Detroit is set to make history with Mary Sheffield stepping into the mayor’s office next year. The Detroit City Council president won Tuesday’s election, becoming the first woman ever elected as mayor. The Associated Press called the race around 9 pm, showing Sheffield far ahead of her opponent, Pastor Solomon Kinloch.
Who is Mary Sheffield?
Sheffield grew up on Detroit’s west side. She is the daughter of civil rights activist Rev. Horace Sheffield III and granddaughter of labor leader Horace Sheffield Jr. After earning her degree in public affairs from Wayne State University and a master’s in public administration from Central Michigan, she jumped straight into city politics as per her bio on City of Detriot.
In 2013, at just 26, Sheffield became the youngest person ever elected to Detroit’s City Council. She broke another record in 2022 when she became the youngest council president. Over the years, she’s worked on housing, neighborhood cleanup projects, and programs that help Detroiters keep their homes.
Her Detroit Girls of Destiny mentoring effort also earned praise. During her campaign, Sheffield said she wants to keep Detroit’s progress moving while making sure growth reaches every neighborhood. “While I acknowledge our progress, I am running for mayor because I believe there is more work to do to ensure that opportunity reaches every neighborhood of our city,” she said during the debate on WXYZ-TV.
Mike Duggan’s endorsement
Outgoing mayor Mike Duggan, who endorsed her, said Sheffield’s leadership style will help keep the city stable and forward-looking. “Here’s what I knew from the beginning, the most qualified person, the best prepared to be the next mayor, was Mary Sheffield,” he said as per Detriot Free Press.
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In August, Sheffiled told Detriot Free Press, “From the challenges of bankruptcy, to the hard work of rebuilding city services, restoring our neighborhoods and attracting new investment, we have worked collaboratively through some of Detroit’s toughest and most defining moments. It was through the hard work, tough decisions and shared commitment to the people of this city that we’ve been able to restore stability and begin writing a new chapter for the history of our city.”
Detroit’s next chapter begins with its first woman at the helm, and for many residents, that change already feels historic.
