Selectees

Meet Mary Sheffield

A Great American

Mary Sheffield serves as the councilperson for District 5 in the city of Detroit, making herself the youngest person in the history of Detroit to ever be elected. She’s dubbed as a native Detroiter who lives to inspire and empower the citizens of Detroit. She began her journey of helping to revitalize the city at an early age and was always passionate about amplifying black and brown voices with a proven track record in service and leadership. In August of 2023, she announced that her candidate committee had already been formed and she had officially filed all proper documentation to begin her journey in running for Mayor of the city of Detroit if she so chose.In doing so and succeeding, she will become the first woman to serve as Mayor of Detroit. Not only is Mary making strides in redefining the positions of women in politics, she also has started her own efforts in changing the lives of Detroit’s youth with emphasis on young women, reparations for Detroiters and neighborhood revitalization. Along with being city council president, Mary also sits on the board of directors for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and plays a pivotal role in the Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) by helping to further their mission of “uniting the Detroit African American community by attaining its greatest possible collective strength.” Mary’s passion for her community and drive to be a changing force in her city is what we believe makes her a great American. We look forward to following her work and bearing witness to the change she wants to see and will put in place. 

“From learning of the work of my grandfather and great-grandfather in the labor and civil rights movement, to my father continuing that legacy, and through my mother’s and grandmother’s long careers in nursing, I learned the importance of doing my individual part to drive for a better society and serve others. For me, a life of service isn’t a job. It is a calling, and I truly believe I was put here to serve a specific purpose, which I intended to fulfill to the best of my ability.” – Mary Sheffield (Metro Times) 

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