Giving women a stronger voice in Michigan is the goal of a new coalition.
MI-Lead is composed of more than 30 organizations, from civil liberties and reproductive rights to business associations and unions.
Shirley Zeller is with the Business and Professional Women of Michigan.
“We’ve heard from too many women across our state that feel like they have no voice or their voice doesn’t matter,” says Zeller, “When women in Michigan do better, we all do better.”
The group says, while they make up 51% of Michigan’s population, women earn less and rank lower in surveys on women’s access to quality healthcare.
The coalition plans to push for changes in state policy to give women better access to health care and economic opportunity.
An important goal is to get more women involved in the political process. Coalition leaders insist they are committed to working with both Republicans and Democrats.
Coalition members:
AFL-CIO
American Association of University Women
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
American Medical Women’s Association – Wayne State School of Medicine
Business and Professional Women of Michigan
Hadassah
Law Students for Reproductive Justice, University of Michigan Law School
League of Women Voters
Medical Students for Choice, Wayne State
Metro Detroit Chapter for the Coalition of Labor Union Women
MI List
Michigan League for Public Policy
Michigan National Organization for Women (NOW)
Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network
Milton Ford LGBT Center
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Detroit Section
Northland Family Planning Centers
NOW, Oakland/Macomb County Chapter
NOW, Wayne County Chapter
Planned Parenthood Affiliates and Advocates of Michigan
Right to Health
Scotsdale Women’s Center
Summit Women’s Center
Women’s Health Center of Flint and Saginaw
Amy Lynn Smith, Writer & Strategist/Eclectablog
Unite Women
National Coalition Partners
American Civil Liberties Union
Catholics for Choice
Center for Reproductive Rights
National Institute for Reproductive Health
UniteWomen.org
