Witness Newsletter of the Micah Center

Spring 2014

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Fall kickoffs usual involve mindless TV sitcoms or filling huge taxpayer-funded college sports stadiums, not filling a local inner-city church basement. It was a gathering where informed people of conscience wanted to be on a bright and sunny, fall Saturday morning. The typical political labels of right, left, liberal and conservative don’t fit the Micah Center where people across the political bandwidth come together to make life better for those

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who have little and are struggling. Gathered in the large meeting room of New

Hope Baptist Church, Sat. Sept 7, almost 300 people took part in the brief prayer, speech, and fact-filled gathering launching this year’s Micah Center 2013 Fall Kickoff. Taking part in the conference was a who’s who of local civic leaders of conscience.

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Beyond Prisons Advocating for the “Ban the Box” campaign and finding solutions for post-release employment.

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Education Reform Fighting to stop the School-to-Prison Pipeline through ecumenical political action.

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Wage Theft Finding solutions for disenfranchised workers and forming a community response to wage theft.

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Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy. – Proverbs 31:8-9

Micah Center Launches its Social Justice Agenda for 2013/14

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Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell opened the conference with some brief remarks and other elected officials in the crowd were recognized including Grand Rapids City Commissioners Senita Lenear and Ruth Kelly, Kent County Commissioners Candace Chivis and Dave Bulkowski, State Representatives Winnie Brinks and Brandon Dillon, State Board of Education member Lupe Ramos-Montigny and current Kentwood City Commissioner Sharon Brinks. Also recognized were Paul Troost and Mary Judnich, district directors for Senator Carl Levin and Senator Debbie Stabenow, respectively. New Hope Pastor Dallas Lenear, husband of the newest-elected City Commissioner Senita Lenear, headlined the event. Pastor Lenear began his message by honoring Dr. Martin Luther King for all that he did to achieve economic justice. In the same breath of paying respect to Dr. King, Pastor Lenear acknowledged that there is still much economic injustice to be addressed. “We still are not equal,” said Pastor Lenear, using the current state of lending as a case study. While most people pay rates of about 15% on their credit cards, the people who can least afford it are charged 390% by payday lenders to get the money they need to repair their car or pay their electric bill. The result of these incredibly high rates of interest, Pastor Lenear explained, is that people get caught in debt traps out of which they cannot escape. Pastor Lenear conceded that the payday loan stores are both fast-growing and highly lucrative but, he countered, “Just because it makes dollars, doesn’t mean it makes sense.” Pastor Lenear concluded by calling on everyone there to sign a pledge urging municipal and state officials to do everything in their power to restrict payday lending.

Loretha, a former worker at one of the county’s 38 payday lending stores, followed Pastor Lenear’s charge, giving a first-person account of the effects of 390% annual interest rates on people experiencing desperate times.

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“The maximum loans are for $600 dollars and are meant to be paid back in a matter of weeks. However, very rarely would a person be able to pay off their payday loans in the standard two-week period. Instead, I found many of my clients using different pay day lenders to borrow from one to pay the other in desperation. ”

In addition to hearing from Pastor Lenear, chair of the Micah Center Fair Lending advocacy group, others chairs of other Micah Center advocacy groups stood up and gave progress reports on education, public transportation, environment, health care reform, prison reform, immigration reform, wage theft and a future worker’s center in this area.

The Micah Center gained area credibility and recognition for their dogged two-year effort to secure a wage-theft ordinance for all city contracts which passed in November of 2012.

-Michael Johnston

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Spring 2014

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Beyond Prisons Advocacy Group – Taking the Message on the Road

On Tuesday, November 12, while most Micah Center members were gathering for the Reinvest Express at St. Andrew's Cathedral, a van full of Proud Fathers from the Other Way Ministries (and one sister from another father) were on their way to Lansing to observe testimony related to Michigan's House Bill 4366 The Employment Application Fairness Act (or sometimes referred to as "Ban the Box"). While riding together in the Other Way’s van with a box of donuts and some Tim Horton's coffee, we talked about what to expect in the capital. This was the first trip to Lansing for most of the men from the Other Way's Proud Fathers group which is made up of men from the neighborhood around the Other Way who encourage each other to engage in both their families and community. Rich Rienstra, Jim Bright and I had been to the capital before so we assured the other five that it wasn't too intimidating. The hearing, of course, was very formal, but the packet of testimony included some hand-written pages by persons who did not have access to computers or typewriters. There were opposing viewpoints presented by Chamber of Commerce people who said - why not just ask upfront if someone has a record and save the time it takes to go through the interview process?

