Ruby Miller is all about embracing creativity and connecting with community. She earned her BFA in Sculpture from GVSU, and dabbled in a bunch of things, from welding to farming and she has been part of community organizing and actions for a long time. Some of you may already know her from the 2020 Deep Canvassing campaign and/or the 2022 Action Councils. One of her gigs is serving on the board for Revolve CC, an awesome annual conference for creative professionals. She is currently our Upper Peninsula Organizer

Isabella Muhaud is a Detroit Organizer , and has been living throughout southeast Michigan for the past 9 years. She graduated from Oakland University in 2023 with a B.A. in International Relations, focusing her studies on Latin American political movements. During this time, she worked in promoting student retention through various roles and advocated for her fellow Latinx students. Isabella is passionate about building community and recognizes the power that comes from collective action. She brings these values to her organizing in order to create more equitable spaces where everyone has a voice. In her free time, Isabella enjoys spending time with her loved ones, creating art, and being in nature.

pictures of Isabella Muhaud and Ruby Miller, our new organizers

On May 16th WTPMI had a very successful lobby day advocating for the Drive SAFE bills. We dropped off thank you cards to our current supporters and had more than 10 meetings with legislators. We are very proud of our collective efforts to pass the Drive SAFE bills, and we hope you can also join us too! 

picture of community members who attended the celebration

On May 19th our Detroit leaders hosted a community gathering to celebrate the introduction of the Drive SAFE bills that would restore the right to access driver’s licenses for thousands of undocumented Michiganders. We had a packed room, including bill sponsors who were present to answer questions from the community. We are very proud of the migrant leaders who lead this celebration full of music, food and important conversations. 

picture of POWERED leaders and WTP staff 

On May 20th, our West Michigan Organizer Elnora launched the POWERED Leader Academy in Benton Harbor. POWERED stands for Peacekeepers Organizing Wards for Empowerment Racial Equity and Dignity. This program is designed to bring to life the hopes and dreams of constituents while developing community organizing abilities with the use of research based strategies. Leaders will assist in exciting POWERED Block Parties, political education, policy development, healing circles, media productions, community building adventures and more.

picture of people powered cohort and WTP staff 

This month our Southeast MI Organizing Team or “SEMIsaic” launched their very first resident cohort called ‘People’s Power Program”! The program is a four month fellowship and practice of the Marshall Ganz “Leadership, Organizing, and Action” framework taught at Harvard University. Together 6 resident leaders from Detroit, Dearborn, & Romulus will learn how to sharpen their public leadership & enable their communities to take collective action fighting for Energy Democracy for all people here in Southeast Michigan. Over these next four months they will learn together through discussion, reflection, forming deep relationships with communities and skillful action that we all can take part in. For updates on ways you can support click below.

picture of the Kalamazoo team

Also, our campaign for rent control and housing justice is building people power in Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo! Please join us in Detroit for a training on how to meet with your legislator on this issue – Saturday June 10th, 10am-1pm at the Detroit WTP office

picture of Diego Navarrete, Migrant Leader School Coordinator

Diego Navarrete, our Migrant Leader School Coordinator, published this opinion piece explaining why Michigan should not be considered the “anti-florida due to its lack of action on the issue of immigration in the state. He saids “In refusing to take a stand to protect immigrants, Michigan normalizes xenophobia and allows hatred to win. Failure to approve legislation like the Drive SAFE bills and secure Michigan as a place where immigrants are welcomed further advances the far-right direction in which the country is headed.” Read more below. 

picture of the living arts event 

This month we hosted LIVING ARTS Detroit as they featured art works from the visual art and video animation classes. The exhibition will remain up in the space until Monday, June 5th from 9-5PM. Please come by and experience it yourself! 

picture of youth taking action

In this role the primary responsibilities are: 

• Construct a functioning volunteer base that can build and drive organizing campaigns, with the necessary committees and structures to hold regular meetings for learning, strategizing, action, and fellowship;
• Leverage community organizing skills, such as personal narrative, recruitment, and coaching to achieve this;
• Recruit members and invest in their leadership skills and understanding, using organizing activities like one-to-ones, house meetings, listening sessions, and  trainings;
• Cultivate a values-aligned culture within the base that accounts for rights and responsibilities of the membership;
• Support members in building their own teams; 
• Work to execute goals and metrics set forth by WTPAF;
• Other duties as assigned.

Please share widely!