Three Things Thursday: April 28, 2022

Dear Michigan LCV Family, 

Welcome to the April 28, 2022 edition of Three Things Thursday!

This week’s edition includes a look at last weekend’s Oakland County Climate March, well-deserved recognition of Mark Payne’s incredible work, and a new Michigan LCV teammate. Let’s jump in!

1. The first-ever Oakland County Climate March

Last Saturday, the first-ever Oakland County Climate March was held in Royal Oak. The event was a celebration of Earth Day, calling attention to the dire need for bold action at all levels of government to address the climate crisis and protect our communities from increasingly devastating impacts. 

Hundreds of people marched through Royal Oak on Saturday calling for climate action!

I’m very proud to say that the Michigan LCV team was instrumental in coordinating Saturday’s event, which featured a fair with over 45 booths from a variety of climate action and environmental organizations, a variety of local elected officials and activists speaking about the importance of climate action, and a parade through Royal Oak featuring the Cass Tech High School marching band! 

In partnership with Sierra Club and the Turn Oakland County Green Campaign (the main host of the event), my Michigan LCV teammates helped with outreach and promotion, logging over 7,500 calls to get people to join Saturday’s festivities. Our team, led by Southeast Michigan Regional Coordinator Ethan Petzold, was also proudly present at the event, talking with attendees about our work and raising awareness about Gov. Whitmer’s recently released MI Healthy Climate Plan (read Michigan LCV’s statement on the Plan here). In total, over 500 people turned out for the fair and march!

The Michigan LCV teammates Kim Phinessee, Ethan Petzold, Ross Harris, and Shannon Ervin at our table during Saturday’s Oakland County Climate March

Federal Government Affairs Coordinator Hudson Villeneuve leading the crowd in climate action chants as the march moved through downtown Royal Oak

Deputy Director Bob Allison rocked his #OurWaterOurVote t-shirt as he marched with his daughters, Emma, left, and Miyah, right, on Saturday

Another thing that made Saturday’s event great was Michigan LCV Ed Fund board member Julia Cole who spoke about the critical importance of decisive action to address the climate crisis. As a Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan and chair of the marine science advisory board at the University of Arizona’s Biosphere-2, Julia has a deep understanding of climate, global change, oceanography and environmental communication. Her research focuses on data and models to understand environmental change in regions and systems with substantial ecological or human impacts, emphasizing the history of drought in semiarid regions and the variability of tropical oceans and their influence. Her remarks on Saturday brought some of her unique perspectives on the impacts of climate change to the fore, and served as yet another reminder that we must come together to address climate change with urgency.

Michigan LCV Ed Fund board member Julia Cole speaking at the Oakland County Climate March

I’m extremely proud of the Michigan LCV teammates who helped make the first-ever Oakland County Climate March a smashing success!

2. “Redistricting Recognition”

Michigan’s first-ever independent redistricting process concluded last month when our state’s new district maps for the State House of Representatives (110 districts), State Senate (38 Districts) and the US House of Representatives (13 Districts) were officially adopted.  Put in place through the newly formed Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC), Michigan’s new districts now define the political landscape for the next decade.

As I have noted over the past many months, Michigan LCV paid close attention to the redistricting process as it unfolded throughout 2021 and early 2022. Our Democracy For All team tracked the process every single step of the way, with Election Systems Manager Mark Payne leading the charge. Mark attended every Commission meeting, testifying countless times, and making sure the rest of the Michigan LCV team was in the know about the intricacies of the process. Thanks to Mark’s incredible efforts, our team helped educate and support Michiganders all across the state in making their voices heard during the public comment process. 

I’m delighted to say that on April 14, Mark was recognized by the MICRC for his incredible work in ensuring that the overall process, including robust public engagement, was a success.

Here is Mark receiving his award of recognition with Commissioner Dustin Witjes!

Thank you, Mark, for your dedication to the redistricting process and for your expertise that helped our entire team, board, and all of our members stay informed and play a key role in shaping Michigan’s new districts. Congratulations on this extremely well deserved honor!

For more information on the conclusion of the redistricting process, including how you can check to see how your districts may have changed, I encourage you to check out this week’s edition of the Democracy Drumbeat newsletter!

3. New Michigan LCV team member spotlight: Evelyn Maidlow

The Michigan LCV team has been looking for talented, dedicated individuals to join our team in a variety of different roles over the past several months. The good news is that we have several new staff members! This week, I am excited to welcome Evelyn Maidlow to the Michigan LCV family!

Evelyn joins Michigan LCV as our new Membership Manager, working to build Michigan LCV’s small-dollar fundraising and grow our base of members and donors across the state.  Evelyn has worked in writing and fundraising capacities on two presidential campaigns – in 2016 in Philadelphia and in 2019/2020 in Boston.  She has also worked on an array of other campaigns ranging from the Michigan State House to Congress, and brings extensive expertise in digital fundraising, online advertising, content creation and digital storytelling into the fold. 

Evelyn resides in the Lansing area, is a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and has a passion for visiting the National Parks!  We are thrilled to have Evelyn on the Michigan LCV team. Welcome, Evelyn!

Finally, in the spirit of acknowledging the circle of life, the highs and the lows, the loves and the losses, I send my deepest condolences to Bill Kinley and family as they mourn the loss of Mary, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, dear friend to so many, dedicated community member, irreplaceable example of kindness, generosity, creativity and grace.  My heart is with you. 

I also celebrate the joy and wonder that fills the home of my colleague Lauren as she and her husband nurture the growth of their daughter, Isabel (Izzy), who arrived earlier than expected a little over a year ago and is now thriving, filling their lives with love. Here’s Isabel in her Easter outfit:

Thank you so much for your support and dedication to our work. What we do matters a lot and we could never do it without you!

Onward!

Lisa