The Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC) has released 11 recommendations designed to eradicate and prevent discrimination and racial inequity in Michigan. 

BLAC was created to identify barriers in the Black community in education, community safety, health and business leadership and was convened by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. Members of BLAC represent many fields including economic, law, public safety, health and wellness, arts and culture and media.

In its first year, BLAC engaged in collaborative research and engaged in presentations from experts in state government and academia about important issues to Black Michiganders. This work helped inform the council’s first policy recommendations in areas of Black culture, business community and safety, education, health and civil rights. 

In order to identify barriers, the council:

•    Identifies state laws, or gaps in state law, that create or perpetuate inequities to promote economic growth and wealth equity for the Black community.

•    Collaborates with Whitmer’s office and the Black community to promote legislation and regulation that ensures equitable treatment of all Michiganders and seeks to remedy structural inequities in this state.

•    Serves as a resource for community groups on issues, programs, sources of funding and compliance requirements within state government to benefit and advance the interests of the Black community.

•    Promotes the cultural arts within the Black community through coordinated efforts, advocacy and collaboration with state government.

11 policy recommendations at a glance:

Black Culture

1.    Support the CROWN Act: BLAC urges the state Legislature to pass and the governor to sign the Michigan CROWN Act to outlaw hair discrimination in Michigan. 

Business

2.    Support a Michigan payday loan interest rate cap: According to the report, while Michigan law does not allow a two-week loan to be renewed, the state has no cooling-off period between loans, which means consumers often take out another loan when they pay off a loan. The council urges the state Legislature to pass legislation that would cap interest rates for payday loans at 36% APR. If the Legislature does not adopt this legislation, BLAC encourages Michigan voters to support the Michiganders for Fair Lending ballot proposal.

3.    Include Black businesses in Michigan’s $10 billion federal infrastructure projects: BLAC encourages the state to work closely with business organizations that serve Black business owners to help Black entrepreneurs get the resources, credit and training they need to be able to participate in a meaningful way in contracting opportunities presented by the federal infrastructure investments that are coming to the state. 

4.    Support diversity on corporate boards and in C-suites: BLAC supports HB 4597, legislation that encourages Michigan public companies to add more women to their boards and have a pipeline to C-suite positions and board seats, but believes it should be expanded to include people of color. The council urges the Legislature to hold hearings on the expanded bill and to pass it.

Community Safety and Justice

5.    Better collection and analysis of criminal justice data: The report shares that in Michigan, data that address the racial disparity of those incarcerated either lacks accessibility or is inconsistent. BLAC recommends data collection and professional analysis be initiated with the assistance of the Michigan State Attorney General, Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, Association of Michigan Prosecutors and other stakeholders to collaborate, collect and analyze data strategically.

6.    Ban no-knock warrants: BLAC urges the House Government Operations Committee to hold hearings on HB 5013, legislation that would ban no-knock warrants in Michigan. The council also urges the state legislature to pass meaningful reform.

Education

7.    Increase school funding: According to the report, Michigan needs statutory changes to increase the School Aid Fund revenue by at least $3.6 billion and establish a permanent weighted funding formula based on student and community needs and universal early education. BLAC recommends the governor convene legislative leadership to draft and introduce this legislation and propose more significant increases in categorical funding to at-risk students and students in special education through the budgeting process.

8.    Reject censorship in history instruction: The council encourages the governor to veto any bill that prohibits the discussion of, or academic inquiry into, the complex history of America, including the nation’s history of race and gender discrimination, as well as any bill that attempts to ban efforts by schools to correct discriminatory practices.

Health

9.    Mental health supports for the Black community: Michigan should set a goal of increasing the number of Black mental health service providers by 20% each year over five years. BLAC’s health committee recommends reviewing state licensure policies to address the barriers that Black psychologists face in obtaining licensure in Michigan.

10.    More equitable distribution of state health funds: Ensure all Michigan communities with a significant Black population receive adequate funds to address mental health issues. The council recommends re-establishing the criteria for distributing federal and state funds, increasing awareness of severe health inequity and health issues in smaller counties and evaluating the requirements and demographic criteria listed in state-issued RFPs.

Civil Rights

11.    Protect Black voting rights: BLAC urges state officials to remain vigilant in the fight against efforts to disenfranchise Black Michiganders. 

"The Black Leadership Advisory Council recommendations are a step in the right direction to create a more inclusive, equitable Michigan," Whitmer said. "We are committed to working together and enacting these recommendations as we build a more inclusive state and continue delivering on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families and communities of color including great schools, good jobs, clean water, safe roads and so much more."  

Want more? 

Read the full report. 

Learn more about BLAC.