Detroit’s District 2, on the northwest side of the city, has seen major developments in recent months, including $180 million in housing and neighborhood revitalization from the Kresge Foundation and the reconstruction of the Palmer Park bandshell, a relic of the historic Michigan State Fairgrounds.
Residents want their next council person to prioritize parks, uplift neighborhood champions and support small businesses. In the running to represent the bustling district are two familiar names: incumbent Angela Whitfield-Calloway and former council member Roy McCalister, Jr.
District 2 — bound by the Southfield Freeway, Woodward Avenue, W. Eight Mile Road and bordering parts of Highland Park — is home to more than 96,000 people and neighborhoods like Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest and the University District.
The district’s boundaries were redrawn last year, as part of a 10-year, charter-mandated redistricting process, and go into effect in January, when the new council takes office.
Palmer Park, among the largest parks in the city with nearly 300 acres of woodlands, meadows and recreational areas, is located within the easternmost part of the district. Also in the area: the University of Detroit Mercy, the nonprofit Marygrove Conservancy and the historic Avenue of Fashion.
In District 2, 90% of residents are Black, according to the Neighborhood Vitality Index survey data from 2024. Nearly 25,000 residents are under 18 years old, while more than 16,800 residents in the district are over 65. More than half of residents are homeowners and the vast majority have at least a high school diploma or GED. Nearly a quarter own a business and 70% reported participating in neighborhood or community groups.
The median housing value is $95,351, according to the Neighborhood Vitality Index, and the median gross rent is $1,138. Most residents said they were satisfied with their quality of life. Roughly half said they were able to buy adequate food and pay their bills. Most reported feeling safe in their neighborhood and public spaces.
Who is running
Angela Whitfield-Calloway, 64, led the primary over the summer with nearly 45% of the votes, ahead of McCalister who received about 30%, according to the city of Detroit’s election site.
A first-term council member, the Green Acres resident said she’s running for re-election so she can continue serving the district. The city, she said in a June 21 video from the civic engagement hub CitizenDetroit, is on the rise but it’s crucial that every Detroiter feels included in the “renaissance and resurgence.”
Whitfield-Calloway is a lifelong Detroiter and graduate of Cooley High School, Spelman College and the Detroit College of Law. Before her election as a council member, she worked as an adult education instructor, human resources administrator, hearing officer and small business owner, according to her biography.
“I’ve stood beside neighbors facing eviction and I’ve waited on city services that didn’t come fast enough, just like so many of you. And that’s what motivated me to run in the first place,” she said in the CitizenDetroit video. She said she wants every Detroiter to have employment opportunities and access to safe and affordable housing.
She touted her record of passing an ordinance requiring businesses in the city to accept cash and supporting Detroit’s paid parental leave act. She has also called for a moratorium on new dollar stores from opening in Detroit in order to regulate them. She said in the CitizenDetroit video that she advocates for clean streets, working street lights, better city services and stronger oversight.
Throughout her tenure, Whitfield-Calloway has been skeptical of large tax subsidies without strong community benefits and is known for her tough questioning of city departments. She secured nearly $1.3 million in the budget to fund the city’s GOAL Line program providing transportation for after-school programs, adding recycling bins to city streets, creating a stipend for a citizens’ blight patrol, among other projects.
Whitfield-Calloway created two taskforces for human and sex trafficking and youth and civic engagement. She chairs the Rules Committee and serves on the Neighborhood and Community Services and Internal Operations committees.
The council member brought in $6,375 in donations during the last reporting period, spent $5,406 and had a balance of $23,641.96 on hand.
Whitfield-Calloway did not respond to Free Press and BridgeDetroit requests for an interview.
Roy McCalister, Jr. lost his District 2 seat in 2021 to Whitfield-Calloway, who received 55% of the votes during that election.
McCalister, 71, is running again — not for the job or status — but to take care of the people, he told the Free Press and BridgeDetroit. During his tenure, the Greenwich community resident said he felt he was unable to implement initiatives related to mental health, infrastructure, seniors and youth because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People still want opportunity. People still want affordable housing,” he said.
He commended the Kresge Foundation’s recent investment in District 2. If elected, he wants to pursue corporate partnerships to bolster investments into neighborhoods — not just downtown.
McCalister said he can close the gap to beat his opponent by capturing the votes a third candidate received during the August primary and persuade voters who backed the incumbent.
“A lot of people have called me back to say, ‘Look, we want you to come back in because we want the representation that you gave us,'” he said.
McCalister wants to tackle recidivism by helping returning citizens reintegrate back into society. He also wants to lower auto insurance and property taxes; integrate “community violence interruption strategies” into the Detroit Police Department to deter violence, and support policies that help local entrepreneurs, attract investments and offer workforce training, according to his campaign website.
McCalister, a born and raised Detroiter, graduated from Detroit Mackenzie High School, Eastern Michigan University and the University of Oklahoma. He is pursuing a doctorate degree in behavioral psychology from National University. In 2006, he retired from the Detroit Police Department as a detective lieutenant. He worked as a commanding officer in the homicide section. McCalister also served more than two decades in the military.
McCalister reported $18,900 in contributions during the latest reporting period, loaning himself $18,000 of the total funding during the most recent disclosure period. He spent $11,851 and had $9,192.12 remaining.
Voices from the district
Stacy Varner, board president of the nonprofit People for Palmer Park, was raised in District 2 and lives right across from the park.
“What I really appreciate is the multi-generational warmth of the community and acceptance of differences in people, of culture, race, gender,” she said.
As a retired medical doctor, she values the calm and peace of walking Palmer Park’s acres upon acres of woodlands. She encouraged the next council person to support the park’s future initiatives and understand the importance of green spaces and the programming to keep communities together. Parks require funding for upkeep, she said.
“They’re so vital to our overall well-being and I would request, humbly, that that not be the budget to cut,” she said.
Stacey Walker, a lifelong Detroiter, has been living in the district for 16 years and appreciates Palmer Park and the businesses. The president of the Pembroke Outer Drive Community Organization said seniors, many of whom are on a fixed income, are dealing with high property taxes and utility bills.
She plans to vote for McCalister because of his police experience and programming for youth and mental health awareness. She wants the next council member to “take care of the issues.”
Jay Meeks, president of the Marygrove Community Association, lives in the Fitzgerald neighborhood — a tight-knit community of multigenerational families who grew up together.
Many of his neighbors throughout the district are showing up to meetings, taking initiative and doing things for their community. He wants the city to “champion the champions” by providing resources to uplift their work and connect them with services. The next council member of District 2 should create “opportunities for constructive engagement,” he said.
Raeshawn Bumphers, bridal consultant and owner of Pink Poodle Bridal on Livernois in the Avenue of Fashion, said she’s struggled to find experienced staffers. On top of that, people are shopping on a budget or online, she said. Her shop sells dresses for the entire bridal party.
Bumphers, who also lives in District 2, wants more exposure and marketing for businesses. She wants to broaden her shop’s reach and customer base to the entire state.
“It’ll bring more dollars over here,” she said.
City leadership impacts neighborhood business owners, she said. Bumphers wants the next council members to support small businesses, which are the “base of neighborhoods.”
“I want city officials who value neighborhood businesses, invest in communities and just bring the kind of leadership that will keep Detroit moving forward,” she said.
BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett contributed to this report.