Category: Uncategorized
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Striving for Justice and True Public Safety in the State Budget
Advocates call for increases in violence prevention and safe reentry after incarceration MICHIGAN – A group of justice advocates called for more support of proven, community-based violence prevention for those returning to their families and communities. The Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI) hosted a virtual press conference Wednesday calling on elected officials to…
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House Budget Proposes Dangerous Cuts to Healthcare, Food, Youth Justice
Last week, Matt Hall, the Speaker of Michigan House of Representatives, introduced the House Republicans 800-page budget proposal, gave lawmakers 1 hour to review it, and then passed it out of the House. The budget calls for major across the board cuts. As our fiscal sponsor, the Michigan League for Public Policy notes, it calls…
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Leveraging Podcasts Without Starting Your Own
You don’t have to run a podcast to show up powerfully on one. Join MI-CEMI for a communications table focused on how individuals and organizations can use podcast platforms to amplify stories, build narrative power, and advance criminal legal reform—without producing a podcast themselves. This session is designed for people who are interested in using…
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Pull Up and Plug In: Breaking Barriers, Building Power
Our first ID clinic shows what’s possible when community comes together Yesterday, VAAC and partners launched our very first ID clinic — Pull Up and Plug In: Claim Your ID, Claim Your Vote, Claim Your Power. Hosted at the Ypsilanti District Library with support from the Michigan Department of State, the day was about more…
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Join Us for the First Quarterly Reentry Table – October 14
We’re excited to launch the Quarterly Reentry Table, a new space for connection, collaboration, and action among people and organizations working to support successful reentry in Michigan. Kickoff Session Details: Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 Time: 12:00 – 1:30 PM ET Location: Virtual on Zoom (link will be emailed upon RSVP) Audience: Reentry service providers,…
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VAAC Friday Community Meeting
Join us this Friday, August 15, for an important VAAC Community Meeting featuring Kathryn Ellywicz from HPCAN (Historic Preservation Citizens Action Network). She’ll walk us through the petitions currently circulating — including: What they really propose Who’s sponsoring and funding them How they could create new barriers for our communities This is a chance to…
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Next Up: Prison Programming Providers Table | August 5 at 12PM
At MI-CEMI, we know that robust peer-led and volunteer programming inside Michigan prisons is essential for meaningful rehabilitation and successful community reentry. To continue strengthening and expanding these critical programs, we’re bringing together providers, advocates, and individuals with direct programming experience for our quarterly Prison Programming Providers Table. Join us virtually on Tuesday, August 5th,…
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Draconian Resentencing Bills Advance Despite Broad Opposition
A package of resentencing legislation—House Bills 4506, 4507, and 4508, introduced by Rep. Sarah Lightner—is moving forward in the Michigan House after a Judiciary Committee vote on June 25. The bills would establish harsh new sentencing minimums in response to recent Michigan Supreme Court rulings that prohibited mandatory life without parole sentences for individuals who…
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Why the Right to Sue for Voting Rights Is at Risk, and Why Michigan Should Care
What’s Happening?A recent ruling by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals could block private citizens and organizations from suing under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a key legal tool that stops racial discrimination in voting. Why It MattersSection 2 has historically been used to challenge gerrymandered maps, at-large elections that dilute minority voting power, and…
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What’s at Stake in Michigan’s Prison Communications Contract
The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is finalizing a new statewide contract that will govern how people in prison make phone calls, send messages, participate in video visits, and access tablets. This decision will shape how thousands of people stay connected to loved ones—and MI-CEMI is urging the state to get it right. Alongside several advocacy partners, MI-CEMI submitted a…