Nine years ago, Shamayim lost her two year-old son to a hit-and-run driver. She set out to build a park to honor his memory and provide a safe space for youth. Today that vision is growing into a sustainable eco-village. With a successful $250,000 Kickstarter, hundreds of volunteer workers, and a little help from Ellen DeGeneres, Shamayim is building Avalon Village.

Shamayim "Shu" Harris is an entrepreneur and community activist based in Highland Park, Michigan. Shu serves as her city’s first female police chaplain and is chairwoman of the Highland Park Charter Commission. She is the former vice president of the Highland Park Housing Commission, and she is project directress of the Avalon Village.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx