LANSING – The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus (MLBC) applauds Governor Gretchen Whitmer for publicly recognizing racism as a public health crisis and, in response, creating a “first of its kind” Black Leadership Advisory Council.
“MLBC has provided leadership on this issue by introducing, on June 10, 2020, resolutions in both the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives declaring racism as a public health crisis in Michigan,” according to State Senator Marshall Bullock II (D-Detroit), MLBC chairman. “We are pleased that Governor Whitmer has made history by issuing Executive Order 2020-163, which complements our position, and goes even further by creating a Black Leadership Advisory Council.”
State Senator Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) added, “During my time as a state legislator, it has struck me as odd that no ethnic commission existed for Michigan’s largest minority population in our state — the Black community. Working with a diverse group of people from across our diaspora, my colleagues and I last month introduced Senate Bill 1034 to create such a commission housed within the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, but it was sadly sent to the Senate Committee on Government Operations to languish. Governor Whitmer recognizes the importance of this issue as well and has taken executive action to create the Black Leadership Advisory Council, which I am proud to support. I look forward to seeing this commission come to fruition and ensuring its statutory status as with other ethnic commissions, so that our state can continue to tackle the issues that impact our Black brothers and sisters long into the future.”
Senator Bullock said that MLBC “looks forward to working with the Governor to help fulfill the mandates of EO 2020-163 to ‘ensure that the voices of Black Americans are heard at all levels of government, including the Governor’s office,’ and dismantle the historical and negative consequences of systemic racism within our society.”
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