the traditional storytelling landscape.

Youth film contest empowers stories on food justice

Shandra MartinezWednesday, March 5, 2025
The Nourishing Narratives contest invites youth to create mobile films on food justice, supported by Mosaic Film Experience and Newman’s Own Foundation.
View All Stories

 
Looking for news about the people and projects going on in Ottawa County, from Grand Haven to Holland, check out The Lakeshore.

Find all the stories here.

Growth & Innovation

View All Stories

Recommended Content

Featured Focus

Arts & Culture Read Article

From small pop-up galleries to large cultural institutions to national attention-grabbing events, Grand Rapids' arts and culture scene has a diverse mix of offerings that will appeal to people of all stripes.

Featured Place

John Ball Park Read Article

The West Fulton district, often referred to as the 'U to the Zoo,' runs along its namesake street from Grand Valley State University's booming downtown campus on the east to historic John Ball Park and Zoo on the west.

 

In between is a mix of popular locally owned businesses – such

...
Focus Areas
Copyright © Issue Media Group. All rights reserved.