Mama Shu has become almost a household name around Detroit, and she’s also gained attention nationally, including appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, NBC Nightly News and other outlets.
Shu, whose real name is Shamayim Harris, is founder and CEO of Avalon Village. It’s a bootstraps operation to reclaim a blighted street in hard-bitten Highland Park, as a sustainable, 21-century “eco-village,” complete with playgrounds, places for kids to get help with their school work and even get a healthy, home-cooked meal. And that’s just the beginning, with plans to convert an abandoned gas station into a coffee shop and more.
We traveled down to Avalon Village on a recent Friday to find the place buzzing with swarms of volunteers doing a little spring cleaning on the block. We spent time with Shu on her front porch, talking about the progress to date, what she envisions for her neighborhood and the project’s heartbreaking backstory: the death of her 2-year-old son, Jakobi Ra, in a hit-and-run accident in 2007. Shu’s an incredible woman full of charisma and boundless energy. Give it a listen.
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