Photos by: Jasmine Jones, K Motion Photography
Of all the questions facing Detroit’s next mayor, perhaps the most urgent one is: who has the courage and clarity to transform the city’s promise into progress for the people who’ve never left? That was the charge quietly carried into the Harmonie Club Thursday evening, where the Power 50 Mayoral Candidate Forum took shape—not as a debate, but as a serious dialogue hosted by the Michigan Chronicle and curated by the ‘Brunch for 10,’ officially named ‘A Small Group of Local Leaders,’ a powerful cohort of Black civic leaders including;
- Dennis Archer Jr., CEO, Ignition Media Group
- Denise Brooks-Williams, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Henry Ford Health
- Ronald E. Hall, President & CEO, Bridgewater Interiors
- Dr. Darienne Hudson
- Christopher Jackson, Principal, Queen Lillian Development
- Hiram E. Jackson, CEO, Real Times Media
- LaTrice McClendon
- Suzanne Shank, President & CEO, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC
- Nicole Sherard-Freeman
- Carla Walker-Miller, CEO, Walker-Miller Energy Services
This forum wasn’t built for soundbites. In fact this forum was structured differently. Each of the four candidates—Mary Sheffield, Saunteel Jenkins, James Craig, and Fred Durhal III—was given a full 30 minutes to respond to both a moderated interview and questions from the audience. That format allowed each one to speak candidly and uninterrupted, offering deeper insight into their leadership vision, track record, and readiness. It created space for real accountability—and in a city as politically textured as Detroit, that space matters.
Nicole Sherard-Freeman opened the evening by grounding the moment in its statewide implications. “Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. So goes Detroit, so goes the state,” she said, making clear this wasn’t just about one race. It was about legacy, policy, and leadership that resonates far beyond the riverfront. The Harmonie Club, donated for the evening by Roger Bashasiim, brought historical significance to the moment. And with Enomah providing food and Dennis Archer holding each candidate to the clock and to the truth, it was clear from the start—this wasn’t politics as usual.
Council President Mary Sheffield led the lineup. When asked why she’s running instead of keeping her Council seat, she said, “I’m running because there’s much more work to be done in Detroit. I see the potential of our city. I love Detroit and want to move Detroit forward in a positive direction.” On fiscal health, she emphasized the need to reimagine how Detroit grows its revenue. “Downtown is thriving, but how do we capitalize off of that activity to bring more revenue throughout the city of Detroit?”
She addressed the critique that she’s “anti-business” by pointing to her work holding developers accountable. “Look at my record as it relates to business. I do press for more because council is the legislative body of our city. I wanted to see more joint ventures. Because of that, we now have a co-development agreement. It’s now being co-developed by a Detroit-based business.” Her focus remained on equity, ensuring that neighborhood development isn’t treated as an afterthought. She also made a clear argument for centering homeownership in the city’s housing policy. “We will continue to build affordable housing as well, but I am looking for this to be a city of homeownership.”
Archer pointed out that although crime statistics in the city have gone down, 39% of Detroiters still label crime as their biggest concern. He posed the question to each candidate: ‘How will you turn around the perception of Detroit being a safe city?’
Public safety and education were front and center. “We have to invest in prevention. Ensuring that young people have safe spaces, having more things to do and more educational opportunities,” she said, emphasizing the role of city government as a stronger partner with both public and charter schools. “I will be a champion of education here in Detroit,” she declared.
Saunteel Jenkins, former Council President and nonprofit executive, followed with a clear message: this moment demands someone who has governed from both sides. “There are a lot of challenges that the next mayor will face. I am the only candidate that has over a decade of local legislative experience as well as over a decade of experience as a CEO.” She proposed hiring a Chief Growth Officer and emphasized targeted support for small businesses, particularly Black-owned firms, to scale. “Grow small businesses and Black businesses so that they can grow as well.”
Jenkins’ hallmark proposal was the implementation of strategic master plans tailored to each of Detroit’s seven districts. “In order to build a thriving community, there must be a master plan for each of the seven districts.” When asked what she’d keep or change from the current administration, she praised the finance department’s structure and the police department’s mental health units, but made clear that “Day one, the focus will shift—greater focus on neighborhoods.”
On public safety, Jenkins held nothing back. “People don’t feel safe and perception is reality. I’ll focus on community policing. We have to get more boots on the ground introducing themselves. Criminals are opportunists.” She spoke powerfully on inclusive housing, calling for options that serve seniors, low-income residents, and the working class. Her plan for youth centered on after-school access, mentorship, and city-backed programming. “My dream is to have the Marygrove model replicated across the city in various ways,” she said.
James Craig entered with a law enforcement background and a message rooted in order. “My commitment is to serve as your next mayor,” he said, framing his experience as a public safety leader as his core strength. When asked about the gap between crime data and how Detroiters feel, Craig responded, “One of the most important parts is called accountability. I’m about the business of the people. This is not a popularity contest. Service excellence is what matters to me.”
He pointed to his launch of Project Green Light in 2016 as an example of community-first policing that also spurred business confidence. “When I got here in 2013, crime was rampant. The community was desensitized. I had a vision—and I said if I can make these locations safe locations, we can assist in attracting more business.”
Craig was sharply critical of the current business environment, calling out the long and burdensome permitting process. “It shouldn’t take 77 steps for someone to open a restaurant in Detroit.” He called for Detroit to become a place where small business development in neighborhoods and industry attraction are pursued aggressively and without delay.
Fred Durhal rounded out the night with a tone that blended experience with urgency. When asked why he’s running, he responded without hesitation. “It’s a calling. It’s all I know. I’ve been around public service my entire life. Sometimes it is thankless. I am running for mayor because of my family.” Durhal leaned into his state and city legislative experience, citing it as essential for navigating key relationships and funding streams. “Those roads lead through Lansing,” he said.
Durhal’s revenue approach centered on fair taxation. “I talk about lowering property taxes here in Detroit. That is an opportunity to generate revenue. Blight tax for non-owner-occupied structures here. We have to continue to develop here in the city of Detroit. Bring industry and jobs here.” On housing, he was clear: renting doesn’t build equity. “We do not create generational wealth by renting. How can we transition renting into homeownership?”
Durhal also confronted public safety not just as a candidate, but as a husband. “Perception is reality. If my wife does not feel comfortable with getting gas after five, then she doesn’t feel safe no matter the stats.” He highlighted the ShotStoppers initiative and positioned himself as someone already doing the work on gun violence through partnerships with the county.
This forum set itself apart from others. It wasn’t about trying to cram ten candidates on stage. It wasn’t filled with rehearsed attacks. It was deliberate. It gave space. And it made each contender speak directly to Detroit’s Black leadership class—those who shape policy, business, philanthropy, and community from behind the scenes. That intimacy produced answers you don’t always get on a public stage. It was more than strategy—it was stewardship.
Now, the room shifts from listening to acting. The executives and organizers present will help set the tone for how this race unfolds. These conversations won’t end at the Harmonie Club. They’ll follow each candidate through the neighborhoods, boardrooms, and block clubs of a city still writing its recovery. The question isn’t who showed up—but who will keep showing up after Election Day.
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