Have you ever noticed that food is better when we take the time to do it right? With all the shortcuts to preparing food these days—from Instant Pots to packaged meal kits—sometimes it feels good to dig in and work on something from scratch.
The same can be said for the world of policy, actually. You’ve probably heard that we’re celebrating some big wins right now, and I can tell you that none of those wins came instantly. There was a lot of cooking from scratch, and we’ll admit our kitchen got a bit messy from time to time. But in the end, we and our partners were able to whip up some pretty spectacular dishes. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d provide you with a recipe this month.
Winning: A recipe for success from the League
You’ll need equal parts:
Time (no, not thyme): Sometimes you’ll put years into this recipe. Raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction, which was signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Oct. 31, took five years. Improving Michigan’s asset test limit is something we’ve been working on since 2012, and it took until this year to make it happen. You need time to explain your issue, to develop relationships, to build support. Advocacy is not instant.
Compromise: If you’re only working with the ingredients in your own cupboard, then you’re going to have a hard time getting a good result. You’ve got to invite others into the kitchen. They may have different ideas about how to create the meal, but you’ll often find you have the same end goal. Raise the Age, for example, saw bipartisan support and gave us the opportunity to work with organizations who might have different views than we do. Despite our different agendas and values, we were able to come together for this issue because we put policy over politics. Advocacy is not one-sided.
Tenacity: Sometimes we have to mix the batter a little harder to get the right result. When the Trump administration announced that it was undoing Obama-era changes to the overtime threshold, we had to react and fight. The administration’s move, disguised as a win for workers, actually left 200,000 working Michiganders behind. We spoke out and spoke up. And we’re glad the governor understood the danger of this issue, too, as she had the will to improve Michigan’s own rule on overtime. Advocacy is not easy. (Optional ingredient: Tylenol. Hey. This recipe can create headaches, backaches and a host of other ailments. To get it right, you might need some help with the pain.)
Patience: You may actually need a few more cups of this than all the other ingredients. When you care deeply about an issue, it’s hard to understand why support isn’t coming together quickly. But you can’t become so impatient that you lose sight of your goal. I may not be a master soufflé baker, but I know not to shake things up when something precious is cooking. Keep your eyes on the prize.
Once you have the ingredients, the recipe is easy to follow: Stay focused, take the time to carefully prepare and remember to put your goal at the center of your work. Remember that every kitchen, every oven, every chef is a little bit different. Be ready to adjust the heat as needed and understand that even the best recipes need to be modified to suit your needs.
Oh, and you know that a chef’s work is never done, right? Even as we celebrate, we’re already prepping the kitchen for our next big win. Thanks for being with us all along the way.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
