The MPWRD Business Magazine Influential Awards recognize the Hispanic, Asian Pacific, Black and Indigenous Native Americans (HABI+) in our community that are shaping culture, community, business and humanity in Grand Rapids and West Michigan.

MPWRD Business Magazine and the Influential Awards were founded and are owned by Two Eagles Marcus, Tiwa Puebloan Indigenous Native American Pueblo of Taos, who also publishes Women’s LifeStyle Magazine.

“Grand Rapids has a diverse cultural and ethnic makeup that contributes to the economy and social fabric of our community and there are limited opportunities for recognition in media and awards events for Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific and Indigenous Native Americans and not one that includes all groups collectively,” Marcus said. “The sustainability of the United States and West Michigan economies are dependent on the economic development of Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific and Indigenous Native American populations in entrepreneurship and leadership. The time to recognize, support, encourage and invest in us is now.”

Read more

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich (WOOD) – The FitKids360 Program combines basic education about nutrition, behavior, and exercise with a wide range of physical activity to help kids develop healthy habits including eating better and becoming more active! This program is a childhood obesity intervention program that benefits hundreds of children and their families to create a better version of themselves. In order to participate in this program, children must be ages 5 to 17 years old, have a BMI at or above the 85^th percentile, be referred by a physician or healthcare provider, and a parent/guardian must accompany the child to each class. Not only is the child developing these healthy habits, but the parents and siblings are as well. The program teaches families on the importance of exercise, proper nutrients, and taking care of their behavioral and emotional well-being. It’s a program that exemplifies mind, body, and soul! Read more

We are all living through a global pandemic, while at the same time the epidemic of government-sanctioned police violence against Black people continues. Health Net of West Michigan’s vision is to create a community where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This focus on health equity is core to our work; because of this, we add our voice to those of our many partners who are denouncing the unjust and oppressive systems that allow racism to flourish in our community.

Read more

While Michigan residents have been urged to stay home and stay safe, staying safe at home has taken a broader meaning for the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan. While traditionally laser-focused on the issue of lead and other pollutants in people’s homes, the nonprofit has spread out to address all issues of home safety.

Read more

Receiving early and regular care throughout pregnancy is incredibly important for both mother and baby, as preterm birth and low birth weight put babies at an increased risk of developing cognitive, emotional, and physical health issues. Babies weighing above 5.5 pounds at birth are considered to be “born healthy.”

Across Michigan, about 8.5% of babies are born underweight (CDC), and communities of color are disproportionally impacted with rates for black and Latinx moms at a six-year high. Recognizing the need to create paths to overcoming the social determinants of health, local programs are supporting moms to improve these outcomes for babies.

Courtney Hilbert, CNM, MSN, Director of APP Services for Women’s Health and Chair of the Centering Pregnancy Program at Spectrum Health, and Kiara Baskin, Founder and CEO of Bump to Birth Doula Services are here to discuss. For more information, visit: https://www.spectrumhealth.org/patient-care/womens-health/midwifery, https://www.bumptobirthdoulaservices.com/ , or https://www.spectrumhealth.org/patient-care/womens-health.

https://www.wgvunews.org/post/leaps-bounds-prenatal-care-social-determinants-low-birth-weight