Mallory McMorrow: From Industrial Design to Michigan State Senate
Mallory McMorrow is a Michigan State Senator representing the 8th Senate District, encompassing Northwest Detroit and ten municipalities in Oakland County. Her journey to the Senate is marked by a diverse background, blending creative problem-solving from her career as an industrial designer with a commitment to public service.
A Dedicated Public Servant
Elected in 2018, Senator McMorrow has quickly become known for her dedication to practical solutions aimed at improving the lives of Michigan residents. Her legislative accomplishments include authoring Michigan's first Extreme Risk Protection Order, also known as a "red flag" gun violence prevention law. She has also championed initiatives to raise wages, strengthen unions, eliminate the retirement tax on seniors, repeal the state's 1931 abortion ban, expand access to reproductive healthcare, expand free community college and career training, and fund universal k-12 school meals.
Beyond her legislative work, Senator McMorrow actively participates in key committees, including Appropriations, Elections & Ethics, and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
From Auto Design to Autonomous Vehicles
Before entering the political arena, McMorrow honed her skills as an industrial designer and creative director. Her design background includes a patent for the Urban Shredder, a ride-on toy resembling a skateboard. This experience has instilled in her a unique approach to problem-solving, which she now applies to her legislative work.
McMorrow recognizes Michigan's potential to lead the autonomous vehicle industry. She emphasizes the need to support not only the "big three" automakers but also the smaller businesses and tech talent that will drive innovation in this sector. She believes Michigan needs to compete with places like Silicon Valley for engineering and design talent.
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McMorrow suggests incentivizing support systems for the auto industry's next phase to foster autonomous vehicle development, testing, and smaller business growth. She highlights Pittsburgh as a Midwestern city reshaping itself to be autonomous-vehicle-friendly.
She believes Michigan's universities, including Michigan State, can play a crucial role in making the state the center of the autonomous vehicle world by cultivating relevant programs and retaining talented graduates through public-private partnerships.
Creativity and Legislation
McMorrow believes creativity has empowered Michigan businesses to change the world by imagining and creating the future. She contrasts this innovative spirit with the often-reactive nature of the legislative process.
Drawing on her design background, McMorrow advocates for incorporating "design thinking" into lawmaking, a process similar to the scientific method. This involves asking questions, observing people, conducting focus groups, and testing ideas to identify the real problem and develop effective solutions. She believes that leveraging her career background to bring design thinking into the legislative process can lead to more creative and effective solutions.
A Rising Voice in the Democratic Party
McMorrow's profile has risen nationally, particularly after her viral video in 2022, where she forcefully denounced transphobic comments made by another state senator. This moment, highlighted in her campaign video, showcased her ability to turn attacks into critiques of Republican priorities, emphasizing issues like better roads and lower healthcare costs.
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She also spoke at the Democratic National Convention, emphasizing expanded childcare, the path to universal pre-K, universal school meals, and repealing the seniors' retirement tax. McMorrow highlights the time-saving benefits of universal school meals for parents, in addition to the cost savings.
McMorrow expresses inspiration from Barack Obama's ability to engage listeners actively. She emphasizes the importance of leadership that empowers people to participate.
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