The MLBC Agenda
Legislative power with purpose.
All Americans, especially Black Americans — given our long history of enslavement, discrimination, and inequalities — deserve an efficient, effective, and accountable government that ensures equitable access to resources and participation in the democratic process.
MLBC Legislature Policy Pillars
Civil Rights
Community Safety & Justice
Culture & Society
Education Justice
Economic & Community Advancement
Environmental & Health Equity & Justice
Immigration & International Diaspora Relations
& Advancement
Democracy & Civil Rights
Being able to participate in our democracy is a hallmark of being a U.S. Citizen. From ensuring that voting rights are inclusive and accessible to working to help members of our communities be engaged with government and its elected officials, the MLBC is committed to preserving and protecting democracy. We also believe that civil rights must be protected to ensure that everyone -especially the most systematically marginalized communities – is able to fully, fearlessly, and authentically pursue life, liberty, and happiness.
Community Safety & Justice
The MLBC is committed to the safety of our communities and ensuring justice is held up in every circumstance presented. Violence prevention activities and community-based crisis response programming is necessary to have a proactive approach towards safer and more productive Black communities. It’s imperative that we continue to find ways to partner with local law enforcement around the areas of cultural awareness, tolerance, diversity, implicit bias, conflict management, de-escalation, and reduction of trauma to victims & use of force on vulnerable people. More importantly, we aim to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions and will work to enact legislation that is reflective of the justice we all deserve.
Culture & Society
It’s important to protect and preserve our community’s history and its legacy. Black communities should have immediate access to the institutions that inform the past and inspire the future. The MLBC has prioritizes providing adequate funding and creating pathways to enhance and preserve black history.
Education Justice
While there are other state governments and local school districts that believe in teaching history inaccurately, the MLBC is steadfast in creating an atmosphere where history is taught accurately. Equity in education is also a focus, as resources have traditionally been negatively disproportionately allocated to urban school districts. By identifying options that assist in relieving financial strain on urban school districts, not only do we present an opportunity for our trusted neighbors and residents in an official capacity to perform without their hands being tied, but we can also create pathways towards ensuring there are meaningful measurables and a fair sense of accountability.
Economic & Community Advancement
The wealth gap between African Americans and their white counterparts continue to expand at an excessive rate. There must be a greater point of emphasis on providing resources around financial literacy and ensuring better access to financial institutions and related resources. Not only does the issue stem from the lack of household financial literacy, but lack of ownership and equity within the Black community. Small business success remains the backbone of any community. The circulation of the dollar within the Black community continues to shrink and is having long term negative implications towards generating wealth. A lack of ownership yields a lack accountability and motivation for growth. The MLBC is committed to providing monetary and technical resources for minority owned businesses.
Environmental & Health Equity
+ Justice
Historic, systemic, institutional policies have created undue burden on Black communities that have had negative environmental and health impacts. Without correcting these historic, long-standing injustices, Black people and communities in Michigan will not be able to advance and thrive. The MLBC is committed to addressing and improving upon such issues as maternal and infant health, reproductive justice, tackling the types of environmental apartheid that has led to increased rates of preventable disease and such upper respiratory issues as chronic asthma, improving access to culturally competent healthcare and increasing trust between healthcare providers and their patients.
Immigration & International Diaspora Relations & Advancement
There are untapped strategic partners that exists across the international diaspora that require intentional relationship building and concentrated advancement plans. This is achieved through producing a policy driven event or summit, with key partners and stakeholders, focusing on strategic growth pathways culturally, relationally, and economically. To sustain and grow those relationships, the MLBC strides to create Michigan/African State sister state relationship that will focus on the exchange of resources and opportunities – as the State of Michigan and local municipalities currently has with other allied countries.
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