The Momentum Center in Grand Haven is teaching racism and they are building political and community connections, so their racist programs can be partially supported by taxpayer funding, and they can work in partnership with these organizations to support each other in achieving their goals.
Many of the town hall meetings on anti-racism begin with statements from various political and governmental groups including the Ottawa County Commissioners and Grand Haven Human Relations Commission Board
In the November town hall , Rev. Dr. Jared C Cramer of St. John’s Episcopal Church reads the Ottawa County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement in Spanish and then Ottawa County Commissioner Roger Bergman reads the statement in English. The statement is actually very well written and most people would agree that the statement is a good thing. The problem begins when noticing our differences and celebrating diversity turns into racism by connecting those differences to power and privilege. See this article on How Diversity become Racism.
Like the Ottawa County Commissioner Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement, the Grand Haven Human Relations Commission Board gives a short statement in support of the anti-racism task force in the Town Hall: Public Health and Racial Justice Part 1 (October 7, 2020) at just under the 2 minute mark.
During the January 11, 2022 Ottawa County Board of Commissioners regular meeting Mary Jane Evink, Director of Instructional Services for GHAPS, Todd Krygsheld a man with “Power and Privilege” in support of DEI initiatives being supported with tax payer dollars, Barbara VanHorssen Executive Director for the Momentum Center, and Emily Korchnak vice-president and secretary for the Momentum Center advocated for funding for DEI and the Momentum Center. You can see them in the following video around the 8 minute 15 second mark.
In addition to the connections with governmental offices, the Momentum Center has created partnerships with local businesses and non-profits.
One interesting sponsor of the Momentum Center is the Tri-Cities YMCA. This is interesting because Chris Streng, Scott Grimes and Tammy Basil serve on the Board of Directors for the Tri-Cities YMCA. Chris Streng is a member of the GHAPS school board, Scott Grimes is the GHAPS Superintendent and Tammy Basil is a councilor at Lakeshore Middle School. Both Scott Grimes and Tammy Basil also serve on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at GHAPS. This means that they are using connections with the YMCA to support anti-racism initiatives at the Momentum Center which are in-part implemented in the Grand Haven Area Public Schools through the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and passed onto our children.
The Grand Haven Community Foundation partners with the Momentum Center anti-racism task force. Cindy Anderson happens to be on the board at the Grand Haven Community Foundation and one of the Ambassadors & Partners of the Momentum Center. She also works as a speech and language pathologist for Grand Haven Area Public Schools.
Two more interesting sponsors of the Momentum Center are the Ottawa Area ISD and Grand Haven Area Public Schools. John Siemion, former GHAPS school board president, happens to be vice president of the Ottawa Area ISD. If the purpose of our schools is to educate our children, then why are they partnering with non-profit community organizations with clear political motives?