Coleman Young II - Wikipedia

High-profile contenders battle for Detroit's two at-large council seats

Coleman Young II - Ballotpedia

Coleman Young II was raised in California. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University, lives in Detroit’s English Village neighborhood, and is a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Before taking public office, Coleman was an intern for the Detroit City Council and for Subway restaurants. Additionally, he hosted a talk show called The Young Effect in 2005.

Coleman is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. He assumed office in 2022 and is serving his first term. He previously served as a state representative from 2007 to 2010 and as a state senator from 2011 to 2014. Coleman ran for Detroit mayor in 2009 and 2017 and for US representative in 2018 but did not win.

Plans to energize the small business community and inspire grassroots entrepreneurs to reduce the city's 27% unemployment rate and poverty.

Plans to "energize the small business community and inspire grassroots entrepreneurs" to reduce the city's 27% unemployment rate and poverty.

- Plans to "energize the small business community and inspire grassroots entrepreneurs" to reduce the city's 27% unemployment rate and poverty.

Economy

Believes neighborhoods are deteriorating while "billions of dollars" are invested downtown and in select areas.

- Believes neighborhoods are deteriorating while "billions of dollars" are invested downtown and in select areas.

Housing & Urban Development

Believes that reducing crime is linked to increasing employment opportunities.

- Believes that reducing crime is linked to increasing employment opportunities.

Public Safety

As of June 3, 2025, Coleman Young II’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Plans to work with developers to reduce flooding and power outages.

- Plans to work with developers to reduce flooding and power outages.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Coleman Young II

Coleman Young II was raised in California. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University. Coleman lives in Detroit’s English Village neighborhood. He is a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Coleman Young II is from San Bernardino, California. He graduated from P. A. L. Charter Academy High School in San Bernardino, California. He attended Azusa Pacific University, a private Christian college in Azusa, California. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University. He also received three certificates from Harvard University for Urban Cities: The Past, Present and Future Urban Life, U. S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies, and U. S. Constitutional Foundations. He lives in Detroit’s English Village neighborhood. He is a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Coleman Young II is an At-Large member of the Detroit City Council. He has served in this role since his election on November 2nd, 2021. From 2007 to 2010, he served as the representative for the 4th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. He then represented the 1st District in the Michigan State Senate, covering Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton, Woodhaven, Wyandotte and part of Detroit. During his twelve years in the state legislature, he helped pass 13 laws that addressed constituent needs and resolved around 12,000 complaints. He also served as vice chair on several legislative committees—including Local Government and Elections, General Government Appropriations, Judiciary Appropriations, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Appropriations, and Transportation Appropriations—and from 2011 to 2014 held leadership roles as Senate Assistant Minority Caucus Chair and Assistant Minority Floor Leader.

Coleman Alexander Young II (born Joel Loving II; October 18, 1982) is an American Democratic politician who is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. He assumed office on January 1, 2022, and is serving his first term, which ends on January 1, 2026. From 2007 to 2010, Young served as the representative in the 4th District of the Michigan House of Representatives. He later represented the 1st district in the Michigan Senate and from 2011 to 2014 served as both the Senate Assistant Minority Caucus Chair and the Senate Assistant Minority Floor Leader. Young unsuccessfully ran in both the 2009 Detroit mayoral special election and the 2017 Detroit mayoral election, being the runner-up in the latter, and in 2018 ran to represent Michigan’s 13th U.S. Congressional district.

Coleman Young II is from Royal Oak, Michigan. He graduated from P. A. L. Charter Academy High School in San Bernardino, California, and subsequently enrolled at Azusa Pacific University, a private Christian college in Azusa, California, before transferring to Wayne State University. He has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Wayne State University. He received three certificates from Harvard University for Urban Cities: The Past, Present and Future Urban Life; U.S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies; and U.S. Constitutional Foundations. He has never been married, has no children and lives in Detroit’s English Village neighborhood. He is a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Coleman is an At-Large member of the Detroit City Council. He has been serving on the Council since he was elected in November 2021 with 48,358 votes. He previously worked as a state senator in the Michigan Senate, where he represented the 1st District, covering Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton, Woodhaven, Wyandotte and part of Detroit. From 2007 to 2010, he worked as a state representative in the Michigan House of Representatives for the 4th District. While in the state legislature, he served as vice chair of the Local Government and Elections Committee, General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee, Licensing And Regulatory Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. Over 12 years in the legislature, he passed 13 laws and helped resolve 12,000 constituent complaints.

