we are
A collaboration between organizations in Coahoma County and students from Boston-area colleges. As part of a social venture firm called Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship, students from Babson, Olin, and Wellesley college students have partnered with community leaders and educational organizations in Coahoma County, Mississippi to co-design and create an educational space for youth with an emphasis on justice and impact.
we value
Access, justice, empowerment, and agency. As a space that encourages self-directed learning and ownership of space and activities, we believe that these experiences taking control of your own educational path can provide avenues for self-empowerment and foster lifelong learning. Operating at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and arts drives us to foster creativity alongside developing twenty-first century skills, which allow youth to explore their interests and creative potential, and give back to the community.​
our process
As advocates, we are aware of the importance of contextual awareness in the spaces we occupy. Because of this, we emphasize insider insight into the community development work we do.
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We work to design and develop with Coahoma County youth, not for them. We do frequent codesign activities and feedback sessions to keep the project on track.
The project is community-owned and driven by local passion, youth volunteers, and community leaders. We emphasize the roles of our partners, and seek to promote ownership and agency for youth.