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They are "…concerned about the business climate in Michigan. We want to attract more workers and if we're hiring ex-offenders we're taking jobs from more deserving people." Wow, that got some people a little hot around the neck! But Rep. Fred Durhal and business leaders like Mark Peters from Grand Rapids' Butterball Farms saved the day by giving very coherent explanations about how many other states and municipalities are finding that taking the question about criminal history off the job application makes for a healthier community where everyone feels welcomed and wanted. Some of the Proud Fathers will be telling about how they moved from learning to action at the upcoming regional Christian Community Development Association West Michigan Conference (March 6-8 at Cornerstone University.) In addition, the Micah Center at its First Tuesdays meeting on April 1st will welcome

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More than 200 people attended a rally Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew coordinated by The Micah Center to end the School to Prison Pipeline. Supporters want Michigan lawmakers to shift dollars from the corrections budget to education. Elected officials, school and community leaders were among 200 in attendance Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew for the "Rally to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline." The rally was coordinated by The Micah Center in conjunction with the Harriet Tubman Center in Detroit as part of a statewide effort to get social justice organizations to host events calling for lawmakers to spend less on prisons and more on education and programs for students. "I think this is long-term work and you just have to keep it in front of the Legislature and keep it in front of the public," said Mayor George Heartwell about getting lawmakers to invest more in children, prior to giving the invocation. "It's about people's perception of public safety." A host of speakers talked about the state shortchanging schools of valuable resources to better

Education – Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline

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serve children, resulting in increased incarceration rates. Jordan Bruxvoort, director of The Micah Center, said the message to lawmakers is simple: "More education and less incarceration." He encouraged the audience to sign pledge card to address the school-to-prison pipeline that outlines three proposals: • Provide funds and training to equip Michigan schools to better address the needs of students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. • Provide funds and training to implement restorative justice discipline policies in Michigan schools as an alternative to suspensions. • Partially fund these initiatives by reforming our parole system so that people with good institutional records are released after serving their minimum sentence. "We believe we can fund these initiatives by cutting the corrections budget," said Eric Foster, an executive committee member with the Grand

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some Proud Fathers who will be telling their stories of the barriers they have faced when trying to get a job with a criminal record.

- Carol Rienstra, chair of the Beyond Prisons Advocacy Group

Jordan Bruxvoort, Director of the Micah Center

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Rapids chapter of the NAACP, about the approximately $2 billion budget. "We propose that we cut the corrections budget through parole reform that reduces Michigan's nation- leading sentencing length. These longer sentences are actually costing us more than a quarter billion dollars a year, money that we believe needs to be spent on our schools." The average sentence in Michigan is 4.3 years, compared to a national average of 2.9 years, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center study. Former state Rep. Robert Dean, D-Grand Rapids, told the crowd it was not enough to rally but they had to reengage and stay engaged in the budget fight to get more education funds. "What we are really talking about is reinvesting in people, changing the system," said Dean, a pastor and former school board member. Marsha Dolleman, the parent of two Grand Rapids schools students, said she plans to stay involved because she thinks school districts have to have more resources to deal with today's challenges. "Lawmakers don't invest in the schools the way that they should and then wonder why kids are not

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engaged," she said. Jon Wilmot, director of the Restorative Justice Coalition of West Michigan, who is consulting with GRPS on piloting restorative practices, said schools are quick to kick students out of school for fear of being soft on discipline. "We can't ignore wrongdoing in school but there needs to be an alternative that teaches responsibility, promotes empathy development and holds students accountable," said Wilmot, about using restorative practices instead of suspensions, which he calls ineffective and counterproductive. Grand Rapids Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal was pleased with the turnout for the rally. She said the community has greater awareness of what it takes to effect change. Latarro Traylor, a GRPS volunteer, said change is what the community is seeking. "The community is ready for rehabilitation, uplifting and encouragement and we need support from our leadership in Lansing," she said.

