From Blight to Bright: How One Woman Sparked a Village in Highland Park, Michigan

Can one person really make a difference?

At a national level, it can feel impossible. But in a neighborhood — one block, one family, one idea at a time — the answer is absolutely yes.

In Highland Park, Michigan, a woman known affectionately as “Mama Shu” proved what’s possible when vision meets persistence. Her dream began with a single $3,000 house in a place “littered with dilapidated houses and empty blocks — beaten down, blighted, and forgotten.”

“I’m the unlikely urban planner,” she said. “I never went to college for it, but I’m creative. And I saw something beautiful in the making. I thought about what it would look like if we had beautiful, functional things that the city used to have. And so, I just started doing something about that — just a little bit at a time.”

She started cleaning up one lot after another — even those she didn’t own. She raised funds however she could, and slowly, others began to take notice.

“Once people see you start doing the work, not only do they start wanting to volunteer and be involved, but they also get inspired to start doing things on their own and building it up themselves.”

What began as one house has grown into Avalon Village, a thriving eco-village that now owns about 45 properties — nearly the entire block — and serves as a beacon of hope for more than 10,000 neighbors in Highland Park.

Building an Eco-Village and a Community

Designed with green infrastructure and powered by solar energy, Avalon Village took about eight years to build. But the real power isn’t just in the physical transformation — it’s in the relationships that have formed.

Neighbors have started book clubs, neighborhood watches, after-school patrols, and meal programs. Some volunteers ensure that children get home safely each day, while others share dinners or maintain garden plots.

As one resident, Derrienne Reese, put it: “It’s like little pockets of positivity that people kind of have. And I think those things, you know, it starts off small, and it can snowball. Mama Shu is building a community up and holding space for people to bond and build more camaraderie between one another.”

The Power of a Neighborhood Hub

Avalon Village shows why neighborhood hubs are such a powerful model for change. By concentrating energy, institutions, and activities in one place, these hubs create a multiplier effect — catalyzing interaction, collaboration, and inspiration.

When people gather, they start imagining. When they imagine, they act. And when they act together, blocks — and even cities — begin to change.

Lesson for All of Us

You don’t have to have a degree or a master plan to make a difference. You just have to see potential where others see problems — and take the first small step.

The ripple effect will take care of the rest.

To learn more, watch this video from Steve Hartman that aired on CBS about Avalon Village: Take time to dream.

Written by David L. Burton

MORE INFORMATION

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or burtond@missouri.edu. You can also visit his website at https://engagedneighbor.com.