Summer Program: Growing Stewards, Building Futures
Throughout the summer, Freedom Dreams hosted a six-week youth program in partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, inviting young people ages 14 to 21 into a deeply place-based learning experience rooted in stewardship, creativity, and community care. Youth from the neighborhood—and those connected to it—stepped into their role as active stewards of the Freedom Dreams EcoVillage, shaping the land while gaining skills that translate far beyond the summer.
Two centers anchored the program: the community garden and the Design/Build studio. Together, these spaces allowed young people to experience the full cycle of care—from growing food to building the structures that support gathering, safety, and daily life in the neighborhood.
In the community garden, participants learned to nurture, grow, harvest, and share healthy food with neighbors. Through daily and weekly routines—watering, weeding, pruning, harvesting, and bundling produce—youth developed responsibility and consistency while building a relationship with the land. The food they grew was distributed through weekly Neighborhood Markets, reinforcing the connection between stewardship, nourishment, and community well-being.
The Design/Build program introduced youth to design thinking, critical problem-solving, and hands-on construction through a series of small projects that grew more complex over time. Participants learned to read basic measurements, sketch ideas, and move from concept to construction. Using hand tools and power tools—including drills, sanders, levels, tape measures, and clamps—youth built functional structures that directly responded to community needs.
Early projects focused on foundational skills through building modular bench and a small trestle side table designed by a program alum, teaching safe tool use, teamwork, and precision. As confidence grew, participants collaborated on larger builds such as market sheds and shade structures, designed to support public gathering, outdoor markets, and cultural events. These structures now serve as everyday infrastructure for the EcoVillage, offering places to rest, meet, and connect.
The final Design/Build project invited youth to reflect deeply on the question: What makes a house a home? Standing on the footprint of the historic Hill House, students discussed the difference between spaces and places, memory and belonging. From there, they designed floor plans for homes they imagined living in, translating their ideas into scale models using laser cutters and digital design tools. Each participant shared their model and vision, practicing communication, reflection, and collective learning.
Complementing the physical work were moments of reflection and imagination. Through J.I.V.E. Justice and Interpersonal Relations to Visualize and Educate) Talks, writing workshops, and creative sessions like hydro-dipping shoes and wood into colorful designs, youth explored identity, relationships, and futures they want to create. Guest educators, including historian Professor Stephen Ward of the University of Michigan, connected local history—especially Detroit’s influence on global music—to the broader cultural landscape youth are inheriting and reshaping. Additionally, Rev. Rober Jones of Freedom Dreams and Pastor of Sweet Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church, played music on his acoustic guitar made from lumber of a house torn down on Trumbull street. He connected the enduring spirit of music and blues—from the history of enslavement to the pursuit of freedom—to today's musical landscape, thereby reclaiming and overcoming historical narratives..
Supported by dedicated staff and expanded outdoor workspaces, the Freedom Dreams Summer Program demonstrated what is possible when young people are trusted with real responsibility. By growing food, building infrastructure, and imagining new futures together, participants embodied a core belief of Freedom Dreams: our communities are up to us—and the tools to build them are already in our hands.