Brave Women of Grand Rapids
Brave Grand Rapids counseling was founded to address the stigma that is often associated with mental health and therapy. For years the myth that therapy makes you weak has poisoned our communities and culture, and we are here to debunk it.
We know, and firmly believe, that going to therapy requires a great deal of strength and bravery, and that’s why we chose “Brave” for our name. We wanted to be a place where anyone could come and connect with another person, have authentic interactions, and honest, brave conversations.
But therapy is just one of the ways that we see people in our city demonstrating what it means to be brave. As a female-founded practice, we are inspired to see women all over the city of Grand Rapids demonstrating what it looks like to be brave in their own way...and we wanted to celebrate that! So we went on a mission to find some brave women in our city and asked them what being brave means to them.
From mothers and CEO’s to authors and small business owners, the women in this list are resilient, strong, courageous, compassionate, and of course, brave.
Image by Mod Bettie
BRIDGET CLARK WHITNEY
Bridget is the President and CEO of Kids’ Food Basket, a local non-profit and grassroots, community solution to childhood hunger. During Bridget’s 18-year tenure, Kids’ Food Basket has undergone significant growth, from serving 125 children in 2002 to over 8,800 children each weekday as of 2020.
Under Bridget’s leadership, Kids’ Food Basket has grown from $20,000 to an $8 million annual budget in 18 years and has become one of the largest and most successful anti-hunger programs for children in Michigan.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Being brave is being fully and authentically in alignment with how you best use your skill set to benefit the world. And being able to gracefully navigate away from what is not continuously leveling you up. Because self-care is number one and the world needs us to be our best selves.
Image by Mod Bettie
JENNA ARCIDIACONO
Jenna is the owner and chef of the popular Amore Trattoria restaurant in Comstock Park. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Michigan State University, she moved to San Francisco to pursue her passion, cooking.
After several years of working within the corporate world, and the birth of her two daughters, Jenna decided to go after her dream of opening a trattoria. She wanted to serve homemade locally sourced authentic Italian comfort food. Amore Trattoria Italiana opened in July of 2010.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Bravery is truly about being yourself to the core, no matter what others might think of you. For me, it was finding what makes me happy and doing it every day. From my pink hair and glittery eyes to working creatively in my own restaurant. I feel fulfilled. And when you feel fulfilled, you also feel brave.
ROSALYNN BLISS
Rosalynn Bliss is the Mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan. As the city’s first female mayor, she has helped pave the way for other women to have a voice in our city’s future. Prior to her role as Mayor, she served as a Second Ward City Commissioner for 10 years.
Mayor Bliss is working to create a cleaner, healthier, and safer community. She is committed to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as addressing disparities in our community to make sure that everyone who calls Grand Rapids home has equal opportunities.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Being brave to me is about taking risks, being vulnerable, and having the courage to get back up after you get knocked down. It is about taking the time needed to find your true voice, your authentic self, and then speaking up even when your voice shakes.
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CHRISTY BUCK
Christy Buck is the Executive Director of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. With more than 33 years of experience in the mental health field, Christy’s passion for transforming and saving lives through mental health education led her to develop two classroom programs, ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ for middle and high school students, and ‘be nice.’
Since 2006, Christy and her staff at the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan have passionately presented to over 200,000 people in West Michigan on the topics of mental health awareness, bullying, and suicide prevention.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Being brave is confidently and compassionately starting a conversation around a topic that needs to be discussed, but people are hesitant to do so. It’s bringing ease to the “elephant” in the room when everyone’s thinking it, but not saying it. Being brave is putting others before yourself to improve their circumstances and risking your own.
JACEY EHMANN
Jacey is the President and Founder of Metric Structures, Grand Rapids-based construction and development firm dedicated to community-oriented projects and relationship-driven practices. In an industry that is largely occupied by men, Jacey is paving the way for women to not only have a seat at the table but to lead the charge.
It was a combination of her driven personality and her curiosity as to why more women weren’t involved in the construction industry that inspired Jacey to create an inclusive culture that celebrates and supports diversity of all kinds.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Being brave means being a unique, thoughtful leader and entrepreneur, in an industry that is historically not friendly to women. It means having integrity, expecting it from others, and always leading by example.
TASHA BLACKMON
Tasha Blackmon is the President and CEO of Cherry Health (Michigan’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center) which provides healthcare for nearly 76,000 patients throughout West Michigan who may not otherwise have access to it.
Throughout her 15 years at Cherry Health, Tasha has never lost sight of her goal: to ensure patients in her home community, and surrounding areas, receive the highest quality of care.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome fear and take meaningful action. The staff at Cherry Health have exemplified bravery during this unprecedented time by putting their own health at risk to provide quality, comprehensive healthcare to the individuals we serve.
