Public News Service

Michigan hosts the largest population of Arab Americans in the country, and Dearborn is home to the country's only Arab American History Museum. (flowertiare/Adobe Stock)

New US race, ethnicity standards include Middle Eastern, North African

Until recently, many Americans of Middle Eastern or North African descent were categorized as "white" in government surveys, making it challenging to …

Wayne State University was named nationally as a top 15 Voter Friendly Campus last October, out of 262 U.S. institutions. It's the only one in Michigan, according to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Student Affairs in Higher Education. (Adobe Stock)

Michigan voting: Major changes enhance access for fall elections

Michigan's upcoming fall elections will highlight significant strides in voting accessibility. Recent measures, such as nine days of early voting and …

Automotive manufacturer Ford estimates it will create 2,500 new American jobs through its EV production plant in Marshall. (sofirinaja/Adobe Stock)

Trump attempts appeal to Michigan's waning Biden support

Early voting for primaries in Michigan began this weekend. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in a change from Democratic support, urged voters to block …

In a statement, Edward Mitchell, CAIR's national deputy director, said

Questioning of Muslim American judicial nominee called 'irrelevant,' 'hostile'

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has drawn fire for his questioning of the first Muslim American judicial nominee. Hawley, along with Sen. Tom Cotton…

More than 30,000 labor activists have signed a letter calling on top U.S. union leaders to

Postal Workers become largest union to demand ceasefire in Gaza

One of the nation's largest labor unions has become the latest organization to demand a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel's war with Hamas plays out…

People with additional years of education beyond high school tend to be more civic-minded and interact more with neighbors and family members, according to a recent Gallup poll. (Tyler Olson/Adobe Stock)

Increasingly, politics make their way into students' college choices

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News …

Michigan's Voting Rights Act would provide curbside voting and establishes protections for voters with disabilities. It also allows organizers to arrange rides to the polls for voters during elections. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Michigan voting rights advocates push for lifting language, other barriers

Michigan lawmakers are set to consider a new Voting Rights Act for the state by next week. Introduced in June, Senate Bills 401, 402, 403 and 404 …

The first election in which early voting is constitutionally required in Michigan will be the 2024 presidential preference primary. (Lisa Carter/Adobe Stock)

Early voting available soon for some Michiganders

CLARIFICATION: Information has been added to clarify that there are multiple pilot programs, and that early voting will not be widely available in …

Water Equals Life is a coalition of water justice advocates, environmental groups and social justice groups who have come together in a statewide campaign to ensure everyone's basic human need for access to clean, safe, and affordable water is met, regardless of income. (Bovart/Adobe Stock)

Michigan Residents Pay Among Highest Water Bills in U.S.

Michigan water rates have surged more than 40% since 2010, and it is a trend that's expected to continue as cities and utilities work to upgrade …

Detroit Action hosts a Black August event where it strives to reimagine a world through an abolitionist point of view and healing-justice policies. (SmartArt/Adobe Stock)

Art Collaboration This Weekend for Black August in Detroit

Communities around the country and in Michigan are celebrating Black August and promoting liberation of all diversities. Anthony Baber, director of …

More than 50 anti-Muslim hate groups were operating in the United States in 2021, according to the Southern Policy Law Center. Many groups target Muslims by the way they dress. (Adobe Stock)

Muslim Rights Group Sues Michigan Sheriff Over Forced Hijab Removal

A Muslim rights group is taking the Kent County Sheriff's Office to court for forcing a Michigan woman to remove her hijab for a booking photo…

Black employees encounter discrimination against appearance of natural hairstyles including but not limited to braids, dreadlocks, twists and Afros. (Olesia Bilkei/Adobe Stock)

Michigan Senate Passes CROWN Act to Prevent Hair Discrimination

The Michigan Senate has passed legislation to confirm wearing natural hair should not prevent anyone from rising in the workplace, in education or in …

Learning to debate helps develop students' critical thinking skills, according to the American Debate League. (Adobe Stock)

Community Groups Encourage Open Dialogue After Controversy at Michigan High School

After controversy erupted over Palestinian American activist and lawyer Huiwada Arraf's speech at a Michigan high school, community groups are …

In 2021, some 241,000 new apprentices entered the national apprenticeship system, but a new policy report says Black workers are still underrepresented. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Black Workers Need More Opportunities for Apprenticeships

Labor leaders and various industries recently celebrated the 85th anniversary of a federal law that laid the groundwork for registered apprenticeship …

In Michigan and elsewhere, dental therapists ensure that in areas where dentists are hard to find, proper, cost-effective oral health care is available. (sofiko14/Adobe Stock)

Dental Therapists May Provide Vital Care in MI's 'Dental Deserts'

Experts agree that proper dental care is an important part of a person's overall health, but a chronic shortage of dentists makes some parts of …

