January 2026 Meeting
“A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy, educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.” — Chinua Achebe
Here is the schedule for January 10th:
9:30 am - 10:00 am: Meet, greet, and eat
10:00 am - 10:15 am: Elected Official Updates
10:15 am - 10:45 am: Updates from Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
10:45 am - 11:15 am: Candidate Corner with Chris Swanson
11:15 am - 12:00 pm: Discussion on Data Centers with Yousef Rabhi, Michelle Martinez, Adrea Pierce, and Michelle Deatrick.
More about our speakers below!
Congresswoman Dingell represents Michigan’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, where she leads on critical issues including affordable and accessible health care, clean energy and water, domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience, and protecting our wildlife and natural resources.
Growing up in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Chris Swanson was shaped by a working-class family that emphasized hard work and the importance of taking care of others. As the Sheriff of Genesee County, Chris Swanson has established himself as a proven leader with a clear vision who has dedicated his career to public safety and service. Now, Chris is running for Governor of Michigan to accomplish even more.
After six years in Lansing as State Representative for Michigan’s 53rd House District, Yousef Rabhi returns to serve Washtenaw County as County Commissioner for District 8. Born in Ypsilanti and growing up on the north side of Ann Arbor, Rabhi has a lifelong passion for the Washtenaw County community. He is a graduate of Ann Arbor Public Schools, attending Northside, Bach Open, Clague, and Huron High schools. At the University of Michigan, he earned a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Science specializing in Urban Planning and Ecosystem Management. While there, Rabhi worked for social change as an activist in the peace, labor, and environmental movements.
Michelle Martinez is the inaugural director of the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment at SEAS. She has 15 years of experience of practicing environmental justice in her hometown of Detroit. Most recently she served as Executive Director of the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition; she is a founding member of the Coalition and continues to serve on the board. Michelle also serves on the Board of Directors of We the People Michigan, and is a contributing columnist to Planet Detroit, an online publication serving Detroit audiences with climate and environmental news.
Andrea Pierce is the policy director for the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition. She has been the lead organizer of Idle No More Michigan, an Indigenous Grassroots Movement, where she began her fight for Native Rights and to SHUT DOWN LINE 5/NO TUNNEL. She is the Chair and co-founder of the Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP). The first & only caucus in Michigan that represents the Native American people and the issues that the Anishinaabek face.
Michelle Deatrick is the Chair of DNC Climate Council and the Chair of the Washtenaw County Environmental Council. She serves on the National Advisory Boards of Climate Power, OnePointFive Climate Strategies, and Jane Fonda Climate PAC, working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. She founded and chairs her county’s first Environmental Council and spearheaded measures committing the county to ambitious decarbonization targets and a strong resilience plan.