YWCA Kalamazoo’s Annual Men’s Breakfast brings together those identifying as men to engage in meaningful conversation about preventing gender-based violence and building healthier communities. This annual gathering creates space for reflection, accountability, and connection. Through dialogue and shared learning, attendees explore the role men play in advancing respect, equity, and safety for everyone.
The program will feature award-winning filmmaker and activist Byron Hurt, whose work challenges traditional narratives of masculinity and encourages men to step into leadership as allies in the movement to end gender-based violence. Together, we will explore how men can align their values with action, educate themselves and others, and engage their communities in creating lasting change.
Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Time:
7:00 AM – Guest Arrival
7:30 AM – Breakfast
7:45 AM – Program Begins
Location: Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center
Secure Your Spot Now: Click the Register Now button or scan the QR Code to reserve your seat at the breakfast. Don’t wait—spaces are limited!
Byron Hurt is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and activist whose work examines masculinity, race, and gender-based violence.
For more than two decades, Hurt has engaged audiences around the world in critical conversations about the cultural forces that shape ideas of manhood and the ways men can become leaders in preventing violence and promoting healthy relationships.
His acclaimed documentary Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later aired nationally on PBS’s Emmy Award-winning series Independent Lens. His other films include Soul Food Junkies, Hazing, and Lee and Liza’s Family Tree, which aired on PBS’s NOVA.
Drawing on his experience working with college athletes, military leaders, fraternities, and communities across the country, Hurt challenges audiences to rethink traditional definitions of masculinity while empowering men to become active participants in building safer, more equitable communities.
Preventing gender-based violence requires collective action. Men’s Breakfast invites men to reflect on their influence within families, workplaces, and communities, and to consider how their leadership can contribute to a culture rooted in respect, accountability, and care.
Through this shared experience, participants are encouraged to:
Reflect on the social expectations placed on men and how they shape relationships.
Learn practical ways to interrupt and prevent gender-based violence.
Connect with others who are committed to creating healthier communities.
Explore how men can serve as allies, mentors, and advocates for change.
YWCA Kalamazoo invites businesses and organizations to partner with us as sponsors of this important community event. Sponsorship opportunities provide meaningful visibility while supporting programs that advance safety, equity, and justice in our community. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit the registration page or contact: edeering@ywcakalamazoo.org
