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TECH WEEK GRAND RAPIDS RETURNS FOR 2024

Details

One of the largest community-driven tech events in the country begins on Sept. 16th 

Following the success of its first two years, community partners in Grand Rapids are excited to announce the return of Tech Week Grand Rapids in September 2024. This community-wide event is designed to showcase the region’s vibrant tech community and hosts over 13,000 attendees. Tech Week will take place September 16-21, 2024.

The Right Place is the proud organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids, working in partnership with business and community leaders to make the event a leading destination for tech and innovation. The event is guided by an advisory board of over 35 community leaders, with Bank of America providing support as the Premier Sponsor. The Tech Week GR Advisory Board, led by Co-Chairs Dr. Philomena Mantella (GVSU), Jason Joseph (Corewell Health), and Mark Johnson (Michigan Software Labs), guides the content of the week, establishes annual goals, enhances user experience, and strengthens the region's tech ecosystem.

Students engaging in the Tech Showcase, an annual highlight of Tech Week GR, hosted by The Right Place.

This open and collaborative "unconference" will feature events hosted by various organizations across the community. Applications are now being accepted for businesses and organizations interested in hosting a Tech Week event. For details on how to apply, please visit the Tech Week website.

Tech Week Grand Rapids 2024 will feature a diverse array of events and programming, including panel discussions, hands-on tech exhibits, networking opportunities, and more. Several large-scale events will participate, with more details to be announced soon. The schedule is continuously expanding, and attendees can expect updates at techweekgr.com as additional events are confirmed. Key events currently scheduled throughout the week include:

One of the highlights of the week will be the Kick-Off keynote address by Stephen Dubner, co-author of the bestselling book "Freakonomics" and host of the "Freakonomics Radio" podcast. For more information about Tech Week Grand Rapids, including how to apply to host an event, visit techweekgr.com.

Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions

At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.

The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.

Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.

This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.

We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.

Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.

Levi headshotThe stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.

Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.

Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher