Dwayne M. Barnes Jr., MPA, is a Senior Program Manager with the Equitable Neighborhood Planning team at Detroit Future City (DFC). In this role, Dwayne oversees the Detroit Neighborhood Housing Compact and will support reparative investment strategies in the former Black bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods.

Before joining Detroit Future City, Dwayne was Government Liaison for the Detroit Land Bank Authority. In this capacity, he was the principal contact for Detroit City Council on matters pertaining to the Land Bank.

Previously, Dwayne was a Community Engagement Analyst for Detroit at the Michigan League of Public Policy (MLPP), where he demonstrated a keen commitment to community empowerment. In this position, he provided training, forged strategic partnerships, and crafted impactful strategies for community partners, contributing significantly to the organization’s mission.

Prior to his tenure at MLPP, Dwayne served as the engagement strategy and urban outreach expert for the Center for Michigan and Bridge magazine—a nonprofit and nonpartisan think and do tank. His role focused on shaping engagement strategies and fostering urban outreach.

Dwayne has played significant leadership roles in various civic organizations, including the New Leaders Council Detroit Chapter, Project: Better Man, Inc., and the Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Black Man’s Cancer Council. He was also designated as a Skillman Foundation BMe Community Vanguard Fellow.

Dwayne holds a master’s degree in public administration from Oakland University and a Bachelor of Science in African American Studies from Eastern Michigan University. In his personal life, he is married and is the proud father of two children.