The I-69 International Trade Corridor shows how Michigan can benefit when dozens of municipalities and county governments work together.
Guest Commentary
At Bridge, we believe in listening to voices from all over our state. Got something to say? Contact us and join the conversation (details below)
How to submit a Guest Commentary
What to know:
Bridge welcomes a diversity of voices and perspectives from readers on issues important to Michigan. Guest commentaries reflect the views of the author(s), and are independent of the nonpartisan, fact-driven reporting of Bridge’s newsroom staff.
Commentaries must be the author’s original work and preferably will not have appeared first in other publications. Bridge reserves the right to decline submissions at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit commentary for grammar, clarity, brevity or to address legal or factual concerns. We may offer editing suggestions, but in the service of making your work more accessible, not to alter your views.
We do not pay for guest commentary.
Here are some guidelines:
- Columns are usually 500-700 words
- They generally focus on a Michigan topic or policy and should avoid ad hominem attacks
- The more direct, distinct and/or intimate your perspective, the more effective your column will be
- The best columns do more than identify problems; they also offer solutions and facts to back them up
- Please include a one- or two-sentence bio, including the writer’s organization or relevant background.
- Authors must show their work, by backing up facts with links to reports or studies
- Bridge does not publish self-promotional columns or candidate endorsements
- Send a good quality, large headshot of the writer(s) as an attachment
- We also ask that, in return for publishing a guest commentary, the author(s) and their organizations generously promote the link to the published column through your Facebook, Twitter and other social or professional networks.
That’s about it. Keep the writing clear, conversational and free of jargon, and sell our smart and receptive readership on the argument you are trying to make.
Who to contact:
Email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Please briefly describe who you are and what you would like to say and put the words “guest commentary” in the email subject line.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Most college-bound students don’t apply to enough schools
In response to a Bridge article on some students who apply to many colleges, Brandy Johnson of MCAN notes that studies show most college-bound students apply to fewer than two schools. For too many students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the application process can be daunting.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Forget hibernation, Michigan: Snow-day tourism is worth bundling up for
Fat-tire snow biking and dog-sled mushers join the crowds heading for snowy landscapes. Their wallets are an important factor in fueling local economies, too.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Michigan manufacturing needs women — all the way up the corner office
It’s not just a matter of diversifying a male-dominated field. Changing the way the industry works will require women leaders, and the unique way they work with others.
Posted inGuest Commentary
An appalling Court of Appeals decision cries out for reversal
Michigan, the court says, has an obligation only to provide a school for students to attend. Whether they actually learn anything? Not the state’s concern.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Rule change for vaccine exemptions unlikely to help compliance rates
Paradoxically, the more we bombard vaccine-wary parents with information, the harder they resist immunizing their children. What works? Good relations with doctors, something out of the state’s control.
Posted inGuest Commentary
The political class doesn’t like term limits, but the public does
If term limits are as bad as those seeking reform would have us believe, why did a measure to extend them to local officials pass in Grand Rapids?
Posted inGuest Commentary
PRO ‘Dark money’ is a euphemism for free speech, like it or not
Even those who exercise their influence with money deserve anonymity if they so desire; it's a way to protect free expression, even in politics.
Posted inGuest Commentary
CON We live in the Ground Zero of dark money. Does that bother anyone?
Transparency was supposed to keep unlimited campaign spending honest. But transparency hasn’t happened.
Posted inGuest Commentary
CON Some communities see religious-freedom bill as setback for progress
One Michigan mayor says the Religious Freedom Restoration Act would undermine communities like East Lansing, which strive to be opening, welcome and diverse.