Coleman Alexander Young II is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. He assumed office on January 1, 2022, and his current term ends on January 1, 2026. Young is running for re-election for an at-large seat on the Detroit City Council.

Previously, he served in the Michigan Senate, representing the 1st district, and from 2007 to 2010 he served as the representative for Michigan’s 4th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. Young unsuccessfully ran in both the 2009 Detroit mayoral special election and the 2017 Detroit mayoral election, finishing as runner-up in the latter. In 2018, he ran to represent Michigan’s 13th U.S. Congressional district.

Coleman is from San Bernardino, California. He is the only son of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and former Assistant Public Works Director Annivory Calvert. He graduated from P. A. L. Charter Academy High School in San Bernardino, California. After graduating high school, he enrolled at Azusa Pacific University, a private Christian college in Azusa, California, before transferring in 2005 to Wayne State University to complete his Bachelor of Arts in communications; as of 2018, he attends Wayne State as a part-time student. He received three certificates from Harvard University for Urban Cities: The Past, Present and Future Urban Life, U. S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies, and U. S. Constitutional Foundations. He has never been married, has no children and lives in Detroit’s English Village neighborhood. He is a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Coleman Young II is the At-Large City Council Member for Detroit. He works on the Detroit City Council, where he has served since his election on November 2, 2021. Prior to this role, he spent 12 years in the Michigan Legislature. From 2007 to 2010, he represented the 4th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. He then served in the Michigan Senate, representing the 1st District—including Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton, Woodhaven, Wyandotte and part of Detroit. During his legislative tenure, he sponsored and passed 13 laws that helped his constituents, resolved 12,000 constituent complaints, and secured about $800 million in funding for his districts.

Coleman Young II is an at-large member of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. He assumed office on January 1, 2022, and his current term ends on January 1, 2026. Young is running for re-election for an at-large seat of the Detroit City Council in Michigan and declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on August 5, 2025. Prior to his service on the City Council, Young served as a member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 1st district, which included the municipalities of Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton, Woodhaven, Wyandotte and a portion of Detroit. From 2007 to 2010, Young served as the representative in the 4th District of the Michigan House of Representatives. Young unsuccessfully ran in both the 2009 Detroit mayoral special election and the 2017 Detroit mayoral election, being the runner-up in the latter.

Buket Urgen

As a council member, plans to advocate for more public health initiatives and encourage Detroiters to get COVID-19 vaccinations.

Gary Hunter (Michigan) - Ballotpedia

Gary ran for a seat on the Wayen County Commission in 2022 but did not win.

Gary is the chief executive officer (CEO) and publisher of Detroit Times Media Group / The Shot News. 

As of June 3, 2025, Gary Hunter did not have a website or any information online.

Gary Hunter

Detroit Fire Chief James Harris Announces Run for City Council - The Metro Detroit News

James Harris is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and a master’s degree in business administration. James lives with his two daughters in a Detroit neighborhood.

Meet the Chiefs of the Detroit Fire Department | City of Detroit

James is the Chief of the Community Relations Division at the Detroit Fire Department, where he has worked for 27 years. 

James's campaign for Detroit City Council At-Large is his first entry into politics.

Supports large corporations and local businesses.

Plans to address Detroit's wealth gap through income-based housing, financial literacy education, and pathways to homeownership.

Supports providing funding, mentorship, and opportunities for Detroit entrepreneurs, especially minority-owned businesses.

- Supports large corporations and local businesses.
- Plans to address Detroit's wealth gap through income-based housing, financial literacy education, and pathways to homeownership.
- Supports providing funding, mentorship, and opportunities for Detroit entrepreneurs, especially minority-owned businesses.

Supports expanding affordable housing across Detroit.

- Supports expanding affordable housing across Detroit.

Supports strengthening public safety by expanding community policing, improving emergency services, and providing better tools and resources for first responders.

- Supports strengthening public safety by expanding community policing, improving emergency services, and providing better tools and resources for first responders.

Supports expanded access to mental and physical health services.

- Supports expanded access to mental and physical health services.

THE PEOPLE’S CHIEF: FIRE CHIEF JAMES HARRIS ANNOUNCES RUN FOR DETROIT CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE - The Beautiful Machine Magazine

Plans to prioritize youth by expanding programs and creating safe spaces for children.

Supports safe, affordable housing, healthcare access, and elder protection programs for seniors.

- Plans to prioritize youth by expanding programs and creating safe spaces for children.
- Supports safe, affordable housing, healthcare access, and elder protection programs for seniors.

