Toyia Watts, 68, of Detroit, left, the president of her neighborhood Charlevoix Village Association, holds a picture of her mother, QT, who moved from Mississippi to Detroit with her husband to purchase the house Watts proudly stands in front of. Daisy Jackson, 67, right, is the Field Street Block Club Vice President.
Don’t be fooled by her small stature.
Field Street Block Club Vice President Daisy Jackson, 67, is Detroit – she may as well be at least.
The Islandview resident who has lived in her Lower Eastside of Detroit home for the past 54 years, told the Michigan Chronicle while at a nearby friend’s home on Wednesday, September 7, that her life, well-being and her family’s lives have revolved around her cherished property.
Her fourth-generation family home is one that she has taken care of since moving there in 1971.
“I’m the first generation,” she said after living in Black Bottom before it was torn down. “I hate that we don’t have that anymore. It was a good time where everybody looked after everybody.”
Nowadays, Jackson is on a mission to continue to look after others like how she grew up by having an eagle eye on her neighborhood’s progress. She knows who is moving in and out, and what doesn’t belong – mostly big buildings that are responsible for raising local home costs, which she doesn’t like.
The soft-spoken Jackson, who swears like a seasoned sailor, is like the mother you didn’t know you needed. Also, the mother hen you don’t mess with over her neighborhood club, which is made up of both young and old residents who envision a safe, healthy and sustainable future for their neighbors.
From helping longtime residents with home repairs to creating a safer and more affordable neighborhood – Daisy and her nearby friend, Toyia Watts, talked about their passion for being “hell” raisers for the neighborhoods they represent in the best way.
“We’ve been here for generations,” Jackson said passionately across the table from Watts, who also represents Islandview as the president of the nearby Charlevoix Village Association.
Watts, also a longtime Detroit resident and one of the generations that make up her family home, talked at her wooden dining room table, which her parents purchased for their house in 1951 – before she was even born.
“If these walls could talk – we had a party at this house,” Watts said. “I’m leaving it to my kids. I tell my nieces and nephews – this is the family home. I don’t see it as my home because all of us grew up in this house. There were good times and bad times.”
Watts said that her association, around since the 1970s, is very active. The street boundaries are Mack to Kercheval and Mt. Elliot to Maxwell.
Many other Islandview families have lived in that community for generations, and more people become new residents and move there daily, according to their website.
Yet, there have been forms of movement, too. Mass school closings, home mortgage and tax foreclosures, and the gutting of city services like libraries, recreation centers and public transit, have caused families to leave in droves, which Watts is not happy about.
“We face mass displacement through higher rent, higher taxes, price gouging by insurance companies, and the rising cost of living, among many other factors,” their website added. “We want real guarantees built into redevelopment plans that prevent displacement of the poor, working-class, and largely Black long-term residents of our community.”
Watts echoed similar thoughts and told the Michigan Chronicle that her corner of the world has seen problems revolving around gentrification among other things.
“Since the [Detroit] bankruptcy in our community and neighborhood ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money has not uplifted the community at all.
“I’m so frustrated with the light, water [and electric] authority,” she said, adding that there is not much help for the residents when they need it most. “We’re struggling to pay our bills”
D.R. (Dirra) Castelow, 49, of Detroit, vice president of the North End Neighbor Block Club, faces blight issues for the North End.
The North End Neighbors is a block club that has grown to serve and represent the entire North End Neighborhood. About 150 to 200 homes (or roughly 300 families) represent the neighborhood bordered between Hamtramck, Highland Park and to the east of the Motown Museum.
Castelow (also the president of the Men of the North End club) told the Michigan Chronicle that the groups he belongs to, which include a lot more, all center on growth for his area.
“I’ve lived in my home for over 30 years – I’m a lifelong North End resident,” he said, adding that while he has stayed in different parts of Detroit, the North End calls him back. “I always came back.”
Over the decades, however, he’s noticed a continual decline in services that residents rely on.
“I can recall a time any services you need can get them off of Oakland Avenue, now it’s sporadic,” Castelow said adding that many residents don’t have vehicles and the closest grocery store is a mile away. “We don’t have cleaners, laundromats, don’t have local stores — basically nothing here but us residents.”
Shirley Davis, 74, president of the North End Neighbors, said during an interview that the organization was started in 2012 to up safety measures.
“To cut down on debris because criminals were hiding in the bushes when police were chasing them down,” Davis said. “Because criminals were hiding in them. I’ve been doing a lot of cleanup throughout the years and I’m getting older and I want to pass down what I know to the younger generation who will be able to carry on what we’re doing over here.”
Davis, whose husband of 30 years passed last year, was part of building that legacy.
“Everything I know how to do I am teaching to Castelow so he can pass it on,” she said.
Davis, her husband and Castelow discussed the importance of neighborhood improvement and after her husband passed away, she decided to pass the baton to Castelow, which all began from the mighty work of the late Delores Benett who started it all.
“She spearheaded what we are doing,” Castelow said. “We focus on getting rid of illegal dumping.”
“That’s number one,” he added.
From voicing opinions in neighborhood planning to starting a neighborhood garden, pocket park or other community space, joining a block club through the City of Detroit Block Club program encompasses many different local community groups, which are registered with and recognized by the City of Detroit. These groups have direct access to their district managers who provide resources, information and a link to Mayor Mike Duggan.
The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) offers a direct link between the City of Detroit and block clubs, community groups, business owners, faith and school leaders, and everyday residents. The 14-member team includes a district manager and deputy district manager in each City Council district. Their top responsibility is fighting blight and rebuilding and strengthening the fabric of the neighborhoods.
Each City Council district also has a business liaison focused on helping neighborhood businesses grow and succeed.
For more information, go to degc.org/district-business-liaisons/.
Residents are encouraged to reach out to their District Manager for help in starting a block club.
For more information on joining a block club or neighborhood association visit detroitmi.gov and search “block club.”
Davis said that while the North End has a lot of issues and problems, they’ve been fixed bit by bit by a group who have a lot of grit, love, and some deep-rooted pride in their city and homes. “We want to make this a proud community.”
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