By mlppadmin
Fact Sheet: Address Racial, Ethnic and Social Justice Impact of State Budget Decisions2017-01-172020-07-20https://mlpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mlpp-logo.pngMLPPhttps://mlpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/71993809_ml.jpg200px200px
— LEAGUE RECOMMENDATION —
State lawmakers should incorporate an analysis of the racial, ethnic and social justice impact of budget options and recommendations in their budget deliberations.
BACKGROUND: Through its Kids Count project, the League documents outcomes for children and their families, including inequitable outcomes based on race, ethnicity and place. For every negative outcome there is a backstory—a history of inequality based on systemic barriers that have held families and children of color back from many of the traditional pathways to good health and economic opportunity.
- State budgets are not “colorblind,” even if their disproportionate impact is unintended. How lawmakers divide up the state budget has the potential to help or hinder children’s development and ability to learn, create or limit economic opportunities, and protect or threaten public health and safety. Despite gross disparities in outcomes for families and children of color, many state budget decisions maintain or exacerbate current inequities. For example, despite the reality that children of color are two to three times more likely to live in poverty, state funding for programs to ensure that children’s basic needs are met has plummeted (for more, see the League’s analysis of the racial/ethnic impact of the 2018 Michigan budget).
- There are many historical policy barriers to economic security. Differences in economic opportunity are at the core of racial and ethnic inequities. Among the barriers have been housing discrimination, the impact of redlining on home-ownership, segregation in public schools, differences in educational quality and opportunity, racial discrimination in the workplace, and inequities in the ability to accumulate assets and wealth (for more, see the League’s Kids Count Race for Results fact sheet).
WHY IT MATTERS:
- Policies that limit economic security for parents based on race, ethnicity and place will have a lasting impact on generations to come. It is well-documented that exposure to poverty in the earliest years of life can affect children’s long-term development and success (for more, see the League’s Kids Count Right Start report). Children of color are more likely to be born too early, die in the first year of life, have poor nutrition, have untreated health conditions, and live in homes and neighborhoods where they are exposed to environmental toxins. The economic stresses their parents face are linked to depression and anxiety, which raise the risk of substance use disorders.
- All Michigan residents must succeed or Michigan’s economy will not prosper. A high-quality education is a vital path to equity for children in Michigan and is the foundation of economic growth. Three-quarters of African-American students and two-thirds of Latino students in Michigan are economically disadvantaged, and Michigan has not devoted the resources needed to overcome the well-documented impact of poverty on educational achievement.
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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.
