At the risk of adding yet another “year in review” post to your feed, I’m here today to present the League’s Top Ten Blogs of 2021. I’d planned to do a concise wrap-up of the year for all of you, but I got to mid-January and was exhausted, so I’ll just direct you here. And here. And here. And also here. And…well you know how Google works.
But for a deeper look at the year in Michigan’s public policy, stay right here. The League’s analysts, staff and partners spent 2021 researching and sharing information about policies that will strengthen our state and help residents and their families thrive. Here are the blog posts that received the most viewers in 2021.
10. Our best shot at defeating COVID-19, April 14: Shortly after the COVID-19 vaccine became widely available, League health policy analyst Amber Bellazaire promoted the need for everyone to do their part for public and personal health.
9.Let’s finally put an end to unnecessary cash bail, November 11: Senior policy analyst Peter Ruark wrote this blog related to his report on Michigan’s harmful cash bail system. It also highlights the pretrial reform package of bills that would put an end to cash bail in the state.
8.New expungement law helps residents move on from past mistakes, April 30. The League and a number of other partner organizations worked with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to help pass the Clean Slate legislation expanding and automating adult criminal record expungement. The new Clean Slate law expands eligibility to petition for an expungement of an adult criminal record in several ways, and creates a new process that will automatically seal certain nonviolent conviction records if a person has remained conviction-free for a period of time (seven years for misdemeanors, 10 years for felonies). In this blog, the League’s external affairs director Alex Rossman stresses the importance of making sure justice-involved Michiganders are aware of the law.
7.Women are society’s invisible infrastructure, but they’re often underpaid and undervalued, April 2: This is a piece I wrote for Equal Pay Day to highlight the need for closing the wage gap. Women make 82 cents for every dollar paid to men. Mothers make 70 cents for every dollar a father makes. Black women make 63 cents for every dollar white men make. And Latinx women make just 55 cents for every dollar white men make. But there are some promising policies that could change this. Read my blog to learn more!
6.Promoting affordable energy and health for all Michigan’s families, July 23: Home energy services is critical to the health and well-being of Michiganders, and senior policy analyst Julie Cassidy‘s brief delved into the problem of energy inefficiency and the ongoing housing and economic racial discrimination that channels people of color into older, energy-inefficient homes. Her blog gives a solid overview of the issue.
5. K-12 Budget good first step, more required in future, September 10: The 2021-22 education budget passed earlier this year relied on stronger than anticipated state revenues as well as an infusion of federal relief funds. In nominal terms, it is the largest K-12 budget in recent history, at nearly $17 billion. And that historic amount of funding translated into some historic opportunities. The League’s fiscal policy director Rachel Richards broke it down for us in this blog.
4.From a mom and pediatrician: Michigan needs home visiting, August 11. League partner and Think Babies Michigan advocate Dr. Nicole Hamp wrote this column, originally published in Bridge Michigan, to promote the need for home visiting, which helps moms and their babies build a safe, healthy and stimulating environment where they can both thrive. Thanks to advocates like Dr. Hamp, the 2022 state budget included state and federal funds that would create 1,000 home visiting slots, including individualized support and dedicated health services for families with an infant born with substance exposure.
3. Unemployment insurance is not to blame for so-called labor shortage, June 28: Labor and workforce issues were at the forefront in 2021, and the League’s Peter Ruark has spent his career researching and advocating for policies that advance workers. Here was his advice over the summer: “Instead of rushing to cut the safety net for workers who cannot work due to pandemic concerns or who cannot find work, perhaps now would be a good time for policymakers to look at ways to enhance job quality and give hardworking Michiganders the dignity they deserve.”
2. Grateful for Gilda, December 1: This blog post marked the end of an era, not just of a year. Gilda Z. Jacobs retired from the League this month, and our staff celebrated her legacy with this send-off.
1. Michigan’s next chapter, December 22: The blog post I’ll leave you with today hasn’t had a chance to make the top ten list because we just published it last week, but it shows the vision of our new President and CEO Monique Stanton.
That’s the year that was…and now it’s time for the year ahead.
As Monique noted, we have many reasons to be optimistic about 2022, and we’re eager to dig in and get to work.
On Monday.
Until then, cheers to you and yours. Please stay safe and healthy and keep following the League to learn the latest on policies that matter!
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.
