Detroit entrepreneurship and economic opportunity director Justin Onwenu launched a bid for state Senate in a seat in the redrawn 1st Senate District that could see a competitive Democratic primary election. In an announcement video released Thursday, Onwenu asks whether Michigan politics is worse than D.C., highlighting the chaotic lame duck session last year in which Democrats were blocked from accomplishing legislation that would have benefited Detroit residents the most. "I do think that the lame duck session, which is the first time that all three of our branches

Detroit’s story has always been written by its people—those who build, heal, teach, innovate, and lead with conviction. The Michigan Chronicle’s 13th annual 40 Under 40 Awards carries that same energy, reminding the city and all of Southeast Michigan that leadership does not only rest in boardrooms or at podiums, but in classrooms, hospitals, courtrooms, churches, union halls, and every corner where vision meets action. Now in its 13th year, the program continues to honor African American professionals whose work inspires, disrupts, and uplifts. They are selected

Detroit has long been a battleground for housing. Generations of Black families built neighborhoods brick by brick, only to see them stripped through redlining, foreclosures, and speculative investment. What’s left is a city where renters often outnumber homeowners, mortgage denials remain disproportionately high, and the chance to own a home feels out of reach for many working people. The scars of the foreclosure crisis still show up on blocks across the city, where empty lots and boarded houses sit as reminders of broken systems. At the same

Lisa Harrison, senior sales immunology specialist at Johnson & Johnson, has been appointed to serve as Society Ambassador of the American Heart Association’s Metro Detroit Board of Directors. In this role, Harrison will lead a group of health care, business, and community leaders in driving the Association’s mission in Metro Detroit and advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Harrison began her two-year term as board society ambassador on July 1. “The eradication of heart disease in our communities is deeply personal for me,” Harrison said. “My beloved father

On August 1, the hallowed red and gold walls of the Kronk Boxing Community Center echoed with the sounds of gloves snapping, shoes sliding, and laughter rising. But beyond the flurry of jabs and footwork, something deeper was unfolding. World-renowned boxing trainer and former heavyweight contender Johnathon Banks, a proud son of Detroit and product of the legendary Kronk gym, returned home to host a free, one-day youth boxing camp that combined athletic instruction with powerful life lessons. Dozens of local boys and girls, many stepping into the

By the time most kids are learning how to open a lunchbox, Gail Perry-Mason’s young “investors” are learning how to open a stock portfolio. Across the city of Detroit, where wealth gaps have long been written off as inevitable, Money Matters for Youth is reshaping the narrative with a blueprint that starts early, builds intentionally, and reaches far beyond bank balances. What Perry-Mason has built goes far beyond a seasonal program thrown together for show. It’s a cultural shift in motion—rooted in legacy, powered by purpose,

While elite universities and accelerator programs continue to overlook grassroots founders, three local entrepreneurs have stepped up to create what mainstream institutions never prioritized: culturally grounded, community-owned business schools designed specifically for Detroiters. Racheal Allen, Ebony Cochran, and Jessie Hayes are not in the business of waiting on permission to educate, train, and empower. They’re building infrastructure—on their terms—for the entrepreneurs this city has long ignored. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country. In Detroit, they lead one