WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW!

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WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW! 🎬

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SERIES ON YOUTUBE

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

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 4-Year seats are up, and one seat is up for a Partial Term Ending 12/31/2026.

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

CANDIDATE VIDEOS | 4-YEAR TERM

DR. REV. STEVE BLAND JR. | 4-Year Term Candidate

MICHELLE BROUGHTON | 4-Year Term Candidate

KATRINA BROWN | 4-Year Term Candidate

CIDNEY CALLOWAY | 4-Year Term Candidate

NICOLE CONAWAY | 4-Year Term Candidate

VILMA ESCAMILLA DURAN | 4-Year Term Candidate

DUANE LARRY GRIGSBY JR. | 4-Year Term Candidate

BESSIE HARRIS | 4-Year Term Candidate

DAVID HARRIS | 4-Year Term Candidate

C. ALLAN HUBBARD, PhD, MBA, MA | 4-Year Term Candidate

TABRIAN JOE | 4-Year Term Candidate

DR. SHINESE JOHNSON | 4-Year Term Candidate

DR. THEODORE JONES | 4-Year Term Candidate

GEORGIA LEMMONS | 4-Year Term Candidate

LAMAR LEMMONS | 4-Year Term Candidate

PHILIP LLOYD | 4-Year Term Candidate

LIANA MULHOLLAND | 4-Year Term Candidate

TYSHEA POPE | 4-Year Term Candidate

DANETTA L. SIMPSON | 4-Year Term Candidate

TAWANNA SIMPSON | 4-Year Term Candidate

DR. JAMEEL M. SMITH, PHD | 4-Year Term Candidate

TERRY WHITFIELD | Candidate

ELIZABETH WILLIAMS | 4-Year Term Candidate

CANDIDATE VIDEOS | PARTIAL TERM

ALIYA MOORE | Partial Term Ending 12/31/28 Candidate

SHAWN VAUGHN | Partial Term Ending 12/31/28 Candidate

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

Click the arrow below to expand each list.

Click the candidate’s name to watch their filmed interview, or choose from the thumbnail gallery above.
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 Harris
- David Harris
- C. Allan Hubbard, PhD, MBA, MA
- Henrietta Ivey*
- Tabrian C. Joe
- Dr. Shinese Johnson
- Dr. Theodore Jones
- Georgia Lemmons
- LaMar Lemmons
- Clement O. Lett*
- Philip Lloyd
- Darious Morris*
- Liana Mulholland
- Tyshea Pope
- Danetta L. Simpson
- Tawanna Simpson
- Dr. Jameel M. Smith, PhD
- Calesther Smith-Arnold*
- Terry Whitfield
- Elizabeth Williams
- Theresa Williams*
* Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.
Click the candidate’s name to watch their filmed interview, or choose from the thumbnail gallery above.
Candidates appear in ballot order, alphabetical by last name.
- Ijazz Jackson*
- Aliya Moore
- Shawn Vaughn
* Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.

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.