Impact of community-powered media
Public Media Network has been an anchor institution in the Greater Kalamazoo area for more than 40 years. Explore the history and impact of media of, by, and for you in the Greater Kalamazoo community.
“It’s a shame if you don’t try” – Impact Story
Did you ever have to do a group project for school or work and struggle to get everyone together to work towards the same goal? It's one thing to even get a group of people on the same page, let alone get them altogether in one place at the same…
“You have a right to voice it” – Impact Story
Imagine being creative but living in a community without a place to freely share that creativity. “There’s got to be a place where you can have a voice and tell your story,” said Kristen Chesak, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Through the Arts Council's Creative Café podcast -…
Kaylana’s Story of Self-Confidence: Impact Spotlight
From being unsure how to ask for help and searching for support, to creating a podcast and learning how to believe in herself, Kaylana's journey was a challenging one. Kaylana got involved with PMN first when she was looking for a way to record her podcast, A Concept with Kaylana,…
Did you know your story matters? – Impact Story
When people share their stories, something powerful happens – understanding grows, perspectives shift, and neighbors see how much they truly have in common. You might not think it, but you have a story, and it matters. That's the heart behind All Stories Matter, a video podcast produced at Public Media Network…
“Cable access made my career” – Chuck Bentley’s story
If you ever tuned into PMN Sunday night in the 80s, 90s, or even more recently, then chances are you’ve seen a Chuck Bentley film. This longtime local filmmaker was among the first independent creators to share their work through local cable access in the early days of community television…
“An honest and uplifting story”
Kehinde Oladeji was part of Public Media Network's Frank Jamison Fellowship over the summer, and brought her poem Rooted to life on screen as part of her fellowship experience. While she had written the poem previously, it was during her time at PMN that she created the powerful video version. As a journalism-based fellow,…
A single, ephemeral moment…
The impact of recording local orchestral performances goes beyond simply being able to watch from afar! “Being a performing musician generally means months, sometimes years of work for a single ephemeral moment – the concert. That is indeed a special process, but it’s also nice to have a record of…
“You have something to contribute.” – Impact Story
Sarah Horton was simply looking to fulfill a requirement for her journalism classes when she discovered Public Media Network. One thing led to another and now she has an article published in Encore magazine! Sarah completed the Frank Jamison Fellowship, a competitive program here at PMN for outstanding students with…
More than “the video guy”: Impact Spotlight
What if one small, unexpected gift could change the course of your life? For Tyrell Shaff, that gift was a cheap camera from his great uncle - not anything fancy, just something to play around with. But it opened a door he never expected. Tyrell picked up photography as a…
The Power of Sharing Your Story: Friends With Disabilities
Our community grows stronger when people have the opportunity to tell their own stories. When Friends with Disabilities partnered with Public Media Network, they learned the power of telling their stories. Paul Mayfield, previous program director at Friends with Disabilities, experienced the power of community media firsthand. Through PMN's Narrative…
What if nobody was there…?
What would happen if nobody was there to record the government meetings? At first, it might not seem like such a huge deal if nobody recorded our local government meetings. After all, who has time to watch those, anyway? That's what I used to think. But then I learned that…
How Linda and Fritz are taking action
Have you noticed how our communities have changed over time because of the loss of local news, information, and connections? Fritz and Linda MacDonald have - and they're taking action to make things better! "Our democracy is suffering due to the loss of local news organizations. What began with slow…
The Joy of being understood
Have you ever felt misunderstood, or like someone wanted you to act or look a certain way? In my experience, it’s incredibly frustrating when you feel like you can't be your authentic self. Well, a little bit ago, I was talking to Joy and Aerick, co-owners of a local movement…
“The things I feared most bring me joy”: Tina’s story
The first time Tina walked into Public Media Network, she wasn’t there for a class or a project. She was attending Meaningful Conversations, a local group that uses PMN as a meeting space. But the moment she stepped inside, something shifted. “Once I entered the office, I knew I was more…
Inspiration comes in many forms: Bruce’s story
When Bruce attended PMN’s Narrative Lab workshop to share his thoughts on climate change, he wasn’t sure what to expect. But what he found was a welcoming space where his voice - and his message - could truly be heard. “I feel that it really does share the message I…
Who are you waiting for?
Never underestimate the power of the story you tell yourself. You've heard me talk about the power of stories before. Stories have the power to inspire, to educate, and more than that - to change the narrative. What do I mean when I say "narrative"? I mean the everyday truth…
From intern to reporter: Tatianna’s Story
From intern to fellow to reporter - Tatianna knows the power of public media from more angles than most! "I was back in Kalamazoo for my final semester of college and looking for a place to do an internship in either film, television, or media. By some miracle, I remembered…
What if you missed the concert?
Hours spent poring over sheet music, practicing rhythms at home, time spent in sections honing melodies, and finally putting everything together and working a song with the full band. It takes a lot of time and skill for the musicians in the Western Michigan University Bands to put on their concerts. …
Colin’s Journey: Impact Spotlight
A couple years ago, Colin thought he was going to go into animation. Then he thought maybe film was the route for him. Attending classes at Public Media Network gave him the space and freedom to explore his creative passions and discover what he really wanted to pursue! "I feel…
An outlet for our community
If you needed to get a message out to your community, where would you go? If you wanted to make a change, how would you convince people to make that change? If you needed to be heard, who would you go to? Matt Halloran cares deeply about bringing people together…
People get to think about it: Impact story
Gun violence is a problem in Kalamazoo, and Ashley Lanting set out to discover the root causes of it directly from people in our community with lived experiences. Her short documentary, titled "Trigger Warning", features the stories of Big B Harris, Michael Wilder, Michael Monroe, Dominica Sims and Alejandro Rodriguez…
The skills that shaped Eden’s story
Eden didn’t expect to find a turning point on a trip to the library. But in 2021, while visiting the downtown Kalamazoo Public Library, Eden spotted a poster in the glass encased bulletin board. It mentioned film production and journalism instruction - exactly the opportunity she’d been searching for. “My…
Producer Spotlight: Letammarr Briggs
The Letammarr Show has brought interesting people of all types on camera for over 10 years. Letammarr Briggs has been a dedicated community producer with Public Media Network for over 10 years, sharing his bright spirit and meaningful conversations through The Letammarr Show. His talk show became a space for authentic, hyper-local stories and…
PSA Days: “A Real Blessing for Nonprofits”
Nonprofits often struggle with small budgets and short staffing. The uncertain and missing funding that is all too common these days makes it even worse. How can we help the nonprofits in our community to get the word out about what they do? That's where the idea of PSA Days…
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