Celebrating 30 years of Democratic women in politics!

MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS

30TH ANNUAL LUNCHEON

Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair Janet Blanchard, MDWC Luncheon Co-Chair

COBO Conference Center Detroit, Michigan April 30, 2016

MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS Program

Welcome Pamela L. Pugh, DrPh, MDWC Chair

Statement of Purpose Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair

Greetings Wayne County Labor

Remarks Janet Blanchard, MDWC Luncheon Co-Chair Hon. Cynthia Diane Stephens, Judge Chair Brandon Dillon Rep. Christine Greig, Asst Democratic Floor Leader

Head Table Introductions Theresa Rich, PhD, MDWC Secretary

Introduction of U. S. Senator Debbie Stabenow Pamela L. Pugh, DrPh, MDWC Chair

Invocation Clarice Squillace Vice Chair MDWC

Lunch is Served

Introduction of Elected Officials Hon Christina Montague, MDWC Advisor

Introduction of Keynote Speaker Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair

Keynote Speaker Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of Baltimore

Tributes Tami Arreguin, MDWC Past Chair Federal, State, County, City, MDP & Labor

Eleanor Roosevelt Award Presentation Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair Pamela L. Pugh, DrPh, MDWC Chair

Book Presentation Hon. Nancy Quarles, Ph.D, MDWC Advisor

Introduction of Honoree Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair

Honoree Remarks Justice Marilyn Kelly

Closing Remarks Virgie M. Rollins, MDWC Luncheon Chair

The luncheon is in memorial of two of our loyal members, Kay Beard and Pearl Reynolds.

Music provided by Loba Akou

Thank you to our Committee and Table Sponsors A Special Thanks to Attorney Charles Busse, Loba Akou and Caton Arreguin, Keystone Millbrook Printing Flowers Donated by Goodness Gracious, Floral & Gifts U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow

Debbie Stabenow

Debbie Stabenow made history in 2000 when she became the first woman from Michigan elected to the United States Senate.

Senator Stabenow serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Manufacturing Caucus, Co- Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force and as a senior member of the Finance, Energy and Budget Committees. These leadership roles give her the opportunity to shape policies in areas critical to Michigan’s future, including manufacturing, Great Lakes, agriculture, health care and energy.

Keynote Speaker Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was sworn in as Baltimore’s 49th mayor on February 4, 2010. In November 2011, she was elected to her first full term as Mayor, receiving 87% percent of the vote in the mayoral general election. Mayor Rawlings-Blake has focused her administration on growing Baltimore’s population by 10,000 families over the next decade by improving public safety and public education and by strengthening city neighborhoods.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake was elected to a top leadership position in the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to serve as Secretary, following the historic reelection of President Barack Obama. Mayor Rawlings-Blake also serves in key leadership positions in the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). In 2010, she was elected by her fellow mayors to the USCM Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Mayor’s Water Council, and the Criminal and Social Justice Standing Committee.

In 2013, Mayor Rawlings-Blake presented, Change to Grow: A Ten-Year Financial Plan for Baltimore, the City’s first long-range financial plan. The plan includes a bold set of major reforms that amount to the most significant changes to the way the City does business in generations. The plan would help achieve the mayor’s goal to grow Baltimore by 10,000 families by eliminating a nine- year $750 Million structural budget deficit; allowing new investments in neighborhood infrastructure—including repairing roads and City facilities and rebuilding ten recreation centers; and providing a funding surge for the demolition of more than 4,000 vacant homes; all while reducing homeowner property taxes by more than 20% over the next ten years.

In 2012, Mayor Rawlings-Blake worked with state leaders to pass the Civil Marriage Protection Act and subsequent state ballot initiative, allowing same-sex couples to obtain a civil marriage license in Maryland. When the new law took effect on January 1, 2013, Mayor Rawlings-Blake presided over the first same-sex marriages in Maryland’s history at a midnight ceremony at Baltimore’s City Hall.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake has also worked to make Baltimore a welcoming city for immigrants. She signed a landmark executive order to protect new Americans from discrimination and increase access to public safety resources and City services for foreign-born city residents. In addition, Mayor Rawlings-Blake fought for a successful state-wide ballot initiative, known as the Dream Act, to provide in-state tuition rates and higher education opportunities for undocumented immigrant students that attended Maryland high schools.

