In the heart of Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, a long-vacant Catholic school is being reborn as Kintsugi Village — a community hub that blends early childhood education, arts, wellness, and environmental stewardship. Kintsugi Village embraces the idea that beauty and strength can emerge from restoration. As the doors open for its grand debut, the project’s founders hope the space will serve as both a gathering place and a catalyst for healing, creativity, and connection in the city.
For co-founder Hamsa Yaqo, the project is deeply personal. “I immigrated to Michigan from Iraq with my family when I was 12 years old, and this state has been home ever since,” she explained. “Everything I’ve done in my career has been focused on people and purpose. With Kintsugi Village, I wanted to do something for kids and for Detroit.”
The name itself carries powerful symbolism. Inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, Kintsugi embraces imperfections as part of a greater whole. “We felt like this is really a metaphor for life,” Yaqo said. “We’re taking an old building that was abandoned and piecing it back together into something stronger and more beautiful. We all have our Kintsugi stories — we want to celebrate those experiences, not hide them.”
The three-story building will house multiple programs designed to serve families and neighbors alike. The first floor features an early childhood education center for three to five year olds, rooted in the Reggio Emilia curriculum from Italy. “It’s all child-led,” said Yaqo. “Kids are seen as capable and curious, and they’ll learn through their own interests while being exposed to arts, nature, and food.”
Upstairs, the second floor will host an artist incubator, providing Detroit artists with studio space, mentorship and opportunities to teach community art classes. The third floor includes a culinary kitchen, where meals for children will be prepared daily and cooking classes offered to the community.
Outside, neighbors will find gardens, gathering areas, and Michigan’s first pocket forest — a densely planted grove designed to restore biodiversity and connect children with nature. “Over 1,100 plants were put into the ground in one day with the help of more than 100 community members,” Yaqo recalled. “It was magical. We’ve created a community within the forest — the plants will support each other and thrive, just like we hope our community will.”
From the very beginning, Yaqo and her team grounded the project with community feedback. “When you’re building something for someone, the simple question is: why don’t we just ask them?” she said. “We met with neighborhood block clubs, held our own meetings, and asked, ‘What do you need?’ They told us: parking, green spaces, places to gather. We listened, and we built with their input in real life, real time.”
Priority enrollment for the early childhood center will go to families in nearby Corktown, North Corktown, Southwest Detroit, Hubbard Richard, and Woodbridge. For many, tuition will be fully subsidized based on financial need. Already,
25 “founding families” are signed up, with their children set to begin classes October
13. “They’re trusting us with their kids, their most precious assets,” Yaqo reflected. “That’s why we’re putting our heart and soul into this.”
For Yaqo, one of the most moving moments came during the recent planting day. “Seeing three and four year olds planting trees they’ll grow up alongside — it was just really beautiful. We’re all going to grow together,” she said.
As the community prepares to step inside Kintsugi Village for the first time, Yaqo hopes neigh- bors will see it as their Co-founders of Kintsugi Village Hamsa Yaqo and Paul Spiegelman own. “The number one thing people told us they wanted was a place to gather,” she said. “This is a gathering place. Whether you’re here for educa- tion, art, food, or just to sit in the garden, we want everyone to feel welcome.”
The grand opening is set for Saturday, October 11 from 12–3 pm, with hundreds already registered to attend. For Yaqo, it marks just the beginning: “We invite the community to come in, explore, and share with us. This is for Detroit — and we want to grow it together.”
This article and photos were made possible thanks to a generous grant to EL CENTRAL Hispanic News by Press Forward, the national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at www.pressforward.news.
