Students Share Views, Suggestions on College Accessibility

On March 10, 2021, Michigan’s Children along with the Michigan League for Public Policy, Capital Area College Access Network, and Detroit College Access Network collaborated to host a Youth College Access Advocacy Day. The virtual event included 15 youth attending high schools and community college, primarily from the Detroit area. Local, state and federal policymakers were invited to hear the students’ stories.

Joining the advocacy event to learn from the students were: Member of Congress Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit; state Rep. Stephanie Young, D-Detroit; state Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit; state Rep. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing; Legislative Aide Steele Hughes representing state Rep. Mary Cavanagh, D-Redford Township; and Detroit Councilmember Raquel Castañeda-López.

Advocacy training with a focus on how to tell one’s story was provided by Michele Strasz, the CapCAN Executive Director, the Michigan League for Public Policy, and Patrick Brown and Stephen Wallace from Michigan’s Children.

Prior to the advocacy day, staff members from the sponsoring groups met with the students to explain how they practice advocacy in their personal and professional lives. This was used to help prepare them for their own breakout sessions with the legislators in which they expressed their observances and experiences with college accessibility and asked policymakers to support policies that would make college more affordable and accessible for everyone.

Read our story on the event here.