Rawlings-Blake served as City Council President from January 2007 to February 2010. She was first elected to the City Council in 1995, at the age of 25—the youngest person ever elected to the Baltimore City Council. She represented the council’s 5th District from 1995 to 2004 and the 6th District from 2004 to 2007, serving communities throughout West and Northwest Baltimore. As Council President, she chaired the City’s Board of Estimates, which supervises all purchasing by the City. From 1998 to 2006, Rawlings-Blake was an attorney with the Baltimore Office of the Public Defender.

Rawlings-Blake is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Omega Chapter and a former at-large member of the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys. Rawlings-Blake has been honored with numerous awards. She was selected by The Daily Record as one of "Maryland’s Top 100 Women" in 2007 and 2011. The National Congress of Black Women named her a Shirley Chisholm Memorial Award Trailblazer. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs named her one of Baltimore’s "Young Women on the Move."

Mayor Rawlings-Blake has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Board; the Baltimore Museum of Art; the National Aquarium in Baltimore; Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, Inc.; Living Classrooms Foundation; the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore; and Parks and People Foundation.

Born on March 17, 1970, Rawlings-Blake is a 1988 graduate of Baltimore’s Western High School, and in 1992 she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1995. She is a member of the Federal Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar Association. Rawlings-Blake is a member of Douglas Memorial Community Church. She lives in Baltimore’s Coldspring neighborhood with her husband Kent Blake and their young daughter Sophia. Eleanor Roosevelt Recipient Justice Marilyn Kelly Biography

Justice Marilyn Kelly has been a member of the Michigan Democratic Party for over fifty years. The Party, in convention, has nominated her six times. She has served a total of thirty-eight years in elected office on the State Board of Education, the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the Wayne State Board of Governors.

Justice Marilyn Kelly, a 1971 alumna of Wayne State University Law School, served for 16 years on the Michigan Supreme Court. She was prevented from running again for the Michigan Supreme Court by the state Constitution, which bars judicial candidates over the age of 70 from running for office. Justice Kelly then joined the faculty of Wayne State University Law School in 2013 as its first "Distinguished Jurist In Residence." She also serves on the Wayne State Law School’s Board of Visitors Executive Committee. At present, she is teaching a class she created, “Access to Justice” aimed at encouraging students upon graduation to serve those not able to afford legal help. In addition, she has established a scholarship for students committed to working in public service law on graduation.

A native Detroiter, Justice Kelly graduated from Mackenzie High School, and earned her bachelor’s from Eastern Michigan University. She spent a year studying at La Sorbonne, University of Paris, France, and earned her master’s from Middlebury College in Vermont. She taught French language and literature at Grosse Pointe Public Schools, Albion College and at Eastern Michigan University, before attending Wayne Law. At the time, she was one of six women in a law school class of 100.

Kelly began her legal career as an associate attorney with Dykema Gossett, and later became a partner with Dudley Patterson Maxwell Smith & Kelly in Bloomfield Hills. She also had her own law firm before her election to the state Court of Appeals in 1988. She was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1996, and was chief justice of the Supreme Court from 2009 to 2011.

She has served a host of professional associations, including as a panel member of the State Attorney Discipline Board, and as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. In 2003, she became a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Association Foundation, which provides grants for civil legal aid to the poor. She has been president of the Women’s Bar Association and of the Women Lawyers’ Association of Michigan, and has been a member of the Family Law Council for the State Bar.

Justice Kelly served as co-chair of the Open Justice Commission (1999-2003), an organization of the State Bar devoted to making justice available to all. She also serves on the governing board of the National Consortium for Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts and is a former President. She was a board member of the Women’s Survival Center in Pontiac, and a member of the citizens’ advisory committees of the Detroit Public Schools, Wayne County Community College and Oakland County Community College.

