By K.D. Norris
As part of her efforts to promote race, gender and economic justice in Michigan and across the nation, activist/actress Jane Fonda will talk about her life as an activist in a free-to-the-public event at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church on Friday, Oct. 26.
The event — billed as “An Evening with Jane Fonda to Support One Fair Wage” and hosted by Michigan One Fair Wage Protect and Defend Campaign — is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Fonda has long been a visible political activist, beginning during the Vietnam War and later in advocacy for women’s issues, workers rights, and other social issues.
“Fonda will share information on her life as an activist, the recent work that she has been doing in Michigan and across the country to promote race, gender and economic justice for low-income workers, and the importance of building multi-racial alliances to create a more just society for all,” as stated in an event flyer supplied to WKTV by Michigan One Fair Wage.
Fountain Street is located at 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids. While the event is free and open to the public, they ask for an RSVP at bit.ly/fscofw .
One of the Michigan issues Fonda has previously advocated for is the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase Initiative, which gained enough signatures to be on the Nov. 6 ballot and was adopted by the legislature in September — a move which would allow lawmakers to make changes to it with a simple majority instead of a higher threshold should the voters have approved it in November.
The legislature’s action was seen by some as giving lawmakers the ability to weaken the law’s requirements during a lame-duck session later this year, or in 2019.
One of the groups which advocated for the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase, and now advocates for it not being altered by the Michigan lawmakers, is the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN).
“My statewide faith group … supports raising the minimum wage to $12/hour for all Michigan workers,” Randy Block, director of the MUUSJN, said in an email to WKTV. “It’s a moral issue: all workers deserve to earn enough to take care of their families.”
The MUUSJN is a statewide faith network that advocates for social justice policies, including raising the minimum wage and supporting a policy of earned paid sick time for all workers. It is part of an Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM) coalition that supports both of these policy goals. According to supplied information, the network includes thousands of justice activists from 26 Unitarian Universalist congregations, including one in Grand Rapids.
For more information on the event call 517-588-9646. For more information on Michigan One Fair Wage visit MIOneFairWage.org .
For more information on Fountain Street Church, visit fountainstreet.org or visit the church’s Facebook page.
