>> just ahead on one detroit.

lawmakers in lansing take action on several bills will tell you about some of the new laws passed by the legislature.

plus, the future of work conversation on the growing role of generation x in the workplace.

also ahead, the alvin ailey american dance theater's younger dance company gives lessons to aspiring dancers in detroit public schools.

and we'll give you some ideas on what you can do this weekend in metro detroit.

it's all coming up next on one detroit.

>> from delta faucets, behr paint masco corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy the living spaces masco serving michigan communities since nineteen.

twenty-nine support for this program is provided by the cynthia and edsel ford fund for journalism at detroit public tv, the kresge foundation.

>> the dte foundation is a proud sponsor of detroit.

public tv among the state's largest foundations committed to michigan, focused giving we support organizations that are doing exceptional work in our state visit dte foundation dot com to learn more.

>> nissan foundation viewers like you.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> just ahead on this week's one, detroit, our future work initiative takes a look at how gen xers are taking on leadership roles in the work force in shaping future office trends.

plus, the young dancers and alvin ailey is performing company elite who make a stop at a detroit high school to meet and train students.

and when detroit contributors peter wirth and dave wagner of ninety point nine w r c j offer up a list of things to do in metro detroit this weekend and beyond.

but first up, there's been a lot of legislative action taking place in lansing over the past few weeks.

on thursday, governor whitmer signed an expansion of the elliott larsen civil rights act.

that includes protections for the lgbtq community.

this comes after lawmakers passed bills on issues including guns and right to work one detroit's bill kubota got the rundown from michigan radio's political director zoey clarke years.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> another rally about guns at the state capitol this week.

hundreds came.

detroiters are tons.

the governor.

we are don.

>> only offering thoughts and prayers.

it is time for action.

>> because it is not to.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> a few here protesting the protesters and the keynote speaker.

former arizona congresswoman gabby giffords still recovering from a gunshot to the head in a mass shooting.

were six others were killed in twenty eleven?

i change doesn't happen overnight.

>> i can't do it alone.

join me.

lets move ahead together.

>> now, michigan gun laws really expected to change other last two spinning out of the whirlwind wednesday house session last week.

>> elliott larsen, right to work.

we'll talk about those.

but first, background checks for gun purchases.

simply put this bill is a slippery slope towards oppressive authoritative government or should i say even more oppressive authoritarian government?

>> this package will not take anything away from gun owners.

>> it will merely be an inconvenience to you.

>> the same way you inconvenience my curriculum so i can teach my kids survival required much like every parent who comes into my classroom.

hasta half.

>> to read to my students, state rep jamie churches.

he was a teacher downriver.

he introduced a gun bill that passed in a vote split along party lines.

the recent shootings at nearby michigan state university activating legislators for a lot of lawmakers.

it wasn't personal so many connections to msu.

here's zoey clarke, michigan radio's political, too.

that can be frustrating for some people that take something personal to get something done.

they have really moved gun safety legislation forward on the calendar.

>> the bill is passed.

what was the problem that the republicans had with that?

>> well, look, i mean, i don't want to just make it all about democrats versus republicans, but democrats want some gun safety legislation that they've been pushing for.

and republicans tend to be second amendment and they say it's not about gun safety legislation.

this is a mental health crisis and democrats, at least these bills have been pushed so far.

these three, right that that many folks actually can be helpful.

if you look at the data across the country, this is safe storage laws, red flag laws, universal background checks.

what we know about michigan voters in is in recent polling.

it shows that actually a majority of michigan voters approve of these three pieces of legislation that they're pushing.

>> senate bill number zero, four, eight, a bill to amend the elliott larsen, civil rights act.

>> elliott larsen dates back to nineteen.

seventy-seven protecting michiganders from discrimination, but not lgbt people not to last year with the state supreme court decided that it does, but there's no guarantee that ruling can't be overturned.

that's the it.

>> i also rise today is the first out queer woman to serve in the michigan legislature.

but i do just want to note that a few months ago i was prohibited from even making that statement in this chamber.

and i'm grateful that the landscape has shifted dramatically.

we're often accused of having a secret agenda.

the truth is the only agenda i have is to live my for my life free from discrimination and hate.

many religious individuals and organizations whole deeply held beliefs about sexuality and gender forcing them to act in a way that goes against their beliefs.

