Detroit entrepreneurship and economic opportunity director Justin Onwenu launched a bid for state Senate in a seat in the redrawn 1st Senate District that could see a competitive Democratic primary election.
In an announcement video released Thursday, Onwenu asks whether Michigan politics is worse than D.C., highlighting the chaotic lame duck session last year in which Democrats were blocked from accomplishing legislation that would have benefited Detroit residents the most.
“I do think that the lame duck session, which is the first time that all three of our branches of government, all of our branches of government, were aligned, we saw a lot of priorities, from the ‘Momnibus’ package to important labor priorities not get passed in the way that they should have,” Onwenu told Michigan Chronicle in an interview Tuesday. “I really do believe that the Democrats are the party of working people… But I also think that we need to do a much better job of actually bringing people together and delivering.”
Onwenu, 29, attended Rice University in Houston, Texas, where he changed course from medical school aspirations to becoming an environmental justice organizer after seeing the effects of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
He graduated from Columbia Law during the pandemic.
The attorney and community organizer said he can bring together business and labor, given his background boosting small businesses and start-ups in his most recent role with the city of Detroit. He said he would like to see a Motor City Match type program at the state level.
“There are a lot of entrepreneurs in Detroit, but also Downriver that wind up dealing with some of the same issue when it comes to small business, attraction, retention, that we could solve in that way,” Onwenu said.
As a server at an Applebee’s in Brooklyn, New York, Onwenu experienced wage inequality first-hand and filed a wage discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant chain, claiming he was paid less than the company pays white workers.
Applebee’s agreed to settle after Onwenu was wrongfully fired for organizing his coworkers to stand up for their wages.
In an interview over the phone Tuesday, Onwenu said he would fight for a state level right to organizing act to strengthen collective bargaining rights and repealing the ban on project labor agreements.
“And there’s so much more that we could do on wage theft,” Onwenu said.
State Senate District 1, which covers parts of Detroit, Ecorse, Lincoln Park, River Rouge, and Wyandotte.
If elected, Onwenu would be the youngest and only Black male in the state Senate.
When asked about his political heroes, Onwenu said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ healthcare for all and economic justice message was an inspiration, as was watching his mother cry happy tears the night President Barack Obama was elected, he said.
“Michigan state government is just not working the way it should,” former State Sen. Marshall Bullock, D-Detroit, said in a statement. “Justin is the bright, new voice Detroit needs to help make our state government the most ethical and effective in the nation.”
Onwenu is the first candidate to announce a bid to replace Geiss, who is term limited.
“Erika Geiss has been a champion and a trailblazer in many ways,” Onwenu said. “So I’m really excited to try to carry forth the work that she’s done.”
Onwenu, an appointee of both Mayor Mike Duggan and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, has been endorsed by the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus, former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, Michigan Reps. Joe Tate, D-Detroit, Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, Helena Scott, D-Detroit and a number of local officials.
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Virgil Smith, Former State Senator
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Chris Calvin, Wyandotte City Councilmember
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Jason Behr, Lincoln Park Councilmember
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Patty Campbell, River Rouge Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem
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Ronald Agee, Ecorse Councilmember
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LaTonya Lamb, Ecorse Councilmember
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Kimberly Alexander, Ecorse Councilmember
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Karen Ward, River Rouge Councilmember
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Jonathan Holly, River Rouge Councilmember
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Darryl Folks II, River Rouge Councilmember
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Michael Bowdler, Former River Rouge Mayor
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Michael Higgins, Former Lincoln Park Mayor
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Lylian Ross, Lincoln Park Councilmember
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Carlos Salcido, Lincoln Park Councilmember
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Michelle Deatrick, Co-founder of Our Revolution Michigan
