American CEO and activist
Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris (born 1965) is the CEO and founder of the Avalon Village, located in Highland Park, Michigan. Harris was the 2024 USA Today "Woman of the Year" and in 2023 she placed in the Top Ten for CNN's Heroes. She also founded The Moon Ministry 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization. The Moon Ministry has no connection or affiliation with Hyung Jin Moon's Unification Church.
Her nickname, "Mama Shu", is a reference to Shu, the Egyptian god of air.
Personal life.
In 2007 Harris' two-year-old son, Jakobi Ra, was struck by a car in a hit and run accident while crossing the street with his older brother, Chinyelu. The following year Harris opened the Avalon Village in his honor, which included Jakobi Ra Park.
In 2015, she lost her step-son, Pili Humphrey, who was 34 years old.
January 2021, Harris' 23-year-old son, Chinyelu Geb Kahero Humphrey, was sitting in his car in the Avalon Village doing neighborhood watch when he was shot and killed. Harris heard the gunshots and saw two individuals at the scene. No arrests have been made for Chinyelu's murder, and Harris even went as far as purchasing a billboard in 2022 asking the community for help. The billboard featured an image of Chinyelu and read, “My son was killed. I saw who did it. I told the authorities. No arrests. Help me. Signed, Mama Shu." Harris stated that she had to fill out a police report twice because it got lost and that the crime scene was not treated appropriately.
Life and work.
Harris is an active member of her community and has held many roles over the years. She was a school administrator in the Detroit Public Schools for 27 years, a chaplain for the Highland Park Police Department, chairwoman of Highland Park Charter Commission, Vice President of the Highland Park Housing Commission, President of the Highland Park Board of Education, Wayne Metro Regional Advisory Council, and was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as a member of the Michigan Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity.
Avalon Village.
The tragedy of losing her son, Jakobi Ra, inspired Harris' motivation to develop the Avalon Village, which is named after the street it sits on, Avalon Street, located in Highland Park, Michigan. This "eco-village" consists Harris does not have a background in urban planning or development "except for sitting on this porch conjuring up what I want to do on this block, that's it".
The Avalon Village started after Harris purchased a house on the corner of Avalon Street for $3,000, which would be the first of 45 lots that were eventually acquired by Harris in her neighborhood of Highland Park, MI. Over the years, Harris acquired funding through many different avenues to help reach her goal of building the Avalon Village, including selling $5 fish sandwiches. The Avalon Village Kickstarter earned a massive $243,690 in donations. Harris was featured on "The Ellen Show" in 2016, where Ellen DeGeneres donated a $100,000 pre-fab house to the Avalon Village. The American rock band, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, donated $100,00 through their Big Sun Foundation non-profit. An anonymous donor and former Highland Park resident donated tens of thousands of dollars to help with the completion of the Homework House. On July 30, 2024, rap and hip-hop artist KRS-One performed a benefit show in Avalon Village at Jakobi Ra Park.
Harris commented while developing building of Avalon Village, “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.”
Inside the Village.
Harris' future goals for Avalon Village include building a school, café, greenhouse, and a healing center.