The Council of Baptist Pastors (COBAP) of Detroit and Vicinity has endorsed Justin Onwenu in the race for Michigan’s 1st State Senate District, adding one of Detroit’s longstanding faith-based civic voices to a campaign that is continuing to build support across labor, political, and community circles.
The endorsement, announced March 29, comes from a body that has served as a moral and civic force in Detroit since 1965, bringing together pastoral leadership committed to strengthening congregations, supporting ministers, and advancing justice across the city. For Onwenu, a fourth-generation Detroiter, attorney, community organizer, and the City of Detroit’s first Director of Small Business Affairs, the backing signals continued momentum in a race that carries weight for both Detroit and Downriver communities.
Pastor Orville K. Littlejohn, president of the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, said the organization sees Onwenu as the kind of leader this moment requires.
“The Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity is proud to support Justin Onwenu for Michigan State Senate, District 1,” Littlejohn said. “We believe he represents a new generation of thoughtful, community-rooted leadership, and we are confident that he will advocate with energy, integrity, and a deep concern for the people he seeks to serve.”
That language reflects the broader message laid out in the council’s endorsement letter, which pointed to Onwenu’s record in organizing, economic opportunity, and neighborhood advocacy as evidence of a serious commitment to public service. The council also emphasized the need for leadership that stays close to the people, particularly working families navigating economic pressure, disinvestment, and ongoing inequities.
“Our Council values leadership that remains grounded in community, attentive to the needs of working families, and committed to justice, dignity, and opportunity for all,” the letter states. “We recognize in your candidacy a serious commitment to public service and a vision for the people of Detroit and the Downriver communities you seek to represent. Your background in organizing, economic opportunity, and neighborhood advocacy reflects the kind of engaged leadership this moment calls for.”
The letter continues by naming the political climate directly, noting that many communities are searching for “responsive, principled, and energetic representation” and expressing confidence that Onwenu’s leadership could make “a meaningful contribution in Lansing on behalf of the residents of District 1.”
State Senate District 1 covers communities that have long dealt with overlapping pressures tied to economic instability, neighborhood need, and questions about who is truly prepared to fight for residents once elected. Endorsements from trusted institutions do not decide races on their own, though they do help define who community leadership believes is equipped to carry those concerns into state government.
Onwenu said the council’s support carries deep significance because of its role in Detroit’s history and its voice on issues of justice and dignity.
“The Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity has long been a voice for justice and dignity in Detroit, and I am deeply honored to have their support and confidence,” Onwenu said. “I am committed to delivering for our community in the fight for voting rights, affordability and economic opportunity, racial and social justice, and neighborhood investment.”
Those priorities line up with the record his campaign is highlighting. According to the announcement, Onwenu has organized in Detroit and Downriver alongside residents confronting environmental injustice, neighborhood disinvestment, and economic hardship. His work in city government also remains central to his case for office.
As Detroit’s first Director of Small Business Affairs under Mayors Sheffield and Duggan, Onwenu helped invest millions and support hundreds of Detroit entrepreneurs through initiatives including the Detroit Startup Fund, the Detroit Legacy Business Project, the Detroit Capital Hub, the Small Business Technology Fund, and other efforts designed to expand access and opportunity for local businesses.
He has also taught workers’ rights and labor law at Detroit Mercy School of Law, adding another layer to a public profile rooted in law, organizing, and economic justice.
The endorsement from the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity joins a coalition that the campaign says already includes 10 labor unions, the Democratic Party Black Caucus, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, and a majority of City Councilmembers, mayors, and state representatives within State Senate District 1.
Taken together, that support suggests Onwenu’s campaign is working to position itself at the intersection of faith, labor, local government, and grassroots organizing. That coalition-building approach often matters in Detroit politics, where trust is earned through proximity, service, and whether institutions with deep community ties believe a candidate will remain accountable once the campaign season is over.
Faith leaders, especially in Detroit’s Black community, have long played a role far beyond the pulpit. They have been organizers, validators, bridge-builders, and protectors of civic engagement in moments when residents needed both moral clarity and practical leadership. An endorsement from a body like COBAP lands differently because it comes out of that tradition.
This race will ultimately be decided by voters across District 1.
What this endorsement does make clear is that Onwenu is continuing to consolidate support from institutions that see public service not as performance, but as responsibility. That distinction still matters in Detroit. It matters in Downriver. It matters for working families who want representation that knows the community, answers to the community, and is prepared to fight for the community in Lansing.
