There is a lot to celebrate in March. From Reading Month to Women’s History Month, to Trans Visibility Day, we recognize our state’s diversity of lived experiences and commit ourselves to building a brighter future for all.
Michiganders continue to break barriers, shatter ceilings, and make history in seen and unseen ways every single day. Here’s to celebrating the people who call this beautiful state home!
 Gretchen Whitmer
Governor
Michigan was home to prominent suffragists such as Sojourner Truth, Anna Howard Shaw, Clara Arthur, and Lucia Voorhees Grime. During Women’s History Month, we honor the leaders of the suffrage movement and the women who continue to provide healing and hope to our communities. Today, there are record numbers of women serving in the Michigan Legislature and across state government. Women also lead some of our largest businesses, fight for working people, and run local governments, continuing to break through historic barriers.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we also recognize this week as Women in Construction Week. The theme of the 2023 Women in Construction Week is “Many Paths, One Mission,” celebrating the different journeys women have taken in construction, while also strengthening and amplifying the success of women in the construction industry.
I want to thank our women in construction for their skills and hard work – we couldn’t fix the damn roads without you. The demand for these skills will only grow as more federal resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law start coming into Michigan for roads and bridges, high-speed internet, housing and more. We encourage community organizations to intentionally recruit, support and uplift women in construction as we move Michigan forward.
So much of the work I do is guided by my experience as a mom. That’s why I took action in my first term to ensure every State of Michigan employee has paid family leave and will continue working to expand this vital benefit to every family. Since it was established, 3,000 employees have utilized paid leave, spending time with their newborns. This policy has support from working moms and dads across Michigan.
by expanding the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA). Last month, I met with members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ferndale to discuss what expanding ELCRA will mean for them and their families. Members of the LGBTQ+ want equal treatment under the law, and expanding ELCRA will ensure that we make Michigan a more welcoming place where anyone can succeed. Many top business groups, including the Detroit Regional Chamber and Business Leaders of Michigan, have come out in support of expanding ELCRA because it will help us grow our economy and attract talent.
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