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Endorsements for November 2025 Local Elections

The DFT has made several endorsements in the Detroit City Council races:

  • Detroit City Council At Large (2 seats are up for election): Mary Waters and Coleman A. Young II
  • Roy McCalister, Jr., District 2
  • Cranstana Anderson, District 3
  • Renata Miller, District 5
  • Denzel Anton McCampbell, District 7

The DFT is a part of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO so we are sharing their endorsements in several local races.


 

Wayne County 
Mary SheffieldDetroit Mayor
Renata MillerDetroit City Council - District 5
Gabriela Santiago-RomeroDetroit City Council - District 6
Denzel Anton McCampbellDetroit City Council - District 7
Mary WatersDetroit City Council At-Large
Coleman A. Young IIDetroit City Council At-Large
Victoria CamilleDetroit Police Commissioner - District 7
Muhith MahmoodHamtramck Mayor
Patrick BrockwayLivonia City Council
Kayleigh Kavanagh ReidLivonia City Council
Alex KingLivonia City Council
Victoria ArajSouthgate City Council
Dora RodriguezTrenton City Council
Kevin ColemanWestland Mayor
LeKisha MaxwellWestland City Council
John SullivanWestland City Council
  
Oakland County 
Theresa RichFarmington Hills Mayor
Charlie StarkmanFarmington Hills City Council
Quinn ZeaglerFerndale City Council
Quinn WrightMadison Heights Mayor
Aaron MartinezNovi City Council
Sennel K. ThrelkeldPontiac City Council At-Large
Mark SkelcyRochester Hills City Council
Paul BastianRoyal Oak City Commissioner
Ken SiverSouthfield Mayor
Annalisa Esposito BluhmTroy City Council
David HamiltonTroy City Council
Sadek RahmanTroy City Council At-Large
  
Macomb County 
Ryan CovertNew Baltimore Mayor
Mel EasonNew Baltimore City Council
Michael RadtkeSterling Heights City Council

Invest in MI Kids Ballot Initiative

Invest in MI Kids

WHAT IS THE INVEST IN MI KIDS PROPOSAL?

Read the full proposal here (It's short! Read it!) 

Constitutional amendment to: add, beginning in 2027, an additional 5% tax on annual taxable income over $1 million for joint filers and over $500,000 for single filers. This tax is in addition to existing state income taxes, and is to be deposited into the State School Aid Fund and required to be used exclusively on local school district classrooms, career and technical education, reducing class sizes, and recruiting and retaining teachers; and subject funds to annual audits.

Petitions are being circulated now. This ballot proposal needs 700,000 signatures. You can view the sign-up link here: Invest in MI Kids Volunteer Hub or call the DFT Office to see how you can help. Petitions will be available at all DFT General Membership meetings.

Historic Merger of DFT and DFP

Donna Jackson with Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins

Press Conference Announcing the Merger of the Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals with the Detroit Federation of Teachers

The Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) and the Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals (DFP) will formally announce their merger, uniting thousands of education professionals under one strong collective voice. Union leaders will outline the impact of this historic merger on Detroit’s educators, students, and families.

When: Thursday, September 11, 2025 @ 4:30 p.m.
Where:  IBEW Local 58, 1358 Abbott Street, Detroit, MI 48226, parking lot entrance is off Porter Street
Who:
  • Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins, President, Detroit Federation of Teachers
  • Terrence Martin, President, American Federation of Teachers Michigan
  • Donna Jackson, Former President, Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals
  • Other union and community leaders

DFT Reaction to Visit By Secretary of Education

Click to read the Press Release of Secretary of Education's Visit to Detroit

We are deeply disappointed in the visits from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and State Representative Matt Hall, given their ongoing support for billions of dollars in proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Education and the overdue Michigan budget. Both President Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins and Executive Vice President Jason Posey are highly concerned about the implications of reduced funding for all public schools and in particular the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Read the press release in its entirety.

DFT Retirees Sept. & Oct. Meeting Location

There is a change of location for the September and October DFT 231 Retirees Chapter meeting. The chapter will be meeting in the conference room at AFT Michigan, David Hecker Building, @ 2661 E. Jefferson, in Detroit. The time remains the same: 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

AFT and Labor Day Parades

DFT is proud of its participation in the Labor Day Parades held around the country along with our fellow AFT locals: AFT Labor Day 2025

We are pleased that AFT National's Executive Vice President, Evelyn DeJesus, came to our city to speak to Detroit's labor union members and parade participants: AFT National EVP Address at Detroit Labor Day March