-Monica Scott -Photo Credit: Catholic Central Highschool

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Spring 2014

Rev. Robert Dean, of New Life COGIC, at St. Andrew’s

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Last week I took an acquaintance out fishing. Good news… the fish were biting. We decided to share a beverage or two afterwards. He had heard of the Micah Center and asked about my involvement in the group. I shared a little bit about my work on our Wage Theft advocacy group. I shared several wage theft stories, mentioned our city ordinance, and talked about some of the meetings I had with union organizers. “Union organizers” he said, “you support the unions?” as if he was in shock. He went on to tell me his experience with unions. In college he worked a summer in a factory. The workers hated the companies they worked for, he was reprimanded for working too hard, and the other workers would stand around doing nothing. Over the years I have heard many similar stories. About all I could tell him was, “that was 40 years ago, and I think the unions have changed a great deal since then”. Indeed unions today bear little resemblance to what they once were. They have been marginalized, right-sized, and demoralized for quite some time. I got home in time to share some pizza with my son and one of his friends. I ask him how his job was going. Actually I thought he had been hired full time by a non-union shop after working there as a temporary worker. I was disheartened to hear that that opportunity fell through, and he was now in his full second year working there as a temp. Jeff is a bear of a guy. He goes 6” 5” and must weigh 260. He loads trucks all day. Few people have the physical attributes that this job demands. Jeff is also very frustrated. He is working the second shift, he has no medical coverage, no retirement, no benefits and the hard work is beginning to take its toll on his body. To top it off, he is working for $10.50 an hour. The temp agency is supposed to be paying him $10.75 an hour these past 3 months. They acknowledge this but continue to pay him the lower amount. Recently, I read an article stating that West Michigan has more temp agencies and employs more

Wage Theft Advocacy Group Makes Plans to Launch Worker’s Center

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temporary workers than any other place in the country. While this may be good for corporate profits, I question, “Is this good for the citizens of Grand Rapids?” Is “temporary” the future for our children? The term “labor union” may bring back bad memories of Brian Bosworth stuffing bolts into the wheel wells on the assembly line, or corrupt union bosses, or stories like Steve shared with me. However, is there a correlation between the weakened condition of our unions today and the number of temporary agencies springing up in our communities? Now comes Citizens United. Did you know that corporations outspent unions by a margin of 15 to 1 in the last election cycle? That is 1.36 billion compared with 96 million. Is there any correlation between the loss in union jobs and influence and the falling incomes of our citizens? At the same time, non-union jobs in West Michigan used to be cherished; we were a haven for good paying jobs for our non-skilled and semi-skilled citizens. Good jobs that paid a living wage, provided pensions, and health care benefits. A once proud shining beacon of free enterprise devoid of the hated union taint. I have spent the past two years listening to workers’ wage theft stories. It is bad enough to be working for very low wages; it is despicable when a business owner will further take advantage of these citizens and steal wages from them as well. Recently, I helped a worker recover $125 in stolen wages. Last year, the Micah Center assisted a worker in receiving a $25,000 settlement in lost wages and for harassment. Can you believe a very profitable non-union shop would have the audacity to force its workers to “punch in early” and “donate” 10 extra minutes a day of their labor?

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I have become convinced our community must find new ways to address these important wage theft issues. For good or for bad, the old ways are broken. The Micah Center is undertaking a very ambitious project this year. We are determined to create a workers’ center in Grand Rapids: a place where workers can become educated about their rights under the law. A place where they can share their stories. A place where they can receive legal assistance. A place of safety. All this stuff sounds so daunting. So political… maybe even controversial to some. How can anyone or any group solve these national and multinational problems? How can any of us really make a difference? Christ says, in Matthew 25 :40, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” I think sometimes we allow ourselves to get so caught up in the BIG PICTURE issues that we cannot see the forest through the trees. I think that is what Jesus is saying to us in this scripture. Our salvation is not found in a political party, or in political debate. Our salvation is found in how we treat our neighbor next door. One worker at a time receiving justice. One worker at a time finding compassion. One worker at a time touched by God’s hand. A community that sees Christ through the eyes of the needy. A simple direct message. I hope one we can all rally behind.

-Phil Boogaart, chair of the Wage Theft Advocacy Group

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Spring 2014

Additional Pictures from the Reinvest Express Rally, courtesy Catholic Central High

Did you know that you can find the Micah Center on Facebook?

What is the Micah Center?

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy. – Proverbs 31:8-9

The Micah Center exists to educate people about the biblical call to do justice and how they can respond to that call in their local community. It accomplishes this work by hosting a monthly lecture series on biblical justice and applications to current issues; by facilitating advocacy groups that study issues, educate others, and advocate for policies that advance the cause of justice in areas such as poverty, the environment, health care, worker justice, and criminal justice; and a speakers bureau and library of resources on these issues.

The work we do is a response to the call in Proverbs

31: 8 & 9, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Hope Reformed Church 2010 Kalamazoo Avenue, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507 www.themicahcenter.org