What Black women told us about Mary Sheffield's historic win | Opinion

On Nov. 4, Mary Sheffield became the first woman ― the first Black woman ― to be elected mayor of Detroit. It's a milestone nearly 50 years in the making. In 1977, Erma Henderson, who also served as president of the Detroit City Council, was the first woman to run for mayor here; in 1993, Sharon McPhail was the first woman to make it through a primary, but lost that year to former Mayor Dennis Archer. McPhail ran again in 2005, not clearing the primary.

And then, we waited. By 2020, the U.S. Census found, women had been elected to lead all but 12 major U.S. cities. Detroit remained stubbornly on the list of cities that had not.

On Nov. 4, that changed.

"I don’t take for granted that I stand on the shoulders of so many warrior women who have prayed, who have sacrificed just for us to be here in this room ― a torch carried from one generation to the next,” Sheffield told the cheering crowd at her victory party Tuesday night, held at MGM Grand's Detroit ballroom. “And so I say to every little girl watching tonight and to every child in this city, never doubt yourself … if you believe and truly believe, all things are possible.”

This is a moment that belongs uniquely to the women of Detroit, and they're marking it with celebration, joy and caution ― no one knows better than women, than Black women, about the higher standards Mayor-elect Sheffield will be expected to meet, and the increased scrutiny she will face.

Here's what they told us.

Diajah Ruffin ― Michelle May ― Aya Waller-Bey ― Pamela Hilliard Owens ― Jamie Kaye Walters ― Kim Trent

'Mary has touched lives'

In a world that doubts our voices and marginalizes our leadership, this election was a reminder that Black people can and will lead, shape and transform our own communities. That no system can stop us from claiming our power.

Congratulations and much respect for Mary Sheffield becoming the first woman, Black woman, to be the mayor-elect of Detroit.

Being a young Black woman, especially in the world of politics, is not easy. I have been involved for the last eight years, and even in that short time, I have learned that the pressure placed on Black women in public life is heavier than most people realize.

The expectations are high, the criticism is sharp and the grace extended to us is often limited. Mary Sheffield has carried that weight in front of this city for more than a decade, elected. And now, she stands as the first Black woman elected mayor of Detroit? Simply amazing.

But beyond titles, Mary has touched lives. She shows up in neighborhoods, churches, schools, community spaces and in the rooms where decisions are made that most people never see. I’ve seen her in those rooms. I’ve seen the poise she possesses. She moves with a sense of purpose and a deep understanding of her responsibility. Her track record speaks for itself.

Diajiah Ruffin

I also want to say this clearly: Pastor Solomon Kinloch is a loved and respected leader as well. His work in ministry has shaped the spiritual and cultural foundation of many people, across this city and beyond. The fact that our city had two strong, committed, community rooted leaders to choose from was a blessing. Detroit is richer because of both of them.

With that being said, we must be honest with ourselves and about the system we are in. It is not designed to protect Black leadership, it challenges it, divides it, and pushes us to tear one another down. There should not be any political bashing among our own, period. We are better than that!

As a Black woman, I am committed to protecting my sister. As a Black woman, I am also committed to protecting my brother. We can honor and uplift both. We must honor and uplift both, in whatever position they hold. And whoever else has the courage enough to fight for something bigger than themselves for that matter.

We are in serious times. We cannot afford division. The real power is not in the system. The real power is in the people who build, care, create, teach, organize and show up. Let us not allow anyone to trick us out of liberation. We are stronger together. And this moment, this historic moment, calls for unity above anything else. While Mary Sheffield has taken on a great responsibility, it’s on all of us to support her and make sure we’re doing our part.

Peace and love.

― Diajah Ruffin, 31

'I am cautiously optimistic'

What a historic moment for me as a life-long Detroiter! Congratulations to Mary Sheffield! In full transparency, she was not the candidate I initially supported; Saunteel Jenkins was. I believe it is long-past time for a woman to be mayor. There are numerous Black women leaders in major positions who have enriched our city civically, culturally, economically and socially across a wide variety of fields, including government, corporate, education, small business and non-profits. We are already out here "doing the work." But a position as visible as mayor really makes a statement about who we are as a city.

