The Women of Goodstock

A Community Impact Documentary

Honoring Eastside Women's Legacy

Through The Women of Goodstock, a resident-driven documentary, we will highlight the women who helped sustain and transform their neighborhoods through decades of community organizing, neighborhood revitalization, and civic leadership.

Told through their own voices, this film will preserve their histories, celebrate their impact, and shift the narrative of Detroit’s eastside toward the people who remained committed to building a stronger community.

Collective Excellence

  • Barbara Martin at the Eastside Community Network

    Barbara Martin

    Goodstock Steering Committee Leader | Crane Street Block Club
    Barbara helped develop the vision for Goodstock and gave the initiative its name. Her leadership brought residents together to respond to disinvestment and organize around a future shaped by the people who call the neighborhood home.

  • Kathryn Douglass at the Eastside Community Network

    Kathryn Douglass

    Community Leader, The French Connection
    Through The French Connection, Catherine is part of the neighborhood leadership highlighted in the Goodstock project. Her story underscores the importance of block clubs in keeping residents connected and involved in shaping their community’s future.

  • Willie Mae Gaskin at the Eastside Community Network

    Willie Mae Gaskin

    Author & Community Advocate | Harding Friendship Block Club

    Willie Mae has spent decades supporting her neighbors through the Harding Friendship Block Club and community service. Her encouragement of fellow residents and commitment to neighborhood care reflect the lasting relationships that help sustain Goodstock.

  • Tammara Howard at the Eastside Community Network

    Tammara Howard

    Founder & Executive Director | What About Us, Inc.

    Tammara creates opportunities for neighborhood youth and families through What About Us, Inc. Her community programs and neighborhood gatherings give residents places to connect and speak up about local needs, supporting Goodstock’s emphasis on resident participation.

  • Edythe Ford at Eastside Community Network

    Edythe Ford

    Executive Director | MACC Development

    Edythe helps Eastside residents access housing assistance and brings neighbors together with local decision-makers. She contributes experience supporting homeowners and renters to Goodstock’s efforts to preserve housing and ensure neighborhood development responds to residents’ priorities.

  • Loretta Powell

    Founder | Little Detroit Community Garden

    Loretta transformed vacant land into a community garden that provides fresh food and opportunities for children to learn. Her work reflects Goodstock’s commitment to residents leading improvements that turn underused spaces into shared neighborhood resources.

An Investment in Goodstock’s Future

Support from KIP+ Cultural Heritage is helping Eastside Community Network bring The Women of Goodstock to life. This investment allows us to preserve and share the stories of Black women elders whose leadership has strengthened Detroit’s Eastside and helped sustain their neighborhoods through decades of change.

Through the documentary, we will carry their experiences forward and create opportunities for future generations to learn from the women who helped shape Goodstock. By sharing this history, we aim to strengthen community connection and support a future in which neighborhood growth reflects the knowledge and priorities of the people who live here.

This investment strengthens ECN’s ability to document neighborhood history and share it with future generations. By preserving the stories behind Goodstock’s progress, we aim to deepen community connection and inspire continued leadership. The documentary supports our broader commitment to ensuring that growth on Detroit’s Eastside builds on the contributions and priorities of the people who live here.

In Memory of Angela Brown Wilson

A lifelong Eastside resident and trained social worker, Angela Brown Wilson devoted her life to strengthening the community she called home. As Eastside Community Network’s Chief Operating Officer, she helped shape decades of work alongside residents. Her commitment to public service also extended to city government, where she served in Mayor Dennis Archer’s administration before returning to ECN.

As a founding leader of the Goodstock neighborhood, Angela helped turn a shared vision for the neighborhood into organized action. She brought residents together and carried out the steady work of building relationships that made collective action possible. Her organizing supported Goodstock’s commitment to ensuring that neighbors had a voice in the decisions and investments shaping their community’s future.

The Women of Goodstock is dedicated to Angela’s memory. Her contributions remain central to the history this documentary seeks to preserve. Through this dedication, we honor her role in building Goodstock and the legacy of community care carried forward by the women who continue this work.