Michael Fowlin

Cedar Springs students, staff, and community members had the great opportunity to witness a powerful and emotional diversity performance by Dr. Michael Fowlin, a nationally recognized clinical psychologist and actor, on Thursday, January 27th.  Dr. Fowlin brought a strong message emphasizing the importance of recognizing not only our individual beauty, but the beauty of others.
During the presentation, Dr. Fowlin transforms himself into several different student characters all with different backgrounds and facing a variety of conflicts, including racial identity, gender equity, and homophobia. Using emotion and humor, he challenged his audience to face the impact of ignorance and fear and to practice empathy and acceptance.
It is certain that everyone who left the performance that day were awakened to a new sense of beauty within and a readiness to celebrate their “difference” with others.

Free public performance January 27

Michael Fowlin

Cedar Springs and Sparta High Schools will each host two performances of Michael Fowlin’s one-person show, You Don’t Know Me, Until You Know Me. The program deals with issues of tolerance including racism, personal identity, gender equity, homophobia and related emotional pain. During the performance, Fowlin slips in and out of nine different characters, both male and female from various cultural backgrounds. A free public performance is scheduled on January 27 at Cedar Springs High School Auditorium beginning at 7:00 pm. All of the performances are made possible by grant funding provided by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and Kent ISD Diversity Initiative.
“Michael Fowlin is a great performer with a wonderful message for all students.  I hope all students walk away with some deeper insight to how they treat each other and a plan for improving the school’s culture,” says Daphne Cattenhead, Cedar Springs District Diversity chairperson.
Fowlin has performed in West Michigan schools since 1999. “We are very excited to give our students this opportunity. We hope many parents and community members will attend the evening performance,” says Assistant Principal April Stevens.
Kent Intermediate Superintendents’ Association launched the Diversity and Healing Racism Initiative in 2001 to help students develop knowledge, skills and attitudes leading to action around issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and open-mindedness. The diversity initiative is important to our schools because we want all students to learn and achieve in an environment in which every student feels comfortable. Performances and events like this are helping their schools get closer to this goal by inviting Fowlin to perform.