Who We Are
Michigan United
Michigan United organizes to build the power our communities need to win the justice they deserve. We're working for an equitable and sustainable world that reflects our values of economic and racial justice.
Justice and Dignity
Our History
In 2012, the Michigan Organizing Project (MOP) and the Alliance for Immigrant Rights (AIR) merged to form a statewide organization of churches, labor, and community groups to ensure that our economy works for the many, our civil rights are protected, and our democracy is strong. Together, along with our member institutions and individuals, we seek to affirm the fundamental dignity of working families, shape our political future, and achieve an economically and racially just society for our communities.
MOP was a faith-centered community organizing project based in West Michigan, with membership in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and smaller towns in the area. For 20 years, MOP fought to ensure that working families and people of color have a say in the important decisions being made about their neighborhoods and lives. MOP led successful campaigns to increase health and dental care access for low-income families, and eliminate employment barriers for ex-offenders. More recently, the Kalamazoo MOP Council worked to support the civil rights of immigrants, build power with immigrant workers, to fund a Kalamazoo County homeless housing and prevention program, and to secure the votes of the Michigan Congressional delegation for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR).
AIR was a statewide coalition of 100 labor, faith, social service, civil rights and business groups working to stand up for the civil rights of immigrant workers, families and students. AIR also conducted extensive community organizing of low-income Latino and Arab American families in Metro-Detroit. Since its founding in 2009, AIR won important victories, including a new, stronger national policy against immigration enforcement at schools and churches, stopping state E-Verify legislation, and earning the votes of Michigan senators and a Republican Congressman for the DREAM Act. The AIR Coalition engaged in the fight for administrative relief, community education and implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, and securing the votes of the Michigan Congressional delegation for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR).
In March of 2013, after a year long merger of the organizations, a transitional board was established and a new name was picked to represent this new union. Together, we are MICHIGAN UNITED.
Our Values
We believe each individual has the right to achieve their full human potential and to live in dignity.
We believe our government and economy should provide for the common good and be accountable to all our communities, not just the powerful.
We believe in our compassionate obligation toward our neighbors, and to support their struggles toward fulfillment and liberation.
We believe people of conscience and people of faith have an obligation to step forward in leadership to ensure that our government and economy reflect our values of dignity, fairness, equity, and opportunity.
We believe in the power of democracy and non-violence.
We believe it is our mission to work together to build the power we need to win the justice our communities deserve.
