Ty Schmidt

More Traverse City Neighbors = A Better Traverse City

What if we designed a Traverse City that supported people in leading lives that are good for themselves and their neighbors? I believe that starts by building abundant homes in our neighborhoods. Homes for our teachers, nurses, firefighters and other workers. Homes for our seniors and young people. Homes for those of us experiencing homelessnessContinue reading “More Traverse City Neighbors = A Better Traverse City”

We Fight Celebrates Pride Month

June is Pride Month. I’ve learned a lot about the challenges our LGBTQ+ kids face from the JED Foundation. They recently wrote: “At JED, this means acknowledging the troubling data showing that the risk of suicide for LGBTQ+ youth is four times higher than it is for their non-LGBTQ+ peers; that risk is even greater inContinue reading “We Fight Celebrates Pride Month”

Traverse City housing delayed = Traverse City housing denied.

Every day that Traverse City housing projects and zoning reform are delayed – Traverse City’s housing shortage gets worse. Our teachers, nurses, firefighters, wait staff, grocery clerks, and people experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity can’t keep waiting for homes to be built. We need more homes now. How are more homes being delayed in Traverse City? How can you help? SendContinue reading “Traverse City housing delayed = Traverse City housing denied.”

Got four minutes for We Fight today?

It’s been a hard week, We Fight, but if you have 4 minutes today, we need you. As our network continues to evolve and adapt, we need your feedback. So far, 16 network members have taken this short but sweet and very important survey. But we need more responses — at least 50. We’re committed, butContinue reading “Got four minutes for We Fight today?”

How has We Fight helped you?

Six months ago, We Fight was formed with a simple call to action. A call to do better. As our network continues to evolve and adapt, we need your feedback. Specifically, has We Fight helped you? Has it increased your knowledge and understanding of youth mental health issues? Has it helped you become more confidentContinue reading “How has We Fight helped you?”

New Northern Michigan Community of Practice to Launch

After two outstanding workshops with the FrameWorks Institute this spring, we’re excited to launch Adventures in Framing: A Northern Michigan Community of Practice in June. What’s framing? In short, it’s the social science of communication choices made. About elements put in and elements left out. These choices have a significant effect on how our messagesContinue reading “New Northern Michigan Community of Practice to Launch”

How we talk about Traverse City housing

At this week’s Live TC meeting, we discussed how to reframe our pro-housing message. Framing is the choices we make on what to say, how to say it, and what to leave unsaid. These goals, guidelines, and recommendations were built using the FrameWorks Institute’s “Piecing It Together: A Communications Playbook for Housing Advocates” and“‘You Don’t HaveContinue reading “How we talk about Traverse City housing”

Hope + Mental Health First Aid

Last week I had the opportunity to learn Mental Health First Aid from North Country Community Mental Health. Mental Health First Aid is help for a person experiencing a mental health challenge. Mental Health First Aid aims to: Preserve life when a person may be in danger to self or others Prevent the problem from becomingContinue reading “Hope + Mental Health First Aid”

Seeking and Celebrating Joy

We Fight Youth Team leader Will Unger, Gwen Urbain, and Alex Schwartz at the May 2, 2022 City Commission meeting, with TC Human Rights Commission member Jessica Forster, for the proclamation of Youth Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health Awareness Month began yesterday. A critical moment for northern Michigan. The pandemic has contributed to theContinue reading “Seeking and Celebrating Joy”

What if we listened to our kids more?

I recently had the opportunity to listen to several youth leaders from Charlevoix, Antrim and Manistee counties. They presented their fantastic project “Through Our Eyes: A Photovoice Project on the Stigma Around Youth Mental Health & Wellness” at the Behavioral Health Initiative Summit. My favorite is the photo above by Elke, who captioned it: “We areContinue reading “What if we listened to our kids more?”