Democratic Party politics has been a part of Janeé’s entire life. She endorsed and served as a surrogate for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and in late 2017 she endorsed and acted as a surrogate for then-candidate Gretchen Whitmer and served on the campaign's Leadership Council. In early 2020 Janeé endorsed Joe Biden for President. Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined Janeé before the March primary to meet with Janeé’s former co-workers at MGM Detroit and talk with them about our support for Biden. In her current term, the Michigan Democratic Party awarded Janeé with the Martin Luther King Jr. Award. She currently serves as a Vice Chair for the 13th District Democratic Party.
As chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, Janeé ensures that Detroit has a balanced budget and continues to provide key City services while avoiding the financial issues that once plagued the city. As vice-chair of the Public Health & Safety Committee, Janeé has fought to ensure that residents and small-business owners had the resources they needed during the COVID19 pandemic, whether it be food assistance or health supplies. When our first responders and small business owners were struggling to find PPE, Janeé teamed up with Mitch Albom and Coca-Cola to secure over $10,000 in donations to provide PPE and thermometers for the Detroit Fire Department and local restaurants. Janeé has also hosted events in partnership with Happy’s Pizza to provide meals during the summer for Detroit kids as well as a partnership with SEED Detroit to provide weekly fresh produce boxes to residents.
About Janeé
Janeé Ayers is a proud daughter of Detroit and a champion for all those who call her beloved Motor City home. A proud graduate of Renaissance High School, Janeé earned a full academic scholarship to Bowling Green State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy.
Janeé’s work and life experience make her uniquely suited to serve on the Detroit City Council. She began her professional career in Detroit working in city recreation programs to provide positive and enriching activities for young people and then as a teacher at a Detroit Public Schools alternative education facility where she inspired, nurtured, and mentored students.
Later, Janeé found her voice in the labor movement and became Vice President of the Metro AFL-CIO. While working as a hospitality worker at MGM Grand Casino, she became the one of the youngest members of the UNITEHERE! Local 24 contract bargaining team, negotiating on behalf of thousands of hospitality workers with some of the region’s largest employers.