The Selfcare Market Podcast

The year was 1990 and it was a new beginning for Sonya Greene. After her parents divorced, she moved to Detroit and put herself through college. Twice. Greene first went to Oakland Community College (OCC) and received her associate degree in nursing through the College’s accelerated nursing program. This paved the way to obtain her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Eastern Michigan University with cum laude honors.

“When patients are discharged from the hospital there is a focus, always, on how to improve well-being through healthy food choices. Poor food options are detrimental to one’s wellbeing.”

New chapter, same mission

Greene has now embarked on a mission to improve access to health in her local community as she heads a redevelopment project, called The Shift on Linwood St. on Detroit’s west side.

Central to the redevelopment is a new specialty store Linwood Fresh Market, an 1,800-square-foot property at 12737 Linwood St. The area is surrounded by fast food options and Greene was determined to change that landscape in the community.”

Greene has partnered with other Detroit based businesses to offer high quality, health-conscious options including daily fruits and vegetables. Many are brought in from Eastern Market.

Greene’s dream comes with a personal price

The self-made health professional and entrepreneur takes great pride in her redevelopment project but notes it has come with financial risks.

“I was not able to secure loans or grants for this redevelopment and had to sell my dream home off the Detroit River to complete the market.”

Since opening in 2023, I have noticed what is crucially needed is education and awareness. I said to myself, I can have all the fresh fruits and vegetables on the shelves as they can hold but what good is it if my people don’t know the benefits in eating healthy and incorporating nutritious food into their daily diet. So this is how the idea to launch a podcast came to be. Not only do I wish to reach my local community but I wish to reach others as well. So my attention and focus on improving the lives of others is unwavering. As a Healthcare professional with 30 years of experience under my belt the first thing that I was taught from day one is to advocate for others.

Community Affairs