Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Harrison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

As a father of 5, sibling of two, native of Kansas City, I’ve always had a passion to be connected to people. I completed my bachelor’s degree at a Historically Black College and University and had experiences that transformed my perspective on education and community. After completing my undergraduate degree, I continued my education focusing on Community and Economic Development and found myself supporting CBO in communities similar to my upbringing. Moving to Kalamazoo in 2016 with our two sons at the time, the future seemed bright but uncertain. Transitioning our family from an environment of comfort and familiarity to a new midwestern place to call home was exciting. Upon arrival, I looked to get involved in initiatives that built, grew, and expanded our family’s network and professional opportunities. During that time, I met brothers working within the community and began to wonder about the possibilities of developing a system to support their efforts. These thoughts, along with multiple conversations and experiences with brothers from the community, led to the creation of the Kalamazoo Black Male Alliance. A community of Black Males passionate about being connected with each other to address any challenge identify that does, will, or can, affect our homes.

Michael, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The KBMA is where males come and join a community of positive, supportive, intergenerational Black men focused on improving the circumstance of everything they touch. from their family to our community. We envision all our interactions as the creation of a thriving network of multi-generational Black males committed to the investment of themselves, each other, and their community. Our mission is to ensure access to a system that enhances capacity for Black Males to heal personally and relationships, advance solutions to community issues or problems, and address personal and professional challenges. Our investment is centered on their needs and the unique experiences that impact how they move in our community. We provide education, environments, activities, and resources for Black males in Kalamazoo who want to collectively invest in one another to lead change in the community. We believe there is a unique opportunity for Black men and boys here in Kalamazoo. Our organization is committed to working together to create a community of healthy, happy, supported Black men and boys who build happier and healthier communities.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Both my educational and professional journey has required resilience to endure. Each of my failures, mistakes and even dismissal provide the lessons needed for me to serve as a leader. These are the quality that I would deem the most essential for me are to serve as the Executive Director of the Kalamazoo Black Male Alliance. Pretending you haven’t failed, fallen, loss, or made a mistake disconnects you from your audience/ community. That behavior can distract from your mission or in some cases, put your life in immediate danger. It shouldn’t have required these types of experiences to learn to lead with the real me. Authentically believing in your skills and talent is needed to be successful when serving the community. But when things go wrong, being relatable and human is vital when interacting with the community. I lead with a WE mentality instead of ME philosophy that confirms nothing is impossible if we work together and acknowledge each other’s possibilities.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

It’s not easy adapting to a new community, especially when coming from a larger one. It’s exactly like the shark in the ocean vs. lake idea. Your first inclination may be to be the shark that consumes opportunity at every bite. Coming to a new community with preconceived ideas and expectations about possibilities was not organically embraced. I am learning that growth is difficult, and change is evitable. Requesting individuals to sit outside their comfort zones and to embrace and support mentality is a consistent challenge. Sharks aren’t meant to be in lakes!

Contact Info:

• Website: kzoobma.org

Image Credits
The Gumbo Collation by Marc Morial: Book in pic Profile Picture Najawon Wilson