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Meet the people running to help shape the future of Detroit’s public schools in 2026 and beyond.

CitizenDetroit’s 2026 DPSCD Candidate Video Series gives Detroit voters a chance to hear directly from the people running for the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education. In short, focused interviews, candidates share their top priorities for Detroit students, what they hope to accomplish on the board, and what they wish they had seen in their own schools growing up.

CitizenDetroit invited all 34 candidates running this year to participate, and 25 candidates took part. Voters will be choosing candidates in two races: four seats are up in the regular election and one seat is being filled in a special election.

Hear directly from the candidates in their own words and learn more before Election Day on November 3, 2026.

 

WHO IS RUNNING FOR DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY DISTRICT BOARD IN 2026?

  • Candidates appear in ballot order, alphabetical by last name.

    • Natalie Bien-Aime*

    • Steve Bland Jr.

    • Michelle Broughton

    • Katrina Brown

    • Cidney Calloway

    • Bobby Christian*

    • Nicole Conaway

    • Vilma Escamilla Duran

    • Daniel Ferguson III*

    • Duane Larry Grigsby Jr.

    • Bessie L. Harris

    • David Harris

    • C. Allan Hubbard

    • Henrietta Ivey*

    • Tabrian C. Joe

    • Shinese Johnson

    • Theodore Jones

    • Georgia Mae Lemmons

    • LaMar D. Lemmons

    • Clement O. Lett*

    • Phil Lloyd II

    • Darious Morris*

    • Liana Mulholland

    • Tyshea Pope

    • DaNetta L. Simpson

    • Tawanna Simpson

    • Jameel Montgomery Smith

    • Calesther Smith-Arnold*

    • Terry E. Whitfield

    • Elizabeth A. Williams

    • Theresa Williams*

    * Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.

  • Candidates appear in ballot order, alphabetical by last name.

    • Ijazz Jackson*

    • Aliya Moore

    • Shawn Vaughn

    * Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.

 

GET NOTIFIED WHEN THE VIDEOS GO LIVE

Sign up for the CitizenDetroit newsletter to be notified when the 2026 DPSCD Candidate Videos are available to watch on YouTube.

ABOUT THE SERIES

The DPSCD 2026 Candidate Video Series is a civic education project from CitizenDetroit designed to help Detroit voters get to know the people running for the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education.

With 34 candidates running for five open seats, CitizenDetroit invited candidates to participate in short, focused video interviews. Twenty-five candidates took part, giving voters the opportunity to hear directly from them in their own words.

Each interview centers on two questions: what the candidate sees as a top priority for Detroit students and what they wish they had seen or experienced in their own schools when they were growing up. The goal is to move beyond names on a ballot and give voters a clearer sense of each candidate’s priorities, perspective, and connection to public education.

The series also helps provide context about the role of the school board and the progress and challenges facing Detroit’s public schools, making the election more accessible to voters who may not closely follow education policy or local school governance.

At its heart, the project is about informed participation. By making these interviews free and easy to watch online, CitizenDetroit hopes to give more Detroiters the information they need to make confident choices at the ballot box.

The DPSCD 2026 Candidate Video Series was produced by CitizenDetroit with support from The Kresge Foundation.

 
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