Freedom Dreams

The Neighborhood Markets emerged as a weekly gathering rooted in food, creativity, and local exchange—creating a welcoming space where relationships could grow alongside produce and ideas. At the markets, we invite neighbors to connect over fresh produce grown in Freedom Dreams garden spaces, seedlings they can take home to start their own gardens, and thoughtfully designed objects produced in our Makerspace. Local entrepreneurs and craftspeople were invited to share their work as well, turning the market into a space that uplifts neighborhood talent while circulating resources within the community. More than a place to shop, the market became a place to slow down, gather, and feel connected.

Activation Days are an opportunity to pause and reflect together. While gathered on the land, neighbors share their Learning Dreams through conversation and surveys—naming skills they want to develop, workshops they hope to attend, and knowledge they’re excited to share. Community members were invited to imagine how the land could continue to grow as a place for learning, healing, and creativity. Local vendors, DJs, Arts & Crafts, Chess, Pizza and more create and energizing day of connections. Stay tuned to our calendar to attend!

Freedom Dreams hosts a summer program in partnership with Grow Detroit's Young Talent. For six weeks, youth aged 14 to 21 learn the skills to Grow Food, Identify Plants, Assess Community Assets & Needs, and Build Public Infrastructure through the Design//Build process. Their learning is deeply place-based, with every lesson rooted by history, lived experience, and enacting solutions for the community. Some of these solutions have included garden beds for food production and beauty, shade pavilions and benches to encourage public gathering to support culture and community safety, and trash bins on every street corner to build pride and beauty for the community. We empower our youth to be active community members, following the ethos that our communities are up to us.

Freedom Dreams Neighborhood Makerspace comprises two workspaces, the Carriage House Workshop and the FabLab. The emergence of these spaces has been organic, and centered around the needs of our EcoVillage, our neighborhood and Community SCALE Production. Along the way we have been building a culture of vision organizing rooted in collaboration with neighbors, youth, teachers,  artists, makers, architects, contractors, situating design/build as a means of neighborhood development, skills building, and connecting with neighbors. 

J.I.V.E. Talk (Justice and Interpersonal relations to Visualize and Educate) is a space for intergenerational cohorts to discuss matter of the world and their lives. As our youth are growing out of school our elders are wanting to prepare and guide them to grow with healthy relationships and knowledge nurturing their excellence.

Every Year Jonsin 4 Change and Freedom Dreams come together to host a Back-to-School fair to celebrate the return to school and the end of summer as a community. Youth in the area are gifted a new backpack and school supplies to get them ready for the new school year. There are also food truck, games, and live music that make this an all day event. This is hosted every year in August - stay tuned to our event calendar for the next fair.

Freedom Dreams and Sweet Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church host holiday meals every year! Holidays are the time for us to come together and break bread, build relationships, and enjoy eachothers company.

Stay tuned on our event calendar for any upcoming community meals

The Apprenticeship program provides in-depth training in Design//Build skills across our makerspace, agriculture and gardening, and land beautification efforts. Apprentices dive deeper into our model of place-based education—building on their summer program skills they receive mentorship in their journey from community members, to community leaders. They work on larger scale neighborhood projects such as building new structures, renovating homes, and exploring career interests. The program lasts 10 weeks, runs seasonally, and offers a stipend to participants.

Our Garden Resource program emerged out of direct requests from our neighbors who wanted garden beds, soil, and seedlings to beautify their yards. We construct garden beds, flower stands, and seedling grow shelves in addition to providing rich compost soil and seedling starts for those in need. Pictured above, summer youth deliver garden beds and soil.

Similar to our Garden Resource Program, our Neighborhood Restorations Program emerged out of neighbors in need reaching out to us for support. We have repaired porches, steps and railings, replaced fascia and soffits, and rehung gutters. Neighbors are welcome to assist in the repairs, learning new skills and building new relationships as we make sure their homes are safe and cared for. Building a Beloving Community grounds all our decisions— improving access to a beautiful neighborhood must include everyone, every step of the way.