Among her many honors, Marilyn has been awarded honorary doctor of law degrees by Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University College of Law, and Wayne State University Law School. The Michigan Lawyers Weekly newspaper named her 2012 “Woman Lawyer of the Year.” THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS

The Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus provides leadership for women committed to the Democratic Party and its principles. The Caucus goal: Access equal gender and racial representation in the party at all levels.

The Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus membership comprises the most politically active women in Michigan. The Caucus monitors and encourages electing and supporting Democrats who support women’s issues.

Caucus Districts are organized geographically according to Michigan U.S. Congressional Districts. Statewide, implementation of policies developed by the Caucus membership is the responsibility of the Michigan Democratic Women’s Coordinating Committee whose membership includes officers of the Democratic Women Caucus, the chair of each of the Congressional District Democratic Women’s Caucus, delegates, and as many alternates as each District designates.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

1. To seek out and encourage Democratic Women to become active at all levels in the Democratic Party. 2. To educate Democratic Women regarding the political process, party procedure, and structure. 3. To identify Women’s Issues, develop a Women’s Legislative Program, and actively support the program. 4. To inform Democratic Women about party committee and commission appointments and to empower Democratic Women inclusion in the appointment process. 5. To assist in selecting and supporting slates of feminist oriented candidates for party officers and public office. 6. To improve Democratic Women political activities by coordinating a State Communications Network. 7. To support Equal Rights Amendment and legislation.

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE

Racism and sexism are twin evils in our society. We seek to eliminate racism and sexism. We will not allow gender progress at the expense of Third World people.

WHAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a caucus is a meeting of a faction to decide upon policies and candidates who feel out of power. A Democratic Women’s Caucus is a group of Democratic Women established to institute change and create equal representation in the Democratic Party.

A Caucus comes together to empower its members who feel out of power. The Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus provides leadership and offers support and strength to women involved in community and politics.

HOW IS THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS ORGANIZED?

Caucus Districts are organized and conduct activities at the district level according to Michigan Congressional Districts. On a state-wide basis, the Coordinating Committee implements policies developed by the Caucus membership. The Coordinating Committee is comprised of the Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus and delegates and as many alternates as each District shall designate.

HISTORY

The MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS (MDWC) was founded in January, 1970 by Jean Ledwith King, Ann Arbor; Lois Craig, Flint; Nita Hardie, Kalamazoo; Susan Jacoby-Hammon, Constantine; and Virginia Kostielney-Matthews, Jackson. The originating goal of MDWC was to enable all women to be represented at all levels of government equal to the population percentage we represent.

At the 1972 Democratic National Convention, only five (5) of the twenty-seven (27) Humphrey delegates were women. The MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS strategically challenged the composition of the Humphrey delegation as one of their first acts as an organization. As a result of MDWC efforts, eleven (11) white men had their votes reduced by ½vote each and five (5) white and black women were added to the Michigan delegation with ½ vote each. By the 1976 Democratic National Convention, Michigan was one of the first states to have a 50-50 gender representation. The 50-50 gender representation became the rule and not the exception by the 1980 Democratic National Convention.

The MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS history is filled with distinguished women serving as Spokesperson beginning with Jean Ledwith King (1970-1972), followed by Maryann Mahaffey who won her position in 1973 at a state-wide meeting. In 1974, the Caucus welcomed Marilyn Marshall as Mahaffey’s successor. Because Marshall was unable to complete her term, Vesta Svenson stepped in as Spokesperson. In early 1976, Liz Giese as Spokesperson organized the Caucus into active committees such as the Endorsement Committee. She also established a quarterly newsletter and under her tenure a new set of By-Laws passed that authorized Caucus paid memberships. Today, any woman can become a MDWC member if she is a paid up Democratic Party member or an elected Democratic Precinct Delegate. Mary Brown became the spokesperson in 1978 followed by Mary Johnson in 1980. Johnson has the distinction of being the first African-American woman to Chair the Caucus. In 1982, Susan Jones became spokesperson and organized the first luncheon honoring a prominent Democratic woman – Libby Maynard who was the party’s nominee for Lieutenant Governor. Candy Black was elected Spokesperson in 1985 and resigned for personal reasons.