>> it's a violation of their religious freedom to all those who invoked the word of the lord to deny us these reits.

i remind you, the lord created us in his own image.

can you not see the lord and me?

>> can you not see the lord and you're gay sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews.

can you not see the lord adonis?

>> this legislation will show lgbtq people, particularly lgbtq people of color that they can fulfill their full aspirations.

your identity will limit who you are or what you can do.

you don't have to hide anymore.

you don't have to feel less than and that.

>> it's cause for celebration.

bipartisan support.

eight house republicans voted for the and the bill is passed.

i wonder if some of the talk on the floor by some of the representative change some minds.

>> i know how much of it changed binds versus what we know is there are probably some republican lawmakers even in previous sessions that would have voted for it.

but it never actually came to the house or the senate floor because republicans were in charge and to never put it up for a vote.

>> now the governor's lack the elliott larsen amendment into state law.

>> the third big one.

i'd like to talk about kind of started it in twenty twelve.

and that's right to work.

what happened there?

>> oh, my goodness.

let's let's go back to ten years ago this past december.

this is legislative republicans pushing forward right to work in incredible short amount of time.

rick snyder, then governor republican basically said it wasn't on his agenda.

this wasn't necessarily something he wanted to do.

he believed it was divisive but he ended up signing it into law and there were huge protests at the state capitol.

>> less commotion last wings down as the script was flipped as voting along party lines.

the so-called right to work law was designed not to give workers freed up but to weaken their bargaining power and increase the profits of the few many.

>> companies look solely to right to work states.

and this is one of those major factors in determining whether we're going to land a major economic opportunity for our state right to work.

>> it was never about freedom.

it was simply about control.

doctor martin luther king knew that truth all the way.

back in nineteen, sixty-one.

when he said in our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans such as right to work.

>> wednesday, i mean, that movie, everything everywhere, all at once, you know, winning all of the oscars.

i mean, it felt a little like that in lansing last wednesday.

it really was just the way that the votes happened so quickly, how lot of folks has spending and what democrats are saying is like, look, this is what we said we were going to do.

>> what is the future of work?

look like for generation x. that was the focus of our recent virtual town hall titled gen x picking up the slack in an evolving workforce.

i spoke with michigan works association ceo ryan hunt about workforce trends involving generation x and they're growing responsibilities as baby boomers retire.

here's a portion of that conversation.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> rand, let's just jump right in.

let's set the table.

what is the workforce landscape right now for someone who's a gen x or, you know, are they what?

what level of of job are they holding?

what what's the next step for them in the workforce?

tell me a little bit about about that.

>> first and foremost, i'd like to talk about some trends that we're seeing right now in the workforce.

just a few years ago, millennials surpassed gen xers as the largest generation in workforce.

in terms of just the sheer volume of workers that are currently engaged in the work force in twenty twenty-three and baby boomers either having retired or staring down retirement themselves.

there's plenty of older gen xers who are also kind of following suit with the baby boomers.

maybe they're preparing for retirement themselves.

we know that for the most part, gen x, which will be in the workforce again for the next and at two, thirty years when you make sure that they are continuing to have a significant impact in the workforce, of course, they certainly are.

gen xers are now also entering their prime in common ages.

we know that typically aged forty-five to fifty-four in the united states is typically the age demographic that sees or just a role in terms of potential earnings over the course of that time period.

so many of our you're entering that have entered that prime in common age as we speak in addition to entering their prime in coming age.

they're also making up the majority of leadership positions across the river says that fits your michigan or in the united states.

but globally jackson's makeup about fifty-one percent of leaders in organizations with an average of about twenty years of work experience.

so they certainly follow that natural progression of going from entry level positions all the way up through the middle management.

now it's upper-level management.

get the ship is a good example.

the public and private sector and how valuable.

>> our gen xers with that breath of experience in the work force already going to be for, you know, any kind of organization or company going into the future be because, you know, they're they're taking up the mantle for boomers, but they just have so much more experience than a lot of millennials, too.

>> really, they are kind of that forgotten middle child between baby boomer generation and the millennials.

that is not mike.

you know, it's not me speaking personal opinions, but i let the data speak for itself over the last several years we've seen gen x or is that an average promotion of only one point two promotions over a five-year period.

that's what we're done both.

>> millennials and baby boomers.

what does michigan need to be doing to make, you know, jobs themselves, the work itself more attractive to get people to come here?

