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Maureen Taylor
Detroit
Hero Story
For more than three decades, Maureen Taylor has been one of the most consistent and effective Michigan voices advocating for government at all levels to adequately offer support and resources to low income Michiganders. Ms. Taylor has spoken truth to power by exposing gaps that exist in governmental programs that are intended to serve struggling Michiganders. Since 1993, Maureen Taylor has served as Chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, a union of public assistance recipients, low-income workers and the unemployed that organizes members to fight for their rights and to eliminate poverty in this country. Over the past several years, Maureen spearheaded several MWRO campaigns to protect low-income Detroiters against electricity, gas and water shut-offs. She participated in negotiations for the Water Affordability Plan for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. She was a key consultant on two award-winning documentaries, “The Water Front,” about water rights and water affordability in Highland Park, Michigan; and the film, “A World Without Water” on the crises of international water affordability and access which featured a segment on Detroit. Ms. Taylor has her ear to the ground and freely shares information about the lived experiences of the impoverished throughout Michigan with policy makers, powerful influencers and everyone in between.
Her reach expands far beyond her base of Detroit to suburban, exurban and rural Michigan. She holds a Master's of Social Work degree and has the qualities that make for an effective social worker. Both in her leadership role with MWRO and as a counselor at a Detroit school, she demonstrates compassion, love, support, and generosity. She is also strategic, resourceful and connected, qualities that serve her well in her role as an advocate. Her experiences as a social worker feed her passion as an activist, and vice versa. She has seen the damage of policies that hurt struggling Michiganders up close and she has worked mightily to change them.
Her advocacy goes far beyond opposing policies she views negatively. She is a steadfast promoter of policies designed to help Michiganders have economic opportunity and healthy futures. For example, as a member of the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force, she brings real time information about barriers and threats to the state's efforts to provide adequate testing, prevention and treatment services for people of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was able to help state officials identify community partners for testing sites in Detroit and fine tune messages to stem the spread of COVID-19 that would resonate among Black Michiganders. She can be counted upon to provide direct, honest and critical feedback to state officials who are addressing the crisis.
Maureen Taylor
Detroit
Hero Story
For more than three decades, Maureen Taylor has been one of the most consistent and effective Michigan voices advocating for government at all levels to adequately offer support and resources to low income Michiganders. Ms. Taylor has spoken truth to power by exposing gaps that exist in governmental programs that are intended to serve struggling Michiganders. Since 1993, Maureen Taylor has served as Chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, a union of public assistance recipients, low-income workers and the unemployed that organizes members to fight for their rights and to eliminate poverty in this country. Over the past several years, Maureen spearheaded several MWRO campaigns to protect low-income Detroiters against electricity, gas and water shut-offs. She participated in negotiations for the Water Affordability Plan for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. She was a key consultant on two award-winning documentaries, “The Water Front,” about water rights and water affordability in Highland Park, Michigan; and the film, “A World Without Water” on the crises of international water affordability and access which featured a segment on Detroit. Ms. Taylor has her ear to the ground and freely shares information about the lived experiences of the impoverished throughout Michigan with policy makers, powerful influencers and everyone in between.
Her reach expands far beyond her base of Detroit to suburban, exurban and rural Michigan. She holds a Master's of Social Work degree and has the qualities that make for an effective social worker. Both in her leadership role with MWRO and as a counselor at a Detroit school, she demonstrates compassion, love, support, and generosity. She is also strategic, resourceful and connected, qualities that serve her well in her role as an advocate. Her experiences as a social worker feed her passion as an activist, and vice versa. She has seen the damage of policies that hurt struggling Michiganders up close and she has worked mightily to change them.
Her advocacy goes far beyond opposing policies she views negatively. She is a steadfast promoter of policies designed to help Michiganders have economic opportunity and healthy futures. For example, as a member of the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force, she brings real time information about barriers and threats to the state's efforts to provide adequate testing, prevention and treatment services for people of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was able to help state officials identify community partners for testing sites in Detroit and fine tune messages to stem the spread of COVID-19 that would resonate among Black Michiganders. She can be counted upon to provide direct, honest and critical feedback to state officials who are addressing the crisis.