AND WHEN THE CITY IN HIGHLAND
PARK MICHIGAN LOST THEIRS, PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME REFUSED
PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME REFUSED
TO BE LEFT IN THE DARK.
IT IS PLAIN TO SEE HIGHLAND PARK
HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS.
IT WAS HOME TO A FLORIDA PLANT
IN CHRYSLER'S HEADQUARTERS.
NOW EMPTY LOTS.
ALSO WOODEN BOXES HERE WHERE
STREETLIGHTS ONCE STUDIO IN 2011
THE LOCAL POWER COMPANY
REPOSSESSED MORE THAN A THOUSAND
LIGHTS BECAUSE THE STRUGGLING
CITY OWED MORE THAN $4 MILLION.
TO SETTLE THE DEBT THE CITY
AGREED TO HAVE ITS STREETLIGHTS
REMOVED.
I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
FULLY APPRECIATE THE ROLE THAT
LIGHT PLAYS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: UNTIL THE LIGHT IS
GONE.
>> YES.
>> Reporter: SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SOLADARITY, A NON
PROFIT HERE STARTED WHEN THE
LIGHTS WERE TAKEN AWAY.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE DARK.
>> YOU DON'T SEE CHILDREN
PLAYING OUTSIDE IN THE EVENING.
YOU DON'T SEE COMMUNITY
GATHERING IN PLACES LIKE WE ARE
NOW.
>> Reporter: RATHER THAN RELYING
ON THE CITY OR UTILITY, THEY
RAISED MONEY TO INSTALL SOLAR
POWERED STREETLIGHTS.
FOR THE LAST DECADE THEY HAVE
PUT IN 17.
THIS IDEA OF BUILDING SOLAR
POWERED STREET LAMPS AND
LIGHTING COMMUNITY, I THINK A
LOT OF FOLKS MIGHT HERE THAT AND
THEY WHY?
>> THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
TO NOT ONLY IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION
TO JUST HAVE PHYSICAL LIGHT IN
THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO SHARING
THE LIGHT ON SOME OF THE
INJUSTICES THAT ARE GOING ON IN
TERMS OF EQUITY.
>>> IT IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST
LIGHT.
>> OF COURSE.
>> PART OF THAT SOLUTION IS
INTERNET ACCESS.
THE NEW LIGHTS ALSO SERVE AS
WIFI HOSPITALS.
>> DURING COVID STUDENTS WEREN'T
ABLE TO GET ONLINE FOR SCHOOLS.
>> Reporter: THEY WORK WITH
PARTNERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
PERHAPS NONE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
MAMA SHOE AROUND HERE.
FOR YEARS SHE'S BEEN BUILDING
HER OWN LITTLE COMMUNITY,
INCLUDING AN AFTERSCHOOL
HOMEWORK HOUSE FOR KIDS.
EVEN A BASKETBALL COURT.
AND ALSO HOSTS A SUMMER CAMP KB
A FAIR FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DO.
THEY DO WELL FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY GET AN EDUCATION AND THEY
LEAVE THE HOOD.
BUT YOU DECIDED TO NOT JUST STAY
BUT TO REBUILD IT.
WHY?
>> THIS IS WHERE I WAS BORN.
THIS IS WHERE I WAS LIVING.
SO I JUST DECIDED TO FIX UP
WHERE I WAS LIVING.
IN.
>> Reporter: MAMA SHOE AND SOLE
DARETY PUT THE FIRST OFFICIAL
STROOILGT RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR
HOUSE.
SON KILLED BY A HIT AND RUN
DRIVER AND THIS PAST JANUARY HER
SON SHOT AND KILLED. YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE THEY LOSE
YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE THEY LOSE
ONE CHILD.
>> I KNOW.
>> Reporter: AND IT SEEMS LIKE
IT'S HAD THE OPPOSITE EFFECT ON
YOU.
HOW CAN THAT BE?
>> I REALLY THINK I WAS PROBABLY
JUST BLESSED WITH AN EXTRA DOSE
OF RESILIENCY, CHANGING GRIEF
INTO SOMETHING GLORIOUS.
PAIN INTO POWER.
IT WAS A DYING NEIGHBORHOOD.
PEOPLE LIKE I'M GETTING AWAY
FROM HERE.
I'M GETTING AWAY -- LIKE, HMM.
THIS IS A NURTURING GROUND TO
ME.
>> Reporter: IF IT TAKES A
VILLAGE THAT IS WHAT SHE'S
HOPING TO GIVE HER COMMUNITY.
AND THEY HAVE LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT HOW TO FOSTER
INDEPENDENCE.
THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE A LESSON
HERE IN TEACHES KIDS THAT LOOK
LIKE US ABOUT GREEN ENERGY.
ABOUT THIS NEW FRONTIER.
>> YEAH.
MY SON ACTUALLY HAS PLAY DATES
WHERE HE'S PRETENDING TO
ORGANIZE TO FIGHT AGAINST SOME
INJUSTICE.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE BUILDING
SOMETHING HERE IN HIGHLAND PARK.
NEW LIGHT HERE AND WITH IT A NEW
HOPE.
THEY PLAN TO KEEP RAISING MONEY
TO PUT UP EVEN MORE LIGHTS AND
THE LESSON FOR OTHER COMMUNITY F
THEY CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN.
WE REACHED OUT AND THEY BOTH SAY
THE AGREEMENT TO MOVE THE LIGHTS
BACK IN 2011 WAS IN THE BEST
INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS
PART OF AN AUSTERITY PLAN IN
TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES BUT AGAIN
TO SEE OFFICIALS RIPPING THE
LIGHTS OUT OF THE GROUND, YOU
KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO AND -- THEY
WERE IN THE DARK.
THINK ABOUT THIS.
FOR YEARS, THEY ARE IN THE DARK.
OUTSIDE PLAYING IN THE DARK.
>> SO METAPHORICAL TOO.
>> HOW CAN YOU DONATE --
>> YOU CAN DONATE TO SOLE
DARETY.
BUT THEY WANT THIS TO SPREAD TO
OTHER COMMUNITIES.
FOLKS WHO CAN TAKE BACK THEIR
ENERGY --
>> LOT OF THE KIDS WHO DIDN'T
HAVE INTERNET DURING COVID,