Childhood Places, Secret Spaces

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Childhood Places, Secret Spaces features the perspectives of children’s author Christopher Paul Curtis on his hometown of Flint, Michigan. He asks children growing up there today how they see the city and how adults can facilitate a sense of community. Looking back on the world of his childhood, Curtis also discusses how sharing the outdoors with his friends, parents, and neighbors influenced his creative life. The goal of this project is to help parents, children, policy makers, and urban planners re-imagine childhood spaces. As fifth graders speak out about public and private Flint locales, they illuminate how integral placemaking is to citizenship and healthy development.