The city of Highland Park is facing an intense five-way mayoral race. The five candidates are Mayor Glenda McDonald, first elected in 2022; Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris; Joshua LaMere; Elene Robinson; and write-in candidate J. Douglas Hollie.
A campaign worker who declined to share her name said that residents in Highland Park are divided. “The legacy residents want McDonald, but the new people want Mama Shu. There’s very clear lines.”
One voter, a 19-year-old who came out to vote with his mother, said that they both voted for Mama Shu because they admire the work she’s done in the community.
However, another resident, a woman named Ennis, shared that she is supporting McDonald because she believes that she did make an impact during her first term. “I love Mama Shu,” she says, “But, I believe she has a lot on her plate with her foundation and Avalon Village—I would like to see her keep doing that.”
She added, “I think McDonald did some good things and that she deserves four more years for that progress to continue.”
Mayor Glenda McDonald was elected after running unopposed four years ago, now she faces steep competition in her pursuit of reelection. However, McDonald touts what she considers the biggest accomplishment of her administration: securing $100 million from the state to overhaul Highland Park’s aging water infrastructure system.
In a June interview with the Michigan Chronicle’s Executive Editor, Jeremy Allen, McDonald said, “One of the biggest accomplishments – and it wasn’t just me. I give credit to the citizens who went and helped us with the Senate and legislators and the governor’s office – was the water infrastructure project,” she said. “A hundred million dollars is unheard of, but we were able to get that done.”
She added, “They’re going right now putting in these lines, which children no longer have to worry about having lead pipes that can lead to lead poisoning,” she said. “Securing that funding for that is monumental.”
One of McDonald’s most visible challengers is Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris. Known as the founder and CEO of Avalon Village in Highland Park. The village has been recognized nationally for its community park which includes gardens, a basketball court and a “homework house” for students.
Harris has declared that her goal for Highland Park is to create a citizen focused government and go further in economic development efforts. In an interview with the Chronicle’s Sam Robinson, Harris said, “Sometimes it’s tough getting things done as a citizen,” she added, “Just some of the red tape that you have to go through — I’m looking at some of the things that I have to go through just to build some something that is going to service the residents.”
A Facebook search of ‘Highland Park Mayoral Race’ yields strong opinions and support for Harris as well as write-in candidate, J Douglas Hollie.
A former NFL player, Hollie has pledged not to take the mayoral salary for the first two years of his term. He is running on a platform of a cleaner city, building strong relationships, restoring Highland Park’s reputation, and fiscal responsibility. Hollie has been known in the community for selfless service. He has reportedly assisted families with replacing furnaces during the winter, assisted homeowners facing hardship, fed families in need, funded scholarships for students, helped maintain the Highland Park Public Library, donated machinery for city improvement projects, and organized monthly activities and outreach for senior citizens.
Hollie told The Beautiful Machine magazine that he was inspired to run after attending a city council meeting and hearing a resident softly say, “I just want to be safe while I’m here.”
The article states that Hollie’s plan begins with restoring public safety by strengthening the police department, rebuilding trust between law enforcement and residents, and bringing streetlights back to every neighborhood. He believes a clean city is a safe city. Illegal dumping, neglected properties, and blight must be addressed through fair but firm code enforcement.
In a Facebook post, a citizen declared support for Elene Robinson, “as a lifelong resident and retired UAW Ford worker, Elene is ready to fight for real financial restoration, local jobs, and bringing back the vital resources our neighborhoods deserve.”
A 74-year-old resident named James, who was campaigning for Robinson outside of the municipal building, says she has a plan for schools and improved services.
Supporters of Joshua LaMere shared, “This campaign is about more than one person. It’s about restoring faith in our blocks, rebuilding civic pride, protecting our elders, creating opportunities for our young people, and making sure the people of Highland Park have a real voice in what comes next.”
A Minneapolis native, LaMere is the founder of City of Trees, a non-profit centered around the reestablishment of Highland Park Public Schools and turning the Model T Plant into a National Park.
Council candidate Koron Wilkerson said of the Mayoral race that have a wide field is a good thing, “We deserve to have choices.”
City Council member Khursheed Ash-Shafii of District 3 said that he is glad that there is a field of candidates for Mayor, but that he remains undecided and will choose from the two candidates who will be on the ballot in November. As for his race, he has specific goals. “I would like to see our water bill addressed. I’d like to see it lowered. Okay, we found out after the master meters were put in that the Great Lakes Water Authority has been overcharging us by 2.4 million dollars. I tell you, we want that money back, and we want our rate to be lower.”
Ash-Shafii also addressed a looming fear of Highland Park residents what they perceive as impending gentrification of their city which sits in the middle corridor between downtown and the suburbs. “The long-term residents here in Highland Park, I’d like to see their property taxes capped so they can survive the onslaught of the gentrification that’s going to happen here in Highland Park, because it’s definitely about to start. You know, so I want the residents who are here, who’ve been here their entire lives, who lived in their homes for 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 or 40 years, to be able to survive the onslaught of rising property taxes.”
As of press time, the Highland Park City Clerk has not published any election results.
You can reach Biba at Biba.Adams@MIChronicle.com
