Candidate Forums 2022
Michigan’s Children’s 2022 Youth-and Family-Led Candidate Forums
Over the past four election cycles, Michigan’s Children has been working with our local partners around the state to host candidate forums led by youth and families, with questions inspired by their direct personal experiences and challenges. These youth- and family-led events are non-partisan forums, not debates, where we invite all candidates running for the targeted office and provide equal time to all candidates to answer questions posed directly by young people and families. The forums create great opportunities for candidates to learn more about the issues most driving the very constituents they want to serve.
Candidate and voter engagement is particularly important this year. With political district boundaries redrawn due to new population counts collected in the recent U.S. Census, voters are likely to have a new set of names and faces to get to know before the August 2nd primaries and the November 7th general elections.
NEW: Learn more about the issues we are working for this year by reading our “2022 Election Year Engagement Guide for Voters.” The guide features short briefs explaining the responsibilities federal and state elected officials have in several key areas – child care, family issues, foster care, learning, and mental health – with questions you can raise with candidates.
2022 Candidate Forums across Michigan
Vote Kids First – Kent County Forum
Family-Led
October 27, 2022
First Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids
Sponsors: First Steps Kent, Great Start Collaborative of Kent County, MomsBloom, Think Babies Michigan, Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: 29th state Senate District, 81st, 82nd, 84th state House Districts
Detroit Champions for Hope Candidate Forum (State Senate Candidates)
Parent-led
#detroitchampionsforum2022
October 24, 2022
Virtual online event
Sponsors: Detroit Champions for Hope, Congress of Communities, Michigan’s Children, Think Babies Michigan
Candidate Races: State Senate Districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Great Lakes Bay Region Forum
Youth-Led
Oct. 18, 2022
Bay City Boys and Girls Club Teen Activity Room
Sponsors: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Great Lakes Bay Region
Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: 35th State Senate District, 96th State House District
‘Parents for Early Childhood’ Candidate Forum
Parent Led
Oct. 17, 2022
Traverse Area District Library
Sponsors: Northwest Chapter of Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health, Think Babies Michigan, Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: The 103rd and 104th state House districts, and the 37th state Senate district
Kalamazoo Candidate Forum
Youth-Led
October 10th, 2022
Kalamazoo Promise Building
Sponsors: Kalamazoo Youth Development Network,
YWCA Kalamazoo,
Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: 19th State Senate district, 40th State House District, and 41st State House District
Judson Center / Southern Oakland County Candidate Forum
Parent-led
Sept. 29, 2022
Royal Oak
Sponsors: The Judson Center
Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: 12th Congressional, 7th state Senate, 8th state Senate, 6th state House, 18th state House, 56th state House
Early Childhood-Focused Forum in Battle Creek
Family-led
September 28, 2022 (5:30 – 7 pm)
Burma Center, Springfield (Battle Creek)
Sponsors: Burma Center, Michigan’s Children, Pulse,
Think Babies Michigan,
Urban League,
Voces
Candidate Races: 44th State House, 18th State Senate
Read Our Event Story
Flyer
News Release
Recorded Video Livestream
Read Muskegon Candidate Forum
Community-led
Sept. 26, 2022
Muskegon Heights
Sponsors: Read Muskegon,
Michigan Adult, Community and Alternative Education Association,
Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts; 32nd state Senate District; 87th, 88th and 102nd House District races.
Read Our Event Story
Flyer
News Release
Recorded Video Livestream
Detroit Champions for Hope Candidate Forum
Parent-led
#detroitchampionsforum2022
September 26, 2022 (1-3 pm)
Virtual online event
Sponsors: Detroit Champions for Hope
Congress of Communities
Michigan’s Children
Candidate Races: State House Districts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Read Our Event Story
Flyer
News Release
Recorded Video Livestream
Peckham / Highfields Candidate Forum
#YouthSpeak2022
Youth-Led
Sept. 19, 2022
Lansing Community College – West Campus
Sponsors: Peckham Youth Services, Inc.
Highfields Inc.
Michigan’s Children
Read Our Event Story
Flyer
News Release
Agenda
Statement by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin
Statement by Congressional candidate Tom Barrett
Recorded Video Livestream
Children’s Center Candidate Forum
#TheCCForum2022
July 7, 2022
Detroit
Sponsors: The Children’s Center
The Children’s Center Youth Advisory Council
The Children’s Center Family Success Center
Candidate Races: Newly redrawn 13th Congressional, 8th State Senate, 8th State House
Read Our Event Story
Flyer
News Release
Agenda
Recorded Video Livestream