Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit

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Save the Date! 

The 2023 Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit is happening Saturday, May 20, 2023 and you're invited to attend.

Mark your calendars, follow us on Facebook GRNeighborhoodSummit and stay tuned for registrations and details to come! 


What is Summit?

The Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit is a transformational day-long learning experience centered around Summit’s core values of resident voice and racial equity. Summit brings Grand Rapids residents and stakeholders together to learn, strategize and connect to strengthen neighborhoods and belonging in community, with the overall goal to make Grand Rapids a more equitable place for all to live, work and play.

This year’s theme is Your City, Your Voice:  Co-Creating Belonging with Workshops aligning to topics on belonging and inclusion, design work, and community collaboration to address issues affecting our City. This theme was inspired in part by our community’s desire to have our voices heard and work together with political actors to create everlasting change.
 

Summit features an opening keynote presentation; several workshop options; lunch and lunchtime activities such as a fun photo booth, Zumba, yoga and several thoughtfully curated community resource tables; recognition of Grand Rapids residents for their leadership with Neighborhood Match Fund projects, Anishinaabe opening and closing drum presentation, a Community Celebration to end the day with everyone who makes Summit special – attendees, volunteers, and sponsors featuring free food, music, and new this year a marketplace to support local vendors co-hosted by BIPOC Night Market.  

Summit continues to be one of the most diverse learning events in Grand Rapids across race, ethnicity, gender identity, and age, and appreciation for this inclusive space consistently ranks as one of the top themes of event evaluations each year. Summit brings people together from all walks of life, lived experience, 33 neighborhoods and from so many different sectors ranging from corporations to grassroots movements, from early childhood to higher education, from government and business to nonprofits.

To maintain that energy and be safe, we will host approximately 400 in-person attendees. There will not be a fully online option, however, some Workshops may choose to host online activities. Additional 2023 highlights include Spanish Workshops, childcare for zero- to five-year-olds, Kids Summit for six- to 12-year-olds, a Teen Track for kids 13+, and a celebration with the BIPOC Night Market at Clemente Park featuring diverse community vendors, free food, and music.

Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit Saturday, May 20, 2023
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
GRCC Leslie E. Tassel M-TEC
BIPOC Night Market immediately following until 7 p.m.

Tentative Schedule for Saturday, May 20, 2023

• 8:00 a.m. Check-In, Community Resource Tables, Breakfast snacks

• 9:00 a.m. Opening Anishinaabe Presentation and Welcome; Overview of Day

• 9:45 a.m. Keynote Presentation

• 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Workshops

• 11:30 a.m. Lunch, Community Resource Tables & Activities

• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Workshops

• 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. Workshops

• 3:00 p.m. Resident Leadership Recognition, Raffles and Closing Remarks

• 3:45 p.m. Closing Anishinaabe Presentation

• 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Community Celebration featuring BIPOC Night Market


Registration

Stay tuned for the #2023GRSummit registration! 


    What others are saying about Summit

    • “Very diverse! I am hardly ever in such a diverse setting and wish it happened all the time!”
    • “I liked that it gave me lots of ideas and resources I can use for my family.”
    • “It was awesome…inspirational and informational!”
    • “Kids Summit was a great option because it enabled me to attend.”

    Learn More

    Want to learn more? Watch this video from a previous Summit!

     

    This year’s theme is Your City, Your Voice: Co-Creating Belonging and we are seeking workshops to align with topics of belonging and inclusion, local efforts and promising practices that advance justice and/or social cohesion, and community collaboration to address issues affecting our City. Download the #2023GRSummit Workshop Proposal Guide to learn more about the 2023 Summit, perks to being a workshop presenter, and more! Workshop proposals must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2023. Click "Workshop Proposal" to submit a proposal!

    Workshop Proposal

    Sponsors

    This transformational day-long learning experience would not be possible without the generosity of our community. Each donation helps us keep registration free for participants, and to create an intentional space for Grand Rapids residents, business owners and stakeholders to learn together and build relationships to strengthen neighborhoods and advance equity in our city. 

    2023 Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit Sponsorship Letter

    ADA Compliant

    The Summit locations are completely compliant with the American Disability Act (ADA) and we are partnering with the Disability Advocates of Kent County to pro-actively take steps to make the event even more accessible. In addition, there are numerous disability parking options on campus.


    Breastfeeding Friendly

    This event is a breastfeeding friendly environment. Feed your child wherever and whenever you want. We'll have a private nursing room as well.


    Interpretación/Interpretation (Spanish/English)

    Servicios de interpretación profesional va a estar disponible para las personas que lo soliciten. Tambien habran coluntarios que hablen español e inglés que estaran dispuestos a traducir informalmente. Estos tendran un boton que dice “Soy Bilingüe” en su camiseta.

    We'll provide professional interpretation services. Make sure to request this service when you register. We also ask if registrants are bilingual English and Spanish. If so, we give them a “Soy Bilingüe” button. This lets others know they're willing to help with informal interpretation.

    Join us at GRCC’s M-TEC campus for the 2023 Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit. Getting there is easy with these options!


    Walk

    Live within a couple miles of downtown? Get your exercise for the day and some neighborhood inspiration by walking to the GRCC M-TEC campus. Walking along the streets of our city is one of the best ways to get in touch with our community.

    Walking Directions


    Ride a Bicycle

    Whether you hop on your bicycle for your health, the environment, or moments of mindfulness, it’s sure to put you in the mood to be inspired at this year’s Summit. Grab your helmet and join us for great conversation and community building.

    Bicycling Directions


    Take the Bus and DASH

    Catch the bus and plan what workshops you’ll attend while you ride. Route 8 goes directly to the GRCC M-TEC campus. Not your route? Transfer to DASH or to Route 8 from your neighborhood route.

    DASH is a free downtown bus routes. You can pick it up downtown and take it over to Wealthy and Market, which is only a few minute walk from the GRCC M-TEC campus. Buses come every 10-15 minutes at every stop.

    Download Transit app for departure times, bus tracking, trip planning, and reminders for The Rapid and DASH (Google Play and the App Store)

    Busing Directions