An activist raised in a household that encouraged resistance, Sheila Murphy grew up in Detroit’s Corktown under the leadership of her parents, Louis and Justine Murphy, who ran soup kitchens, volunteered at hospitality homes, and founded Detroit’s Catholic Worker movement.

As a young adult, Sheila attended Wayne State University, where she acquired a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in urban planning.

She also joined groups like the West Central Organization, which saw her combining radical activism with institutional leadership and putting in real work to monitor police brutality in the city of Detroit.

In 1978, Sheila married Kenneth Cockrel Sr. at a time when she was busy organizing campaigns around tenant rights and police abuse, such as the infamous STRESS incident.

Sadly, Kenneth passed away a decade later, in 1988, but Sheila did not let her grief slow her down.

Sheila ran for Detroit City Council in 1993 and won, taking office in 1994.

It would be the beginning of a successful run.

She was then re-elected in 1997, 2001, and 2005, serving all the way until 2009.

During her tenure, she steered the city’s budget, financing, and audits, slowly gaining a reputation for her policy aptitude, steadiness, and principled governance.

Even after leaving office in 2009, Sheila Cockrel continued serving as an expert bridge builder between Detroit’s radical past and blossoming future, one with a strong focus on urban issues and neighborhood redevelopment.

She went on to become an adjunct faculty member at Wayne State University’s Honors College before founding Crossroads Consulting Group, where she advised nonprofits and government officials alike.

She also co-founded CitizenDetroit, a nonprofit that encourages civic engagement, resident accountability, and increased public conversation around the issues that matter most.

An activist who never left her roots behind, Sheila Cockrel is not just a former councilwoman.

She is a core part of Detroit’s public conscience, one fluent in resistance, governance, and always holding the people in power accountable.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: October 1, 2025