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The Mackinac Policy Conference Returns to Chart Michigan’s Future Highlights from Tuesday

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2021 Conference Focuses on Reimagining a Healthy Michigan

While the pandemic is far from over, charting a path to recover, heal, and thrive as a state is critical. The 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference serves as a platform to hear from national thought leaders on the significant issues that Michigan and the nation are facing at this critical time in history. Read more.

The Conference conversations are focused around three pillars that will be vital in accomplishing that goal:

  1. Accelerating our COVID-19 economic recovery and sustainability.
  2. Advancing racial justice and equity for all.
  3. Investing in the health of our people and our communities.

Lassiter: Charting a Path for Michigan’s Recovery Requires Authentic Foundational Change

“Reimagining a Healthy Michigan” highlights what should be a top priority for the state in 2022, according to Conference Chairman, Wright L. Lassiter III, president and chief executive officer of Henry Ford Health System who kicked off the event challenging attendees to see themselves as part of the solution to the major problems the state is facing.

He also said that we need to think broadly about what health means and begin to focus on the role that social and economic conditions play in the health of our communities. Opportunity is key for communities to thrive – opportunities to access healthy food, clean water, safe neighborhoods, equal employment, affordable housing, reliable transportation, and voting.

“We need to move beyond band-aid solutions and toward authentic foundational, scalable change. It has to be an intentional strategy and requires a long-term commitment,” Lassiter said.

With communities at the heart, people will be key to improving the health of Michigan as everyone plays a role in improving the lives of others. This year’s Conference lineup features speakers that share the common mission of uplifting all communities, with uniquely diverse viewpoints.

Added Lassiter, “When we ignore basic challenges faced by people who have been historically left behind, we all experience negative and lasting effects on economic growth, prosperity, and health. And the reverse is true: when we lift up the underserved, we all can experience that success.”

In closing, Lassiter said that as we continue to live through the impact of COVID-19 for years to come, we can use our experiences to create a more resilient society with a focus on equity and quality of life for all.

Baruah: America’s Continuum of ‘We the People’ and ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ Making Collective Action Difficult

As the Detroit Regional Chamber planned this year’s Conference experience, there was a strong focus on retaining and regaining economic and social normality, while prioritizing health, safety, and increased vaccination rates. The Conference returns as Michigan faces critical challenges during a pandemic where polarization has made collective action more difficult.

“This is the first large event in Michigan that has this level of safety protocols and we really feel we are setting an example for others in terms of how to do this right,” said Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “We were either going to do this event right or not at all.”

Today’s political dynamic and society’s current state were key drivers for the Chamber to proceed with this year’s Conference. America consists on a continuum of two ideas: ‘We the People’ and ‘Don’t Tread on Me.’ And while both elements are key to the success of our nation, collective action becomes difficult when our society leans more to the individualistic side.

As always, civility is key for compromise and comprise is a driving factor in getting anything done in America. With that in mind, the Conference has and continues to serve as a place where civility thrives.

“Let’s face it our political system is not working as well as it needs to be, and it’s up to those of us who influence the political system to step up to help the political system make some of these big decisions that we need to make as Americans,” said Baruah.

Conference Remembers Champion of Civility: U.S. Senator Carl Levin

Few lawmakers championed civility and the art of compromise quite like former U.S. Senator Carl Levin. It was only fitting for the Conference to open with a tribute to the late senator on Michigan’s Center Stage.

Paul W. Smith, host of WJR NewsTalk 760 AM sat down with Dennis W. Archer Sr., chairman of Emeritus, Dickinson Wright PLLC, and former mayor of Detroit, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and Mariam Noland, president of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, to discuss the life and career of Michigan’s longest serving senator.

Sen. Levin had a love for learning and a strong passion for knowledge, truth, and facts. While she currently serves as Secretary of State, Benson didn’t meet Sen. Levin through politics, instead through academia, when she served as dean of Wayne State University Law School, where she co-taught a class with Senator Levin.

“Every day, he gave every moment his best. It was such a privilege to work alongside him in that role and that capacity because he pushed us all as leaders to be better, to do better, and even in the academic world he pushed me every day to read more, to prepare more, to study more, and to always think more on how we can do better as leaders,” Benson said.

Former Mayor Archer retold a story about former President Bill Clinton calling him to implore Sen. Levin to run for another a term because the country needed his leadership in Congress as an example of how special he was.

“[As a senator] Carl Levin took it a step above. Because of his belief in civility and how he respected people and the issues of the state of Michigan, he bent over backwards to make sure that everyone understood his position and he listened to others,” said friend and colleague, Archer Sr. “You always learned from Carl Levin, you learned how to treat people and he encouraged all of us to be respectful of each other.”

The Levin Center at Wayne State University Law School was created to preserve the legacy of Carl Levin in Michigan and train another generation of leaders to exhibit the same thoughtful bipartisan oversight that Levin exemplified throughout his career.

