REDFORD TWP. – Thursday, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib hosted the 13th Congressional District Women and Families Roundtable with community members and advocates from across the district. The roundtable took place at the Redford Community Center in Redford Township. A press conference followed the meeting.

“The fight for economic justice is deeply important for the workers and families across this region,” said SEIU Local 1 Janitor Markita Blanchard. “This Women and Families Roundtable involved many community members who are in the fight for higher wages, better working conditions, affordable healthcare, and other policies that will allow families to get ahead. At Local 1, we are fighting for at least $15 and a union to lift all working families. We must engage each other on all levels of government and across communities in this region and state to push for meaningful change.”

Congresswoman Tlaib also unveiled plans to introduce the LIFT+ (Plus) Act. This legislation would give working families money in their pockets, through a refundable tax credit that can be paid monthly, to put food on the table, buy clothing for their children, purchase gas for their cars, or many of the other day-to-day basic needs many are struggling with today.

“This roundtable was the first of many that we will have to make sure we are staying rooted in what the community needs back here at home, not in Washington, D.C.,” said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13). “The LIFT+ Act is just one part of ensuring that our families have the resources they need to thrive. Our team will take back what we heard today and use it to create a plan for further legislative action. I’m extremely grateful for the passionate and dedicated community members and advocates we have in the 13th Congressional District.”

The discussion touched on issues facing low and moderate-income families across the district, including income equality, livable wages, leave policies, comprehensive and affordable health care, and affordable childcare.

“At Mothering Justice, we hear from women, mothers, and those leading families every day about the economic challenges they face, from the lack of affordable childcare and paid family leave to the need for higher wages,” said Danielle Atkinson, executive director for Mothering Justice. “We have solutions addressing these issues and more in our Mama’s Agenda and we are glad that roundtables like this one exist. We must continue to hear from folks on the ground and translate issues into policies that our elected officials can turn into law.”

The roundtable brought together advocates from many areas of the district and state, and involved a diverse set of focus areas.

“With nearly a quarter of residents – and a third of kids –  in Wayne County living in poverty, it is essential that we have policies at all levels of government that address the economic hardship that families are experiencing,” said Alex Rossman, communications director for the Michigan League for Public Policy. “The stories we heard today and the data we have from communities cannot be ignored. We must continue to fight for economic justice and racial equity for families in Wayne County and across this state.”

Attendees included those from Mothering Justice, Michigan League for Public Policy, Western Wayne NAACP Chapter, Good Jobs Now, Detroit Federation of Teachers, SEIU Local 1, and community members at-large. 

“Our educators are at the forefront of these issues. Whether they are experiencing them in their own families or seeing it with the children in their classrooms, they have a front row view,” said Lakia Wilson, executive vice president for the Detroit Federation of Teachers. “This is why you’ve seen teachers demand higher wages and resources for their classrooms. We need policies that will lift families up because when we don’t we see a negative ripple effect through the lives of all family members. It’s good that we can have roundtables like this one to have various community members in the room to hear from each other and come up with solutions.”

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