It is my hope that Mayor Sheffield leads with integrity, heart and commitment. To really listen to her constituents. To fight for us on a national level. As a professional musician, it was disheartening for me to see that dialogue about Detroit’s vibrant and robust arts and culture scene was almost completely non-existent during the weeks of campaigning. Our current Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship has been woefully underfunded for years, a tragedy in a city that has given so much culture to the world. I want that to change.

Michelle Ann May

Detroit is not an “easy” city; we have numerous serious inequities that need to be addressed, with so many people feeling left behind. It is also a tragedy that we are just now beginning to see some inroads of investment into the fragile neighborhoods outside of the jewels that are downtown and Midtown Detroit. That momentum must continue.

My family has lived in Detroit for over 100 years, starting with my paternal great-grandfather’s migration to Detroit in the early 20th century. We love this city. We’ve seen the many changes Detroit has endured, and quite frankly, I am cautiously optimistic about our future. We will continue to not only celebrate Mayor Sheffield, but hold her accountable as well.

― Michelle May, 62

'A capable leader, who also happens to be a Black woman'

History matters. Too often in contemporary society, we forget our origin stories — the people who lived, led and fought for the privileges we enjoy daily.

Today, we remember.

Mary Sheffield's election as the first Black female mayor in Detroit's history forces us to revisit our past to embrace our future. When my Papa migrated to Detroit in the 1950s, the city awaiting him looked very differently from the one that I, his granddaughter, galavant around in today.

Now, 75 years later, Detroit is at a crossroads that acknowledges what was lost in the past but invites us to welcome the future with skeptical optimism. It is not merely the representation, seeing another Black woman, a millennial at that, occupying the highest seat in the city ― for we know representation does not suffice under a growing economic apartheid ― that fills my belly with hearty hopefulness. But it is the fact that Mary Sheffield's election as mayor ushers in a new wave of possibilities.

Aya Waller-Bey

For some, Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 presidential election signaled that a Black woman becoming the president of the United States was nearly impossible. Not to mention, Michigan, nor any state in our union, has elected a Black female governor. So, Mary Sheffield's historic election is significant not only because she's the first, but also critical to our ability to remember what's possible.

Looking ahead, affordability and racial equity in housing, education and wages should remain at the epicenter of how we think about Detroit's future.

As someone who grew up low-income, I intimately know what it means to exist at the intersection of working-poor realities and middle-class activities. From food bank visits and Detroit Goodfellows holiday boxes to charity preview after-parties and black-tie museum galas, my lived experiences and decades of education have taught me to never forget that we are all much closer to poverty than we think.

Therefore, I want the Mary Sheffield administration to demonstrate, through policy, programs and direct action, that the needs of the most marginalized take precedence over the privileges of the prosperous. And it benefits all of us if she keeps her promise to build a Detroit that works for everyone.

History matters, and so does our future. And I see Mary Sheffield's election as the 76th mayor of Detroit as an invitation to help paint the city's future that I love so dearly.

Papa believed he would never see a Black president in his lifetime. He was the first person I called when Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Although Papa is no longer here, I know he, too, would be excited to see his granddaughters and great-granddaughters living in the city he moved to in pursuit of greater possibilities and a better future, led by a capable leader who also happens to be a Black woman.

― Aya Waller-Bey, 33

'The right woman at the right time'

The city of Detroit has just had a historic mayoral election, and the current City Council President, Mary Sheffield, won decisively against her opponent, Rev. Solomon Kinloch. As we all know by now, in the 324-year history of this city, there has never been a woman mayor, until now. Mary Sheffield will be the first woman and the first Black woman Detroit mayor.

As a native Detroiter “of a certain age” and a lifelong Democrat, I remember all of Detroit’s past mayors, all the way back to Albert Cobo.