She was succeeded by Virgie M. Rollins whose leadership increased the Caucus membership to its greatest numbers. Rollins established the Eleanor Roosevelt Award at the first annual MDWC Jefferson-Jackson Day Luncheon. More than 1,000 were in attendance to pay tribute to the honoree. The luncheon proved to be a major Caucus fundraiser.

In 1987, Rollins began the Legislative Reception and the Martha Griffiths Internship Program to provide young women the opportunity to work in the Governor’s office, to observe and participate in government, while preparing for a political career or a government assignment. Kimberly Carter was the first recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Internship Program. Rollins was also instrumental in getting the Caucus membership in the National Federation of Democratic Women (NFDW), the official arm of the Democratic National Party. She served as President of NFDW from 2001 to 2003. Rollins was elected as a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to represent the NFDW and she is currently the Chair of the DNC Black Caucus and the NFDW PAC.

Lisa Estlund-Olson became the new spokesperson in 1989. Margaret Lochman succeeded her in January, 1991. In 1991, the Caucus hosted the 20th Annual convention of the National Federation of Democratic Women in Detroit, May 22-26, 1991. Elizabeth Germany was elected Spokesperson in 1993 followed by Rosemary Wolock in 1995. In January 1997, Doris Sims became Caucus spokesperson. Under her leadership, Kellie Green became the first African-American and Michigan resident to receive the National Federation of Democratic Women FOUNDERS Internship Award which is announced annually and provides an internship at the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C. Myra Aurelia became our new spokesperson in January 1999 and developed the Democrat of the Year Award and the Women in Politics Conference. Jennifer Wallace became spokesperson in 2001, followed by Kathleen Johnston-Calati in 2002, Kellie Green in 2003. Tami Arreguin became the chair in 2005 and organized the Caucus Rallies to support candidates throughout the state and was named the Regional Director of the NFDW and continues to be active in the Caucus as an officer and organizer. Trina Ellis Erwin became the spokesperson in 2009 and was elected as a Vice President of the NFDW; she continues to stay active in the Caucus. Casandra Ulbrich, State Board of Education elected officer, became the spokesperson in 2013, and she was re-elected to the State Board of Education in 2014. In 2014 Pam Pugh-Smith was elected to the State Board of Education and then in 2015 she became the current Spokesperson for the Caucus.

The Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus membership represents the most politically active women in Michigan. The Caucus remains committed to the Michigan Democratic Party’s goal of electing and supporting Democrats who promote Women’s issues.

2015 -2017 MDWC OFFICERS

CHAIR EMERITUS DEMOCRAT OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS Virgie M. Rollins U.S. Congressman John Conyers UAW President Ron Gettelfinger CHAIR Richard N. Wiener, JD Pamela L. Pugh, DrPh

