Standing six feet apart in front of the Spirit of Detroit statue and wearing purple face masks with matching t-shirts, members of SEIU Healthcare Michigan chanted and held signs on Monday that read “Our Vote is Essential.’” Partners and elected officials also spoke out, including state Rep. Yousef Rabhi and pro athlete and social activist Maurice Allen, emphasizing the importance of essential workers and voting.
Andrea Acevedo, president of SEIU Healthcare Michigan, said, “We’re 60 days from the election that is the fight for our lives, and it’s important that everyone be aware of that, that all our members be engaged in this election."
Detroit nursing home worker Melinda Mo’Nae Rawls said, “Right now everyone’s suffering. This is a time to fix what’s broken and the way we’re going to create that change is by voting.”
"That’s why it’s important for us to vote. We’re essential workers whose votes are essential,” Carolyn Cole, a nursing home worker declared.
From now until November, SEIU Healthcare Michigan members will be organizing their communities, registering voters, and encouraging families and co-workers to show up for racial and economic justice on election day.