Promote the Vote 2022 announced Monday it has collected nearly 670,000 signatures to get its amendment on the ballot. (Promote the Vote)

MI Voting, Reproductive Freedom Ballot Campaigns Submit Signatures

Two constitutional amendment campaigns submitted signatures Monday to qualify to appear on the November ballot, one called "Promote the Vote 2022" …

Twice as many voters with disabilities reported experienced difficulty voting in 2020 as voters without a disability. (John Davis/Adobe Stock)

MI Disability Group: Tips for More Inclusive Political Campaigns, Elections

With the 2022 elections nearing, groups in Michigan are working to educate political campaigns on how to become more accessible to voters with …

Only one county in Michigan - Genessee County - offers Election Day opportunities for eligible voters in jail. (WESTOCK/Adobe Stock)

MI Coalition Spotlights Need for Jail-Based Voting Improvements

Voting-rights groups in Michigan are working to increase awareness about and access to voting in jails. In Michigan, anyone not serving a prison …

Michigan lost one congressional seat after the 2020 census apportionment. (My Districting Michigan)

MI Good-Government Groups: Check Your Districts Before Election Time

New Michigan voting district maps went into effect last week, and officials now are working to update the voter rolls. Despite ongoing litigation…

In 2018, voters approved changes to the election code to make it easier to vote. (Pamela Au/Adobe Stock)

MI Petition Seeks to Overrule Governor's Veto on Restrictive Voter ID Law

A petition from the group "Secure MI Vote" is aiming to circumvent Michigan's regular legislative channels and pass laws restricting many residents' a…

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, a 1931 Michigan law banning abortion could go back into effect. (Adobe Stock)

Groups: Reproductive-Health Disparities Would Worsen Without Roe

LANSING, Mich. -- Advocates for reproductive care in Michigan are echoing the Department of Justice's call for the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

LANSING, Mich. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is made up of four Democrats, four Republicans and five Independents. (Adobe Stock)

Independent MI Redistricting Commission Makes Hearings More Accessible

DEARBORN, Mich. -- The independent commission charged with drawing Michigan's new voting district maps for the next decade is seeking public comments …

The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is reimagining ways to grow food in cities, inspired by urban gardens in the 1960s and 70s. (espiegle/Adobe Stock)

Black-Led Food, Land Justice Groups: Land Leads to Self-Determination

By Ruth Terry for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Lily Bohlke for Michigan News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

The daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Bernice King, will speak to Michiganders during a virtual event. (LBJ Library/WikiMedia Commons)

Remembering Dr. King: Peaceful Leader and "Agitator"

LANSING, Mich. -- Michiganders are not letting the pandemic stop observances honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Junior. Elaine Hardy…

We Make Michigan is holding rallies and marches this week to ensure every vote is counted. (AdobeStock)<br />

Michigan Groups Mobilize to Protect the Vote and Protect Democracy

LANSING, Mich. -- Dozens of organizations in Michigan are mobilizing this week to protect democracy at the polls, and as the ballots are tallied…

61% of SNAP recipients live in families with children. (Mike Mozart/Flickr)

Lifting SNAP Drug Felony Ban on the Table in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. - Some Michiganders convicted of drug offenses are facing lifelong punishments under the law that are not directly related to their …

About 260 people are among the migrant families that continue to be detained at the U.S./Mexico border. (Adobe Stock)

People of Faith in MI Demand End to Child Detention

LANSING, Mich. - Some Michiganders of faith are among those around the country urging President Donald Trump to stop detaining immigrant children at …

Some experts say the pandemic has uncovered multiple systems of segregation that have shaped the lives of communities of color. (Adobe Stock)

Calls for Concrete Action to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis

LANSING, Mich. -- Two weeks after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared racism a public health crisis, there are calls for Michigan lawmakers to make it …

The Movement for Black Lives' Week of Action offers ways that Michiganders can show up for racial justice at the local level. (AdobeStock)

Michigan Faith Community Urges End to White Silence

LANSING, Mich. -- As they join the nationwide protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, some faith leaders are calling on the white …

A new coalition is launching a ballot initiative to help ensure that LGBTQ Michiganders are guaranteed safeguards in housing, public accommodations and employment. (Adobe Stock)

Citizen Effort Launches to Improve LGBTQ Protections in MI

LANSING, Mich. -- After years of inaction at the Statehouse, some Michiganders are taking bold action to expand the state's civil-rights law to …

According to the Department of Homeland Security, an estimated 13.2 million Lawful Permanent Residents or green-card holders currently live in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Green-Card Applicants Face Hurdles Under Federal Rule Change

LANSING, Mich. – Local experts say the latest changes to federal immigration laws would have damaging ripple effects on Michigan's immigrant …

Ann Arbor couple Alaa Kouider and Ameur Dhaimini, along with the Council on American Muslim Relations, are filing a civil-rights complaint against Tim Hortons restaurants. (Alaa Kouider)