As of June 3, 2025, James Harris’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports revitalizing neighborhoods through affordable housing, smart development, and infrastructure improvements.

- Supports revitalizing neighborhoods through affordable housing, smart development, and infrastructure improvements.

James Harris

James Harris is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and will receive a master’s degree in business administration with a focus on leadership on May 3, 2025. He is also a graduate of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute in Georgia and the Eastern Michigan University Staff and Command Executive Fire Management program. He lives with his two daughters in a Detroit neighborhood.

James is the Chief of the Community Relations Division at the Detroit Fire Department, where he has worked for 27 years. He leads efforts to train every 8th grader in Detroit on hands-only CPR, hosts car seat safety checks, and guides residential fire safety and escape planning. Harris and his team organize Fire Prevention Week events and citywide “Halloween in the D” activities. His division also oversees the Detroit Smoke Alarm Program, aiming to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in about 1,500 homes across the city. He worked his way through the department’s ranks and was appointed Chief of Community Relations in July 2021. Harris holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and will receive his MBA in Leadership on May 3, 2025.

James Harris’s campaign for Detroit City Council At-Large is his first entry into politics.

As of June 3, 2025, James Harris 1’s website did not contain information on this issue.

James Harris 1

James is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and will receive his master’s degree in business administration in leadership on May 3, 2025. He is also a graduate of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute in Georgia and the Eastern Michigan University Staff and Command Executive Fire Management program. James has served for nearly three decades and is known as “The People’s Chief” for his deep-rooted connection to Detroit neighborhoods. He and his two daughters live in Detroit, and he is grounded in faith and active in his church community.

James is the Chief of the Community Relations Division at the Detroit Fire Department, where he has worked for 27 years. In his current role, he leads a team of three staff who organize community engagement and public education throughout Detroit. He directs training for every 8th grader in Hands-only CPR, hosts car seat safety checks, and develops residential fire safety and escape plans. He also coordinates Detroit’s Fire Prevention Week events, oversees the citywide Halloween in the D activities, and manages the Detroit Smoke Alarm Program, which aims to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in about 1,500 homes. He was appointed to his current post in July 2021 after rising through the department’s ranks.

James Harris is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration and will receive his master’s degree in leadership through a Master of Business Administration program on May 3, 2025. He is also a graduate of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute in Georgia and the Eastern Michigan University Staff and Command Executive Fire Management program. He lives with his two daughters in Detroit. A man grounded in faith and fueled by community, Harris brings nearly three decades of public service experience, and he is known throughout the city as “The People’s Chief.”

James Harris is Chief of the Community Relations Division at the Detroit Fire Department, where he has worked for 27 years. He manages a team of three firefighters who lead community engagement and public education across Detroit neighborhoods. His team trains every 8th grader in the city on Hands-only CPR, hosts car seat safety checks, and teaches residents how to create residential fire safety and escape plans. The division also oversees the Detroit Smoke Alarm Program (DSAP), which aims to install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in approximately 1,500 homes throughout the city. Harris began his career in the department and worked his way through the ranks before being appointed Chief of Community Relations in July 2021. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and will receive his MBA in Leadership on May 3, 2025. He is also a graduate of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute in Georgia and the Eastern Michigan University Staff and Command Executive Fire Management program.

Supports large corporations as well as local businesses.

Janeé Ayers - Wikipedia

Janeé Ayers is from Detroit, Michigan. She attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy. 

Before joining the council, Janeé worked for the Detroit Recreation Department, where she managed and organized community sports and recreation programs. She previously taught science at Millennium High School for Detroit Public Schools until the school closed in 2007. After teaching, Janeé joined MGM Grand Detroit and became active in the hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE! Local 24. A few years later, she was elected vice president of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO. 

Janee Ayers - Ballotpedia

Janeé was previously an at-large member of the Detroit City Council from 2017 to 2022. She ran for re-election in 2021 but did not win.

Case closed, Ayers returns with City Council challenge - Axios Detroit

Supports ensuring economic opportunities are accessible to Detroit residents and businesses by investing in infrastructure and bringing in new industries.

Wants to make city processes easier for small businesses.

- Supports ensuring economic opportunities are accessible to Detroit residents and businesses by investing in infrastructure and bringing in new industries.
- Wants to make city processes easier for small businesses.

As a city council member, sponsored an ordinance requiring most rental housing in the city to follow a ban-the-box policy for former inmates.

As a city council member, sponsored an ordinance requiring most rental housing in the city to eliminate questions on criminal history.

