Laura Chavez-Wazeerud-Din, the new President and CEO of the Southwest Detroit Business Association, walks into the conference room of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation; dressed in all red – red lipstick, red eyeglasses, and a red dress paired with black leather boots – the room shifts when she walks in. She’s there to meet representatives from Huntington Bank. As a new CEO, she’s determined to bring money and resources into her community.
Chavez starts her day jolting from one meeting to the next—each a web of ideas and pitches to bring attention to the work being done in Southwest Detroit.
First on the agenda is a tour of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation (DHDC), then a trip to SDBA’s office at 7752 Vernor Hwy. Then, back to DHDC for a meeting with the Southwest Detroit Small Business Service Providers, and off to a local Mexican restaurant for a marketing meeting. In the evening, there’s a 4th Precinct community relations council meeting and a National Black MBA Association General Membership Meeting. This is a typical Tuesday for Chavez.
Southwest Detroit Business Association was established in 1957 to support local businesses along the W. Vernor corridor and in the neighborhoods. Chavez stepped into the role of interim director fifteen months ago, but in December, she was officially made the first Latina to hold the position of CEO in the organization’s 67-year history.
“The recent appointment of a Latina as president of SDBA marks a milestone in our collective journey toward empowerment. It symbolizes inclusivity and progress,” said Luz Viviana Meza, Director of Operations for the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative.
Like Southwest Detroit, Chavez has been underestimated. Her life has been a series of challenges, many heart-wrenching and difficult to overcome. At three years old, she was taken from her abusive mother and put in the foster care system. At 14, Chavez became homeless, sleeping in the restroom at Clark Park until an aunt she barely knew took her in for a month. Afterward, Chavez couch-surfed in the homes of high school friends and distant relatives.
She always knew college was in her cards, and by ninth grade, Chavez began applying for scholarships. With an inner strength built from years of surviving, and with the help of mentor and respected community leader Mary Barella, Chavez applied to Wayne State University to study bicultural/bilingual education with an English as a second language certificate.
“I knew I was put on this Earth for something better, and all these challenges just made me ready for it,” Chavez said.
Chavez is taking the helm at Southwest Detroit Business Association at a pivotal time. Michigan Central Station, slated to open June 6, 2024, is part of a $740 million renovation project by the Ford Motor Company. The renovation package includes 1.2 million square feet of office space and retail that will dramatically impact roads, housing, and business in Southwest Detroit.
The organization is also in the middle of its own major development project. La Joya Gardens, on W. Vernor Hwy, will have 53 residential and ground-floor retail units.
“Creating more affordable housing and density within Southwest is necessary to prevent gentrification and rising rents that exceed residents’ income,” said Greg Mangan, Real Estate Advocate at SDBA. “We need to create more housing of all types and varieties, which (is) necessary to keep up with the demand so that people that live here and want to stay here, can remain here.”
With the NFL Draft in Detroit next month, Chavez is determined to make Southwest Detroit a hotspot. According to Forbes, 312,000 people attended the 2023 Kansas City NFL Draft, which generated $164.3 million for Kansas City. If this year’s Draft in Detroit sees similar numbers, the implications could be huge for local Latino businesses.
As she charts out the organization’s future, Chavez lists three main priorities for SDBA. One is to continue collaborating with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the City of Detroit to create safe trails alongside natural corridors for walking, biking, and cycling.
Also, Chavez is working to turn Southwest Detroit into a tourist destination. The community is flush with murals, food vendors, tiendas, and restaurants galore. She wants to use authentic Mexican flavors and rich Latino culture to entice visitors.
Third, Chavez is passionate about youth. COMPÁS—Center Of Music & Performing Arts Southwest—is funded by SDBA and provides arts education for the youth at no cost to the community.
“People don’t understand why SDBA has a youth component. These are our future leaders, future entrepreneurs,” Chavez said.
Excited about the future, she says she is fueled by the love for the community that raised her.
“I worked for several family-owned businesses in Southwest Detroit. It was because of their generosity and love that molded me into the woman I am today,” Chavez said. “I want people to say, ‘She gave it her all. She gave it 100%.’ (I hope) this business corridor continues to thrive, that these businesses are given the resources that they justly deserve.”
Estefania Arellano-Bermudez is a lifelong Detroiter. She has published in the Telegram News, and is a regular contributor to EL CENTRAL Hispanic News.
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This story was made possible by the Race and Justice Reporting Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to build trust between the news media and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities and strengthen representative democracy.
