Community members in Southwest Detroit gathered at Vamonos, a local healthy eatery and creative space located on W. Vernor, last Wednesday, March 11 to welcome the newly elected Mayor of Detroit, Mary Sheffield.
The premise of the event was to introduce community members, especially those in District 6 to Mary Sheffield. The event itself was spearheaded by community members like Gloria Rocha with the goal of reminding the mayor and her team that Southwest needs to be included in her administration’s plans for the city.
“We’re part of Detroit, we’re proud of Detroit and the mayor was very active and very interested in trying to reach out to the people, but somehow it felt kind of empty out here in Southwest,” Rocha said.
Thus, the Meet and Greet came to fruition with Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero, Mayor Mary Sheffield and many of her appointees. It was a true grassroots community effort to bridge a gap and encourage residents to show the Mayor and her team that community comes first in Southwest Detroit.
More than 100 Residents of all ages filled the local eatery, wall to wall leaving absolutely no chair or table empty. From babies, to young students to elders; all gathered to welcome the first ever woman elected as mayor in the city of Detroit. Some came with optimism and hope, others with apprehension. Whatever their motivation, the community showed up and showed out.
Mayor Sheffield arrived and fully engaged with residents, shaking hands, taking photos, and listening to stories of the residents and why they chose to join in on Wednesday’s event.
Councilwoman Santiago-Romero welcomed the Mayor to District 6 and made it clear this was a community inspired event to connect her to local residents as she begins her term.
Mayor Sheffield stepped to the mic and thanked District 6 for the trust and good faith. She spoke about many topics including the RxKids program (which would support pregnant families and infants up to 6 months with a no-strings attached monthly payments) and prioritizing small businesses in our communities and neighborhoods across Detroit. She highlighted the Department of Neighborhoods and introduced Dr. Luke Shaefer who was recently appointed as Chief Executive of Health, Human Services & Poverty Solutions for City of Detroit representing a renewed focus on quality of life issues that he will bring to the city.
The Mayor also addressed a serious issue Detroiters are facing every day: Immigration.
She assured residents that the Detroit Police Department is ‘not to engage with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while simultaneously working to ensure that Detroit does not become a target. Mayor Sheffield wants to support those who need support and protections the most.
Mayor Sheffield claimed there is “not a surge” in ICE arrests and presence in comparison to places like Minnesota, Los Angeles, and other cities across our nation. Some have pointed out, however, data that proves there has been a spike in arrests in Michigan over the last year. According to BridgeMichigan, ICE arrested 2,349 people in Michigan from January through October 2025, nearly triple the number arrested in the state in the same timeframe in 2024.
Mayor Sheffield highlighted local District 6 connections during the event by re-introducing Eva Torres, District 6 Manager and Antonio Mora-Mills, District 6 Deputy Manager, both of whom she has reappointed.
Lastly, the Mayor ended her remarks by reminding Detroiters there are no winners or losers and absolutely no denying the overall advancement that is happening – and will happen in Detroit. She stated, “we will all share in Detroit’s growth”.
“We do want to continue the conversation with her and her staff. Southwest Detroit can continue to grow and flourish. We have been doing a lot of things on our own but once in a while, we do need some help and hopefully she’ll be able to provide it,” said event host Denisse Lopez of Vamonos. “I feel like my biggest message from this event is how much more you can get done when you support each other.”
In good-ole Detroit-fashion, the event ended with laughs, smiles, and many many hugs. The community residents who gathered for the Meet and Greet broke bread and shared in a delicious meal and fellowship. The food and decorations were provided by local businesses from across Southwest Detroit neighborhoods including Prince Valley, Los Galanes, Donut Villa, Chilangos Bakery, and Chris Engels Greenhouse and Dmex printing, just to name a few.
