ADOPT-A-LEGISLATOR PAPER1
ADOPT-A-LEGISLATOR PAPER
Kamala Bell
Marygrove College
SW314-51
10-16-14
Prof. McMillian
My Senator in District 11 is Vincent Gregory. Senator Gregory has been in politics for over sixteen years. He has been married to his wife Yvonne thirty plus years and raised his six children who are all grown and has blessed Senator Gregory with six grandchildren. Family and politics is the Senators life.
Senator Gregory has a mass boundary in Oakland County beginning with Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Franklin, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, and Southfield. Senator Gregory held a coffee hour in September with Oak Park and Southfield residents in order to converse on state and community matters.
Senator Vincent Gregory was born July 20, 1948 in Detroit to Laurence and Dorothy Gregory. He has four sibling’s three brothers and one sister. Mr. Gregory is a 1966 Dundee High School graduate. He furthered his schooling at Madonna University until the good old draft disturbed his studies in November of 1968. He became a member of the United States Marine Corps until he was honorably discharged in 1970. Senator Gregory later went back to school to obtain his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Gregory became a Wayne County Sheriff in 1973 and during his tenure he achieved the rank of a Corporal and Detective. He became the Vice President of the Local 502 SEIU, AFL-CIO Union in 1983 and in 1993 he came to be the President and served until 2000. Mr. Gregory retired from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department after serving thirty years. Mr. Gregory married the love of his life Yvonne and they raised six children and are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren. Mr. Gregory started his political career in 1998 as the Commissioner for the 21st District, which encompassed northeast Southfield, Lathrup Village, and Berkley. He served on several committees as Commissioner. He became the State Representative for the 35th House District in 2008 and he is now serving his first term as the Senator for the States 14th District.
Senator Gregory is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committeewhichwrites legislation that annually allocates federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments, and organizations. ( and serves on the Appropriations Sub-Committees of the Departments of Community Health, Human Services which is geared to protecting the health of all Americans and providing human services especially for those who are least able to help themselves ( and the
State Police and Military Affairs. Senator Gregory also serves as the Minority Vice-Chair on the Senate Families, Senior and Human Services Committee and as the Minority Vice-Chair of the Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security Committee. Senator Gregory holds the positions of the Associate President Pro Tempore of the Michigan Senate and Democratic Whip in the Senate Democratic Caucus. (www.
Senator Gregory worked with other Senators like Gretchen Whitmer, Morris Hood, III, Rebekah Warren on the Michigan 2020 legislation to help cover the cost of college tuition for all Michigan high school graduates ( One of the bills that Senator Gregory introduced and fought to pass was the Human Trafficking Bill 587. Human trafficking is prevalent in our society and I glad that we a Senator who cares about his people. I believe most individual think about Human trafficking involves other countries but that is not the case. Between 2008 thru 2010 a report stated that human trafficking nationwide reach 2,515 individuals ( I believe Senate Gregory is passionate about people having a chance to have a good education; having fairer tax laws and that it is crucial that more jobs are created with better incomes for the people to survive. I also believe that Senator Gregory that the more knowledge people have the more powerful they can be when it comes to politics or voting.I did call the Senators office for answers but chief of staff was not available but I did email the senator but no answer yet.
In conclusion, this was a great assignment to get the class to understand more about politics by researching who their Senator is for their district. I enjoyed reading some of the policy and bills that Senator Gregory has worked on and appreciate his spirit and tenacity that he has for being the mouth piece for his district. I understand why it is so important for me to get involved in politics in order to make our society grow and be fair to all individuals. I have to become a voice for myself and for others. If I don’t raise my voice then I have know right to complain when changes are not made. I must stand up to the motto, “Be prepared to get involved” (Social Work handbook 2014).