Plans to address affordable housing in Detroit.

- As a city council member, sponsored an ordinance requiring most rental housing in the city to eliminate questions on criminal history.
- Plans to address affordable housing in Detroit.

Supports reducing recidivism and helping former inmates reintegrate into society to improve public safety.

Supports reducing recidivism and helping former inmates adjust to society to improve public safety.

- Supports reducing recidivism and helping former inmates adjust to society to improve public safety.

As of June 3, 2025, Janeé Ayers did not have a website or any information online.

Wants to build sustainable neighborhoods with access to shopping, amenities, services, and good schools.

- Wants to build sustainable neighborhoods with access to shopping, amenities, services, and good schools.

Believes the lack of regional transit limits access to opportunities for Detroit residents.

- Believes the lack of regional transit limits access to opportunities for Detroit residents.

Janeé Ayers

Janeé is from Detroit, Michigan. She attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy. 

Before joining the council, Janeé worked for the Detroit Recreation Department, where she managed and organized community sports and recreation programs. She previously taught science at Millennium High School for Detroit Public Schools until the school closed in 2007. After teaching, Ayers joined MGM Grand Detroit and became active in the hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE! Local 24. A few years later, she was elected vice president of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO. 

Janee was previously an at-large member of the Detroit City Council from 2017 to 2022. She ran for re-election in 2021 but did not win.

- Supports ensuring economic opportunities are accessible to Detroit residents and businesses by investing in infrastructure and bringing in new industries.

- As a city council member, sponsored an ordinance requiring most rental housing in the city to eliminate questions on criminal history.

Janeé is from Detroit, Michigan. She grew up in the North Rosedale Park neighborhood and graduated from Renaissance High School. She attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy in 2003. Her mother Shirlene is a retired Detroit Public Schools teacher and Detroit American Federation of Teachers member, and she has four siblings, three of whom are school teachers in the Greater Metro Detroit area.

Janeé Ayers is an At-Large Member of the Detroit City Council. She was appointed on February 17, 2015, by a supermajority vote of 6–2. Before joining the council, she worked for the Detroit Recreation Department, where she managed and organized community sports and recreation programs. She then taught science at Millennium High School for Detroit Public Schools until the school closed in 2007. After teaching, Ayers joined MGM Grand Detroit and became active in the hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE! Local 24. She was elected recording secretary there and became the youngest officer on the union’s bargaining team. A few years later, she was elected vice president of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO. On City Council, Ayers has served as vice chair of both the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee and the Public Health and Safety Committee, and as a member of the Internal Operations and Rules Committees.

Janee Ayers is running for election for an at-large seat of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. Ayers was an at-large member of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. At the end of a lengthy voting process, Ayers was appointed to City Council on February 17, 2015, by a supermajority vote of 6–2. In 2016, Ayers ran for confirmation of her seat in a special election. She won the 2016 August primary and then defeated Daniel A Bullock in the November General Election by a margin of 61%-39%. She was reelected to city council for a full four-year term on November 7, 2017, and served until January 1, 2022. Ayers was defeated in the November 2021 City Council general election.

As of June 3, 2025, Janee' Ayers did not have a website or any information online.

Janee' Ayers

As of June 3, 2025, Janee' Ayers 1’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Janee' Ayers 1

Levan Adams - City Council District At-Large, Michigan

Levan Adams is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in business administration with a focus in leadership. He is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Gamma Omega chapter in Detroit.

Levan is a detective in the investigations division of the Detroit Police Department. He has served at the department for 25 years, including 11 years as a detective and 15 years handling investigations.

Levan Adams - Ballotpedia

Levan previously ran for city council member for Detroit's District 2.

Wants to focus on economic development and resources for returning citizens.

- Wants to focus on economic development and resources for returning citizens.

Detroit City Council candidates debate land bank, home repair

Proposed converting vacant Detroit schools into shelters for the unhoused.

Said, "I think the whole thing needs to be dismantled," in reference to the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Believes the Detroit Land Bank Authority should be dismantled as it is not trustworthy.

- Proposed converting vacant Detroit schools into shelters for the unhoused.
- Believes the Detroit Land Bank Authority should be dismantled as it is not trustworthy.

Supports conflict resolution and support services for city youth to combat violent crime.

- Supports conflict resolution and support services for city youth to combat violent crime.

As of June 3, 2025, Levan Adams did not have a website or any information online.

Said there should be designated parking spots for veterans at city stadiums.

- Said there should be designated parking spots for veterans at city stadiums.