Added Smith, “I may be the only person on stage who may have had disagreements with Carl Levin. But he knew how to disagree without being disagreeable. I never felt that he didn’t respect me…we need more of that in politics today, we don’t have it at all.”

Sen. Levin would always acknowledge the complexity of problems and the fact that there aren’t always easy answers, explained Benson. “And that is a real humility and honesty in leadership that we don’t see too often today,” Benson said.

Added Noland, “He always told the truth, he knew what he believed and if he said he was going to do something or support it, he did.” 

What will happen today? Well, here’s an agenda to start:

  • Sessions and Events

  •  
  • 7:30 a.m.
  • High Expectations, High Returns: Investing in Minority Entrepreneurs
  • Host: Delta Dental
    Grand Pavilion

    Less than 2% of venture capital goes to women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color. This session will explore how the local business community can provide opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs, while creating an ecosystem of truly sustainable companies built on inclusion.

    Panelists: Candice Matthews Brackeen, Executive Director, Lightship Capital
    Brian Calley, President, Small Business Association of Michigan
    Hiram Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Real Times Media

    Moderator: Vickie Thomas, Communications Director, City of Detroit; Black Business Minute Reporter, WWJ Newsradio 950

  • 7:45 a.m.
  • Coffee and Conversation: A Diplomat’s View of America from Abroad
  • Michigan Health & Hospital Association Bar

    Speaker: John Rakolta Jr., Chairman, Walbridge; Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
    Interviewer: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

  • 8:15 a.m.
  • Meet the MEDC:
    Small Business Support
  • Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.
    MEDC Bar

    Speaker: Quentin Messer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

     

  • 8:45 a.m.
  • Virtual Keynote Address: Raj Chetty
  • Theatre

    Introduction: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

    Speaker: Raj Chetty, William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics and Director of Opportunity Insights, Harvard University

     

  • 9:10 a.m.
  • Preparing K-12 for
    Postsecondary Success
  • Theatre

    Panelists: Russell A. Kavalhuna, President, Henry Ford College
    Richard Pappas, President, Davenport University
    Angelique Power, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Skillman Foundation
    Nicole Sherard-Freeman, Group Executive, Jobs, Economy, and Detroit at Work, City of Detroit

    Moderator: Nolan Finley, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Editorial Page Editor, The Detroit News

    Sponsor: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

  • 9:50 a.m.
  • Break
  •  
  • 10:30 a.m.
  • A Discussion with Rosalind Brewer and Christy McDonald
  • Theatre

    Virtual Speaker: Rosalind Brewer, Chief Executive Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance

    In-Person Interviewer: Christy McDonald, Anchor, Detroit Public Television

    Sponsor: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

  • 11 a.m.
  • Racial Equity in the Workplace
  • Theatre

    Keynote and Moderator: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services

    Panelists: Hussein Berry, Vice President, Airport Operations DTW, Delta Air Lines
    Matthew B. Elliott, President, Bank of America Michigan
    Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Walker-Miller Energy Services LLC

    Sponsor: Consumers Energy

  • 11:50 a.m.
  • American Rescue Plan: Opportunities for Transformative Partnerships to Advance Equitable Recovery
  • Host: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
    Brighton Pavilion 

    This session will explore the challenges and opportunities this influx of federal funding presents and how collaborative partnerships are critical to effectively leveraging federal funding to best serve communities.

    Panelists: Alize Asberry Payne, Racial Equity Officer, Washtenaw County
    Kyle Caldwell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Council of Michigan Foundations
    Stephan Currie, Executive Director, Michigan Association of Counties

    Moderator: David Egner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

  • 11:50 a.m.
  • Reimagining a Connected Michigan
  • Host: Comcast Business
    Grand Pavilion

    This captivating chat with futurists will explore how the pressures of the pandemic inspired new ways to accelerate sustainable prosperity, connect underserved communities, and protect the health and safety of Michigan’s most vulnerable residents.

    Introduction: Todd England, Senior Director, Comcast Business Services

    Panelists: Marc Siry, Vice President, Strategic Development, Complex Solutions, Comcast Business
    Mark de la Vergne, Vice President, Project Development, Cavnue
    Moderator: Paul W. Smith, Host, WJR NewsTalk 760 AM

  • Noon
  • Meet the MEDC:
    Mobility
  • Host: Michigan Economic Development Corp.
    MEDC Bar

    Speaker: Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer, State of Michigan

  • Noon
  • Detroit Tax Relief Fund Forum
  • Host: Rocket Mortgage
    Rocket Mortgage Government Center

    Panelists: Antoine Jackson, Executive Director, MACC Development
    Khalil Rahal, Assistant County Executive, Wayne County
    Moderator: Laura Grannemann, Vice President, Rocket Community Fund

  • Noon
  • Healing Arts Live: Performance by Michigan Opera Theatre
  • Live music and discussion.

