MI Senate Votes to Expand Elliott Larsen LGBTQ+ Civil Rights in Michigan!
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023
Michigan Senate Votes to Expand LGBTQ+ Rights! Call State Representatives to Vote YES on HB 4003 On February 28th, the Michigan Senate voted to adopt Senate Bill 4 that would expand the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) to include rights of people from LGBTQ+ communities. YES! The ELCRA bans discrimination in employment, housing, and public services based on other categories such as: religion, race, color, national origen, age, sex, height, weight, and marital status. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled last year that discrimination based on sex includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The Democratic controlled Senate refused to adopt a religious exemption amendment that would have allowed discrimination toward LGBTQ+ people under the guise of religious beliefs. Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), who sponsored this […]
Michigan Legislature Votes to Expand Earned Income Tax Credit for Low & Moderate Income Families!
By MUUSJN on Sunday, January 29th, 2023
MUUSJN Submitted Testimony In Senate Supporting This Tax Cut Dear Friends: Today was a red letter day for low and moderate income Michigan families, The Michigan Senate and the Michigan House rapidly passed bills that would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit. This is legislation that Governor Gretchen Whitmer, in her state of the state address on Wednesday, called the “Working Families Tax Credit”. The new bills would expand the amount of state match that Michigan would pay to supplement the federal income tax credit from 6% to 30%. Both the House and the Senate legislation would give the bills immediate effect and would expand the tax credit to low and moderate income working families from 6% up to 30% of the federal rate. An […]
New Michigan Democratic Majority
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, January 17th, 2023
Introduces New Bills That Address Six Issues MUUSJN Has HIstory of Advocating for Three of Them Dear Friends: January 11th was the first day of the new Michigan legislature. On January 12th, Democrats wasted no time introducing House and Senate versions of six bills that address social and economic justice issues. Our statewide justice network has a history of advocating for three of these issues. For more information about these bills and their sponsors, click HERE. REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE MUUSJN has been advocating for the repeal of a 1931 anti-abortion law that’s still on the books — in spite of adoption of the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot proposal. Two bills were introduced that would repeal parts of the 1931 law that makes it a crime […]
Sharing Our Milestones for Justice in 2022! Help Sustain Our Movement in 2023
By MUUSJN on Friday, December 23rd, 2022
Dear Friends: It’s been a challenging and a rewarding year for Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) activists and our allies as we continue to work for justice for all people in Michigan. We mobilized volunteers to collect signatures to put voting and reproductive rights on 2022 ballot. And the voters agreed! We responded to hate and violence toward LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities with educational forums and advocacy. We organized in support of real climate change. We ‘ve worked in coalition to advocate for raising the wages of low income people. We are committed to make justice happen! With your support, we will continue to work for justice in 2023! GET OUT THE VOTE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE RACIAL JUSTICE LGBTQ+ JUSTICE WATER/ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ECONOMIC JUSTICE […]
URGE SENATORS PETERS & STABENOW TO VOTE FOR A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS!
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, November 30th, 2022
Mass Shootings Are a Tragic Epidemic! In the Wake of Newtown, Parkland, Buffalo, Uvalde, St. Louis,Oxford, Colorado Springs. Chesapeake, VA and more… We CAN Help Reduce Mass Shootings!! Urge Senators Peters and Stabenow to Vote for A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS BACKGROUND Assault weapons are considered to be the weapons of choice of those who wish kill large numbers of people in a short amount of time. In 2021, there were 692 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This source defines a mass shooting as one that results in four or more people being killed or wounded. As of November 23, 2022, there have been 608 mass shootings since the beginning of this year! While all mass shootings are tragic, the mass shooting […]
Call Senator Gary Peters and Senator Debbie Stabenow — Urge Them to Support the RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT
By MUUSJN on Thursday, November 17th, 2022
This week will be an important time to call Michigan’s two Senators. Urge them to support the “Respect for Marriage Act”. This bill would protect same sex and interracial marriage. The right to marry who you love seemed to be established law. However, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the door was opened to some conservatives who may want to take away these rights. The “Respect for Marriage Act” bill was adopted in July in the U.S. House in a vote that included 47 Republicans. Now a group of bi-partisan Senators have crafted language they believe can be adopted in the Senate. They’re starting voting this week. Call Senator Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221and Senator Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822 LGBTQ+ people and their allies have […]
Your Vote Matters! Steps For Making Your Voice Heard in the 2022 Election
By MUUSJN on Friday, September 30th, 2022
Steps to Make Your Voice Heard in the 2022 Election! GET REGISTERED – If you haven’t yet cast your ballot, there is still time to exercise your right to have your voice heard. Here are some tips for making sure your vote is counted: * VERIFY THAT YOU’RE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND LEARN IF YOUR POLLING LOCATION CHANGED: Go to https://mi.gov/vote Here you can confirm your voter registration status; your polling place and hours; view a sample ballot; and track your absentee ballot. You can vote if you are homeless or if you have completed a jail or prison sentence or are in jail waiting for trial. Go to the above website for more information. * IF YOU’RE NOT REGISTERED, DO SO ASAP: To register to vote on-line, click […]
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Will Protect the Environment, Allow Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices, and Close Tax Loopholes for Corporations
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, August 10th, 2022
Thank Michigan Senators for Their Vote Sen. Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221 & Sen. Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822 BACKGROUND Shortly after 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 7th, the U.S. Senate voted 50 – 50 to adopt the Inflation Reductive Act of 2022. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie breaking vote. Senator Joe Manchin (D – W.VA) and Senator Krysten Sinema (D – AZ), two outspoken opponents of comprehensive Build Back Better proposals that Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network and other progressive organizations supported during 2021, negotiated to make this historic legislation work for them and many others. Now the bill will be voted on next Friday, August 12th in a special session of the U.S. House. The bill (HR 5376) includes what Senator Chuck Schumer called the […]
Enjoy Pulitzer Prize Winning Show About Race in America at the Detroit Rep. & Support MUUSJN Justice Work
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, July 13th, 2022
Greetings People In MUUSJN’s Statewide Network: Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) Board members invite you to consider making a donation or purchasing tickets to a Detroit Repertory Theater performance of “Fairview” at 3 p.m. at the Detroit Repertory Theater on July 30th. ABOUT THE PLAY Fairview is the winner of a 2019 Pulitzer Prize. It’s “hilarious searing examination of deep seated paradigms of race in America”. It was described by the Pulitzer committee as “a hard-hitting drama that examines race in a highly conceptual, layered structure, ultimately bringing audiences into the actors’ community to face deep-seated prejudices.” The play was written by Jackie Sibblies Drury and is directed by Will Bryson. MUUSJN and THE REP MUUSJN has partnered with Detroit Repertory Theatre for […]
GET OUT THE VOTE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE — JOB & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES; FREE GOTV TRAINING
By MUUSJN on Sunday, July 10th, 2022
Apply NOW for to Become a MUUSJN Outreach Worker Be Part of MUUSJN’s GOTV & Reproductive Justice Teams The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network is pleased to be awarded two grants, one from the Unitarian Universalist Association for a “UU the Vote” campaign in Michigan and one from Michigan Voices to do reproductive justice education and outreach. Those funds will allow MUUSJN to hire three part-time Outreach Workers — preferably in different parts of the state — who will each be paid $15/hour for up to $400/month to work to support Get Out the Vote activities and to help with reproductive justice education and outreach on a statewide basis. MUUSJN works with 24 UU congregations who will be involved in these activities and also […]