Although I didn’t know her that well, I supported Mayor-elect Sheffield’s candidacy from the very beginning. We’ve met on several occasions over the years, and I feel that even at her relatively young age, she has the experience, the government and business contacts, and the strength and temperament to be an excellent mayor.

Pamela Hilliard-Owens

I’m sure that Rev. Kinloch was well-meaning and well-intentioned. However, I never believed that he could be a pastor of such a large church and a full-time mayor. Additionally, and I may be wrong, but I did not think that Rev. Kinloch had the community experience needed to make things happen. He also has not recently been a resident of Detroit or even Wayne County until last year, when he decided to run for mayor.

Some people may say that U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia is also a pastor, and that he heads the historic church previously pastored by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but being a senator and being a mayor are quite different jobs. A mayor has day-to-day responsibilities and is essentially on call 24/7. A senator does not have the same work responsibilities, so they cannot be compared.

Most of all, as a Black woman, I am so happy and excited for Mary Sheffield and her historic win. She not only has all of the qualities needed to be mayor, but she is beyond reproach and will represent Detroit and Black women everywhere with class, style, wisdom and intelligence. There are a lot of issues that will need to be dealt with simultaneously, and I am sure that Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield is the right woman at the right time, and will not only be a mayor for all of Detroit, but she will also do us Black women proud!

Congratulations again, Mary Sheffield!

― Pamela Hilliard Owens, 75

'Fixing something that was broken all along'

The city of Detroit, where I’ve lived for 24 years, has now elected a Black woman mayor.

Congratulations, Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield. She is the first woman to lead this city in the 201 years since the first mayor came to power.

When I think of firsts, I think of election night in 2008, standing in Chicago’s Grant Park, when Barack Obama ascended the stage with his family. The Obama family presented a mirror image of my childhood family, and to see them standing there felt like a breakthrough, one that I pessimistically worried the country was years, maybe decades, away from achieving.

I was elated. It was the most joy I had ever experienced from a political moment, because it was so much more than politics. The 2008 election wasn’t just significant for the person breaking the ceiling, it was a moment that forced America to reckon with what it had been denying itself. I thought we were crossing a threshold into a new era of possibility. It turns out we were only glimpsing what could be, not securing what would be.

Jamie Kaye Walters

I’m thrilled that Sheffield broke the city’s glass ceiling for female leadership. But I’m cautious about what her victory means. When something like electing a woman mayor felt possible generations ago but only materializes now, the achievement feels less breakthrough and more like a basic correction, like finally fixing something that was broken all along.

This doesn’t take anything away from Sheffield’s historic win. She earned this through substantive public service, deep knowledge of Detroiters’ needs and a clear vision for Detroit’s future, not symbolism. Sheffield, a 38-year old glass-breaker, joins a long line of Detroit women leaders, as the only one to be elected this city's mayor.

But I am cautious. Not about our new mayor but what this first means.

I can’t summon the naïve feelings of unrestrained hope from years ago. A woman can become mayor of Detroit in the same America that is watching decades of hard-won rights disappear in ways that betray our democratic ideals. My hope is that Detroit’s new mayor understands the opportunity and obligation to lead boldly at a time when her residents will need fierce advocacy and creative solutions to survive what’s coming from an unreliable federal government and everchanging culture.

There is a broad coalition of Detroiters, both new and old, who will be working alongside her to bring opportunity and progress to the city. I am committed to showing up for Detroit. As a citizen, I will hold her to the highest standards, something we Detroiters all deserve. I also implore people in boardrooms, newsrooms and block clubs to call out sexism when gendered and racial double standards masquerade as legitimate critique of elected officials.

Maybe cautious optimism is what progress looks like when you’ve waited too long for it. It’s not a surge of joy, but a steady commitment to the future, come what may. We do ourselves a disservice if we treat representation as a means to an end. We should be careful not to treat what is overdue as good enough, as if representation alone was the finish line rather than the starting gate.