>> some things that michigan can do it.

i think michigan does get quite well.

it's really need to double down on those efforts is accentuating those positive action is part of our state.

many people may not know if they live outside of the midwest, but michigan has the largest shoreline of fresh water in the country.

and we certainly look at how or are are wonderful assets are natural beauty that is on par with other parts of the state, other parts of the country and other parts of the globe, quite frankly.

so for folks are looking for that.

we work play aspect, but you're never too far away from some of those outdoor amenities.

but we also have a number of cultural assets that we continue to highlight institutions of higher learning for folks like myself who are big sports fans, a professional sports teams like the red wings and the tigers lions and the pistons.

those are all the attributes that we need to continue highlighting to post outside of michigan, not just to come here to tour the staple hopefully come here relocate to the states that we can continue to grow in population in the coming years.

>> if we do have, you know, a perfect marketing campaign, pure michigan is a global phenomena.

it goes viral.

all the right things happen for us in the right ways.

are we ready as the state infrastructure, ali, to handle an influx in population and people at that?

we have the jobs.

do we have the amenities?

do we have things that we need to to get what we're asking for?

>> we certainly have the jobs.

i don't think that's that's the issue here.

we have an average of about five hundred thousand job openings in michigan.

it's similar to many other parts of the country.

there's way more job openings compared to the number of individuals searching for jobs.

the jobs are to hear what certainly encourage anybody that is interested in looking for their next professional journey to take a look at michigan.

we have a range of occupations and industries that are hiring from advanced manufacturing to it.

health care, the job.

but certainly there.

i think the infrastructure largely is there.

and we are seeing so significant investments that have been outlined, perhaps, you know, for example, and the governor's executive budget recommendations at the advancing some objectives and investment into affordable housing because that is always a concern not just in michigan but across the country.

if it works coming to the victims, they have places where they can live there portable.

they're not outside of the reach for the salaries wages and they are currently receiving.

so that's all very positive news from an infrastructure standpoint.

and of course, as i mentioned before in this chat today, the cultural and that is the natural assets are certainly all there as well.

i think michigan is prime for very significant comeback in terms of population increases over the next few decades.

super bowl is shot.

our prospects has day two reap the benefits of relocations from individuals that might be seeking a new opportunity.

i'm going to kind of like michigan's that is very favorable toward that growth.

>> and make sure to join me next wednesday, march twenty-second at noon for our next future of work.

virtual town hall millennials on the move making michigan home streaming live on one detroit's facebook page.

let's turn now to a special detroit visit by the alvin ailey american dance theater's company of younger dancers emerging choreographers known as elite who the group combines touring with community outreach and training area.

one dietrich contributing producer deja must was at the elite who workshop for students at detroit school of arts.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> our job at elite, who is to bridge the students to becoming professional artists.

so we take the most talented artists from the school and we nurture them.

we give them professional, have that.

so they can either join the main company or join another professional company after they're finished.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] i work in conjunction also with robert battle because we are connected as artistic director of ailey, too.

and he's the artistic director of ailey one that we we talk and exchange ideas and and think about also, too.

>> the cohesion of the whole organization.

>> what's really exciting about us being here?

we're not only at the us, but we're also branching out and extending our outreach to high schools around the area.

the troy area.

we're doing serious workshops and masterclasses.

and what's so exciting about what we've prepared for dsa is that the dancers from the company actually become the leaders for the week.

so they're going and they're teaching classes.

>> it's going to be traditional warm-up and some modern and contemporary warming up.

just introduce a little bit of the essence of what we do in our in our typical day.

we're also going to be doing some across the floor.

introducing some of my repertory in conjunction with that were also on stage doing actually did the work, which is live performances and from then on being able to bring students to those performances and interact with them.

after that, [MUSIC] i company has, as a whole has a wider and brelo, wider range units, the vastness of flu reaches but to really has the ability to do the the micro, the microscope ing the micro chisel of shaping young lives being in schools personally.

>> ever thought to be able to say that i ever get to work without the daily that it's something that it really does.

i need it.

this is a cause completely bigger than me.

>> one of the things that's important to me and i talked about coming into the job is legacy shaping the future.

>> to witness growth and witness these young artists feeling more confident within themselves to feel empowered to feel new wants to feel grace full to feel full fully expressive is just it's it's the most wonderful experience for me.

we don't always get to express ourselves fully what in the world that we feel when you experience racism or we experience an equity.

so to have a space that we can pour all of that truth into the work and have other people see it and experience it.

it's it's changes lives.

we have people all the time that have seen our performances and then and it's pivoted them into another direction and to a courageous direction when he twenty-two.

