Michigan Civil Rights Commission Elects Officers, Establishes Issue Priorities, Committees for 2025

Detroit-At their first meeting of the year on Monday, Jan. 27, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission elected a new slate of officers, set their priority issue areas and established Commission committees for 2025. They also welcomed one new Commissioner, established issue priorities and standing committees for the year ahead and selected two members to draft the Commission's opinion in regard to the charge of discrimination filed by the Department of Civil Rights against Studio 8 Lab LLC located in Traverse City.

By unanimous vote, the Commission elected former Commission Vice Chair David Worthams to serve as Chair in 2025. They also elected former Commission Secretary Luke R. Londo to serve as Vice Chair, and former Chair Gloria Lara as Secretary.

"Thank you to all the chairs who have preceded me," said newly elected Chair Worthams after the vote. "Having watched you, Chair Lara and Chair Roberson, serve in this position, I am well aware of the responsibility that comes with this gavel. I see this term as an opportunity to mesh my experiences and the relationships that I have with members of the legislature with the work that we do here. For years, both parties, Republicans and Democrats, have struggled to empower this Commission and this department to live out our mission and the goals that are laid out for us in the state constitution. I hope that my time as chair will be used to build a foundation that will allow future Commissions, future Chairs, future department Directors and personnel, to fully engage successfully to live out that mission, and to make sure that the laws of the state of Michigan apply to all people who wish to call Michigan their home."

Commissioners unanimously supported extending the priority issue of diversity, equity and inclusion into the new year, with a continued emphasis on artificial intelligence. They also supported establishing three standing committees:

Rules: focused on the rules governing the Commission

Policy and Budget

Executive Director Assessment: focused on establishing a process for the annual assessment of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) Executive Director

The body also selected Commissioner Zenna Elhasan and Vice Chair Luke R. Londo to prepare the Commission's opinion in the Rule 12 hearing in the matter of Michigan Department of Civil Rights v. Studio 8 Hair Lab LLC. Rule 12 refers to the section of the rules governing the Commission's procedure for ruling on charges of discrimination brought by the department.

In November of 2023, MDCR filed a formal charge of discrimination against Studio 8 Hair Lab LLC after investigating three complaints of gender identity discrimination in advertising and retaliation for filing a complaint with MDCR – both acts in violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA).

After reviewing the record, evidence and testimony in this case, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) upheld the department's findings and issued a Proposal for Decision in September of 2024, finding that Studio 8 discriminated against claimants on the basis of sex and retaliated by filing a frivolous lawsuit against them. That Proposal for Decision is now before the Civil Rights Commission, which isthe final arbiter in formal charges of discrimination filed by MDCR.

The Commission also swore in new Commissioner Richard White III, appointed by Governor Whitmer as a member representing Democrats for a term commencing on Jan. 1, 2025 and expiring on Dec. 31, 2028. White succeeds Commissioner Richard Corriveau, whose term expired on Dec. 31, 2024.

Richard White III, of Detroit, is a pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Detroit and also serves as the president of the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity.

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race (including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, national origin, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, familial status, height, weight, arrest record, disability, and source of income in housing discrimination.