The Foundation
DETROIT, MI
From a Single Vision to a Community Institution
Hive Studios at Aya was not conceived in a boardroom. It was forged at the intersection of legacy and necessity. It is the institutional embodiment of a simple, powerful idea: that the most powerful solutions for our community are designed from within, blending our rich cultural heritage with unapologetic economic innovation
The renovation of my grandmother's home is our first brick. The next will be the Aya House, a residence designed to mirror a leadership academy, where young men will live while learning construction trades and the principles of entrepreneurship. From there, our blueprint expands to create the spaces our community deserves: a community shop and hub where we will provide the legal and business education to form LLCs, empowering a new generation to become business owners, not just laborers; and even a neighborhood outdoor movie theater, because institution-building must also feed the soul. This is our cycle of empowerment: we build the space, the space trains the people, and the people build the future.
This is more than a program. It is a prototype for a new future. We are building a network of skilled tradespeople, business owners, and community leaders who are invested in the physical and economic landscape of Detroit.
My name is Dajuan L. Davis
I am an attorney, author, and Fifth-generation Detroiter. The path to building Hive Studios began with two realizations. The first was professional: as a lawyer, I saw the systemic barriers that prevented generational wealth from taking root and the need for community work, and reparations. The second was personal: as a storyteller, I felt the profound need for our community to see itself as the heroes of epic, future-facing narratives.
I wrote my novel, Strange Clouds, not merely to tell a story, but to fund a renaissance. The book is the creative spark; Hive Studios is the enduring flame. I am rebuilding my grandmother's house not just as a project, but as proof—proof that we have the skill, the will, and the right to rebuild our own neighborhoods with our own hands.