Voices of Pride: Exploring the History of LGBTQIA Activism in Grand Rapids
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Location: ATC 168 Auditorium
Description:
A conversation-based event exploring Grand Rapids’ vibrant LGBTQIA+ history through artifacts, newspaper coverage, and stories of local activists.
Moderators: Ethan Tappan and Ell Simpson
Missed the first event? Watch the recording:
Roots of Resistance: Women Activists during the Progressive Era in Grand Rapids
Presenter: Sophia Ward Brewer
https://youtu.be/7gqGZdOHlEQ?si=xtp43505oWzXkCxi
This presentation highlighted Grassroot efforts from women activists in Grand Rapids during the Progressive Era, including Black women whose collective action addressed education, housing, health, and civil rights.
Subject: Campus Common Reading Event – Anthropological Perspectives on Local Grassroots Democracy
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Location: ATC 168 Auditorium
Description
Join us for the next program in GRCC’s Campus Common Reading Initiative.
Anthropological Perspectives on Local Grassroots Democracy
Presenter: Dr. Dillon Carr
This program will connect this year’s campus common reading, Grand Rapids Grassroots: An Anthology, with anthropological perspectives on the City of Grand Rapids. Dr. Carr will explore ways that participants in the common reading program can use the book to reflect on broader social and cultural patterns within our community and better understand how grassroots movements shape civic life.
Feel free to bring your lunch. Complimentary beverages and light snacks will be available while supplies last.
Upcoming Campus Common Reading Events
Voices of Pride: Exploring the History of LGBTQIA Activism in Grand Rapids March 25, 2026 | Noon–1:30 p.m.
Moderators: Ethan Tappan and Ell Simpson
A conversation-based event exploring Grand Rapids’ vibrant LGBTQIA+ history through artifacts, newspaper coverage, and stories of local activists.
Book Discussion with the Editors
Grand Rapids Grassroots: An Anthology
April 6, 2026 | Noon–1:30 p.m.
Featuring Dr. Ashley Nickels and Dani Vilella
A moderated discussion with the editors about the creation of the anthology, the stories it preserves, and the role of grassroots activism in shaping our community.
See more here: https://www.grcc.edu/students-resources/library-learning-commons/common-reading
Campus Common Reading Trivia Challenge (Beginning March 23)
Starting March 23, a weekly historical spotlight and trivia challenge will invite participants to learn more about the people, movements, and institutions that shaped Grand Rapids and American history.
Weekly schedule:
• Tuesday: Historical spotlight posted
• Friday: Trivia question released
• Monday: Submissions close
• Tuesday: Answer revealed and new spotlight begins
Participants who answer correctly will be entered into a monthly prize drawing.
Many questions will connect history to places and institutions that still exist today, showing how the past continues to shape the community we live in.
Link to participate. https://subjectguides.grcc.edu/c.php?g=1511568&p=11359053
From Wednesday, March 25, 2026 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EDT at GRCC -- ATC Auditorium (Room 168).
