A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
Last week, the Michigan League for Public Policy held our 2024 Public Policy Forum, bringing together hundreds of advocates and thought leaders as well as experts from across the state to explore the theme of Economic Justice for All people in Michigan.
The theme of this year’s forum was timely considering that Michigan currently has the 13th highest poverty rate in the nation–at 13%–and that almost 18% of our state’s kids are living below the poverty line.
But this is a problem we can solve.
During my opening remarks at this year’s forum, I shared what many of us already know–that poverty is a policy choice, but that ending poverty is also a policy choice, and we have clear evidence that the right policies can work. We only need to look at the powerful, but temporary pandemic-era investments that ensured families with no or low incomes had access to food, healthcare, safe housing and cash. These investments kept 53 million people above the poverty line and cut child poverty in half. Now that we’ve seen the power of these poverty-fighting tools and the dire consequences of ending them, the time is now for us to work together to transform our social safety net for good.
To bring home that message, we were fortunate to be joined by two exceptional keynote speakers: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Luke Shaefer. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is a renowned pediatrician and scientist who helped uncover and combat the Flint water crisis. And Dr. Shaefer is the director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan and is one of the nation’s leading scholars on poverty and social welfare policy.
During their keynote conversation, these two trailblazers discussed their groundbreaking work in improving public health and eradicating social and economic injustices in Michigan, including their recently launched program in Flint, Rx Kids. This first-in-the-nation program provides $1,500 in cash to Flint moms during pregnancy and $500 every month during the first year of a baby’s life. The program launched earlier this year and is already making a huge difference in the lives of Flint families, with program participants reporting that they have used the funds for things like diapers, baby monitors, car seats and child savings accounts.
Getting the innovative program off the ground required fundraising, a C.S. Mott Foundation challenge grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds leveraged from the state. And TANF funds are something to sit up and take notice of, as the Rx Kids program is effectively using state TANF funds for what they were always intended to be used for: to help more Michigan families with low incomes reach financial stability.
During the forum, Dr. Shaefer also shared some insights from his recent book, “The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America,” which takes a close look at some of the most disadvantaged communities in America. What Shaefer and his colleagues discovered is that most places with the greatest need are not urban, but rather rural communities that have a history of “raw, intensive resource extraction and human exploitation.”
Because of a lack of critical mass, as Dr. Shaefer explained, our social safety net is not built up in rural areas. And rural or urban, it’s important to note history’s role in the challenges communities face today—for example, the level of segregation in a community over 100 years ago can predict the poverty level today.
That’s why it’s critical that we adopt solutions and programs that will help families here in Michigan to not only survive, but thrive. Because we do have the power to eradicate poverty through policy change and the equitable use of our tax dollars, but it will take strong partnerships, bold action and unwavering tenacity to make it happen. The Rx Kids program is a perfect example of what can be achieved when a couple of smart and determined people come together with the right organizations and state partners to make what some would call the impossible possible.
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.
