WATCH: Detroit Mayoral Candidate Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr.’s Interview with Michigan Chronicle

Detroit’s next mayor will be chosen without an incumbent defending the seat. For the first time since 1974, when Coleman A. Young made history, the path is clear for a new Black mayor to lead a city that remains over 80% Black. This shift reflects not only a political opportunity but a long-overdue return to representation rooted in the community’s core.

Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., senior pastor of Triumph Church, is stepping into the race with a platform grounded in unity, equity, and community investment. Leading one of Detroit’s largest congregations with over 40,000 members, Kinloch has spent years engaging with residents across the city. Now, he’s translating that experience into a campaign that speaks directly to the gaps between Detroit’s development and its people.

Kinloch is running as a first-time candidate, but he brings a frontline understanding of what Detroiters face each day. His platform calls for stronger investments in public education, which he sees as foundational to addressing broader challenges in housing, employment, and neighborhood safety. He emphasizes that the city’s revitalization cannot continue while so many families remain disconnected from its benefits.

His message is focused on bridging divides—between downtown and the neighborhoods, between policy decisions and real-life outcomes. Kinloch believes Detroit is at a critical juncture where leadership must shift toward centering residents who have long felt excluded from progress.

He is calling for immediate investments in schools, deeper support for families, and a unified approach to governance that pulls people together rather than leaving them behind. His campaign reflects the perspective of someone rooted in the community, listening daily to the concerns of Detroiters, and ready to lead from that foundation.

This interview presents Kinloch’s full responses to the same 18 questions posed to all candidates. His answers reflect a deep concern for equity, a belief in the power of collective investment, and a vision for Detroit shaped by faith, community, and accountability.