Urban Core Collective

06/19/2026

On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free.

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom delayed is freedom denied. It is a day to honor the resilience, resistance, and contributions of Black communities while reflecting on the ongoing work of building a more just and equitable society. Today, we celebrate Black joy, culture, creativity, leadership, and community.

How are you celebrating Juneteenth this year?
❤️ Spending time with family
🎶 Enjoying music and community events
🍽️ Sharing food and traditions
📚 Learning more about Black history
✊🏾 Participating in community action
🎨 Supporting Black artists and businesses
🌱 Something else

Share your plans in the comments below!

06/18/2026

Our youth are carrying so much.
School pressure. Social media. Violence. Expectations. Isolation. Anxiety. Hope. Creativity. Dreams.

We're creating a space for us to talk about ALL of it. Join us for Black Parent Café: Youth & Teen Summit.

This event is rooted in:
✨ Healing conversations
✨ Peer support
✨ Leadership development
✨ Joy & rest
✨ Community power

Inspired by the iconic Teen Summit conversations many of us grew up watching, this gathering centers Black youth voices while creating opportunities for parents and caregivers to reconnect, reflect, and build stronger relationships with the young people they love.

Register now: https://forms.gle/8Z1RAYfWCL1B9dYP7

06/16/2026

This Pride Month, we recognize that the work of building equitable, thriving communities requires us to affirm the dignity, humanity, and leadership of all people.

The first Pride march was held in June 1970 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City. The movement for LGBTQ+ rights was shaped by countless activists, including trailblazing LGBTQ+ people of color such as Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Stormé DeLarverie, whose courage and advocacy helped inspire generations of organizers and leaders.

We honor the past and celebrate the present. Let's continue to learn, celebrate, and build a future where everyone can thrive!

Happy Pride Month from Urban Core Collective. 🏳️‍🌈

Featured in the graphic: Marsha P. Johnson & Sylvia Rivera, adrienne maree brown, Barbara Smith, Gil Cuadros, James Baldwin, Jennicet Gutiérrez, Audre Lorde, Darnell L. Moore, Stormé DeLarverie, Miss Major Griffin Gracy, Lucy Hicks Anderson, Charlie Amáyá Scott, Ernestine Eckstein and Lorraine Hansberry

06/15/2026

What happens when Black parents, caregivers, and their teens actually get space to talk, listen, heal, and dream together? That’s the heart of Black Parent Café: Youth & Teen Summit!

Inspired by the energy of BET's Teen Summit, this gathering is designed to foster authentic conversations about the realities young people navigate today while also making space for joy, leadership, creativity, and community care. Register here: https://forms.gle/q8mzP6N9yUTcUeSy9

We’re also making our FINAL CALL for organizations, youth leaders, wellness providers, and community groups who want to help shape this experience. Want to collaborate? Complete the partner interest form today: https://forms.gle/eEYrcxXMNcvVJtkB7

06/12/2026

✨ Powerful PEPPA Parent Spotlight ✨

Every other month, we will be highlighting a member of PEPPA. This month, we're proud to celebrate Yolanda Johnson, our very first Powerful PEPPA Parent!

A mother of three and bonus mom to one, Yolanda has been a powerful advocate for parent voice, connection, and community. She serves as an Organizer Team Lead on PEPPA's Family Engagement and Community Outreach Committee, supports families in numerous leadership roles throughout the community, and is a recent graduate of Urban Core Collective's Transformational Leadership Program (TLP)!

Yolanda shows us what it looks like when parents lead with purpose, passion, and a commitment to making sure families are seen, heard, and valued.

What's PEPPA? Parents for Education, Power, Purpose, and Action is a parent-led organizing coalition that brings together parents and caregivers to build collective power, uplift lived experiences, and advocate for education justice. Through leadership development, community organizing, and advocacy, PEPPA members work to create meaningful change in schools and communities. Learn more about PEPPA here: www.urbancorecollective.org/peppa

Thank you, Yolanda, for your leadership, dedication, and the many ways you show up for families and our community!

Interested in getting involved? Complete our interest form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18LTIJeZPOb6uP4-QquMVzTDSGMr3hfOBRxN3WOVKL1E/preview

06/10/2026

Who makes decisions on our behalf? From funding for affordable housing to truck routes that impact air quality in our neighborhoods—decisions are made all around us.

Join us at the Main Library, where we’ll learn more about decision-making that impacts our lives at the local level and why our collective leadership is necessary to drive change. Participants will also learn about opportunities to get involved in local efforts. This event is for teens and adults. For more information, visit: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/69cd4fc34dacf581ff85cb54

06/09/2026

We’re bringing back the energy of BET's Teen Summit, but rooted right here in community 🖤✨

Black Parent Café: Youth & Teen Summit is a space for Black parents, caregivers, teens, educators, and organizations to come together for honest conversations, healing, creativity, leadership, and connection.

This is an intergenerational event that will celebrate community wisdom. Together, we’ll explore what it means to support and protect Black youth while building stronger relationships across generations.

Save the date + register now: https://forms.gle/5LdX3WJ18Hv1zGvGA

Are you part of an org that is interested in collaborating?
We’re currently looking for:
• Community organizations
• Youth programming partners
• Wellness & mental health supports
• Resource tables
• Volunteers & sponsors

Fill out this interest form: https://forms.gle/cm8iWEFL1VUC9Tdp6

06/08/2026

📣 Meeting Reminder: Join us on 6/8 for the Lowell Charter Township Planning Commission meeting, as we say: ! This meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Grand Agricultural Center of West Michigan, Bldg. 2, 13801 Cascade Rd. SE in Lowell.

Please wear red or white in solidarity!

We will have signs to share and encourage you to bring one, if you have a specific message in mind! Tell a neighbor, bring a friend! (Our street team will be passing out flyers all weekend. Message us to help!)

Meeting agenda: https://lowell.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=1214

Bring your questions: Microsoft will be fielding questions LIVE from members of the Planning Commission immediately following a bonus public comment period.

"Planning Commissioners will be recording your questions and will have the opportunity to ask any questions they hear during public comment directly to Microsoft after the public comment session is closed." (See agenda item B-IV)

While we can not ask Microsoft questions directly OR control which of our questions the Planning Commission chooses to ask Microsoft, WE CAN be ready to read our questions during the bonus 3-minutes included. This time is in addition to the required public comment for agenda items and the public comment for items not on the agenda.

06/01/2026

What happens when energy bills keep rising, but the programs designed to help families afford them disappear? In this powerful op-ed, Sergio Cira-Reyes, our Climate Justice Strategist, explores how rising utility costs, proposed cuts to LIHEAP, and continued investment in costly fossil fuels could leave hundreds of thousands of Michigan families facing impossible choices between basic necessities.

Read about what's at stake for working families, seniors, and communities across Michigan, and why energy affordability is a justice issue.

Trump promised lower bills. Michigan got rate hikes instead

05/30/2026

Did you know that air quality in Grand Rapids isn’t equal? Communities located near highways and industrial areas experience:
🌫️ Higher levels of pollution
🚛 Increased truck traffic
⚠️ Greater health risks

In some neighborhoods, air quality is considered unhealthy for over 25% of the year.

It’s the result of systems, not chance. This is environmental injustice.

At UCC, our Air Quality Advocacy work focuses on:
🌫️ Pushing for stricter enforcement on industry and emissions
🚛 Addressing the impact of truck traffic in residential areas
📢 Raising awareness about environmental health disparities

This work is led by Climate Justice Organizer Nancy, who is organizing alongside community members who are putting in the work and advocating for better air quality.

📩 Want to get involved? Reach out to Nancy: [email protected]