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Kristen McDonald Rivet speaks on her accomplishments and her vision for Flint at Mt. Calvary

Featured photo: Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet with Congressman Joe Neguse at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church

Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry

Kristen McDonald Rivet, state senator and candidate for Congress in the 8th District, recently visited a group of pastors and community members at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

“So, I think that obviously, it’s always important to be inclusive of community and listen,” McDonald Rivet said. “This would have been the third meeting that we’ve had with African American pastors in Flint.”

McDonald Rivet said that in her state Senate work, she has worked very closely with African American pastors in her district.

“I know that they often have a view of community that is unique,” McDonald Rivet added. “Pastors in the work that I have done are really on the ground with people and see very clearly critical needs in the community that often other people don’t.”

McDonald Rivet also feels worshipping alongside people is a really good way to develop strong relationships and be able to represent the community well.

One attendee at the meeting brought up to McDonald Rivet the importance in Flint of safety, jobs and restoring hope.

“I hear all the time when I’m in Flint the concerns about safety in the neighborhoods and investment in people. A lot of that comes back to – we need to bring good paying jobs back to Flint. I had an amazing conversation with the president of one of the auto suppliers who is looking at prioritizing Flint and Saginaw as places to go back into cities and provide jobs. We need to look at the underlying issue of how hard it is for people to afford day to day things: housing, prescription drugs, childcare. We’re headed into the fall and, as a mom of six, I understand the stress of the need to be able to buy school clothes and school supplies.”

According to McDonald Rivet, reducing costs for people is something she will look at every day.

U.S. Representative Joe Neguse was also present at the meeting, where he talked highly of McDonald Rivet’s record.

McDonald Rivet called Congressman Neguse an “amazing leader” and said she is honored to have his support because they both prioritize “revitalizing communities.”

U.S. Representative Joe Neguse

On McDonald Rivet’s record includes helping more kids have access to high-quality childcare.

“In the state Senate, I was the author of the Working Families Tax Credit, which is the largest tax credit for working families in Michigan’s history.”

McDonald Rivet was the sponsor of the Safe Storage Act, which requires gun owners to safely store their weapons in a way children cannot get them and harm themselves or someone else. Also, part of the package were universal background checks and red flag laws that stop people who are either dangerous or suffering a mental break from getting access to a weapon.

“That’s just the start of it. We actually have to do more on the influx of guns that are coming through the red market onto our streets.”

State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet

McDonald Rivet said making federal government housing dollars and childcare easier to access is important to her. Additionally, she said she cares about increasing programs to help pay for weatherization, new furnaces and new roofs, and programs that help with down payments for first-time buyers. She also said she wanted to utilize the federal government to get a handle on maximum payments for prescription drugs.

Finally, McDonald Rivet said it’s crucial to help the estimated 51% of seniors who are part of the ALICE population, which she noted religious leaders are very aware of.  ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents the growing number of individuals and families who are working, but are unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, childcare, food, transportation, technology and health care. McDonald Rivet said she plans to do so, in part, by protecting Social Security and Medicare.

 

 

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