Levan Adams

Levan Adams is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in business administration with a focus in leadership. He is a proud family man and a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Gamma Omega chapter in Detroit.

As of June 5, 2025, Levan Adams did not have a website or any information online.

Levan Adams is from Detroit, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in business administration with a focus in leadership. He is a 25-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, serving 11 years as a detective and 15 years in investigations. He is a proud family man and a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Gamma Omega chapter in Detroit.

Levan Adams’s campaign for At-Large City Council Member is his first entry into politics. Levan Adams is running for election for an at-large seat of the Detroit City Council in Michigan. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on August 5, 2025; the primary will occur on August 5, 2025, and the general election will occur on November 4, 2025. For the two at-large City Council seats, certified candidates are: Levan Adams, Janee Ayers, James Harris, Shakira Hawkins, Gary Hunter, Valerie Parker, incumbent Council Member Mary Waters, and incumbent Council Member Coleman Young II.

As of June 5, 2025, Levan Adams’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Proposed converting vacant Detroit schools into shelters for unhoused people.

City Council At Large | City of Detroit

Mary Waters is originally from Alabama. She has an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.

Mary previously worked as an instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, as an ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, and in corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. 

Mary D. Waters - Wikipedia

Detroit City Council member starts congressional bid with 'world ...

Mary is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council. She was elected in 2021 and is serving her first term. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006. She ran for state senator in 2010 and for US representative in 2012 and 2024, but did not win. She was also disqualified from a 2018 special congressional election.

As a city council member, chairs the Skilled Trades Task Force to promote job opportunities for city residents.

Wants to "ensure city residents have job opportunities."

As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

- Wants to "ensure city residents have job opportunities."
- As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

Wants to address income-based housing by establishing a local Area Median Income (AMI) to determine housing affordability.

Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.

Wants land bank homes to go to "Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness."

As a city councilor, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing inquiries using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

As a city council member, helped establish the Ca’Maya Davis Family Resource Center to assist residents facing housing emergencies.

As a city council member, created the Tenant's Rights Commission to assist renters in Detroit.

- Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.
- Wants land bank homes to go to "Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness."
- As a city councilor, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing inquiries using funds from the American Rescue Plan.
- As a city council member, helped establish the Ca’Maya Davis Family Resource Center to assist residents facing housing emergencies.
- As a city council member, created the Tenant's Rights Commission to assist renters in Detroit.

As of June 3, 2025, Mary Waters’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents complete the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption Application (H.O.P.E.) and access resources to prevent tax foreclosure.

As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents access resources to keep their homes.

Supports funding veterans affairs programs.

- As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents access resources to keep their homes.
- Supports funding veterans affairs programs.

Mary Waters

- Wants to ensure city residents have job opportunities.
- As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

Mary Waters is originally from Alabama, where she began her early life in the cotton fields of that state. She attended Detroit Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan. She holds an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a bachelor of arts from the University of Michigan. In her personal life, she is a breast cancer survivor and a remarkable testament to the fact that early detection saves lives.

Mary Waters is an At-Large City Council Member at the Detroit City Council. She previously worked as an Instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, Ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, and supported corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. On November 7, 2000, Waters was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. From 2003 to 2006, she served as the Minority Floor Leader in the Michigan House, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber.

Mary D. Waters is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council. She was elected to this nonpartisan seat in 2021, finishing second behind Council Member Coleman Young II, and is serving her first term. Previously, on November 7, 2000, Waters was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. During her tenure in the state House, she served as the Minority Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006, being the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber, and left office in 2006 due to term limits. Waters also unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2012 and was disqualified from a 2018 special election for a partial term.

- Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.
- Wants land bank homes to go to Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
- Wants to "ensure all Detroiters have a place to live."
- As a city council member, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing questions using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

Mary Waters is originally from the cotton fields of Alabama, and her love affair with Detroit began after she moved there and attended Detroit Northern High School. She has an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan. In her personal life, she is a breast cancer survivor and joined Sisters Network, Inc., the only National African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States.

Mary Waters is an At-Large Member of the Detroit City Council. She works for the City of Detroit, representing voters across the city. She previously worked as an instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, teaching residents across Detroit; as an ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office; and in corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. From January 2001 to 2006, she represented the 4th district in the Michigan House of Representatives and served as Minority Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006. In her first year on the council, she encouraged residents to complete the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption Application and started the Property Tax Taskforce to help families stay in their homes. As chair of the Minority Business Task Force, she has pushed city departments to use local small businesses for city contracts.

