For Jakobi, Mama Shu is creating safe and beautiful spaces for her entire community here in the heart of Detroit.
Air Date: June 7, 2018
Shamayim Harris or Mama Shu, is revitalizing Avalon Street in Highland Park following the tragic loss of her son.
Shu: My son Jakobi got hit by a car he was 2yrs one month and 6 days old. Six months after he died the house that I looked at for like 4 years became available and I bought it for $3000 and I built a park in his name it’s called Jakobi Ra Park.
Jakobi Ra Park was just the start of Shu’s mission to transform blight to beauty in her own community.
Shu: Clean up the block on Avalon Street one lot at a time it just basically was healing for me.
Mitch: How many lots now total?
Shu: 35
Mitch: That’s a neighborhood by itself
Shu: Yeah and we own almost the whole block we keep it clean we plant flowers and every year we build something to make it better and better to add onto the Village.
Right now we are working on the homework house. It’s a space for children to do their homework, take a bath, to iron their clothes because a lot of children in our neighborhood the gas, lights even the water is cut off and we need somewhere for the kids to feel like they are at home in their own neighborhood.
Construction is also underway on The Goddess Marketplace for women entrepreneurs; The Blue Moon Café and green house and the Avalon Village Healing House where holistic healing arts will be held.
Shu: You know what they say it takes a village to raise a child and I’m like we have to build villages that’s holistic and nurturing for the kids.
For Jakobi, Mama Shu is creating safe and beautiful spaces for her entire community here in the heart of Detroit.
