The crisis

To reduce unemployment, Seema will partner with local community colleges, employers, & workforce agencies to deliver 8- or 9-month training & employment opportunities in technical, vocational, apprenticeship programs. She will expand enrollments for Michigan Reconnect (for free community college) & Going PRO (for employer-based training in skilled trades). Seema will initiate State-funded credential evaluation & bridge programs to fill workforce shortages. She will partner with 10 community clinics in the district to create health worker certifications for healthcare jobs. She will expand English language and digital literacy programs to enhance job prospect. Seema will raise minimum wage from $13.73 to $21/hour & reward businesses that pay living wages with tax breaks. She will push for local hiring quotas for local investments or projects. Seema will also maintain and expand subsidy programs SNAP, WIC, and RX Kids and continue Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemeni immigrants.

Our residents do not lack ambition or ability. They lack access. Closing that gap is how we build a district where families earn a living wage without leaving the community.