Young Michiganders face a number of unique challenges—like student debt and landing a job post-graduation—whose solutions can often be stifled by partisan divides.
On Wednesday, March 14, state Representatives Abdullah Hammoud (D-15) and Jim Lilly (R-89) announced the creation of the MI Future Caucus, which aims to solve these problems by focusing on people over party.
The two co-chairs were joined by nearly twenty young elected officials at the Michigan State House to launch the initiative.
Rep. Hammoud shared the goal of the Caucus, “Our goal as young legislators is to put people first, to put aside the partisan divide, and focus on issues that really matter. Collectively, we hope to build bridges of understanding that will lead to solutions. We, as young legislators, often provide a differing perspective, and we carry with us a tenacity and eagerness to getting things done, and hopefully, getting them done right.”
The Caucus will provide a constructive space for members to address issues important to their millennial constituents and future generations, including stimulating economic growth through a talent and workforce training program in Michigan.
Rep. Lilly reiterated the idea of collaboration, saying, “We’re frustrated by the partisan divide here in Lansing and in Washington. But for folks to collaborate and bridge that divide, we need to have the relationships stretch across political boundaries. This caucus is meant to be a catalyst to build those relationships.”
The Michigan Future Caucus is now the 23rd Future Caucus in the Millennial Action Project’s State Future Caucus Network.
mphasizing the successful ability of young legislators across the country to bridge partisan divides and find solutions, MAP’s President Steven Olikara stated, “We don’t have to look at issues from a partisan perspective; if we look at them from a generational perspective, we can move Michigan forward and, ultimately, move our country forward.”
