The world has embraced women in leadership — boldly, proudly, and without hesitation. Women hold the highest positions from Thailand to Namibia and are reshaping nations. Meanwhile, the United States — the “land of the free” — ranks 44th in female political representation. That’s not just embarrassing, it’s unacceptable.
And Detroit? We’ve always been ahead of the curve. A city that leads, sets trends and creates with boldness. We are first in grit, first in hustle and first in making things happen. But now, we’re lagging. In 2025, we can catch up, and lead again, by electing our first-ever woman mayor. Let that sink in. Detroit, the cornerstone of American ingenuity, has never had a woman mayor. It’s time.
Across the country, there has been a rise in Black women leading in mayoral offices — Atlanta, Chicago, Washington D.C., Oakland, Calif. In 2014, only two Black women led the top 100 major U.S. cities. That number tripled in 2017, with nine Black women leading major cities, and that number has held steady ever since.
This is not just a trend. It’s a movement.
We’ve heard their names and seen many of them reach national prominence, people like Muriel Bowser in Washington D.C.; Tisharua Jones in St. Louis, Mo.; LaToya Cantrell in New Orleans; and Cherelle Parker in Philadelphia.
And let me raise my hand here: I was one of them. Fresh out of college, I served as the youngest vice-mayor in my hometown of Muskegon Heights. So, when I speak about women leading boldly at the intersection of policy, justice and power, I speak from lived experience. It’s long overdue that Detroit join the ranks by electing a Black woman to lead this city. I’m a proof point that when women lead, we improve community outcomes. During my time in office, we successfully balanced the city’s budget. We produced a healthy fund balance, being one of Michigan’s only predominantly Black cities to evade an Emergency Financial Manager.
Why is now the time for Detroit? What better way to respond to the current social and political climate? The occupant of the White House leads with confusion and chaos. The nation is on edge. Detroit, as always, has the chance to show the world what real leadership looks like. We don’t follow trends, we set them.
From what I’ve seen — through research and lived reality — when women lead, policies become more holistic, communities become more resilient and possibilities for everyday people expand. I wrote about this in The Equity Mirror: What a Woman Leading the Free World Could Mean for Us All. Here is a simple idea: leadership shaped by empathy, equity and accountability can redefine governance. Global leaders like Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Mexico’s first woman president and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who crushed a financial crisis… women across the globe have proven my point with their actions. They abandoned technocracy for something more transformative: care. Strategy rooted in humanity. And that’s what we need.
A Black woman at the helm of Detroit will not just make history — she’ll make a difference. She will lead from the soul of this city. But let’s be clear: electing her is not enough. We must back her vision, hold her accountable with love and honesty and ensure she has what no woman leader can thrive without a real village behind her.
Detroit, let’s stop waiting for permission. Let’s stop looking sideways. The future is here. Let’s lead again.
Dr. Patrice S. Johnson is a former Vice-Mayor and an advocate for equity, justice and bold Black leadership. She serves as CEO of Project Scientist, where she champions girls in STEM nationwide.
Why does it have to be a woman? Why does it have to be a black woman? Why can’t it be the best person for the job whether it be black, white, male or female?
because people vote for what they look like not for ability