Every year in December, the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau publishes a wealth of economic, housing, race and educational attainment information. This information is useful for policymakers, public administrators, advocates and direct service providers as they work to meet the needs of their communities. But the data is also helpful for all residents to better understand the issues facing their area and our state as a whole.
The Michigan League for Public Policy has made it a tradition to publish fact sheets with some of this census information on the state, county, municipal, legislative and congressional district, and American Indian reservation levels. The new fact sheets are now up on our website in printable form for you to use for communicating with lawmakers, writing stories for the media, and planning or assessing service projects and programs. We would love to hear how you use the fact sheets!
Here at the League, the annual census data helps us analyze and inform our policy work, to see what’s working, what isn’t, and what still needs to be addressed. In particular, this data continues to underscore the fact that Michigan’s comeback story is not reaching everyone in the state and too many people are still struggling. Statewide, the poverty rate was 16.3% for 2017. The child poverty rate was 22.8%—nearly 1 in 4 Michigan kids were living in poverty last year. These residents aren’t feeling any “recovery.”
As our economy evolves, a college degree or training is becoming more essential to getting a good job and a reasonable wage. But more than 50% of Michigan residents 25 and older do not have a college degree. The gender wage gap also remains a significant problem. Last year, the median wage for women was $38,518 compared to $50,760 for men. That means women are making around 76 cents on the dollar compared to men, which is below the national average (80 cents). And you can see the adverse impact that is having right on the same fact sheet, which shows 44.3% of female single-parent families were in poverty last year.
These are some of the issues we’re working to draw attention to this week as part of the Fighting for Families Week of Action sponsored by our friends at the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), a strategy center and support network for state legislators from around the country who seek to strengthen our democracy, advocate for working families, defend civil rights and liberties, and protect the environment. Among the activities this week will be a telephone town hall discussion TONIGHT in which you can ask state legislators and advocates (including yours truly) about such topics as good jobs, earned sick and family leave, overtime rules, predictable scheduling and wage theft.
The census data information and the League’s fact sheets will be useful for our discussion tonight, and I hope you can join us. But also keep these fact sheets in mind to inform your own work and advocacy on behalf of better policies to serve all Michigan residents.
— Peter Ruark
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.
