Search Interviews

Taylor West (24) interviews Cynthia Rose (58) about her role as the mother of the community and how she is learning to give that same love and care to herself in this next phase of her life.

Hazel Gomez (36) interviews her husband, Mark Crain (33), about his racial identity, his work with Dream of Detroit, and his hopes for his children.

Norma Jean Gilmore (96) talks with her son, Glenn Gilmore (69), about her memories of being ill as a child, moving to California, and experiencing the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She talks about her educational pursuits and her career in...

Siblings Barbara Espinoza (30), Rebeca Beliard (34), and Jaime Espinoza (28) remember moving from Mexico to Michigan as children. They also talk about their happiest and saddest moments, biggest influences, and hopes for the future.

One Small Step conversation partners Nicole Roediger (59) and Jeffrey Behrick (40) talk about both being from the Carolina's, where the young get their info, 2022 being the best year ever and surviving cancer.

Colleagues and One Small Step partners Tracy Hall (50) and Mary Balkema (55) talk about their careers in local politics, their perspectives on public service, and the life lessons they have taken away from their work.

One Small Step partners Perry Hoskins (62) and Melissa Dodge (37) talk about how their upbringings shaped their moral and political beliefs. They also share their hopes for and concerns about the future of the United States.

Friends and old coworkers Renee Kivikko (59), Tom Springer (63), and Amelia Hanson (59) sit down to reflect on the origins and growth of Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC), the organization that brought them together.

Kelley Kellis (47) interviews her friend Stacy Salters Jackson (49) about what home means to her, her experience having had seventeen different addresses in Kalamazoo, and what she would like landlords in Kalamazoo to know.

Colleagues Richard Lutz (42) and Matthew "Matt" Rowbotham (43) explore their shared history and experiences in service to the preservation and advancement of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

One Small Step partners Katie Kulp (25) and Michael Meketa (25) talk about their spiritual and political beliefs, and how they both long for a greater sense of community in our country. They also talk about feeling somewhat out of...

Colleagues and friends Stephanie Hoffman (54) and Kelley Kellis (47) discuss the meaning of home, houselessness in Kalamazoo, MI, and housing being a human right.

Siblings Betty Brown-Chappell (76) and Ben Brown (68) share memories from growing up on their family farm in the 1950s and 1960s outside of Bangor, Michigan. The two reflect on the collaboration between Black farmers in their community and the...

One Small Step Conversation partners Marcia Oates (68) and Ann Marie Mershon (73) talk about their careers as school teachers and what they learned, the progress or lack there of on women's rights in their lifetime, abortion, and women's athletics.

Sisters Emily Fittante Baker (93) and Brenda Fittante Weeks (66) discuss family history and share memories of growing up in a family of 17 siblings.

Susan Slavish (80) shares with her conversation partner Franchesca Peña (26) her experience as a Second Lieutenant, VA nurse, mother, and Infection Control Coordinator.

Mother and daughter Stephenie Klingler (66) and Mackenzie Hatfield (38) talk about their fathers and loss, trading memories about Mackenzie’s late father Carter Hatfield and Stephenie’s father Robert Tebo.

Friends and fellow retired educators Barbara Dinan (82) and Nina Ruskey (70) talk about their friendship, families, careers, and legacies.

Chris Brookes (73) interviews her friend Peter Baker (57) about growing up in Chicago and coming to Lake Ivanhoe, a Black community in southeastern Wisconsin. Peter relates the history of the community from its founding in 1926 up to the...

One Small Step conversation partners Tammey Shimon (66) and Lara "Denise" Meirowsky (55) enjoy each other's company and discuss their families, their careers, teaching, love of both Texas and Kansas and how their faith guides them.

One Small Step conversation partners Diane Knibbs (66) and Michael Dean (56) discuss their upbringings, relationships, their faith, racism in their communities, being informed citizens and extreme and moderate views.

Laura Peterson (52) interviews her fellow Delta Gamma sorority sister, Julie Dawson (87), about Julie's life and her involvement with Delta Gamma as a member while in college as well as her involvement as an alumnae.

Cheryl Stevens (54) and One Small Step partner Jo Watson [no age given] discuss their experience with racial discrimination, political actions, and family genealogy.

Dale Morgan (78) talks with her friend, Alice Lundstrom (76), about childhood, adulthood, faith, lifelong learning, and legacy.

Amelia Hansen (59) interviews her friend and former colleague Emily Wilke (42) about her time at Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy.