Buy Tickets Today! (*See our keynote speaker, Monique Grayson, in this promotional video at the 1.30 sec. mark!) For the past 10 years, young women from across Michigan have explored the possibilities of life as travel writers. Girls in grades 4-12 have walked in the shoes of women pilots, authors, ambassadors, and more in
Note: Headline image of Shadae Hillsman is from previous interview; not the Tendaji grant interview of which she was a co-presenter. Thanks to WMUK’s Earlene McMichael for helping us share the news of this amazing grant opportunity! The Merze Tate Explorers received their first Tendji grant of $15,000! The award was part of a
After 10 years of traveling near and far, the Merze Tate Explorers have compiled their favorite travel pics in a calendar. The 2019 calendar features images taken by the travel writers that reflect the past 10 years of travel highlight visits from Detroit to Venice. Calendars at $15 and part of the fundraising efforts to
The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., presented their annual Mary McLeod Bethune Award for Community Service to The Merze Tate Explorers. The award was presented to Sonya Bernard-Hollins, founder of the nonprofit organization for her work in serving the youth of the Kalamazoo community. The sorority presented the award during their women’s history celebration in
Olivet, Michigan- In 2013, the Merze Tate Explorers took travel writing to a new level. A collaboration with the Ladies’ Library of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo College led to our inaugural Residential Travel Writers Academy. Since then, collaborations with the University of Michigan and Olivet College have provided girls in grades 4th-12th, the opportunity to experience
Explorers Syann and Sasha witnessed history in flight. The two had the rare pleasure to experience the antics of local Peregrin falcons…one named for their organization’s Shero, Merze Tate. In collaboration with Public Media Network, the Explorers shared their experience on the news segment, Community in Focus. During a recent visit to the top
“(PeaceJam) gave us a platform where we didn’t have to be scared to be ourselves.” Shadae Hillsman By Shadae Hillsman Peacejam 2018 was held at Western Michigan Universities Bernhard Center. We had the opportunity to meet Nobel Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee, participate in service projects, several different workshops, and meet people of all
By Sierra Ward The organizers of the Great Lakes PeaceJam held the 22nd annual conference on March 14 at Western Michigan University. The event was held in the Bernhard Center where participants from chapters in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin came together to create service projects and honored Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee. When
The students of the Merze Tate Explorers were buzzing with excitement. They would interview a former U.S. Ambassador. More than a dozen youth teamed with volunteers and staff of Public Media Network on May 2, for an exclusive interview with Harriet Lee Elam-Thomas. The former ambassador was in Kalamazoo as part of her multi-city tour
Explorer Syann Hollins and Shadae Hillsman took part in the annual North X Midwest Film Festival held in March by Public Media Network. The annual film festival awarded teens and adult filmmakers on their creative works made on a budget. Syann served as interviewer for the festival’s Teen Filmmaker portion where Explorer Shadae had