MI Muslim Group Files Civil-Rights Complaint Against Tim Hortons

LANSING, Mich. – A Michigan group that advocates for Muslims is filing a civil-rights complaint today against Tim Hortons restaurants, claiming …

The cities of Somerville, Mass., and San Francisco recently have forbidden local law enforcement from using facial-recognition surveillance.(Metamorworks/AdobeStock)

Congressional Hearing Echoes MI Push to Regulate Facial Recognition Surveillance

LANSING, Mich. – Privacy advocates spoke out Wednesday at a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security …

A U.S. Supreme Court decision will allow Michigan's gerrymandered districts to stay in place for 2020, but an independent citizens' commission will be redrawing them for 2022. (Voters Not Politicians)

MI Anti-Gerrymandering Group Presses On, Despite U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

LANSING, Mich. – Despite a blow from the U.S. Supreme Court, anti-gerrymandering groups are pressing on to implement the Michigan voter …

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission currently considers LGBTQ people a protected class, but a new amendment would enshrine those protections in state law. (Arashdeep/Morguefile)

LGBTQ Caucus Introduces Amendment to MI Civil Rights Law

LANSING, Mich. - LGBTQ lawmakers and their supporters have introduced an amendment to the state's Civil Rights Act to add protections for sexual …

A new package of bills on LBGTQ adoption would reverse laws passed in 2015. (Adobe Stock)

LGBTQ Groups Praise New Adoption Anti-Discrimination Bills

LANSING, Mich. — LGBTQ advocates are speaking out in favor of three bills just introduced in the state Legislature that would outlaw …

Government Transparency Bills Attracting Mixed Reviews

LANSING, Mich. — A package of bills designed to improve government transparency went before the state House Government Operations committee on …

The Michigan Campaign Finance Network says 11 super PACs spent more than $20 million in the state from Jan. 2017 to Oct. 2018. (Cohdra/Morguefile)

Nine Years After Citizens United, Calls for Transparency Grow

LANSING, Mich. — Today marks nine years since the U.S. Supreme Court changed campaign finance laws in the Citizens United case, and opponents …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer displays the LGBTQ anti-discrimination executive directive after a signing ceremony on Monday. (Jim Murray/Equality MI)

LGBT Groups Celebrate as Governor Signs Non-Discrimination Directive

LANSING, Mich. — Civil-rights groups are celebrating a new directive from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that bans discrimination against LGBTQ people …

The group Michigan United is pushing for comprehensive immigration reform and a case-by-case approach to deportation. (Erik Shelley)

Detroit-to-Lansing Pilgrimage Highlights Immigration Woes

FARMINGTON, Mich. – Dozens of people are taking part in a pilgrimage of sorts, walking 90 miles over nine days from Detroit to Lansing to draw …

Outside of metro Detroit, a new study finds many Michiganders don't know any Muslims or much about their everyday lives. (cohdra/morguefile)

As Hate Crimes Rise, New Study Highlights Contributions of MI Muslims

DEARBORN, Mich. -- They are doctors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs, but they're also the victims of hate crimes, discrimination, and profiling…

Trump's plan to ban transgender troops is drawing criticism and outrage. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

President's Tweets Spark Outrage, Fear for Transgender Community

LANSING, Mich. – He pledged to defend their rights, but President Trump now says transgender individuals can't defend their country, which …

Men who are improperly named the father of a child can face financial and legal challenges. (Pixabay)

MI Leaders Work to Correct Problems of "False Fatherhood"

LANSING, Mich. – While some Michigan men enjoyed their Father's Day with family, for others it was a cruel reminder of the injustice they face…

Poverty and bias are widespread in the transgender community, according to new data. (TransAmerica/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Transgender Michiganders Face Widespread Discrimination

LANSING, Mich. -- Poverty, discrimination, unemployment and psychological stress - those are just some of the hallmarks of the transgender experience …

Members of the LGBTQ community say they feel invisible by government standards, and want to be included in the next U.S. census. (Alan Light/wikimedia commons)

LGBTQ Americans to Be Left Off 2020 Census?

LANSING, Mich. — Some members of the LGBTQ community say they're feeling "erased" after learning that proposed questions on sexual orientation …

Many immigrants in Michigan are confused and fearful in the wake of President Trump's order. (Welcoming Michigan)

Immigration Orders Spark Fear, Confusion Across Michigan

DETROIT -- With one of the largest populations of Middle Eastern immigrants in the nation, Michigan is feeling the ripple effects of President …

Some LGBT Michiganders fear the Trump presidency will threaten hard-fought LGBT rights. (Pixabay)<br />

Will Trump Erase Past Progress on LGBT Rights?

LANSING, Mich. -- There could be some trouble for LGBT rights during the Trump presidency. Donald Trump has said he would like to overturn national …

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MI: Civil Rights