    Host: Henry Ford Health System
    Michigan Health & Hospital Association Bar

  • 12:30 p.m.
  • Pop Art: Popcorn Station
  • Host: Henry Ford Health System
    Henry Ford Health System Healing Arts Gallery

  • 1:20 p.m.
  • Today’s Republican Party
  • Theatre

    Panelists: Robert C. O’Brien, Former United States National Security Advisor, Trump Administration
    Michael Steele, Former Chairman, Republican National Committee; Former Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland; Political Analyst, MSNBC
    Moderator: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

  • 2 p.m.
  • Keynote Address: Richard Florida
  • Theatre

    Speaker: Richard Florida, Author, The New Urban Crisis, University of Toronto

    Interviewer: Stephen Henderson, Contributor, One Detroit and DPTV; Host, WDET 101.9 FM; Founding Editor, BridgeDetroit

  • 2:40 p.m.
  • Break
  •  
  • 3:15 p.m.
  • Keynote Address: Gretchen Whitmer
  • Theatre

    Speaker: Gretchen Whitmer, Governor, State of Michigan

    Introduction and Interviewer: Daniel J. Loepp, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

    Sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

  • 4:10 p.m.
  • Evening View: Mackinac Uncensored
  • Parlor

    Grab a cocktail and join us in the parlor as several of Michigan’s most prominent thought leaders from various backgrounds will engage in spirited banter on the state’s hot-button issues, including voting rights, the 2022 election, employer vaccine mandates, and rank-choice voting.

    Opening Remarks
    Emcees: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services
    Tammy Carnrike, Chief Operating Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

    The Future of Talent and DE&I

    Segment Host: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Ignition Media Group; Founding Partner, Archer Corporate Services
    Panelists: Dan Garrison, Detroit Office Managing Director, Accenture
    Ronia Kruse, President and Chief Executive Officer, OpTech, LLC and OpTech Solutions

    Rebuilding Urban Cities

    Segment Host: Paula Gardner, Business Editor, Bridge Magazine

    Panelists: Rick Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
    Kevin Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Economic Growth Corp.

    Voting Rights

    Segment Host: Rick Pluta, Senior Capitol Correspondent, Michigan Public Radio Network

    Speaker: Joe Tate, State Representative (D-Detroit)

    Employer Vaccine Mandates

    Segment Host: Chad Livengood, Senior Editor, Crain’s Detroit Business

    Speaker: Graham Filler, State Representative (R-Clinton Township)

    Final Five Voting

    Segment Host: Brad Williams, Vice President, Government Relations, Detroit Regional Chamber

    Panelists: Scott Claxton, Co-Founder, Esys Automation and Final Five Michigan
    Chris Marcus, Co-Founder, Esys Automation and Final Five Michigan

    Women on Corporate Boards

    Segment Host: Tammy Carnrike, Chief Operating Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

    Panelists: Portia Roberson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Focus Hope

    David Parent, Managing Partner, Deloitte

    2022 Election Roundtable

    Segment Host: Zoe Clark, Program Director, Michigan Radio

    Panelists: Mark Burton, Partner, Honigman LLP; Former Chief Strategist for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
    Matthew Schneider, Partner, Honigman LLP; Former United States Attorney, Trump Administration

    Sponsor: Accenture

 

Interested organizations are invited to share the livestream of the proceedings made available

through Thursday by the Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Public TV 

The 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference runs until September 23. Hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber, the conference focuses on the future of Michigan, as viewed through the lens of three important social pillars: 

·        Accelerate COVID-19 economic recovery and sustainability

·        Advance racial justice and equity for all

·        Invest in the health of people and communities  

The livestreamed coverage, provided by Detroit Public TV, includes speeches and panel discussions with nationally and locally prominent leaders of business, education, government and philanthropy.  DPTV’s One Detroit team of journalists will offer interviews with many of the key participants.      

Coverage dates and times: 

·        Wednesday, September 22:              7:30 AM – 6:00 PM ET

 

·        Thursday, September 23:                   8:45 AM – 9:00 AM ET 

Detroit Public TV is making conference sessions available to all organizations in a variety of ways:    

·        Connect with the One Detroit Facebook page to crosspost.  

·        Share the Facebook livestream link: www.facebook.com/onedetroit/ 

·        Embed the livestream on your website 

The conference returns after last year’s COVID-related cancellation with a stringent set of protocols, including vaccine requirement for all attendees. Masks are required indoors in most settings, and some sessions will be held virtually. 

The Detroit Regional Chamber is to be commended for bringing this important annual event back to Michigan and doing so with the health and safety of all attendees foremost in consideration.

Instructions for livestreaming options: 

Add the player to your website to share with your viewer: 

1)      Visit https://livestream.com/detroitpublictv/events/9820388

2)      Select the arrow icon for sharing

3)      Click on the embed code link 

Crosspost the live video on Facebook: 

To establish a crossposting relationship with the Detroit Public TV Facebook page, contact Colleen O’Donnell at codonnell@dptv.org 

             Join DPTV in sharing the state’s most important convening.

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