Spring has sprung, welcoming the perennials and sprouted seeds left in the ground from the last harvest. COVID is still alive and well despite relaxed guidelines, continuing to shift our ways of living. The U.S. government continues to fund war efforts happening in Ukraine while Detroiters are once again fighting local government over overassessed taxes while facing foreclosure. 

How do we continue to create and foster community through trying times? How have we been working to be kind to ourselves and others? When is the last time you’ve committed a kind act for someone else? How do you define kindness? 

This issue will focus on community-centered efforts that are creating change as we welcome you to think of how you define community. 

But also, share some excitement with us as we now have a blog site to accompany our new e-newsletter! I hope you're excited to see more from us as we're excited to further engage w/ y'all. Hit us up if you'd like to be a guest contributor.

“To build community requires vigilant awareness of the work we must continually do to undermine all the socialization that leads us to behave in ways that perpetuate domination.” -bell hooks

Enjoy reading – peace + love,

Rukiya

In this issue:

• Community Highlights:
• Healing justice & education
• Nurturing creative, critical thinkers
• Self-sustainability one tool at a time
• Featured story: Filling the food insecurity gap
• The Power of Communication & Connection
• Critically connect with us!

Feedom Freedom Growers is excited to collaborate with Detroit wellness practitioner, Adrienne Ayers of HealinTheWaters, to bring a healing justice & education-centered initiative to Detroit. They will be providing free and accessible in-person reiki sessions and free low-cost classes for all of Detroit throughout the month of May. Following May, there will be offerings for reiki services at sliding scale pricing. 

Free reiki Sessions will be held on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11AM-4PM at the Feedom Freedom Kulture HUB located at 291 Manistique St. 48215. All sessions will be 30 minutes.

Reiki (ray-kee) is a process where you make the choice to bring yourself into holistic alignment through balancing and aligning your chakras. This allows for emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical oneness, therefore bringing mind, body, and spirit together, increasing your body’s ability to heal itself.

For more information or to book other services with HealinTheWaters, you may contact them via email at healinthewaters@gmail.com, on Instagram, or through their website.

You can reach Feedom Freedom Growers at feedomfreedomgrowers@gmail.com or through their Facebook page. 

The James and Grace Lee Boggs school is a public, K-8 charter school in the Islandview neighborhood of Detroit. Their mission is to nurture creative, critical thinkers who contribute to the well-being of their communities. 

In the summer of 2020, the Boggs School moved into their forever home at 7600 Goethe, just blocks away from the Boggs Center. They feel deeply grateful to be able to put roots down in the same neighborhood Jimmy and Grace spent their lives. They’re also grateful that the compelling history of this location will benefit their place-based model of learning. 

Place-based education (PBE) immerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities, and experiences, using these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum. PBE emphasizes learning through participation in the life of the community, honoring both the human and non-human lives that exist. PBE allows the school to be part of the community and the community to be part of the school. 

The Boggs School was awarded a grant from the Kresge Foundation to design and implement a beautiful, innovative, and accessible community playground and park in the field adjacent to the school building. Learn more about how to get involved with cleaning or designing the park by emailing Angela@boggsschool.org  

You can learn more about their enrollment process at http://www.boggsschool.org/application-instructions or visit them at 7600 Goethe St., Detroit, MI 48214

Self-sustainability one tool at a time

The East Warren Tool Library is operated by the Motor City Grounds Crew in partnership with the community. It is a lending library for people to borrow tools, take classes and build community with like minded residents. The yearly membership fee is based on income, and no proof of income is required as the organization operates on trust.  

The library has over 2,000 tools which includes mowers, trimmers, power tools, and lawn care equipment. It is equipped with a Community Build Center where members can take advantage of a variety of shop tools to work on individual projects.

As of late April, the East Warren Community Studios has made its debut at the Library. Its mission is to foster creativity and prosperity in the community. The space provides a streaming media production and broadcast studio for individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses at an affordable price. Stop by to learn how you can create an internet radio station, podcast, or video cast on your favorite subject.

15631 E Warren Detroit

(313) 924-5585

Open Monday & Thursday; 3pm - 6 pm

Spring hours are coming soon where they will be open four days a week.

email: e.warrentool@mcgroundscrew.org

web: ewarrencommunity.studio/

Facebook: facebook.com/ewarrentool

Instagram: ewarrentool

Located in the Cool Cities Park at 14150 Woodrow Wilson, HOPE Village Farmer's Market is looking for vendors for their market season! HOPE Village reported an average of 104 customers per market visit in 2021 and looks forward to seeing community members again. The market will be open Wednesdays in June-September from 3:30pm-7p

McDougall-Hunt is calling for volunteers to help beautify the neighborhood while also welcoming residents within the area to request volunteer assistance if needed for cleanup projects. This will take place Saturday, May 21 at 9am-12pm. 

Authentically Detroit is hosted by Donna Givens and Orlando Bailey and is powered by Eastside Community Network. Their episodes are thematic, taking a comprehensive look at things like housing in Detroit, spatial racism, economic development, neighborhood planning, self-care, community trauma and more.

Detroiters are not waiting to be saved - Boston Global

featuring Myrtle Thompson-Curtis & Rich Feldman

Imagine - Riverwise Magazine

Poem by Rukiya Colvin 

No, throwing trash out the window does not create jobs. A look at Detroit's litter problem - Planet Detroit

Written by Rukiya Colvin

This newsletter is to inform and educate our community and we welcome you to join us in doing so! Do you have a story you’d like to pitch about a solution-driven initiative happening in your area? Would you like a platform to visualize what you believe could be possible in a world rooted in solidarity & sustainability? 

We’re also looking for more folks to collaborate with on community outreach and welcome anyone willing and able to lend some time. 

Email us at info.solutionaries@gmail.com, give a call/text at (313) 438-8704, or hit the links below and let's figure out how to connect!