I Still Have A Dream

By: Ayana Bryant-Weekes

Don’t you hate when you wake up and can’t remember a dream you were just having. How is it possible to lose an entire vision in one instant going from being asleep to being awake?! As frustrating as forgetting a dream can be, there are some dreams we can never forget. From a very young age we are encouraged to dream, to create an ideal future for ourselves in our minds. The adults around us carefully cultivated our interests and expressions so that our dreams could become attainable goals. For some of us these adults were our parents, aunties and uncles, for others these adults were teachers and sports coaches, and for 80’s and 90’s babies like me, the adults at our local community center helped develop our dreams through creativity in a fun, learning environment.

This past weekend was filled with dreams, old and new, justifiably so as the nation celebrated the legacy of one of the greatest dreamers in American history—

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His daring ability to dream, to imagine, envisioning a future far more beautiful than the present, echoed through generations and continues to rouse the dreamer in each of us.

            I got to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of a dream by supporting the dream of another, and got to hear some good Detroit singing too! This celebration took place on Monday January 19, 2015 (Martin Luther King Day) at The Revolution Church in Southfield, Mi (such a befitting venue for the spirit of this occasion). Some of the biggest—as well as some of the newest— names in gospel singing along with other amazingly talented young people came together in concert to celebrate the dream of Dr, King as well as the dream of Kimberly Sheard, founder of Kreative Beginnings Development Center. 

What is Kreative Beginnings? Kreative Beginnings is an early childhood development center, “A Place Where Learning and Creativity Are One” as the slogan reads. The founder, Kim Sheard, has been in the early childhood development field for 10 years and has always valued creativity as a tool to expand the minds of children in the beginning stages of their development, hence the name Kreative Beginnings.

The I Still Have A Dream Benefit Concert honored Dr. King’s dream and simultaneously offered support for Kim Sheard in the continuation of that dream in the lives of our own children, and the line up was MAJOR—ChozenTeens Youth Choir of Second Ebenezer Church (Pastor Edgar L. Vann), Staccato Dance Works (Hazel Park), Shelby 5 (Ypsilanti), Marc Jay & Jay Crew(Detroit), Kierra Sheard and Shana Wilson-Williams! Along with other young, Detroit bred entrepreneurs in attendance, we celebrated and encouraged Kimberly Sheard and her dream, which has now become a reality.  I cannot forget to mention this was a FREE event!

Kierra Sheard

Shana Wilson -Williams

ChozenTeens - Second Ebenezer Church

Staccato Dance Works

Staccato Dance Works

Marc Jay & Jay Crew

Shelby 5

Shelb 5

Detroit Entrepreneurs present Kim Sheard with Honorable Plaque.

               Kim Sheard is so passionate about children that even when her first attempt at a child development center didn’t happen, she didn’t let a lack of financial resources stop her from stepping out on faith a second time, “My main [obstacle] was to just start…and to believe that one day it will become the big dream that I have.” At the end of the concert (which was more of a worship experience than a concert) as Kim took the stage to say her thanks she announced “A Kreative Summer”, the Kreative Beginnings Summer Program, despite difficulty finding infrastructure, and despite what seemed like a lack of financial resources. Inspired by Kim’s accomplishment, I quietly said a prayer for the success of every person sitting in the room with a dream, that their faith would be increased to take the first step without seeing the full staircase and that their passion be fueled by their God given purpose. “We don’t realize how much we learned as a child…I want to be the part of society that says disregard what ‘they’ say, you can be anything… especially for African American children.”

                                                                              

A Kreative Summer starts June 15, 2015 - August 28, 2015 for ages 4-12 and offers weekly field trips, academic reinforcement, tutoring Zumba and MUCH more! To find out more information about Kreative Beginnings or to register your child/children for A Kreative Summer:

Kreative Beginnings Development Center

13737 Curtis Ave. Detroit, Michigan 48235

248-325-8129

Instagram @KreativeBeginnings

KreativeBeginnings14@gmail.com

Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.

            -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

****To see the FULL interview with Ambrea Curry (A Team Host) and Kimberly Sheard, Founder of Kreative Beginnings, Subscribe to The ATeam Talk Show YouTube Channel!!!