Tensions were high inside Highland Park City Hall on Friday evening as community members packed the City Council chambers for a special meeting.

Community forum to discuss issues, events, and businesses in Highland Park, Mich.

Follow along with Karen Drew's 24 Hours in Highland Park coverage.

Local 4′s Karen Drew will be spending 24 hours in Highland Park to cover stories of residents, Avalon Village, and everything in between.

We're spending an entire 24 hours with the families to see how their lives have changed and also highlight what else needs to be done in Highland Park.

Highland Park is known for its challenges -- economic, social, and otherwise -- but the desire to transform it into the buzzing community it once was has not been lost by all, and most especially not by Mama Shu.

She lost one son to a hit and run and lost another to murder -- but “Mama Shu” Harris still fights on to make her Highland Park neighborhood better.

On Tuesday, the national voting rights organization called Black Voters Matter brought their message and caravan to southeast Michigan, including in Ypsilanti, Detroit, and Highland Park, to encourage people to turn out on Nov. 8.

There’s a lot of transformation going on in a local neighborhood that has been rocked by violence.

When it comes to the term “Community Building,” Shamayim Harris, more affectionally known as ‘Mama Shu’ is doing this literally. A native of Highland Park, when Mama Shu saw her neighborhood in ruins, instead of giving up and moving away, she envisioned turning the blight to beauty. After years of hard work and determination, Avalon Village, a community within a community was created.

Chinyelu Humphrey’s mother was across the street when the shooting happened.

Chinyelu Humphrey’s mother was across the street when the shooting happened.