Mary Waters is currently an At-Large Member of the Detroit City Council, elected in 2021 to a nonpartisan at-large seat and serving her first term. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. From 2003 to 2006, Waters served as the Minority Floor Leader for the state House, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber. She left office in 2006 due to term limits. In 2010, Waters ran unsuccessfully for District 1 State Senator in the Democratic Primary. She unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2012 and was disqualified from a 2018 special election for a partial term. On February 8, 2024, Waters announced that she would be running for United States Congress in Michigan's 13th Congressional District.

Supports initiatives to provide breast cancer screening information.

Why Shakira Hawkins is running for Congress in Michigan's 13th ...

Voters to decide if Detroit will have Black representation in Congress ...

Shakira Hawkins is from Detroit, Michigan. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Detroit Mercy Law School. She lives with her son in Detroit’s east side.

Hiring for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners secretary in limbo

Shakira is an attorney at the City of Detroit’s Law Department, where she worked from 2021 to 2024. Before joining city government, she worked in legal aid and served as the executive director of My Sister's Place, a domestic violence shelter. She was also a public defender and spent over a decade as a criminal defense attorney in Wayne County.

Shakira ran for a judge seat in Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court in 2020 and for US representative in 2024, but did not win. 

As of June 3, 2025, Shakira Hawkins did not have a website or any information online.

Supports addressing climate change and environmental justice.

- Supports addressing climate change and environmental justice.

Believes flooding problems are caused by outdated infrastructure.

- Believes flooding problems are caused by outdated infrastructure.

Shakira Hawkins

Shakira Hawkins is from Detroit, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Detroit Mercy Law School. She lives with her son in Detroit’s east side.

Shakira Hawkins is an attorney at the City of Detroit’s Law Department, where she has been since 2021. She began her work for the city as a hearings officer in the Department of Appeals and Hearings, then moved to the Law Department’s blight team. In November 2022, she became an attorney handling nuisance abatement lawsuits. Before joining city government, Hawkins started her legal career in legal aid. She was a public defender and spent over a decade as a criminal defense attorney in Wayne County, taking many cases on a pro bono basis.

Shakira Hawkins’s campaign for At-Large City Council Member is her first entry into politics. She ran for a nonpartisan judge seat in Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court in 2020 but finished fourth with 22% of the vote. She planned to run again in 2022 but failed to gather enough nominating signatures.

As of June 3, 2025, Shakira Hawkins’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wants to protect Medicaid and Social Security.

Supports single-payer universal healthcare or Medicare for All, including funding for mental health assistance.

Believes that the current representative needs to address the aging infrastructure in the district.

Valerie Parker - Ballotpedia

Valerie Parker is from Detroit, Michigan. She earned an associate degree from Washtenaw Community College in 2003, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Dearborn in 2016, and master’s degrees in African American Studies and in Sociology: School, Society & Violence from Eastern Michigan University in 2017. She is a precinct delegate of her community and a member of The River, where Bishop Ried is the pastor and her spiritual leader.

Valerie is the director and chief executive officer of the Fayz Group. She is also an educator and childcare provider with Brightmoor Urban Training LLC.


Valerie previously ran for Michigan House of Representatives District 8 in 2018 but did not win,

Supports creating a hotline for women entrepreneurs to assist with licensing and permits.

- Supports creating a hotline for women entrepreneurs to assist with licensing and permits.

Supports removing the Wayne County Property Tax forfeit fee and interest fee when an individual signs up for the payment plan.

- Supports removing the Wayne County Property Tax forfeit fee and interest fee when an individual signs up for the payment plan.

Plans to review Detroit Auto-Pound policies.

- Plans to review Detroit Auto-Pound policies.

As of June 3, 2025, Valerie Parker’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Opposes school closures in the Brighmoor community and district 8.

- Opposes school closures in the Brighmoor community and district 8.

Believes Michigan body insurance should be re-evaluated due to increased costs.

Believes Michigan car insurance should be re-evaluated due to increased costs.

- Believes Michigan car insurance should be re-evaluated due to increased costs.

Valerie Parker

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.

Passes laws and regulations for your city.

At-Large City Council Member

Election results

Candidates (8)
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Economy

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Healthcare

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

At-Large City Council Member

Election results

Candidates (8).css-1e5j0e1{margin:0;font-size:16px;line-height:1.4;font-family:"HouschkaRoundedAlt";font-weight:400;color:#22034F;} Choose 2

Compare candidates

Economy

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Healthcare

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

Candidates (8)
Choose 2