DETROIT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PARTNERSHIP

We help move Detroit forward.

City government effects our daily life and it’s our duty to make sure it moves in the direction of everyday residents.

How We Move the Work

Whether on housing, transit or health, Detroit Government Affairs Partnership ensures that our voices are heard inside of the Coleman A Young Municipal Center and beyond. Our clients are mission driven community organizations in the city fighting for a future that functions for the people.

Relationship Building

City government runs on relationships. We build authentic relationships with the council members, department heads, appointed officials, and administrative staff who shape policy.

They know that when we come to the table, we represent organized, credible community voices. When it matters most, we open the door and talk directly to the people who make our desires into city policy.

Policy Research

Good advocacy demands both passion and knowledge. We translate the often dense language of city ordinances, budget line items, zoning codes, and proposed legislation into clear, actionable intelligence your organization can use.

We monitor the Council’s legislative calendar, track departmental budget allocations, analyze proposed ordinances, and identify the moments where intervention can make the greatest difference. Our analysis let’s you know where to put your energy.

Coalition Building

No single organization wins alone. Long lasting policy victories are only possible when it comes from a united connected multi-issue group of organizations. We’re talking housing, health, transit and labor advocates all in the same room. We help make that happen.

We organize our clients around shared goals coordinated messaging, and timing. We help prevent the fractures that can undermine campaigns.

Strategic Action

The right move is the one that makes the most difference with the tools that we have. We work with our clients to design and deploy advocacy campaigns that match the moment. We assess what that is, whether it is organizing testimony for a Council hearing, planning direct meetings with elected officials, or mobilizing community members around a critical vote.

By consistently mapping the political terrain we identify pressure points, and build action plans that put your organization in the strongest possible position to win.

Maurice Weeks - Founder and Principal

Maurice BP-Weeks founded Detroit Government Affairs Partnership to make sure Detroit’s civic institutions work as hard for residents as residents work for their city. He has spent his career at the intersection of community organizing and municipal policy, building relationships across every level of Detroit’s government while keeping the priorities of everyday residents at the center of the work. Maurice leads DGAP’s approach to advocacy: rooted in relationships, driven by research, and accountable to the communities the firm represents.

Maurice is a distinguished corporate campaigner, organizer, and advocate for economic and racial justice. In the past decade Maurice has established himself as a prominent figure in the fight against systemic oppression. Co-founder and former Co-Executive Director of The Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE), Maurice has collaborated with community organizations, labor unions, and racial justice activists, driving meaningful change on a multitude of fronts. His work is deeply rooted in dismantling economic exploitation in communities of color.

Maurice is a recipient of the 2022 Open Society Foundations Equality Fellowship and a 2022 Interrupting Criminalization Fellow. Since his departure from ACRE works on a variety of issue and community based campaigns.

Maurice holds a B.A. in Sociology from Swarthmore College and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Originally from Newark, NJ, Maurice now calls Detroit, MI home, where he resides with his cherished wife, Shandra, and their delightful child, Charlie. Beyond his advocacy Maurice has bylines in publications such as In These Times, Colorlines, The Forge, Truthout, The Prospect, and more. Maurice is also the host of the acclaimed Convergence magazine-produced podcast, "Indebted," where he explores the intricate intersection of debt as an economic tool and the lived experiences of Black Americans, shedding light on crucial issues often overlooked in mainstream discourse.