DETROIT – Melia Howard is a familiar face around Detroit — dropping in at neighborhood businesses, cutting ribbons at new storefronts, and leading city responses to crises — all while keeping a clear focus: working with and for Detroiters.
It’s common to see Howard stopping by a local café, boutique, or browsing the shelves at Source Booksellers.
“It’s the atmosphere. It’s the vibe. I mean, look around,” said Howard during a recent visit to Simply Roasted, a small business she regularly supports.
Howard has become a go-to representative for the city at community events while intentionally keeping her work rooted in neighborhood connections.
“I’ve always helped in the community, right, since I was knee-high to a butterfly,” Howard said. “But as an adult, I said, what is my mission and vision in the community. And, literally, it is working with and for Detroiters.”
Howard is the second woman in the city’s history to serve as Deputy Mayor.
Appointed in October 2024, she has swiftly taken on challenging assignments that directly impact residents.
In February, after the death of two young children who had been sleeping in their family’s vehicle in a Greektown parking garage, Mayor Mike Duggan asked Howard to lead a task force to change Detroit’s homeless housing response strategy.
Howard has stayed connected to the grieving family, describing her ongoing support as taking on “auntie duties.”
That same month, Howard helped coordinate the city’s response to a major water main break in southwest Detroit that damaged hundreds of homes.
“In order for me to be effective, I have to logically separate emotion from the task that’s happening at hand,” Howard said while reflecting on her work.
The Deputy Mayor describes herself as a neighborhood “busy body” who looks for informal ways to bring residents together.
One of her signature efforts, “Munchies with Melia,” combines her love of food with a platform to highlight small restaurateurs.
“Obviously, munchies, I like to eat. But it’s a way to get out into the community and highlight all of the small restaurateurs,” Howard said.
Howard also uses low-key visits to stores like Source Booksellers to lift local institutions she wants Detroiters to know about.
“When I see places like this, this is the stuff I want to highlight. Because I want to make sure that people know that they are here,” Howard said.
Howard said she loves the city of Detroit and has a passion for the people.
She urges residents to get out of their comfort zones and take time to explore every aspect of what the city has to offer.
“The second you stop, there’s so many gems and so many things to see and so many people to meet and so many businesses to shop at, that we’ve got to continue to do this,” Howard said.
Beyond the official duties and community events, Howard’s personality shows in small details she’s happy to share — from a love of house music to an unexpected Godzilla collection — reminders that the city’s leaders are also its neighbors.