Welcome to Red Wine & Blue Michigan

Over the past few decades, Michigan’s public schools have seen a consistent decrease in funding that keeps taxes on the wealthy low while leaving our kids behind. Michigan ranks 33rd in the nation when it comes to overall child well-being and is continuing to fall short in its national education ranking, dropping from 41st to 44th over the past year, according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book.

But instead of increasing school funding to give our kids the best chance at success, the Devos Family and former governor Rick Snyder, along with their friends in the Michigan state legislature, are still trying to defund our schools and hand them over to millionaires and corporations.

The budget Republicans proposed in July 2025 would hurt Michigan kids because it:

• Eliminates free breakfast and lunch, school based health centers, and early literacy coaches that benefit the most vulnerable kids.
• Flatlines funding for at-risk dollars after years of bipartisan progress.
• Gives away over $40 million in taxpayer dollars to private schools.
• Increases funds to cyber schools.
• Threatens schools if they don’t abide with the Trump wish list of erasing DEI, not teaching honest history, and punishing LGBTQ+ kids.

While that budget hasn’t even passed yet, severe cuts to our public universities are impacting important services that our college students rely on. Like at Michigan State, which had to let go CAPS (Counseling and Psychiatric Services) staff who were providing critical mental health support to survivors of the 2023 shooting on campus, many of whom are still students.

Red Wine and Blue is fighting for public school funding — and to protect our kids and communities — by:

• Making sure community members know when school district bonds and millages are on their ballots.
• Supporting school board candidates who share our values.
• Encouraging community attendance at school board budget meetings.
• Advocating for legislation that addresses our aging, crumbling school infrastructure.
• Collecting signatures for the Invest in MI Kids ballot initiative, which requires the richest Michiganders to pay their fair share of taxes to support our schools.

Michiganders are concerned about inflation and rising household expenses. Over 40% of women say that inflation is the most important issue that influences how they vote. Michigan women and mothers, especially Black women according to recent polls, prioritize affordable, quality childcare, paid family leave, and higher minimum wages. And women aged 50 and older are worried about their personal finances, especially when it comes to the prices of food, prescription drugs and utilities.

Michigan women support candidates who will protect our Medicare and Social Security and who will let Medicare negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Those of us in the “sandwich generation” who are caring for both our children and our parents, also want candidates who understand our challenges and who will fund nursing home reforms, homecare, and long-term care for us and our families.

Trump’s tariffs are also hitting Michigan right where it hurts. Michigan’s auto industry? Jobs are being wiped out. Local restaurants and tourism? Struggling. Retail? Feeling the squeeze. And it’s not stopping there. Federal offices and universities have laid off hundreds of workers. Michigan women and families are working harder than ever to keep up.

Throughout 2025 we will work to support candidates and campaigns that truly understand our daily challenges and who will fight for our jobs, small businesses, and economic security.

Many Red Wine & Blue members are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, or know and love people who identify as LGBTQ+. We are proud to be members of the Hate Won’t Win Coalition and to provide opportunities for our members to take action about LGBTQ+ issues in their communities and schools throughout the year.

In addition to advocating on legislative issues, our volunteers participate in Pride festivals across Michigan. We often distribute banned books that feature LGBTQ+ characters. It’s been an absolute joy to see children’s faces light up when they choose a book with characters that depict themselves and their families.

Throughout 2025 we will work to support candidates and campaigns that protect LGBTQ+ rights in our communities.