The culture of work has changed. Rarely do individuals begin and end their careers in the same position, at the same desk or with the same few titles. What does that mean for West Michigan companies looking to recruit and retain talent? Well, for starters, it's a lot about a sense of place.

The Ebony Road Players and its executive director, Edye Evans Hyde, are pushing the community forward with theater, prompting people to listen, really listen, to stories of racism and injustice that they may not have otherwise known. Or wanted to hear.

Over the years, we have seen an increasing number of boutique fitness studios pop up in and around Grand Rapids – particularly those which revolve around the ancient practice of yoga. Likewise,it can be somewhat of a status symbol to even be called a ‘yogi.' Trends aside, owner of Seva Yoga, Melissa Tungl, is on a mission to root her studio in the community and make yoga a practice accessible to everyone while removing that aloof yogi stigma. 

From a dramatically different riverfront that’s meant to transform the city into an “urban playground for all ages” to a massive downtown theater complex and city-led talks centering around affordable housing and displacement, 2017 is shaping up to be a pretty monumental year for development in Grand Rapids.

For those fortunate enough to live in West Michigan, Alternatives in Motion can restore freedom where it's been restricted. Led by Executive Director Coleen Davis, AIM provides wheelchairs, mobility equipment and repair services to those in the community who couldn't otherwise afford it. 

Before we launch into another year of stories about the issues, people and programs that impact Grand Rapids' children, we wanted to revisit the best-read 2016 Michigan Nightlight stories from Rapid Growth.