Senator Sarah Anthony has always fought for equity and opportunity for all Michiganders, including the most vulnerable among us. Throughout her 20 year career in public service, Sarah has made history multiple times, serving as mid-Michigan’s first African American woman to be elected to the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. In 2023, she became the first Black woman to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

 

As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, she earned a reputation as a pragmatic, effective legislator, where she passed multiple bills into law with substantial bipartisan, stakeholder, and community support. She fights to strengthen education, expand health care, reform Michigan’s criminal justice system, support workers and uplift small businesses. Under her leadership, she has passed bills addressing college affordability, workforce developments, support for veterans, and housing issues.

 

Before serving in the Capitol, Anthony was the youngest Black woman to serve on a County Commission in the United States. During her time as a commissioner, Anthony served in many leadership positions, including serving as Chair and Vice Chair of the board. She was a fearless leader for health care access, social justice, services for senior citizens and working families. In 2010, Anthony began a near decade tenure as the Deputy & Interim Executive Director with the Michigan College Access Network. There, she worked with school districts, community foundations, business leaders and nonprofit organizations to provide funding and support for students. Her experience built her unique understanding of the barriers to higher education and economic opportunity facing Michiganders today, as well as the compounding effect on the skills gap facing Michigan employers. As state Representative, Anthony has partnered with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Governor’s administration to make real headway on the talent pipeline and pathway to economic success.

 

For her work in the Capitol, she has been recognized nationally in such publications as the New York Times, Essence, The New Yorker, and Politico. She has been named “Legislator of the Year” from business, nonprofit, education and social justice groups.

 

Senator Anthony was born and raised in Lansing’s south side. She has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and earned a master’s degree from Western Michigan University.

There will be a Local Grants Committee Meeting immediately following Rotary on Friday, January 10th in the Michigan Room.  

Thank you!

The Rotary Club of Lansing invites you to the Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon on January 20, 2025, at 11 a.m. to be held at the Lansing Center. The Rotary Club will reserve one or more tables at the celebration depending on participation.

 

To sign up, or for any questions please contact:  Bilky Joda-Miller at bilky@allbodykneads.com 

 

Thank you,

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee will be meeting immediately after Rotary this Friday, January 10th in the President's Dining Room.

Our meeting was called to order at 12:29 by Julie Pingston. Rebecca is MIA today.

 

We recited the four-way test.

 

Our reflection for the day was done by Brianna Schneider. She felt a lot of pressure. She started with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt from 1933.

 

I wish for those whom I love this New Year's Eve opportunity in the coming year to earn sufficient, to have that which they need for their own and to give that which they desire to others, to bring into the lives of those about them some measure of joy, to know the satisfaction of work well done, of recreation earned and therefore savored, to end the year a little wiser, a little kinder and therefore a little happier.

 

The patriotic song for the day was the National Anthem. It wasn’t in Julie Pingston’s register for the day. She ain’t no Whitney Houston.

 

On that note, does anyone remember that wild interview Whitney Houston gave Diane Sawyer in 2002? Some of my favorite quotes:

 

* You know what I used to do, Diane? I would close my eyes like this, and I'd sing. I was so afraid when I'd sing. Then when I would open my eyes, the people would be what we call Holy Ghost fired out.

* First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. OK? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is whack.

 

Evan Winters passed around the mic for guests.

 

Ehab Awad from Best Furniture Outlet was back for a third time. Third time’s a charm! Proud to say this was the result of the Corporate Membership letters that went out.

 

Kristina Nixon is an intern at CATA and was a guest of Lolo Robinson.

 

Julie invited us all to the MLK Luncheon and if you want to attend, please reach out to Bilky Joda-Miller.

 

We received Blue Badge presentations from Jennifer Marr and Brianna Schneider.

 

Jennie began by joking she would be speaking for a half hour. She seems funny so I wouldn’t be mad about it. She put bookmarks on the table for us each to raise in the air if we resonated with her statements.

 

She is from East Lansing and resides in Okemos now.

 

She has been 1,000 feet below the ocean! She has a masters degree in Library Sciences. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Capital Area District Library.

 

She worked for the YMCA of Lansing for several years. She has spent two terms as a Village Clerk. She loves anything related to water. She played basketball, volleyball, and softball. Jennie is overly competitive in trivia nights.

 

Both Jennie and I had ice rinks in our backyards growing up, where we had to ice the rink after school and take care of the rink as a family. Sue and I were just talking about this during lunch!

 

She believes that two things can be true at the same time. She hates being late. She is always late. And she is proud to be a Rotarian!

 

Our next blue badge presentation was from Brianna Schneider, who owns Harry O. Culp Insurance Agency. Brianna has been married for 21 years and has three kids and two dogs. Her business is her fourth child. Heard that!

 

We are playing 9 Truths and a Fib:

 

 1.  She celebrated her 16th birthday in France.

 2.  She owns a small solar farm in Grand Ledge.

 3.  She has delivered over 100-200 lambs and assisted with over 100 calf deliveries.

 4.  She doesn’t read fiction. She doesn’t watch TV. She loves a good Gin and Tonic.

 5.  She met her husband at age 21. They got engaged two and a half weeks later.

 6.  She lived on a working dairy farm for several years

 7.  She’s given over 200 presentations on agriculture-related presentations.

 8.  She has rescued, fostered and rehomed 25 dogs.

 9.  She went on a trip to Maui for her 40th birthday and went skydiving.

10. She closed on a second business yesterday at 3 pm.

 

Her lie was that she went skydiving in Maui. I guessed it! I got a bag of mini Starbursts!

 

Micki announced December birthdays. What is your favorite sitcom and why?

 

Everyone but one said Friends! Reminded them of themselves and was relatable.

 

Scott Watkins said Home Improvement because he loves all the references to Detroit and Michigan. Tim Allen actually wore sweatshirts that represented 35 college and universities over the course of the show.

 

We can verify that Cathy does have eyes on the back of her head.

 

I presented on corporate memberships. Sue “Princess Peach” Hansen was really unhelpful as my Co-Chair during my presentation. Framed with a Mario and Luigi video game theme, the presentation delivered important details about this exciting new membership option.

 

Here is a breakdown of the new fee structure for individual and corporate memberships: