Communities Voices Series
The Community Voices Series is a monthly virtual convening drawing diverse participants from the network to amplify local climate work, connect members and groups, and support each other’s actions. MiCAN rotates the content and geographical area of focus to allow the audience to learn from and mimic other Michigan communities’ successful contributions to the collective climate movement.
Recap of the 2023-2024 CVS Series
MiCAN has invested in building and mobilizing a grassroots Steering Committee to provide guidance on our priority campaigns while connecting local leaders. We utilized the 2023-24 Community Voices Series virtual forum for each organization to present their work to learn about each other, to identify challenges and resource opportunities, and build shared knowledge. Check out the recordings below to learn more about a grassroots climate organization near you!
2023-2024 Past CVS Events
November 2024 | Marquette County Climate Adaptation Task Force
MiCAN was joined by members of the Marquette County Climate Adaptation Task Force, an innovative collaboration working to build resilience in the face of climate change in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They are at the forefront of helping Marquette County adapt to the changing climate by fostering partnerships between local governments, businesses, and environmental groups. Their mission includes identifying vulnerabilities, implementing adaptation strategies, and promoting sustainability to create a resilient and climate-ready future for Marquette County.
The session focused on the force’s work to address local climate impacts, from extreme weather to ecosystem changes, and its efforts to develop practical solutions that protect communities and the environment.
October 2024 | CAFE
MiCAN was joined by Capital Area Friends of the Environment (CAFE), a dynamic grassroots organization based in the Lansing area that focuses on local climate action, community engagement, and empowering voters to take a stand for climate justice.
CAFE showcased its ongoing local climate voter campaign, an impactful initiative designed to engage the community around the urgent need for climate action at the polls. They stay committed to making climate a top priority in local elections, focusing on urging candidates for Ingham County Commissioner to answer key climate questions.
August 2024 | Soulardarity
MiCAN was joined by members of Soulardarity. Based in Highland Park MI, they are Energy Democracy in action and fight to make sure that the voices of those most affected by energy burden are heard.
They are part of a community that was literally put in the dark when DTE repossessed over 1400 residential streetlights. Their initial mission was to replace those streetlights with community solar powered streetlights. As they began to work towards that goal, they realized how the accessibility to reliable energy in BIPOC and marginalized communities has been controlled by big monopolies.
May 2024 | Van Buren Climate Action Team
Members of the Van Buren Climate Action Team (VBCAT) joined MiCAN’s May event. VBCAT is a group of citizen scientists with a common mission to advance their community toward a more prosperous, more equitable, more secure, and cleaner energy future. Attendees learned about the group’s guiding principles and how they will help hasten Van Buren County’s progress toward renewable energy.
April 2024 | Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice
Climate and Energy Justice Lead Andrew Kaplowitz (they/he) of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ) shed light on environmental and public health issues faced by Detroit residents and how DWEJ’s dedicated activists, advocates, organizers, artists, and storytellers seek to address them through community and policy action that values all people.
Sign up to keep up with DWEJ, support the group’s efforts, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter!
February 2024 | Ann Arbor for Public Power (A2P2)
Ann Arbor for Public Power (A2P2) Board President Greg Woodring and Board Member Michelle Deatrick led an important conversation about the growing movement for public power in Ann Arbor and across the country. A2P2 is fighting for a 100% renewable, public-owned electric utility that will enable affordable, reliable energy for all, an urgent transition to safe renewable energy, and a just transition with no worker or community left behind. Among the questions discussed: What are the barriers? How will we pay for it? How can public power play a vital role in achieving larger regional climate goals?
November 2023 | White Lake Area Climate Action Council
MiCAN was joined by the White Lake Area Climate Action Council (WLACAC) for our November edition of the Community Voices Series. Lori Coleman and Mickkayla Erbach of WLACAC discussed their efforts to create a new story for their lakeshore community, which preserves the beauty and health of the natural environment, and to declare a climate emergency for their two cities in partnership with government leaders (while remaining stubbornly optimistic!).
October 2023 | Grand Rapids Climate Coalition
In our October edition of the Community Voices Series, we heard from Janet Zahn and Nathan Rauh-Bieri of the Grand Rapids Climate Coalition about their efforts to achieve community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, prioritizing equity and climate justice. The GRCC is an inaugural member of the MiCAN Steering Committee which promotes collaboration, connection, and shared investments of time, energy, and resources in the movement for a more just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable Great Lakes State.
June 2023 | Oakland County Climate Action
As part of the 2023 Michigan Climate Summit, this ‘local action’ panel showcased groups’ efforts in the greater metro Detroit area. Representing Oakland County as a model, panelists spoke on how elected officials and grassroots leaders can effectively work together to achieve climate goals.
May 2023 | Universities Leading on Climate
During this interactive, conversational-style event, MiCAN intern Brendan Mortensen-Seguin explored the actions and strategies of university sustainability professionals to address the climate crisis. Drawing from the findings in MiCAN’s forthcoming report on Michigan’s 15 public universities’ climate efforts, we heard from three sustainability and climate professionals.
April 2023 | From Practitioner to Climate Advocate
Cohosted with Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action, our second installment of the Community Voices Series brought together two outstanding practitioners at the intersection of climate and health.
Drs. Sue Holcombe and Cheryl Ruble discussed their journeys in discovering how to engage in effective climate advocacy related to food, agriculture, and health.
March 2023 | Climate Emergency Month in Kalamazoo & West Michigan
MiCAN’s first-of-its-kind Community Voices featured groups advancing equitable climate solutions in Kalamazoo and West Michigan, keying in on current efforts and upcoming initiatives toward bold climate action during Kalamazoo’s declared Climate Emergency Month. The series kicked off with a hybrid event out of the Kalamazoo Nature Center, where participants rounded out the afternoon with a climate-centric nature hike, and featured speakers from the Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition, Western Michigan Environmental Action Council, and WMU Climate Change Working Group.