Mary Sheffield
Office: City Council, District 5
(re-elect)
What is your vision for Detroit?
My vision for Detroit is one that creates equal opportunities for all of our residents, honors those long-term residents who stayed through the thick and thin, protects and educates our children, is inclusive in the midst of the current revitalization and once again reaches its prominence in the nation and around the world as the leader in areas such as: innovation, education, culture and entertainment.
Why does the city of Detroit need a young perspective?
The only way Detroit will experience a steady growth in its population is through retaining current residents, especially our young people, and by attracting new residents to Detroit who are willing to stay and raise a family in the city. I’m in that demographic, so I am uniquely positioned to understand the perspective and needs of young adults and make policy decisions accordingly. A young perspective is essential to the long-term sustainability of the revitalization of Detroit to avoid the pitfalls of the past that led to the city filing for bankruptcy.
What are the first three things you’d do if you are re-elected?
- I will continue to work on a Water Affordability ordinance to ensure all residents have access to clean, safe drinking water, despite their ability to pay.
- I will continue to fight for affordable housing and increases to the senior home repair grant program which will stabilize our population loss, reduce blight in our neighborhoods and protect the city’s lifeblood which is our property tax base.
- I will continue to push initiatives which we offer opportunities for long-term residents to benefit from the revitalization of Detroit. These efforts include, but are not limited to, a longtime owner-occupied program to reduce property taxes for current residents and participatory budgeting which allows neighborhoods to bring forth capital projects in their neighborhoods for funding through the city after a vote of their community.
What industries will you bring to town?
An urban agenda is extremely important to any metropolis. Detroit is the epicenter of economic activity in southeastern Michigan and the state as a whole. Detroit’s vitality is crucially important to the economic viability of Michigan, the Midwest and to some degree Canada. Thus, it is incumbent upon Detroit’s elected officials to have a viable long-term agenda for the city. My ideas are first to stave off the loss of population and provide safe and clean neighborhoods. Once we have a handle on these areas we must ensure there are educational and employment opportunities for all residents and be forward thinking in terms of cultivating relationships and opportunities with industries of the future. Those industries are alternative energy, health care and transportation modality. We must also be sure that development and their financing makes long-term sense for Detroit and that the revitalization of our city is sustainable by employing smart growth principles in both planning and design.
How will you make sure there is financial equity between businesses and the Black community?
Working with the purchasing and procurement department, I will continue to educate minority-owned businesses about becoming a certified Detroit and minority-owned enterprise and how to respond to requests for proposals for contracting with the city. I will also strongly advocate for financial institutions to provide access to capital for minority-owned and Detroit-based businesses. Finally, before I vote for any development requesting public subsidies, I will ensure that there are strong agreements to hire Detroiters and contract with minority-owned and Detroit based companies.
Who are your change agent role models?
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Angela Rye, Tamika Mallory and Nina Turner are some of my change agent role models because they unabashedly stand up for our people, speak truth to power and use their platforms to protect and uplift Black and all women. My father, Rev. Horace Sheffield III, is also one of my change agent role models because of his commitment to ensuring African Americans have a seat at the table and are authors of their own destiny as well as he has been instrumental in the development of my relationship with God.
What made you feel a call to serve?
As a descendant of a civil rights giant in Detroit and the daughter of a minister and teacher, I have been taught that “service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy.” In that vein, it is my honor and duty to serve the residents of Detroit and ensure they have a voice at the table in city government. The ability to improve the quality of life of my constituents, the opportunity to set an example for our young people to follow and emulate, my commitment to make Detroit’s resurgence inclusive and my desire to have a truly representative, transparent and ethical government inspires me to awake every morning with the fire in my stomach to serve.
What’s your definition of a public servant?
My definition of a public servant is anyone, elected or not, that puts the greater interest of the public, especially historically marginalized communities, before their own interests. A public servant is someone who uses their God-given talents and opportunities for the greater good and to improve the quality of life of those they serve. Furthermore, a public servant is someone who serves not for the money or their self-aggrandizement, but for purely altruistic motives such as love for the people and in honor of the God they serve.
What three leadership qualities do you most appreciate in former President Obama?
I appreciate former President Obama’s calm demeanor and exemplary conduct as a public official in his ability to stay above the fray with respect to meaningless matters.
I also appreciate the former president’s authentic and real compassion for people, especially those with the greatest needs: children, seniors, the physically challenged, the poor and our service men and women.
Finally, I appreciate former President Obama’s eloquence as an orator and his ability to move people to action in defense of progressive American values.