The last 12 years were hugely transformative, but there is so much more to do. Detroit starts a new chapter with a new mayor at the helm. The feeling I have right now doesn't quite resemble the one from that night in Grant Park. It's less euphoric, more determined. But that might be exactly what this moment requires. Sheffield’s win broke the ceiling, and opened a door.

― Jamie Kaye Walters, 52

'As a Black feminist, I’m thrilled'

First, a long-overdue apology. When I was a young city hall reporter for a local daily newspaper, I wrote an article about Detroit mayoral candidate Sharon McPhail in 1993 that makes the middle-aged feminist in me cringe.

The story quoted the wife of one of McPhail’s primary election opponents, who called  McPhail ― a successful, Northeastern University-trained lawyer ― an “over-assertive Barbie doll.” First, it should be noted that male candidates are never described as being “over-assertive.” Assertiveness is a quality that is both necessary and expected from a big city mayoral candidate.

Secondly, while McPhail may have been a flawed candidate in some ways, an empty-headed Barbie doll she was not. Yes, she was an attractive woman. But she was also smart, politically savvy and impressively credentialed. Sadly, many of her critics couldn’t look past her physical beauty and other superficial attributes to examine her agenda and record, a fate that is met by far too many women politicians.

While I think most of the media coverage of McPhail’s mayoral campaign was fair, the “Barbie” story was a definite low point for me personally. I didn’t come up with the insult, but I reported it with the naughty glee of Andy Cohen at a Real Housewives reunion show, happily documenting the girl-on-girl verbal violence with little consideration of how far such nonsense could set back women candidates. It was not my finest hour. What can I say? I was 24. Neither my frontal lobe nor my feminist sensibilities were fully formed yet.

It's 32 years later, and Detroit just elected its first woman mayor, a long overdue cause for celebration for people like me, who have been embarrassed by the lack of credible women candidates for Detroit’s top job since 1993. This year, however, we were blessed with two impressive women in the race for mayor, former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, and our newly elected mayor, Mary Sheffield. Sheffield enjoys broad support, both in the streets and the corporate suites, and has carved out a reputation for thoughtful, progressive, empathic leadership. I am optimistic that she will be a good mayor and wish her, and our city, the absolute best.

As a lifelong Detroiter, I have seen all kinds of mayors, some who have been highly effective and others who have betrayed and hopelessly mismanaged my hometown. As a former city hall reporter, I think it’s vitally important that Sheffield’s performance as mayor be fairly and thoroughly evaluated. I am not calling on the media or Sheffield’s loyal opposition to give the mayor-elect some kind of gender-based exclusion from scrutiny, or honeymoon from accountability. Detroiters deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and whether their mayor is ethical and effective.

But last year’s presidential election ― when pundits and politicians weirdly fixated on trivialities like Kamala Harris’ laugh ― demonstrated how persistently strains of sexism infect the body politic.

Kim Trent

There are signs that Detroit may be more politically sophisticated regarding women candidates and office holders than our nation as a whole. Women are actually over-represented on local judicial benches, and as many women as men have served as Detroit’s city council president over the past 50 years.  

As far as I could tell, Sheffield’s general election opponent, the Rev. Solomon Kinloch, his inner circle supporters and local media outlets and pundits never openly engaged in the kind of sexist dog whistles or blatant misogyny that pockmarked the candidacies of Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris. But I’ve been a woman long enough to know that as reliably as orange cones appearing on Michigan roads in the spring, sexism is going to show up when a woman is in charge.

As a Black feminist, I’m thrilled about Mary Sheffield’s history making achievement. But I am also a little worried for her. I hope that local elected officials, policy makers, pundits and other political tastemakers will be intentional about rejecting sexism in their assessments of her performance. Here’s a little advice to help them achieve that goal: Ask yourself if your assessment of Sheffield’s leadership includes factors that would be deemed weird or inappropriate for any of the 75 Detroit mayors who preceded her. If the answer is yes, rethink your approach. 

― Kim Trent, 56

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