How the Michigan High School Democrats Fought a Destructive Minimum Wage Bill
…and how the state chapter is making an impact this election cycle
By Prathusha Yeruva
Michigan High School Democrats Chair
TO MANY OUTSIDE OBSERVERS, Michigan is a tragic mess. The state recently made headlines for the Flint water crisis, a public health catastrophe that continues to affect the residents there. The Center for Public Integrity previously ranked Michigan as the least transparent state in the country, a title earned after issues arose over funding of Detroit Public Schools. Furthermore, our predominantly Republican legislature has consistently assaulted our rights to straight ticket voting, a woman’s right to choose, and labor unions in Detroit.
Regardless of these roadblocks, high school students in Michigan have labored tireless in support of Democratic candidates. The path towards progress has been hard, but we know our work will ultimately better our great state and the nation as a whole.
Catalysts for Change
HERE AT MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL DEMOCRATS, we’ve spent the past two years advocating for issues, working for candidates we believe in, and doing our best to empower our peers to get involved in Democratic politics. These haven’t been easy feats, but with continued support of the Michigan Democratic Party (of which MIHSD is an official caucus) and the encouragement of leaders around us, we’ve been able to create real change.
We’ve collaborated with the Michigan Federation of College Democrats and the Young Democrats of Michigan on a variety of topics to ensure that youth are represented in Michigan. Last spring, we had the opportunity to work against destructive minimum wage legislation in the state senate. We wrote emails to statewide media outlets who reported on our actions and the injustice that we believed this piece of legislation to be, created a change.org petition that attracted nearly two thousand signatures, and narrated a story that people were enthralled by.
It’s All Grassroots
STRONG LOCAL CHAPTERS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO MIHSD’S OVERALL SUCCESS in the same way that grassroots organizers are fundamental to the success of a campaign. Members from our local chapters have been instrumental in registering voters and working for candidates. For example, Aaron Lindstrom, the President of the West Ottawa High School Democrats, hosted a Hillary for Michigan organizer at their first meeting so that their members could learn more about getting involved with the Clinton campaign.
Although we have several members who work as fellows or interns on the Clinton campaign as well, we also have tons of members who are working on important down-ballot races. Members in the southeastern part of the state are working on Dr. Anil Kumar’s congressional campaign (MI-11) while members in the southwest are working on Paul Clements’s campaign (MI-6). Additionally, we have members that canvass or phone bank for numerous state representative candidates with the hope of helping turn the Michigan house blue again.
Overall, we’re striving to make sure that our state keeps voting blue, working cultivate leaders who will help solve Michigan’s problems, and ensuring that our state’s government is making progress on issues that matter to our generation. In involving as many of our peers as possible in the democratic process, we believe that young people — especially those from diverse backgrounds — will be adequately represented in our state.
