General Archives

Moving Michigan Males Forward: Why Young Men Are Falling Behind—And How Employers Can Help Lead the Solution

By Kevin Stotts, President, TalentFirst Across Michigan and the nation, young men are experiencing declining outcomes in education and workforce participation. They graduate high school...

How West Michigan Is Powering Early Literacy

Inside TalentFirst’s 2025 Adopt-a-Classroom Library Program Michigan is in an early literacy crisis. Only 38.9% of third graders read at grade level, putting thousands of...

TalentFirst Champions Early Literacy with Adopt-a-Classroom Library Program

Grand Rapids, MI – December 10, 2025 — TalentFirst today announced seven West Michigan elementary schools selected to receive new classroom libraries through its Adopt-A-Classroom...

Meet the Experts Joining our Inclusive Leadership Development Event

We’re pleased to announce the lineup for our Inclusive Leadership Development event, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, March 12 at Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof Center in...

A Q&A with DEI Leader Dr. Sandra Upton, Keynote for Our March 12 Event

Dr. Sandra Upton, founder and Chief DEI Strategist with Upton Consulting Group, will be the keynote speaker for our Inclusive Leadership Development event, 9-11 a.m....

DEI Strategist Dr. Sandra Upton to Share Insights for Lasting Change

With her new book, “Make It Last: A Roadmap and Practical Strategies for How to Do DEI Work,” Dr. Sandra Upton poses a straightforward but...

The State of DEI on MLK Day: Our Actions Speak Louder Than Words

If anyone understood the power of language, it was the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr....

DEI: The Ethos of the New Workforce

We have all heard the proverb “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” by Thomas Reid. This proverb means that regardless of...

Continuing the Commitment to Cultivating Inclusive Workplaces Across West Michigan

West Michigan’s population is increasing in diversity across race and ethnic identities. Our region is expected to experience a 4% population growth (JPG) in the...

Old Faithful vs. Niagara Falls: What’s Your Approach to Inclusive Teams?

Talking about diversity, equity and inclusion is one thing. Measuring progress is another. But it takes real commitment to use that data to create meaningful,...