[MUSIC] >> i had water to you being here.

i watched wade in the water actually junior high school as part about black history month dance history.

>> lesson that segment that month and i saw these beautiful black movers who looks like me, but me exemplified magnified.

so i thought that i was i was always a petite little one in class.

cut them to see someone who was of my my size.

it was a small black woman moving as the laker girl, but to see her moving her and her power inspired me to find that kind of grace and elegance and maximize my voice sport.

[MUSIC] >> it was like the breakdown of like how the choir goes twice, though, ways, way highly like they have like a little wide praise a moment when i saw the dancers do that i was like and that that moment of energy, where was like, but you have these dramatic pauses and then by the breakdown and that moment, i hope in my eyes, honestly, as a dancer, i've never seen people have so much fun.

stays like that.

like having moments of intimacy with other dancers.

that's the biggest part of it all.

[MUSIC] >> we call this artist who reached the human spirit and the americas and scary.

i think that we have the ability to to steal, to empower to uplift.

>> so i'm able to connect with young people that generation like for we're all one community, unable to see a wide range of ages and that the meat of an elite who's doing.

[MUSIC] >> this stage is the social platform for change.

there is power in the collective consciousness that is exchange between an audience and and and dancers that are watching.

[MUSIC] ivan would be so proud.

>> to think about what is started and the power of art.

>> and the sea that has now expanded into this, this this moment of full recognition and inclusion probably beyond what he drought.

>> to show zoo.

>> by the way, you can see the world renowned alvin ailey american dance theater perform at the detroit opera house from march seventeenth to the nineteenth.

there are also a lot of other events and activities in the detroit area this weekend and beyond.

peter work in dave wagner from ninety point nine w r c j offer their suggestions in today's one detroit weekend.

>> dave, there's lot of fun things happening in the city this weekend and beyond for people to check out.

>> what should we start?

well, let's start where in some green here, young man at saint paddy's day with the dearborn symphony orchestra.

that's friday night at eight pm at the ford community and performing arts center.

we've got to jonathan lash baritone extraordinaire along with that marion patrick lynch and a lot of irish music and people wearing the green is going to be fun.

wear green here.

irish music.

what could be better doesn't get any better.

also this weekend, the detroit symphony orchestra comes to a neighborhood near you with the william davidson neighborhood concert series, more jobs, rollicking violin concerto played by ty murray.

terrific violinist and southfield monroe and beverly hills business.

right symphony orchestra.

i think that's great.

they're out in the neighborhood and people get a chance to just hear the orchestra right down the street.

dave spring is almost here.

so what's the good news?

well, the good news is spring is almost here and it's also the detroit spring home garden show at huntington place in downtown detroit.

that's this saturday and sunday.

everything for the home both inside and out and admission is free both days at huntington place.

if you want something for the whole family, there is something for the whole family at the henry ford.

that scooby-doo mention am now through april, the ninth.

how the story is.

there's a jewel thieving ghost has dodged the police last seen in the spooky mansion and kids and grown-ups can kind of help solve the mystery.

so it's fun for the entire family that is for adults and children through april ninth at the henry ford museum.

check that out.

>> speaking of kids and great art kids can make great art that can be shown at the detroit institute of arts.

they're going to have their open call through march twenty-third for the twenty twenty-three wayne county high school art exhibition.

the call for entries is on now for young artists throughout the metro region for wayne county.

it's the wayne county high school art exhibition at the d i seventy works of art will be on.

there's always so much to do around the city.

here's more of what's happening ahead.

hope to see around and have a great weekend.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> that will do it for this week's one.

detroit.

thanks for watching.

head to the one detroit website for all the stories we're working on.

follow us on social media and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

[MUSIC] >> from delta fossett's behr paint masco corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy the living spaces masco serving michigan communities since nineteen.

twenty-nine support for this program is provided by the cynthia and edsel ford fund for journalism at detroit public tv, the kresge foundation.

>> the dte foundation is a proud sponsor of detroit.

public tv among the state's largest foundations committed to michigan, focused giving we support organizations that are doing exceptional work in our state visit dte foundation dot com to learn more.

>> nissan foundation.

viewers like you [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC]