Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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May 24, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2021
Contact: press@michigan.gov
Lt. Governor Gilchrist Concludes 'Making Real Change' Tour in Detroit
LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist stopped at Wayne County Community College in Detroit as part of his 'Making Real Change' tour to promote vaccinations in cities across the state. The 'Making Real Change' tour highlights the administration's continued efforts to flatten and eliminate racial disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on what the state has learned to apply those lessons to equitably administering vaccines and building the resilience required to reduce racial disparities in health and other areas within communities.
"Early on in the pandemic, Detroit was a hot spot for COVID-19. Along with Governor Whitmer, the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities took bold, innovative action to address disparities that were harming Black Michiganders. We opened up walk-up testing centers, increased access to health care, and offered financial support for small businesses fighting to keep their doors open. We saved lives." said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. "The 'Making Real Change' tour was the next major step in how we combat COVID-19. I was able to speak with Michiganders all across our state about how these safe and effective vaccines are the most effective way to protect Michiganders and our families from the virus. Communities across Michigan and right here in Detroit continue to come together to beat COVID-19. That's inspiring to see. While the tour is concluding, I want to reassure Michiganders that our efforts to flatten and eliminate racial disparities will continue."
The Making Real Change Tour stopped in Flint, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and concluded with this culminating event in Detroit.
The Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities has focused on two goals: one to reduce the disparities in the mortality rate of COVID-19, and the second to connect those interventions to more extended term efforts. Additionally, this task force has worked to close the digital divide in telehealth and remote learning, launched a "Get Covered" campaign to make a coordinated push for every Michigander to sign up for health insurance, increased mobile testing infrastructure, which has transitioned seamlessly into vaccine administration and provided guidance to health care professionals on avoiding implicit bias.
The task force was created per Executive Order 2020-55, and acts in an advisory capacity to Governor Whitmer. It studies the causes of racial disparities and recommends actions to address the historical and systemic inequities.
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