Stories that Define Impact

LARA’s impact is often felt in the moments people don’t think twice about. From inspections to licensing, this episode explores how behind-the-scenes work helps keep Michiganders safe and supported.

Transcript

Anastasha Osborn: 0:20

Welcome back to the LARA Living Room. I have to say before I jump into episode two of season two, um, every time I do the Welcome Back to LARA Living Room, I hear the song Welcome Back by Mace. If you don't know it, go listen to it. I just think of when they keep saying Welcome back, and I just kind of want to sing that jingle. Don't worry, I will protect everyone's ears by not singing for you, but I think about it every time. Anyways, I'm Anastasha, and today we are continuing our season two focus on impact. And today we're gonna be talking about what that actually looks like in real life. So when people hear the word regulation, I feel like they cringe a little bit, honestly, and I feel like also it can feel a little abstract. It's like, okay, regulation, what does that even mean? Um, so I want to just kind of connect those dots where it feels connected to your everyday moments. So today we're gonna bring it back down to earth. We're gonna be talking about the ways that LARA's work shows up in ways that you may not even realize, and that's kind of gonna be the focus today. Again, it is just me today. You just have me in your ear. Sorry, I don't have a guest. I promise you we will have guests in the future. Bear with me one more episode. All right, go ahead and fill up your coffee or your drink of choice, grab a seat, get comfortable because you are now in the LARA living room. All right, whether people realize it or not, um, LARA impacts almost everyone in Michigan. And I will say, before I started working here, honestly, even when I was working here, probably the first couple of years, I truly did not understand how much we did for the state. And it was crazy. I feel like it wasn't until I kind of started learning a little bit more, reading a little bit more. And I feel like that's because a lot of that work happens in ways that most people don't even realize are connected to us. You know, when you think of other departments here in Michigan, like let's say, for example, the Michigan Department of Transportation, you kind of have a pretty good idea on what they do. And what I what I think happens is people think of LARA and they hear licensing and regulation, they think, okay, well, you probably do a lot of licensing and regulating. And yes, that is very, very true. But I think it's more of what we license and regulate that is so unique and incredible. But I also feel like we're missing the part where I think people understand what it is that we do, and even sometimes what we don't do. We have a lot of people that do call us because they hear licensing and they call us um to renew their driver's license. Um, spoiler, we do not do that. That is the Secretary of State. Uh, but you know, there's there's a a gap, I think, between understanding what it is that we do or what we actually do, and just really educating, you know, again, both the public and again, I said it when I started working here, I didn't fully understand. So this is also a space for our LARA staff to also learn all the great things that we get to do. So, all right, let's jump into it. It might be a better way for me to kind of give some examples, I guess, on like where we impact um Michiganders in your everyday life. So, to kind of give some examples, I guess, it could be when you're at a boxing or mixed martial arts event. You're probably just there, you're enjoying the event, enjoying the fight, you're honestly probably not thinking about safety rules or medical requirements, or that the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission is the one uh who's behind the scenes making sure that these events run safely. Um, it could be something like our Michigan Indigenous Defense Commission. That work is incredible. They, if you don't know, they help ensure uh that people who can't afford an attorney still have access to quality legal representation. Incredible. Again, not flashy, not easy, but it's critical, you know, and it's really important in protecting people's rights. And people probably don't know that we do that. Um, I feel like it also shows up through our work uh with our Bureau of Construction Codes. This team is incredible. They do so many things, and a lot of them are behind-the-scenes stuff that a lot of us never even see. They're doing plan reviews, permits, and inspections that happen before buildings even open, um, before amusement park rides operate. Uh, our here in Michigan, we get a lot of snow before our ski lifts even can carry somebody up the hill. They do a lot of things that I feel like people don't realize that we get to be a part of. And so, you know, again, you may not see this work at all. And I again said this in episode one of the season is that's kind of the point. Um, but once you realize how often LARA is already showing up in everyday life, the next question then becomes, you know, why does this work matter so much? Like, why should I even care? And to kind of give you some more examples, I guess, of what we do, think about elevator inspections. Um, before an elevator can even carry people up and down, inspections have to be done, and inspectors have to make sure that these elevators are meeting strict safety standards. Um let's talk about cemetery licensing. Don't worry, we're gonna talk more about that because I don't have a lot to say about it right now without spoiling one of our episodes. Yes, it will be in spooky season in October. Um, but cemetery licensing, we have a team that literally ensures that cemeteries are managed responsibly and that you know funds are protected and families are treated with care, especially when they are at their most vulnerable moments of their life. And really all of these things that I've mentioned, these aren't just like these processes or boxes that need to be checked, right? Like these are actual things, these are safeguards and protections that are put in place to really um protect the public, right? And that's why this work matters so much. And when you start adding all of that up, you know, all of our programs, all of the professions and our Michigan communities, you really begin to kind of see the bigger picture. And each improvement that we make, each inspection, each license that is issued or enforced, sorry, might seem small on its own, but really together they add up to something that's much bigger. And, you know, as we talked about kind of in episode one of the season, impact isn't always measured really by headlines. Um, we talked a lot about the work that we do behind closed doors. Sometimes it really is measured by what doesn't happen, right? Because the right protections were already in place and things in it have to go wrong for it to make a headline. And really, as we move through the season, we are gonna continue to highlight those stories and the people who make this really happen. And I'm so excited. I can't wait, and I think it's gonna be a great year. Um, and I just want to again say thank you so much for listening and joining me today and being here to learn more about what we do. And like I said at the beginning, I promise you have my word, moving forward, it will not just be me talking. Uh, we're gonna have plenty of guests joining us, both from across LARA. We're gonna have some other uh Michigan State Departments that will be joining us, and we might even have a few special guests from our neighboring states. You'll just have to wait and see. Uh, so thank you again. I appreciate you all, and as always, from our living room to yours, we'll see you next time.