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Detroiter to Detroiter: Jonathan Barlow says it’s time for a plan and a future fueled by innovation
Jonathan Barlow a businessman running for Mayor of Detroit thinks he's the man for the job because of his experience. "I think the city needs to go in the direction of an actual plan," Barlow told Hilary Golston. He envisions Detroit as an innovation hub, one where young people are empowered to reach their full potential. "I came up in Detroit where I could dream," he said. "But today, too many of our youth aren’t being put in a position to develop themselves fully." He's also proposing a joint educational task force.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Jonathan Barlow is one of several candidates running to be Detroit’s next mayor. He’s not following the traditional playbook.
"I’ve spent no real time raising funds because I’m not going to commit to some corporate think tank that wants to manipulate my administration," Barlow told Hilary Golston.
Barlow is offering a vision centered on transparency, equity, and long-term reinvestment in the people of Detroit.
"I want to take Detroit where we become a transparent city," he says. His goal is to transform Detroit into "an international innovation hub" where opportunity and imagination are supported by structural change.
He says he came up in a Detroit where he could dream, but he worries those dreams are becoming less attainable. He believes young people as well as youth aren’t prepared for the future adequately and that the solution starts with education that goes beyond the classroom. He’s calling for a joint educational task force that focuses on "social welfare" and "social determinants of families."
Barlow wants to tackle the daily struggles that keep many Detroiters from stability. He’s prioritizing solutions to homelessness, lack of childcare, transportation barriers, and access to basic necessities. On the issue of food insecurity, he doesn’t mince words. "Our food pantry system as well as our urban agricultural system needs a total restructuring."
He’s also concerned about the way the city addresses violence. He’s calling for better coordination among Community Violence Intervention groups. "I think a lot of this starts with prayer," he says when asked how to reduce violence.
Barlow speaking less abstractly, says he was the victim of an armed robbery in 2019 and understands the trauma that follows. That experience informs his belief that public safety must be both preventive and compassionate.
Earlier this year, he drew attention online when a group of young people grabbed his phone during a TikTok livestream. Barlow confronted them directly but calmly, asking for accountability. The moment went viral, but for him, it highlighted the disconnect between young people and leadership—and the need for leaders to meet people where they are, even in uncomfortable situations.
As the August 5 primary approaches and early voting continues, Barlow is one of the few candidates rejecting the conventional campaign model. He is leaning on his lived experience and community engagement instead of donors and political alliances. His platform centers on healing the city through structural transformation, generational investment, and a return to values that are personal.
All of the mayoral candidates in Detroit were offered the chance for 1-on-1 interviews. Many of them will be featured in the days leading up to the election.