Sabrina Holloway, Program Coordinator at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Service Center and Henry House Academy, set out to create meaningful learning experiences for a group of students who are often overlooked. These are young people navigating complex circumstances, yet they carry the same potential for success as anyone else.

Having seen DesignPhiladelphia’s Design Education program in action, Sabrina saw an opportunity to bring that that engaging and accessible energy into PJJSC, a Philadelphia School District–managed facility, where students could benefit from new ways of thinking about their futures. She envisioned a program that would introduce students to career paths they may not have considered. Sabrina believed that meeting professionals and seeing different trajectories could shift what felt possible.

Reaching 114 students in one day was ambitious. Through a collaboration between DesignPhiladelphia and the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (PhilaNOMA), Building Bridges to the Future came to life.

The program centered the contributions of African American architects, both past and present, while emphasizing the importance of representation. Eleven members of PhilaNOMA joined DesignPhiladelphia staff to share their journeys into architecture. They spoke honestly about their paths and any struggles along the way.

The day moved into a hands-on design workshop where students worked together to solve a building challenge. They tested ideas and learned through trial and error. There were moments of frustration, but also laughter. Structures collapsed and went back up again. Students began to really take ownership of the process.  

Samina Iqbal, AIA, shared, “It was wonderful to share my story and show how design can be an empowering career, one that allows you to shape the environments around you.”

This work reflects DesignPhiladelphia’s mission to build a more connected and inclusive design community by making design education accessible to all. It is about meeting students where they are and creating opportunities that feel relevant and real. At its core, the program is rooted in the belief that design can be a tool for agency, helping young people imagine new directions for themselves and understand the role they can play in shaping their world.