Joins group of the most innovative Democratic state and local officials working to solve America’s biggest challenges
WASHINGTON (April 19, 2022) — Today, Senator Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) was selected as one of nine leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), a selective national network of state and local elected officials with Honorary Co-Chairs U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, and Columbia, S.C. Mayor Steve Benjamin.
Members of the nearly 200-person network, who have been chosen from more than 1750 nominations over NewDEAL’s 11-year history, are united by their work to enact pro-growth progressive solutions in a diverse array of communities. Past NewDEAL members include U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Jason Kander, Stacey Abrams, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla.
Brinks joins the group at a time when state and local leaders are on the frontlines of implementing the recovery from the myriad impacts of the pandemic, including by maximizing the impact of an infusion of federal resources. NewDEALers are supporting each other in addressing the many challenges created and exacerbated by COVID-19 by innovating, convening with experts, and sharing good ideas. To support these efforts, NewDEAL has launched a database to track how states, counties, and cities are spending state and local recovery dollars from the American Rescue Plan. The organization has also recently released a report that includes case studies on how to use these funds to solve inequitable access to housing, child care, broadband, small business capital, and workforce training.
Brinks and her peers in the new class of leaders (listed below) were recognized for their unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity in their communities. These leaders’ work will build on policy recommendations that NewDEAL Leaders help develop, including on education, climate change, and broadband, as well as success stories from the NewDEAL’s American Rescue Plan report. To ensure voting rights and the sanctity of our elections are protected, leaders also participate in NewDEAL’s Democracy Project, which highlights innovative efforts by state and local leaders advocating for an inclusive democracy.
NewDEAL Leaders have found broad support for their work across red, blue, and purple states and cities, with more than 20 rising to higher office in the past few years. These leaders include members of Congress, such as Marilyn Strickland in Washington, Greg Stanton in Arizona, and Jennifer Wexton in Virginia, as well as new Mayors in cities from Dallas and Phoenix to Boise, Kansas City and Montgomery, AL. Nearly 40 leaders are on the ballot for Congress, Governor, and other higher offices in 2022.
“While the pandemic has exposed so many long-standing challenges in Michigan and across the country, it has also resulted in momentum to make long overdue progress at a time when we finally have the resources to do so,” Sen. Brinks said. “We must get these investments right and I am excited to come together and share lessons with talented, innovative leaders who are all facing similar challenges.”
Brinks was selected to join NewDEAL because she understands that the foundations of individual and community health must include things like access to safe and attainable housing, clean drinking water, and healthy food. She has championed legislation to increase attainable housing, worked to get toxic PFAS chemicals out of drinking water, introduced legislation to hold polluters accountable, and served on Governor Whitmer’s Food Security Task Force. Additionally, as the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Health Policy committee, Brinks has made lowering prescription drug costs a priority. Most recently, she introduced legislation to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board that would directly impact what Michiganders pay for certain Prescription Drugs.
About NewDEAL
The NewDEAL brings together leaders focused on expanding opportunity, helping them develop and spread innovative ideas to spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable. Most importantly, the organization facilitates the exchange of ideas among its members and connects them with other pro-growth progressive political, policy, and private sector leaders.
Today’s announcement brings the total number of NewDEAL members – statewide officials, legislators, mayors, councilmembers, and other local leaders – to 195 leaders from 49 states.
One of the organization’s signature events, the annual Ideas Summit, will take place May 23-24 in Philadelphia, PA, where about 50 NewDEAL Leaders will join other innovators from the public and private sectors to discuss a forward-looking agenda for state and local Democrats to address the biggest challenges facing our country, including the future of work and education, climate change, and threats to our democracy.
Learn more about Brinks and the NewDEAL at newdealleaders.org/leader.
The new class of NewDEAL Leaders includes:
California: Supervisor James Gore (Sonoma County)
Iowa: Mayor Quentin Hart (Waterloo)
Maryland: Senator Antonio Hayes (Baltimore City)
Michigan: Mayor Rosalynn Bliss (Grand Rapids)
Michigan: Senator Winnie Brinks (Grand Rapids)
New Jersey: Commissioner Shanti Narra (Middlesex County)
North Dakota: Representative Josh Boschee (Fargo)
Oklahoma: Senator Michael Brooks-Jimenez (Oklahoma City)
South Carolina: Councilmember Jesica Mackey (Richland)
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