Carrie on the Issues
HEALTHY PEOPLE
Abortion Rights
As a former sex educator and someone who has been pregnant and given birth, abortion rights are personal to me. I am a pro-choice advocate and believe that abortion and reproductive care is essential health care. If elected, I will do everything that I can to ensure that these healthcare choices are enshrined into Michigan law. If elected, I will introduce legislation to repeal Michigan’s abortion ban and push back on any and all efforts that would eliminate a person’s control over their own body. I had severe pregnancy complications and was hospitalized for 2 weeks during the birth of my daughter. Fortunately, I was ok in the end and was able to walk out of the hospital. But I know what can go wrong, and I know what is at stake for people who might not be as lucky as I was.
Voting Rights
I was at the TCF Center in Detroit on November 4, 2020 to defend our democracy and make sure that every vote was counted. The day before, I had been a poll watcher with the Detroit NAACP, and I’ve served as a poll watcher and registered voters for elections since 2000. In 2017 and 2018, I hosted an Ann Arbor town hall for Voters Not Politicians and campaigned for the passage of expanded voting rights, which won at the ballot box in 2018. If elected, I would push for changes to our election laws to allow clerks to start counting ballots before election day, and I would vote to solidify our expanded voting access options. Our voting rights are precious and I will keep fighting to protect them.
LGBTQ+ Rights
I’ve been supporting and demanding protections for my LGBTQ+ siblings for years now, well in advance of ever considering running for office. As a State Representative, I will vote to amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to explicitly include gender identity and expression, as well as sexual orientation, so that our LGBTQ+ siblings can live a happy, healthy life free of discrimination by the State. I would seek ways to enforce section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, and I would push for coverage of gender-affirming healthcare.
Opioids and Mental Health Care
My mother died from her substance use and mental health disorders just three months before my daughter was born. Now, I work to help Michigan families get access to opioid and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services as a contractor for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. As your next Representative, I will build on this work and use my expertise to help guide how our state spends millions in opioid settlement dollars. My policymaking style is to center the voices and experiences of those directly affected by policy decisions, such as seeking direction from those in recovery to develop programs and services. I will take these methods with me to the legislature.
Health Care
I’ve worked in health policy for two decades now, including teaching graduate courses on health and mental health care policy, advocating for equitable HIV and AIDS policies, and implementing collaborations between health care and public health systems. Healthcare is a human right, and Michiganders deserve to know that they can access the care they need without worrying about how much it will cost. I have the experience and expertise to push for a state-based, universal healthcare system in Michigan. If elected, I aspire to follow in the footsteps of fellow Ann Arbor progressive and my current State Representative, Yousef Rabhi, to introduce universal healthcare bills in the legislature.
HEALTHY FAMILIES
Child and Elder Care
As a mom of a young child, I know just how expensive childcare is. As the daughter and granddaughter of elders that have needed ongoing care for dementia and other conditions, I know how important this care is for Michigan families. Neither system is funded adequately or treated like the public goods that they are. Our state can thrive if we have robust, affordable child and elder care for our beloved Michigan children and elders. If elected, I would push for structural changes to ensure that these systems are well-funded and their staff well-paid for the crucial work they do to keep our loved ones happy and healthy.
Equitable Education & Training
As the mom of a public school student, and a teacher at a public university, I know how imperative it is to have robust funding for public education. In addition, we must have multiple career options for Michiganders, and robust training programs for people who switch careers. These programs and systems must be equitably funded and delivered, to ensure that our Black, indigenous, and people of color, as well as rural residents, receive the top-notch education we know is the key to making Michigan thrive. I support universal pre-K, and increased state funding to public K-12 and higher education institutions.
Working Family Policies
As a dues-paying, active member of the American Federation of Teachers Local 6244 (University of Michigan Lecturers’ Employee Organization), I’ve seen just how powerful collective bargaining is. Repealing the so-called “Right to Work” law and expanding unionization is an important step for Michigan to thrive. In addition, we must make other policy changes to support working families: mandatory paid sick and family leave, and increased minimum wages. We must also repeal unnecessary taxes on seniors’ pensions.
Basic Needs - Housing, Food, Broadband
Families can only thrive when their basic needs are met. Thirty-eight percent of Michigan households struggle to afford the basic necessities, according to the Michigan Association of United Ways. If elected, I would support policies to expand housing affordability across our state, push for increased food benefits, and work to draw down as much in federal funding as possible to expand broadband to every corner of our state.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Climate Action
I support Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. In addition, Ann Arbor’s A2Zero plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 is the type of aggressive, place-based plan that should be replicated throughout our state. We must urgently take action to reduce the effects of climate change, including converting as much of our energy supply to be carbon-neutral sources as possible. Michigan is already receiving climate refugees from across the nation and globe and we must prepare for more that are coming by switching our energy sources as quickly as possible.
Sensible Gun Laws & Safe Neighborhoods
I am a Gun Sense Candidate by Moms Demand Action, and I will fight to add the dozens of laws and policies that Michigan lacks to reduce gun violence. As we add laws that must be enforced, we must also implement plans to ensure that they are not disproportionately enforced against Black, indigenous, and people of color. We do not have to choose between public safety and racial justice: we can and must have both.
Clean Air & Water
Michigan is known as a water wonderland for a reason and we must protect our water and air from pollution and exploitation by big corporations. Expanding and standardizing public health protections and testing of our air and water are crucial to ensure that these precious gifts remain for generations to come. We must shut down Line 5 because the risk to our Great Lakes is to high for us to be a pass-through for Canadian oil.
Vibrant Arts & Creative Industries
The arts and creative industries are an important part of thriving, healthy communities. These industries push innovation and keep our talented and skilled workers engaged in our communities. By participating in the arts, community members can express themselves in creative ways to celebrate or to get through difficult times. If elected, I would work to ensure that the arts and creative industries are a key part of each of our healthy communities across Michigan.