VICE-CHAIR ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AWARD RECIPIENTS Clarice Squillace Hon. Martha Griffiths 1986 Hon. Erma Henderson 1988 RECORDING Hon. Mildred Jeffrey 1990 SECRETARY Odessa Komer 1992 Theresa Rich, PhD Juanita Whetstone 1994 Hon. Patricia Boyle 1996 CORRESPONDING Elizabeth Baker 1998 SECRETARY Hon. Kay Beard 2000 Tami Shake Arreguin Hon. Maryann Mahaffey 2002 Hon. Martha Scott 2004 TREASURER Hon. Olivia Procter Maynard 2006 Annie Howard Hon. Teola P. Hunter 2008 Hon. Kathleen Straus 2010 PAST PRESIDENT Flora Walker 2012 Cassandra Ulbrich, PhD Lana L. Boldi 2014 Hon. Marilyn Kelly 2016 EXECUTIVE BOARD Cheri Maxim Bell PAST SPOKESPERSONS Trina Erwin Ellis Jean Ledwith King 1970-1973 Mary Cavanagh Marilyn Mahaffey 1973 Hon. Brenda Clack Marilyn Marshall 1974 Marilyn Conner Vesta Svenson 1974-1975 Caryl Conway Liz Giese 1976-1977 Kellie Green Mary Brown 1978-1979 Carol Heflin Mary L. Johnson 1980 Christina Staten Susan Jones 1981-1983 Carol Prince Hundley Candy Black 1985 Robyn McCoy, JD Virgie M. Rollins 1985-1989 Lupe Ramos-Montigny Lisa Estlund-Olson 1989-1991 Gina Nelson Margaret Lochman 1991-1993 Sandy Smith Elizabeth Germany 1993-1995 Charlene Snow, JD Rosemary Wolock 1995-1997 Doris Sims 1997-1998 ADVISORY COMMITTEE Myra Aurelio 1999-2001 Janet Blanchard Jennifer Wallace 2001-2002 Christina Montague Kathleen Johnston Calati 2002-2003 Hon. Nancy Quarles, PhD Kellie Green 2003-2005 Tami Arreguin 2005-2009 FOUNDERS -1970 Trina Ellis 2009-2013 Jean Ledwith King Casandra Ulbrich 2013-2015 Lois Craig Pamela L. Pugh, DrPh 2015-present Nina Hardie Suzanne Jacoby-Hammon Virginia Kostielney-Matthews

The Women’s Caucus on the Move

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR WOMEN IN THE 2016 ELECTION

THE DEMOCRATIC FIELD The Democratic Party stands for women. Our candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have advocated for women by fighting for policies that promote fairness and equality. Building on the accomplishments of President Obama, these candidates have expanded access to affordable health care, child care, and education. Democrats are working every day to show that women’s issues are America’s issues, and to propose policies that put families first. Democrats are proud of our policies to uplift all Americans, not just those at the top.

• We’ve experienced 73 consecutive months of uninterrupted private-sector job growth — the longest stretch on record. • Our unemployment rate is down to 5 percent, showing that the hard work being done by President Obama and Congressional Democrats to rebuild the economy in the wake of the Great Recession is paying off. • 20 million people now have health care that they didn’t have before the Affordable Care Act, which has made Americans healthier and even more economically secure. • Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton continue to put families first, through their support of the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, legislation that addresses gender discrimination and pay fairness.

THE GOP FIELD All of the GOP candidates running for president stand against vital protections for women and they have actively fought against women and families, pushing an extreme agenda that would drag America backward. From advocating against the constitutional right to a legal abortion, to fighting paid leave legislation, and denying funding for essential health services, the Republican candidates want to prevent women from making decisions about their own bodies.

Ted Cruz • Ted Cruz believes there should be “no exceptions” on abortion when it comes to rape or incest, and he said he would do everything within his power to “end the scourge of abortion once and for all.” • Cruz shut down the federal government over the Affordable Care Act, costing taxpayers $24 billion. • He voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act repeatedly, which allows for more transparency in determining employee wage differences between genders. • Ted Cruz voted against an amendment to allow Americans to earn paid sick time, and opposes guaranteed paid leave. • Cruz voted no on the Violence Against Women Act. John Kasich • John Kasich touts being most pro-life governor in the history of Ohio, having signed legislation that defunded Planned Parenthood and half of the state’s abortion clinics during his tenure. • Kasich voted against the Family and Medical Leave Act twice. • John Kasich claimed that women didn’t need workplace protections, only “a change of hearts among major employers.”

Donald Trump • Donald Trump said there should be “some form of punishment” for women who have abortions. • He also said it was worth shutting down the government to strip funding from Planned Parenthood. • Donald Trump called pregnancy “an inconvenience for a business.” • Trump claimed that equal pay would be a departure from the American Dream.

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