The Community Voices Series is a monthly virtual convening drawing diverse participants from the network to amplify local climate work, connect members and groups, and support each other's actions. Once per quarter, MiCAN members also gather in person for a hybrid event with the opportunity to mingle with local, likeminded counterparts. MiCAN rotates the content and geographical area of focus to allow the audience to learn from and mimic other Michigan communities' successful contributions to the collective climate movement.
MiCAN practices our mantra of "Rest is Resistance" by taking a break from all programming to reflect and restore in July and January.
Stay tuned for more details on our upcoming episode with Ann Arbor for Public Power this February!
Past Events
November 2023 | White Lake Area Climate Action Council
MiCAN was joined by the White Lake Area Climate Action Council (WLACAC) for our November edition of the Community Voices Series. Lori Coleman and Mickkayla Erbach of WLACAC discussed their efforts to create a new story for their lakeshore community which preserves the beauty and health of the natural environment, and to declare a climate emergency for their two cities in partnership with government leaders (while remaining stubbornly optimistic!).
October 2023 | Grand Rapids Climate Coalition
In our October edition of the Community Voices Series, we heard from Janet Zahn and Nathan Rauh-Bieri of the Grand Rapids Climate Coalition about their efforts to achieve community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, prioritizing equity and climate justice. The GRCC is an inaugural member of the MiCAN Steering Committee which promotes collaboration, connection, and shared investments of time, energy, and resources in the movement for a more just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable Great Lakes State.
June 2023 | Oakland County Climate Action
As part of the 2023 Michigan Climate Summit, this 'local action' panel showcased groups' efforts in the greater metro Detroit area. Representing Oakland County as a model, panelists spoke on how elected officials and grassroots leaders can effectively work together to achieve climate goals.
May 2023 | Universities Leading on Climate
During this interactive, conversational-style event, MiCAN intern Brendan Mortensen-Seguin explored the actions and strategies of university sustainability professionals to address the climate crisis. Drawing from the findings in MiCAN’s forthcoming report on Michigan’s 15 public universities' climate efforts, we heard from three sustainability and climate professionals.
April 2023 | From Practitioner to Climate Advocate
Cohosted with Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action, our second installment of the Community Voices Series brought together two outstanding practitioners at the intersection of climate and health.
Drs. Sue Holcombe and Cheryl Ruble discussed their journeys in discovering how to engage in effective climate advocacy related to food, agriculture, and health.
March 2023 | Climate Emergency Month in Kalamazoo & West Michigan
MiCAN's first-of-its-kind Community Voices featured groups advancing equitable climate solutions in Kalamazoo and West Michigan, keying in on current efforts and upcoming initiatives toward bold climate action during Kalamazoo's declared Climate Emergency Month. The series kicked off with a hybrid event out of the Kalamazoo Nature Center, where participants rounded out the afternoon with a climate-centric nature hike, and featured speakers from the Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition, Western Michigan Environmental Action Council, and WMU Climate Change Working Group.