GROWTH | CONNECTION | RENEW

This year marked a period of deepening roots and expanding connection for Freedom Dreams. Across seasons, the land, programs, and people came together in ways that strengthened relationships, activated shared spaces, and reaffirmed the role of Freedom Dreams as a neighborhood anchor grounded in care, creativity, and stewardship. Through weekly gatherings, seasonal celebrations, youth programming, and cultural events, neighbors were invited not just to attend, but to participate in shaping the life and future of the EcoVillage.

At the heart of this work was a commitment to land as a living, relational asset. Whether through food grown and shared, structures built together, or stories lifted through music and conversation, each program offered opportunities for neighbors to gather, learn, and imagine what a community-centered future can look like when people are trusted with responsibility and space is designed for belonging.

Highlights

Neighborhood Markets

Freedom Dreams launched the Neighborhood Markets as a weekly gathering rooted in food, creativity, and local exchange. Neighbors connected over fresh produce grown on-site, seedlings to take home, and handmade goods from the Freedom Dreams Makerspace, alongside offerings from local entrepreneurs and craftspeople. More than a place to shop, the markets became a space to slow down, build trust, and circulate resources within the neighborhood. The consistency of these gatherings strengthened relationships and informed how Freedom Dreams aligns production, programming, and impact with community needs. The markets will return in late spring, continuing to nurture a neighborhood-centered economy grounded in shared labor and stewardship.

Activation Days

During the summer, Freedom Dreams hosted two Activation Days that transformed four acres of the EcoVillage into vibrant, block-party–style gatherings. Local vendors, artists, a DJ, and interactive activities—from outdoor-oven pizza and arts and crafts to Puppet Karaoke and youth-led hustle lessons—activated the land and invited neighbors to move, explore, and connect. These days also created space for reflection, as neighbors shared their Learning Dreams through conversations and surveys, naming skills they want to develop and knowledge they hope to share. These insights are directly shaping future programming and ensuring the land continues to evolve in alignment with community vision.

Back to School Fair

The annual Back to School Fair honored a neighborhood tradition dating back to the 1980s while meeting present-day needs. Families gathered to prepare children for the school year with essential supplies, reconnect with familiar faces, and meet new neighbors. Freedom Dreams youth played an active role in setting up and hosting the event, building relationships—particularly with families from the St. Subin Apartments—and showcasing the organization’s work. The strong turnout and sense of safety highlighted the value of consistent, celebratory gatherings and pointed to the potential for this moment to grow into a larger seasonal activation.

*Youth receive Chess lessons at one of the many stations during Activation Days*

Winter Movie Nights

During the colder months, a three-part winter movie night series at the James and Rose Robinson Center provided a warm, safe space for families to gather indoors. With popcorn, thoughtful movie selections, and smoothly run technology, the evenings created a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere that encouraged connection. These simple but intentional gatherings demonstrated how care, consistency, and accessibility can strengthen relationships during seasons when opportunities to gather are limited.

*Rev. Robert Jones prepares to use music and storytelling to share the origins and influence of the Blues with our Summer Youth Program*

Youth Summer Program

In partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, Freedom Dreams hosted a six-week youth program engaging young people ages 14–21 in a deeply place-based learning experience. Centered on the community garden and Design/Build studio, youth became active caretakers of the EcoVillage—growing, harvesting, and distributing food through the Neighborhood Markets while also designing and building functional structures such as benches, market sheds, and shade structures. Creative expression, reflection, and guest-led cultural and historical sessions complemented the hands-on work, inviting youth to explore ideas of home, belonging, and future-building. The program affirmed the power of trusting young people with real responsibility and reinforced the belief that communities are built through shared effort.

Hill House Porch Concert

The Hill House Porch Concert celebrated the beginning of the Hill House renovation through music and community gathering. Local musicians, invited through Pastor Jones’ relationships, performed from the porch while neighbors gathered to listen, connect, and imagine the future of the space. A temporary street closure created a safe, welcoming environment, while market stands and vision boards sharing plans for the Hill House sparked conversation and collective dreaming. The event complemented existing programming and set a joyful, community-centered tone for the next chapter of the Hill House.

*Local Block Club participate in Little Food Pantry Workshop at the Freedom Dreams MarkerSpace*

Reflection and Looking Ahead

Taken together, this year’s programs reveal the power of consistency, care, and community-led vision. From weekly markets to seasonal celebrations, indoor winter gatherings to outdoor summer activations, Freedom Dreams continues to demonstrate that meaningful change happens when people are invited to participate, contribute, and imagine together. The land is not just a site of activity, but a place where relationships are practiced and renewed.

As Freedom Dreams looks ahead, the lessons gathered—from surveys, conversations, and shared experiences—will continue to guide programming and growth. Grounded in stewardship, creativity, and mutual support, the work moving forward remains rooted in a simple belief: our communities are up to us, and when we tend the land and one another with care, something lasting can grow.

2025 in review