Former and current elected leaders filled concourse at the Detroit Opera House Friday to celebrate the symbolic inauguration event for new Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield.
“It’s a historic day for Detroit, historic day for Michigan,” U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin told Michigan Chronicle in an interview Friday at the Detroit Opera House. “People feel proud of what mayor Duggan accomplished, and they’re really excited about what Mayor Sheffield is going to do to take it to the next level.”
Lawmakers in attendance expressed optimism when asked about their expectations for Sheffield’s tenure. Some pointed to the 77 percentage point victory over Triumph Church pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., saying Sheffield has inspired excitement across the city.
While Sheffield, city council members, Detroit police commissioners and the city clerk were already sworn in last month, the investiture event offered the public a chance to see the new administration take their oaths of office in person.
Slotkin was one of many Michigan lawmakers that came to celebrate the city’s first woman mayor.
“It’s about time,” state Sen. Mallory McMorrow told Michigan Chronicle.
McMorrow’s Democratic primary challenger former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed also stopped for an interview with Michigan Chronicle.
“She has an incredible knowledge of the city,” El-Sayed said. “She’s already gotten right to work; I loved the rollout of RXKids for Detroiters. It’s a program I helped bring to Wayne County. That’s a change in leadership — that’s not a program we were able to rollout under previous leadership, previous leadership didn’t want to do it. To see this change and a focus on moms and babies… We understood that infant mortality was the key issue, and right within their first couple weeks, already rolling out programs that will help.”
Read more: Rx Kids’ $4,500 Cash Benefit Could Be Life Altering for Expectant Detroit Moms
Former Mayor Mike Duggan chose against running for reelection to a fourth term to run for governor, leaving the Democratic Party behind last year becoming an independent.
Some at the investiture who came to support Sheffield said they don’t care Duggan left the Democratic Party. Brian Nelson, a resident and the executive director of Legacy Detroit Sunrise, a nonprofit that aims to shine light on Black Detroiters, told Michigan Chronicle he will be supporting Duggan in November.
“I love Duggan, I’m supporting him,” Nelson said. “I’m supporting everybody in the city of Detroit. Duggan was great but I’m excited to have a woman mayor. Let me tell you something; the first time I ever voted was for Obama. This is another monumental vote.”
Sheffield credited Duggan on stage, thanking him for his 12 years as mayor.
“To Mayor Mike Duggan remarkable leadership, service and progress, building confidence in Detroit’s future,” Sheffield said.
Sitting in the front row during Sheffield’s remarks were Duggan, Secretary of State Jocleyn Benson and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who are all running for Michigan governor.
Former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow also credited Sheffield for bringing the RxKids program to Detroit to support mothers and families. Once the program goes online in Detroit, eligible moms can receive $1,500 during pregnancy and receive $500 a month for babies until 6 months after birth.
“I’ve been very involved with supporting the program that moms and babies that Dr. Mona set up,” Stabenow said. “To see the mayor embrace that as her first major initiative, to me, just says she is spot on in terms of what the community needs, and between her smarts and her heart, I think she’s going to do a great job.”
Rx Kids, which launched in Flint in 2024, has already delivered $17 million in direct cash support to more than 3,900 families. Wayne County’s expansion, announced earlier this month, is backed by a $7.5 million investment from Wayne County and tied to a larger $250 million state commitment.
Michigan lawmakers last year approved a $250 million boost to Rx Kids within the approved 2025-26 state budget meant to provide more families across the state will get economic relief.
