"These are the skills that will carry them through life," says Jaletha Smith, a social-emotional coach at PEDALS. "They'll know how to handle and deal with certain challenges and traumas they might face. And if they have that social-emotional piece, the cognitive— that'll be easy for them to pick up. But you first have to have those skills to be able to sit down, listen, and follow directions to get to that."

Have you dined in a redesigned church? A renovated garage? A refurbished bank? From Detroit to Clarkston, eateries in reclaimed spaces carry a deeper mission through their buildings’ repurposed history.

In its second school year, the Marygrove Early Education Center works to provide a holistic educational experience for students, teachers, and families. Its state-of-the-art facility, designed in collaboration with its surrounding community, recently received international recognition. Our team spent an afternoon learning how this award-winning center is creating an innovative model for early education.

Knowing that eight out of 10 Black-owned businesses close within the first 18 months, Rachael and Gerrard Allen are opening an Oakland County space for small business innovators. They hope to connect the dots for Detroit commuters: "We want Black folks and our allies to feel seen, welcome, and that something was created for them."