Dear Friends,
I am honored to serve as the representative from the 29th House District and am ready to be a strong advocate in Lansing for the residents and families of Auburn Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Pontiac and Sylvan Lake. Please encourage your friends and families to stay connected and subscribe to this e-newsletter. It will keep you up-to-date on legislation and policies coming from the Capitol, as well as my coffee hours and other community events I will host so we can get together face-to-face.
● Reasons to Contact My Office
● Honoring Local Black History Makers
Reasons to Contact My Office
The short answer is any reason at all. As your state legislator, my number one priority is YOU. So any reason you can think of to reach out to me for help is the right reason. My staff and I are ready to listen and work with you to solve whatever challenges you may face. A few examples of why you may want to contact my office are:
● Commenting on current legislation or proposing a solution; as your voice in Lansing, it is critical for me to know how you feel about certain issues and I want to hear from you.
● The state offers a wide range of free publications on topics such as seniors and veterans services, child safety, consumer protection and more If you would like one, or if you have questions about what is available, please contact my office.
● I will be hosting coffee hours, town halls and other community events throughout the year. If you need additional information or want to follow up on one of those events, then this is another great reason to get in touch.
● If there is someone you know who should be honored with a legislative tribute or certificate, please tell us about the milestones or achievements they have reached.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of reason to contact my office; if you need help or assistance of any kind, please contact us. We will work side by side with you to find the answers you need.
Honoring Local Black History Makers
During Black History Month, it is important to recognize not only those who have come before us, but also those within our own community who embody the best of us.
I am pleased to have selected Charles Warren as the first person I recognize during Black History Month. Warren is the owner of the longest-running Black-owned business in Pontiac. Warren moved to Pontiac in 1962, opened Star Music in 1969 and has been in business for the past 50 years. He is also an ordained minister at Messiah Missionary Baptist Church. Warren’s wish for Pontiac is to see our local economy grow by encouraging more Black businesses in the city.
Swearing In
Before being elected to the Legislature, education was one of my top priorities and I look forward to continuing that fight for our students and teachers in the Capitol. Every child deserves access to a world-class education that prepares them for the jobs of tomorrow, and every hardworking Michigander should be able to receive the training they need for the job they want.
Committee Assignments
The Speaker of the House recently announced committee assignments and I am happy to say that I will be serving on the House Education, Families, Children, and Seniors, and Insurance committees. I am eager to bring my experience as an educator and life-long education advocate to the Education Committee. In all of my committee assignments, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to identify meaningful and effective solutions for the people of Michigan.
Educators Unite
We had a very productive Education Committee meeting this week and heard testimony from several education organizations. During my career as an education advocate and school board president, I worked with many of the legislative directors from these organizations.
Pictured from left to right: Athena Antonis (MASA), Lisa Hansknecht (Oakland Schools), David Randels (Oakland Schools), Jennifer Smith (MASB), Peter Spadafore (MASA), Mitch Albers (MASB)
Offering House Invocation
Every state representative is given the opportunity to offer the invocation or invite a local clergy to give the invocation on their behalf. This year, I am honored to have Bishop Murphey join me on Feb. 20 to offer the invocation to the House.
If you would like to watch session on that day, or at any other time, you can click here
Thank you for taking the time to read this e-newsletter and I hope you will stay tuned for more legislative updates and resources and community events schedules to come.
In Service,
State Representative Brenda Carter
29th House District