HANNAH BERRY
Hannah Berry is the Owner and Creative Director of Lions and Rabbits in Grand Rapids. Lions and Rabbits is a local event space, and so much more. Currently housing over 120 local visual artists, Lions and Rabbits also functions as an art gallery and education center.
Hannah, who firmly believes in the power of community, has found ways to integrate local artwork into everyday life. From public art to intentional event planning, Hannah is working to create more beauty in everything we touch.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Being brave means talking when you know your voice is going to shake. When that happens to me, it's not because I am afraid of what I am going to say, it's that I am afraid of how I am heard. Sometimes it is recognizing that burnout really means that you're unhappy and you need to pick yourself back up again. Being brave is realizing limits and pushing yourself to go in the direction you know is right.
Image by Mod Bettie
BONNIE NAWARA
Bonnie Nawara is the CEO of Grand Rapids Opportunity for Women “GROW.” For more than 25 years, GROW has been West Michigan’s source for relevant training, tools, and techniques for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
A former business owner herself, Bonnie understands first-hand the challenges and opportunities that come with starting and growing your own business and is passionate about providing the resources to help women succeed in this arena.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
To me, being brave means facing life’s challenges head-on. To be fearless in your actions and to stand up for your core values. Brave means believing you are fearless even if you don’t feel you are.
ANNIE PAUL
Annie is the owner and founder of AP Baked Goods, a local bakery that offers delicious baked goods for every occasion. After falling in love with baking at a young age, she set out on a mission to make a career out of it.
Annie has spent the last decade working in and managing bakeries around the Grand Rapids area. When she started AP Baked Goods, it was meant to be a passion project on the side, but quickly turned into a full-time gig (and if you taste one of her macaroons, you’ll understand why!) To Annie, it’s about much more than baking, it’s about bringing a smile to people’s faces.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
Bravery for me is allowing myself to be vulnerable and understanding that failure is part of the creative process and continually learning and exercising forgiveness for myself and others. Bravery is also crankin’ up the music and just going for it!
Image by Mod Bettie
MARGE PALMERLEE
Marge is the Executive Director of Dégagé Ministries in downtown Grand Rapids. Dégagé is a local non-profit that offers help and hope to homeless and disadvantaged individuals.
Starting as a volunteer, Marge quickly fell in love with the mission at Dégagé and has never turned back. In her 20 years as Executive Director, Marge has helped Dégagé grow into what is now a thriving community organization that serves 400 to 500 individuals every day.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
For me being brave means living out of the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, “If you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.” It takes courage to invite the stranger in, to feed the hungry, to visit those in prison, etc. Being brave means offering unconditional love.
KAYLEE PAGE
Kaylee Page is author of the children’s book, Pursey’s FPIES Surprise. FPIES (or Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome) is a rare food allergy that affects the gastrointestinal tract of babies and young children which causes severe flu-like symptoms. After Kaylee’s daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with FPIES, she had to learn how to navigate this disease and let fear take a backseat to help her daughter progress and thrive despite the diagnosis.
After Bella outgrew FPIES, Kaylee wrote Pursey’s FPIES Surprise. Kaylee says she wrote the book because there wasn’t an FPIES specific children’s book available and it was a way to give back to a community of people who may not be walking in the same shoes, but very similar footsteps.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
I think the bravest thing anyone can do is to live fully human. To live unapologetically true to our identity and our truest self. When we face our fear and bravely navigate the hard, we in turn can give back something beautiful to those following behind.
Image by Mod Bettie
MICHELLE VAN DYKE
Michelle Van Dyke is the CEO of Heart of West Michigan United Way, an organization that exists to unite community resources and invest in solutions that reduce poverty in West Michigan. Michelle left a comfortable, 30-year career in banking to move into the nonprofit sector. She says it was her passion to give back to the community that had supported her for so many years that led her to make this life change.
What Does Being Brave Mean to You?
For me, being brave embodies several things:
Always doing the right thing- even when the right thing is the hardest thing to do
Taking a risk to advance in your career or to make something in your life better
Knowing what you value and never compromising those values
YOU ARE BRAVE
These women, while incredible examples of bravery, represent only the tip of the iceberg of the many brave women in our city. But you don’t have to start a company, or run a nonprofit, or write a book to be brave. What each of these women spoke to when they answered the question, “What does being brave mean to you” was being your authentic self, pursuing your goals, helping others, taking risks, and being willing to be vulnerable.
That is what it means to be brave.
To learn more about Brave Grand Rapids, or to speak with one of our licensed therapists, click the link below.
