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Michigan Civil Rights Commission to Hold Meeting, Public Hearing in Grand Rapids on Monday Oct. 8

October 2, 2018

Lansing,MI - The Michigan Civil Rights Commission will hold a regular business meeting in Grand Rapids at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 8, followed at 3:00 p.m. by a public hearing to examine discrimination in Michigan’s K-12 schools. 

Both the meeting and public hearing will be held at the Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids - Airport, located at 5700 28th St. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546.

At the 1:00 p.m. Commission meeting, Commissioners will hear reports on several Michigan Department of Civil Rights initiatives including the “Not Without Us” needs assessment of Michigan’s Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing communities; proposed administrative rules changes; and a proposed resolution in support of Nigerian immigrant Francis Anwana remaining in the U.S. 

Commissioners will take public comments at the end of the meeting.

The 3:00 p.m. public hearing – the third the Commission has held on discrimination in Michigan’s K-12 schools – will feature comments from two panels of presenters. 

The first panel will focus on challenges facing students in school settings and will include personal testimony from high school students and recent graduates.

The second panel will focus on educational disparities in Kent County and the community’s collective response. Panelists include:

  • Milinda Ysasi, Executive Director of The Source and Co-Chair of KConnect’s Accountability Partners Council 
  • Paul Doyle, Founder and CEO, Inclusive Performance Strategies and KConnect’s Equity Consultant 
  • Mark Woltman, Associate Director, KConnect

Members of the public will have the opportunity to speak during a public comment period beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m.

The meeting/hearing location is accessible and parking is free. Sign language interpreters and CART services will be available.

If you plan to attend either the meeting or the hearing and need an accommodation, please call 800-482-3604 or email MDCR-INFO@michigan.gov.

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to carry out constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission.
 
 

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