Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris

Born: 1965

Country of Birth: USA

Nationality: USA

Ethnicity: Black

Unknown

"“My son was killed. I saw who did it. I told the authorities. No arrests. Help me. Signed, Mama Shu." (Wikipedia); “All I care about is how we, as our community, how we are going to uplift ourselves and empower ourselves. We’re just doing what we need to do, just to make things better for ourselves.” (Wikipedia); "You can live with a broken heart, but it doesn't have to break your spirit." (theavalonvillage.org); "Have no fear, have no fear about nothing. For real, just do it, do it. I mean not in a reckless type of way ... but just don't have no fear. Do what it is that makes you happy — you happy. That's the key. Nobody else." (freep.com); “It shows that a community, just a group of folks who really want something to happen, they can come together and make it happen,” Mama Shu says. “It’s leaked over into Detroit, I see that they have followed suit. The mayor has called one of his campaigns ‘Blight to Beauty.’ I see that it’s spreading and I love that because I know that it’s infectious and that’s what it’s meant to be.” (metrotimes.com); “Removing blight removes old memories, old energy, all of that. And now we can replace it with something beautiful,” said Mama Shu. “That’s what you’ve got to do. Get rid of something old to make room for the new.” (beinspired.global); "

— Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris

Field of Study: Activism - Urban Renewal

Institution/Corporation: Avalon Village;

Degrees & Memberships: None found

Awards: 2024 Woman of the Year, USA Today; 2023 Top Ten CNN Heroes; 2023 Let Freedom Ring Humanitarian Award, Rainbow-Push Coalition; 2019 Champion Award, Wayne Metropolitan community Action Agency; 2016 Humanitarian of the Year Award, eWoman Network;

Achievements: created the Avalon Village, a nonprofit located in Highland Park, Michigan, with the mission of revitalizing the street and creating a safe and nurturing space for the entire community where today she and her organization own 45 lots of land across three blocks; founded The Moon Ministry 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization;