Starter Stories: Ashley Akerson — The Dreaming & Making Of The Dreamers & Makers Art Club

Written & photographed by Margee Stanfield

Programming photos by Ashley Akerson & Miley Baskin

“Just love your neighbors. Everyone is experiencing something different. So just love them where they are.”

If Ashley Akerson could give a message to the world, that is what it would be.

Fittingly, it seems like that is exactly what she is doing through her non-profit.

The Dreamers and Makers Art Club is an after-school visual and culinary arts nonprofit program that focuses on middle school students (6th-8th grade). The Club is Monday-Thursday from 2:30-5:30. There is an application process which requires an online application, an in-person interview, and a teacher recommendation — but the program itself costs families nothing. 

The club launched its first semester run at the beginning of September, meeting inside the Carnegie Center for Arts and History. They pick up students from schools, focusing predominantly on East Jackson, though the club is open to all students with means of transportation.

Ashley painted me a picture of what transpires in the space each day:

“We'll do a little snack time, little debrief to wind down because it's a crazy day, and then we'll spend about an hour on their artwork,” she said. “They'll be building student portfolios throughout the semester, so they'll get dedicated time to work on that. And then we'll clean up. And move to prepare and enjoy a family-style dinner.”

The semester also features workshops outside of the normal daily program. Local artists and chefs are brought in to lead them — three culinary arts based and three visual arts based. The club also takes art and food-related field trips throughout the region during the semester. And, finally, they’ll close the semester with a showcase at Havner’s Frame Shop across the street.

Dreamers and Makers came to Ashley when she was feeling the need for a shift. Ashley has been teaching for the last three years here in Jackson and has been in education altogether for almost 10 years. 

“In this last school year that I was in the classroom, I was like, ‘I need to figure out something else,” Ashley said. “How can I do this creatively and still impact kids with art? And Dreamers and Makers was born.”

After that, it was a pretty quick turnaround from idea conception to Ashley going through CO.STARTERS.

“I really started thinking through Dreamers and Makers in September of 2024, filed all the non-profit paperwork with the state IRS in December 2024, and then CO.STARTERS started like February 1,” Ashley said. “So it was like back-to-back. I hit the ground running.”

Google has been Ashley’s best friend in navigating starting Dreamers and Makers.

“I've been Googling literally everything. But being in CO.STARTERS, I could bring those questions that I had been Googling and be like, ‘This is what Google says? Is this correct? Should I be looking at other resources? Should I do this a different way? What do I need to do next?”

Early on in the program, the way Ashley saw her business had already shifted. One of the first classes was on customer profiles, which made her realize that while her day-to-day will be working with students and their families, her customers are also those who are supporting this non-profit. CO.STARTERS helped her to redirect appropriately, taking this major component into account, as she moved forward with planning. 

“ I kind of have to have a double mind or a double brand in this situation to make sure I am addressing both groups,” she explained. 

As a non-profit, funding is an ongoing challenge. 

“ We rely completely on supporters, and grants, and fundraising, and we need money,” Ashley said. “ It's completely free to families, and so we've been really trying to, you know, raise the funds and all the support so that it can be accessible to all students.”

While there have been plenty of moments where money is a major stressor, there have been equal moments where the community’s support keeps Ashley feeling encouraged. “Jackson is a special place,” she said.

She pointed toward her board of directors: Lizzie Emmons, Eric Botbyl, and Trista Havner — whom she expressed endless thankfulness toward. Additionally, she’s been blown away by the outpour from countless others who want to support her. 

“The other day I was at the dog park and this lady — who I did not know — was like, ‘Are you Ashley? You're doing the club! The art thing!’ She poured into me for a solid like two minutes, and I got in my car in tears,” Ashley said. 

Ashley had a dream, and because of her and the people who want to share in that dream and support the dreams of these kids, she’s getting to make this dream happen. Dreamers and Makers. 

The vision Ashley has been looking forward to has finally come to life: 

“Music and laughter, I imagine —'cause they're all gonna be working on different things — so everybody has their little section of the room working, and then we'll all be in the kitchen making a family-style dinner, push the tables together, eat,” Ashley said. “Just a good space where everybody has a purpose.”
If you want to support the Dreamers and Makers club, you can follow them on Instagram, donate on their website, and just spread the word.