From the First Tuesday newsletter
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Whether you’re Governor Rick Snyder or Hillary Clinton, Rachel Maddow or Jimmy Fallon, Madonna or Ziggy Ansah, it’s all about Flint right now. The same is true for us here at the League. This man-made disaster has drawn the national spotlight to Michigan for all the wrong reasons. Every day another story or scandal arises. But for me, the main question is: What do we do now?
Fixing the poisoning of Flint’s water will require action in every single area of public policy. It is a public health issue. It is an environmental issue. It is an infrastructure issue. It is an education issue. It is an economic issue. It is a racial issue. And down the road, it will likely become a corrections issue. State government largely caused this problem, and at every turn, it must be there to help. This is a battle that must be fought on all fronts, with offensive and defensive strategies, and the League is committed to that.
As heartbreaking as this crisis is, it has the potential to draw attention to the larger health plight of low-income kids and families. Unfortunately, lead poisoning is yet another issue that inordinately affects low-income residents and people of color. This is certainly true in Flint, with 40% of people living in poverty. With many social determinants for health in kids’ environment and community, the odds are stacked against low-income children from the onset.
Lead exposure was already a problem for kids in poverty, due largely to paint in old houses. But because of the Flint debacle, these kids have been drinking and bathing in lead. Low-income kids are at particularly high risk of lead poisoning due to poor diets and nutritional deficits. There is currently no traditional grocery store in Flint where healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and milk are available. There is one school nurse for the entire Flint school district. Economic struggles also create high-stress environments that take a toll on kids’ health.
The lifelong consequences of lead poisoning have been documented, including developmental and behavioral issues, learning disabilities, academic struggles, and even criminal behavior and potential incarceration. These kids didn’t ask for this. The least their government can do is help them through these challenges.
The failure in Flint has brought to light another problem. Michigan as a whole has an infrastructure problem, and it’s due to years of disinvestment. We called the Flint water crisis a “canary in the coal mine” for future infrastructure collapses and related health disasters around the state.
Flint’s catastrophe points out the need to remove and replace lead water pipes in the city and anywhere else in the state. We must all agree that we can’t keep running our drinking water over poisonous pipes, regardless of what additives are in it. Detroit public school buildings are leaking and literally falling apart, full of mold and rodents. Kids can’t learn in an unsafe environment. We can’t keep cutting funding and expect the infrastructure that depends on it to hold up.
The League sees the need for a three-pronged approach to fixing Flint and preventing such a disaster from ever happening again. First, the state must address the current crisis, updating the city’s infrastructure and restoring a safe and reliable water system, getting all kids tested for lead, and implementing educational, nutritional and medical safeguards to help those who have been exposed.
Second, the governor and legislators must outline a proposal for ensuring Flint kids have the care they need throughout their lifetime. This includes making a decades-long commitment in funding and services that lasts beyond any one governor or Legislature. We can’t leave the future of these kids at the mercy of political whims.
Third, policymakers must heed the current crises in Flint and Detroit Public Schools as a sign of things to come, and invest in and update our infrastructure accordingly. The disaster in Flint should never have happened, and it can never be made completely right. But for our state government, learning from their mistakes and vowing not to repeat them is a crucial step.
— Gilda Z. Jacobs
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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. 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
