Read more about what Grand Ledge United is up to, from Co-Chair, Jon Horford.
Grand Ledge United came out of a City Council decision to create a group to address issues related to DEI after the superintendent of Grand Ledge was fired for making racist comments. We are always looking to spread welcoming decals throughout the community to let anyone that comes to Grand Ledge know that they belong. We are also always looking to educate community members and encourage them to have tough conversations with friends and family members.
The co-chairs of Grand Ledge United are both on the school board Equity Diversity Inclusion Committee and wrote the charter for that group that led to the hiring of the first non-white male superintendent in Grand Ledge history, and other recommendations that have changed hiring practices led to more inclusive curriculum and made the high school more welcoming in general. Our most prominent work includes welcoming and inclusive yard signs and decals, a community survey related to people's experiences in the community, hosting school board candidate forums, and a resolution banning the confederate flag and other hate symbols from Grand Ledge Public Schools.
When we started distributing yard signs, I took one over to one of the kids I mentored. When I handed him the sign that read, “Black Lives Are Worthy, Beloved, and Needed,” he began to cry and said that he never felt like he belonged in Grand Ledge but that this sign and people being willing to display them gave him hope for the first time. This is a personal experience that sticks with me.
We have a collection of educational resources, including books, articles, documentaries, podcasts, etc., available for people looking to understand the history of discrimination and what they can do to better themselves and their communities. You can get involved by joining GLU, attending GLU meetings or events, and having conversations with your friends and family. The Grand Ledge United Facebook page is the best place to interact with us on social media, too.
