Southfield Mayor Dr. Kenson Siver presented the Key to the City to former resident, iconic actress, fashion figure and multiple sclerosis advocate Selma Blair on May 16 at a MS fundraiser luncheon at the Westin Southfield-Detroit. Ms. Blair also served as special celebrity host of the Art & Vintage Fashion Show and fundraiser sponsored by the Friends of the Southfield Public Arts that evening at the former Skyline Club.

“When I was a little girl growing up in Southfield, I didn’t know about community programs—I often wished for them. My parents worked hard, and though I didn’t have access to those things, Southfield gave me something else: imagination,” commented Selma Blair. “I remember hearing softball games behind my house on Coventry Woods Lane, dreaming I had a team and a uniform. But it was in the nearby woods, with my mom and sister, that I found my Brigadoon—a hidden world where I sketched, dressed in old gowns, and let my dreams come alive on film. It moves me deeply to see Southfield growing into a home for creative dreamers and performers. So many incredible people have come from here—there really must be something in the water, or the woods, or the skyline that inspires greatness.”

About Selma Blair

Selma James Blair is an iconic on-screen personality, fashion figure, and activist whose remarkable career spans several decades. She is known for her roles in Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions, The Sweetest Thing, and the Hellboy franchise. Born in Southfield, Michigan, she was raised in a politically engaged household—both of her parents were practicing attorneys and politically involved. Blair studied photography at Kalamazoo College, relocated to New York to immerse herself in the art world, and ultimately graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan. Blair’s impact on social change has been further solidified by her recognition as one of TIME magazine’s 2017 People of the Year. In 2018, Blair announced she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a central nervous system condition that damages nerves and affects brain signals. In 2021, Blair starred in Introducing, Selma Blair, a documentary about her life since being diagnosed with MS. Published by Knopf in 2022, her debut memoir Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up, immediately became a New York Times bestseller. Her talent and versatility have garnered widespread recognition—from her participation on Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars, where she earned the title of Competition Contestant of 2022 at the People’s Choice Awards, the same year that the State of California honored her by naming her Woman of the Year. In 2023, Glamour honored her with the prestigious Women of the Year Award for her fearless dedication to challenging societal norms, and in 2024, British Vogue celebrated her as one of its 40 “Megastars” with in an iconic Steven Meisel cover shoot. Blair currently partners with skincare line ESK, serves as the face of Brooks Brothers’ Icon campaign, collaborates with Mersea on a curated travel-essentials collection, serves on the Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and is a collaborator with EMD Serono. She’s also slated to appear in four upcoming feature films—including her first leading role opposite Ron Perlman of the Hellboy series—and is exploring a new podcast venture.

About the Southfield Public Arts Commission

The Southfield Public Arts Commission consists of eleven members, six appointed by the City Council and five by the Mayor, serving staggered three-year terms. It meets monthly and advocates for, promotes, and helps install public artwork in Southfield, with City Council approval, to benefit the public through the arts.