Kalamazoo County, Michigan, is a place of abundance: it’s home to stunning natural landscapes, beautiful architecture, thriving industries, and growing small businesses. And the region is growing more diverse, mirroring national trends. But new data underscores the challenging truth that not everyone who lives in Kalamazoo can access all that the county has to offer. The first-of-its-kind equity profile — developed by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation in collaboration with local community leaders and the National Equity Atlas (a partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute) — illustrates how a long history of racial discrimination and disinvestment in local communities of color has created entrenched and persistent racial inequities in employment, income, wealth, education, health, justice, housing, and transportation. These growing gaps are costing the county an estimated $1 billion in potential economic growth each year. The success and prosperity of Kalamazoo County will rely on dismantling these unjust barriers and ensuring that everyone can participate in and enjoy the benefits of a thriving economy. Explore the profile for additional data insights — and delve into the accompanying summary for solutions to create a more equitable and inclusive county