Justin Onwenu

Justin Onwenu was born in Detroit, Michigan. Onwenu earned a bachelor's degree from Rice University in 2018 and a law degree from Columbia Law School in 2024. His career experience includes working in government.[1]

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased September 30, 2025

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Justin Onwenu is an attorney, community organizer, and the City of Detroit's first Director of Entrepreneurship running for State Senate in District 1 to represent Detroit and Downriver. A fourth-generation Detroiter, Justin comes from a family rooted in education, health care, and public service. His father taught in Detroit Public Schools, and started a small business in Detroit. His mother is a nurse, and his grandparents worked for the City of Detroit and in local hospitals. Together they instilled in him the importance of hard work, service, and fighting for home.

After graduating from Rice University, Justin began his career as a community organizer in Detroit’s 48217 zip code, River Rouge, and Ecorse, organizing in some of the most heavily polluted zip codes in the state. He stood up to special interests and fought to secure air filters for homes and schools, ensure access to clean drinking water, and connect residents to resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also helped direct $2 in new community investments across Detroit and Downriver.

Justin went on to Columbia Law School, where he studied labor and constitutional law, served as Student Body President, and worked as a law clerk for the UAW and SEIU. Today, Justin serves as Detroit’s first Director of Entrepreneurship & Economic Opportunity where he has driven millions of dollars in investment in local startups and small businesses as he teaches workers’ rights law at Detroit Mercy Law School.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am committed to rebuilding Michigan's economy to be more just, robust, and affordable. Michigan was once a top-five economy in the nation, with high wages and low unemployment. Today, we have one of the nation's highest unemployment rates. As the City of Detroit’s first Director of Entrepreneurship, and given my background teaching workers’ rights law, I know firsthand that a strong economy uplifts both workers and small businesses. We have everything we need to build a growing, affordable, and vibrant economy that works for all of us. I am committed to fighting for workers, creating jobs as we invest in local small businesses, and making Michigan more affordable by lowering healthcare, utility, auto insurance, and housing costs.I will fight to invest in strengthening our neighborhoods. This means safe neighborhoods, strong public services, and the right to clean air, clean water, and a high quality of life. We must fight to ensure that every Michigander lives in a community that supports their well-being and future. I will work to invest in our public schools, lower property taxes, invest in public transit, increase housing supply, and build healthy and walkable neighborhoods.We must make our government more ethical and effective to solve large challenges again. To make progress on every issue, government must be ethical, effective, and responsive. For too long, Michigan has lagged behind on ethics, public trust, and transparency. That’s why I helped lead efforts to enshrine term limits and financial disclosure laws in our state constitution. We deserve a state government that actively listens to our communities, defends our rights, and delivers results. I'll fight for an ethical and effective government by securing FOIA and comprehensive ethics and campaign finance reform, fighting for the Michigan Voting Rights Act, and defending our constitutional rights against extreme attacks.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Labor and workers Rights, economic and small business development, ethics reform, public safety, and neighborhood investment that prioritizes schools, transit, and housing.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Openness, accessibility, honesty, moral clarity, and willingness to build coalitions.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Michigan must rebuild our economy to be more dynamic and affordable, we must invest in our neighborhoods so that people want to stay, move and build here, and we must make our state government the most ethical and effective in the country so that we can solve big issues again!

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

In some cases, yes. As the City of Detroit's first Director of Entreprenurship I understand how local governments can solve problems, I understand many of the barriers they face, and how state government can better serve residents. But, I also bring a tremendous amount of experience as a community organizer, attorney, adjunct law professor teaching workers' rights law, and as a 4th generation Detroiter. This experience matters too!

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, legislators must be coalition builders capable of being clear about their values but working with legislators throughout the legislature to deliver.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Wayne County Exec. Warren Evans; Lincoln Park Mayor Maureen Tobin; Ecorse Mayor Lamar Tidwell; River Rouge Mayor William Campbell; Wyandotte Mayor Robert DeSana; Detroit City Council President James Tate; Detroit City Councilmember Coleman A. Young II; former Congressman Andy Levin; former Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence; Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity; The Black Slate; The Original Eastside Slate; Michigan Teamsters; Amalgamated Transit Union; Detroit Fire Fighters Association; Bricklayers; Plumbers; Pipefitters; Iron Workers; Sheet Metal Workers; Boilermakers; IATSE, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Run for Something, MDP Black Caucus; MDP Jewish Caucus, Michigan 13th Congressional District Democrats; Alpha PAC

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I knocked on the door of a woman in Downriver whose son had over 20 brain surgeries. The medical costs are so high that sometimes when he has seizures, they're not sure if they can afford to take him to the hospital. They're deeply rooted in Wyandotte and recently started a church to help give back to the community. I think about so many families, like my own, who've had to struggle in thinking about rising costs for healthcare, housing, groceries, and so many other costs. I'm running to fight for working people each and every day.