Farmington Hills Resident Stars in Ballot Proposal Ad

A face familiar to Farmington Public Schools PTA (Parent Teacher Association) members showed up last month in a state-wide television ad supporting a ballot proposal on collective bargaining. 

Farmington Hills resident Erika Golden speaks the first words on camera for the 30-second spot sponsored by the Novi-based "Protect Working Families" political action committee. Golden speaks on behalf of the Michigan PTA, whose board voted to endorse Proposal 12-2. It would add to the state constitution the right of public and private employees to engage in collective bargaining. 

Golden, who also serves as vice president of the Farmington PTA Council, said she believes she was selected because of the work she does as state coordinator of the PTA Reflections arts competition for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. 

"I speak a lot in front of people about Reflections," she said.

The commercial was filmed at a park in Royal Oak, complete with a script and someone to check her hair and make-up. Golden said the experience was "kind of odd", and the resulting recognition has been "somewhat disconcerting".

"I got a lot of phone calls and emails from people I hadn't seen in a long time," she said. "I'm proud to have come out in support of it, but I'll be glad when I'm not on TV any more."