Krista McClure has spent the majority of her life working with underprivileged students, learning about education policies and issues along the way— all with just a GED under her belt.
Taking all of her experiences and knowledge of the education system in Detroit, she ventured to open a coworking space catered to working parents. The Detroit Parent Collective is tailored to work as a daycare, preschool, and a coworking space.
It’s memberships include the price for the children’s education as well as the workspace itself and caters to all families despite the number of children or family income level.
When pitching her idea to nonprofits did not work, she went forward anyways, borrowing money to open a commercial property in Detroit from the Wayne County Treasurer’s Auction of Tax-Foreclosed Properties.
After persistence, The Detroit Parent Collective opened in October of 2017 in a Detroit neighborhood on McNichols Road. It’s cozy and home-like, with small classrooms that include nature-based learning and art workshops.
“We landed in a neighborhood that was very empty, very blighted, very quiet,” said McClure. “There’s a lot of development [elsewhere in the city]. There’s been a lot of change or gentrification, or whatever term folks want to use. I am doing my best to hold this common ground for all people regardless.”
The Detroit Parent Collective is dedicated to breaking down the barriers of social and economic classes by providing fair and affordable childcare, as well as opportunities for families of all sizes. Memberships are purchased per household, not per child.
The coworking space has numerous amenities and a variety of members, including caterers, a filmmaker, and startups. It’s a hub for working like-minded families to network and end the status quo of working parents.
