Justin Onwenu

Justin Onwenu is a Detroit attorney, community organizer and former City of Detroit director of entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. In August 2026, he won the Democratic nomination for Michigan's 1st Senate district.

Biography Onwenu is a fourth generation Detroiter. His mother was a nurse and healthcare administrator in Detroit and his father was a Detroit Public Schools teacher and small business owner. Onwenu received a bachelor's degree from Rice University, where he served as student body president. He worked in Michigan’s most polluted zip code, advocating for neighborhood investment and public health protections to protect residents from toxic air and water.

In 2024, after graduating from Columbia Law School with a Doctor of Law degree, Onwenu was named by then-Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan as the city's first Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity. In these roles, he helped the city launch funding programs for Detroit businesses. He also served as the youngest member of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Black Leadership Advisory Council.

In August 2026, Onwenu won the Democratic Senate primary for Michigan's newly redistricted 1st Senate district, representing Detroit and downriver.

Personal life Onwenu lives in Detroit.