Category: Uncategorized
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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…
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Common Sense Policing Reform Needs Your Voice
Five years after the murder of George Floyd, we’re finally seeing real momentum for meaningful policing reform in Michigan. A bipartisan group of state senators has introduced the Police Practices Standardization, Transparency, and Trust (S.T.A.T.) package, a set of eleven bills shaped by years of community advocacy to increase transparency, accountability, and public trust in policing.…
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VAAC Friday Community Meetings in June: 6/6/ & 6/20 – Stay Plugged In!
This Friday, June 6: Real ID Access + Ballot Petition Threats This week’s VAAC Community Meeting is packed with information you need to know. We’ll be joined by a representative from the Michigan Department of State to break down how Real ID requirements affect people who are unhoused or justice-impacted, and what options are available.…
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Your Rights Are on the Line: Before You Sign, Know the Facts 📜❓✍🏿❌
Two dangerous constitutional amendment petitions are circulating in Michigan right now: Committee to Protect Voter Rights‘ “Prove It, Michigan” and Americans for Citizen Voting (AfCV) They’re framed as protecting elections, but what they really do is create new, permanent barriers to voting, especially for: Black and brown voters Justice-impacted citizens People who are unhoused or…
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On the Ground: State of the People Power Tour Comes to Detroit
It was deep and meaningful for VAAC to be part of the State of the People Power Tour when it touched down in Detroit for a powerful two-day experience rooted in Black political power, joy, and community connection. From the youth town hall to the community meal to the power rally, each part of the…