Daily Inspiration: Meet Woodrow Hoffer II

Today we’d like to introduce you to Woodrow Hoffer II.

Hi Woodrow, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Woodrow Hoffer II; I am the Founder and Creative Director of Plntng Seeds, an initiative designed to use culture and artistic expression to create community, inspire creativity and creative exploration for future generations of creatives and provide a platform for empowerment and amplification of the works of artists from all backgrounds. I also work professionally as a Project Manager for the University of Michigan Health, within their Facilities, Planning and Development department, as a Designer for Kohler Architecture, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and Community Development, and lastly as a Program Facilitator of the Hip Hop Architecture Camp, which positions Hip Hop culture as a catalyst to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning, and design.

I was born and raised in Monroe, Michigan, in a family that came from very modest means. I obtained a Master’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture while also studying at the Istituto Statale d’arte in Voltera Italy. Upon graduation from university spent the first five years of my career working in the Northeast, primarily in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut. Returning to Michigan in 2011 to continue my professional career and taking on a larger role in community activism in and around my hometown. I have always had a passion for community and empowering those around me. The projects that I have created that I have been most passionate about are those that provide opportunities for the growth of others, that create profound impact in the lives of those living within the neighborhoods and communities that these projects exist, and that are a reflection of those same people.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has never been easy. Coming from a home with two hard-working parents that struggled each month to make ends meet while also sacrificing every free moment to be sure that my younger brother and I had every opportunity available to us was a real challenge. Whether that meant running us to the Arthur Lesow Community Center because it was the only free gymnasium to play basketball in, or to athletic events around town, to our own sports practices both in and out of town. It was always a sacrifice. We were never afforded the opportunity to have the newest technology or go to summer camps to explore opportunities that we might be interested in. We made do with what we had, however, that built an internal fire to never return to this type of lifestyle and continue to drive for success to provide not only for myself but also those around me, and to be able to afford for others to have the opportunities that I was not afforded. This also extended into university and forced resourcefulness, creativity, and ingenuity in how to accomplish the works, purchase the books, and provide the necessities for a young man striving for greatness. Professionally, the challenges have evolved. I now have the luxury of controlling my own narrative, however, the vision for the impact created has grown immensely. I have been fortunate to create some amazing works, and have been part of, or lead thought-provoking, and action-provoking initatives amplifying design thinking, social justice, and community revitalization. These accomplishments have only set new standards and created new challenges for the types of projects and initiatives that are curated and developed in the future.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an Architectural Designer and Project Manager, I have specialized in Education and Commercial/Municipal projects. I have had the opportunity to design ground-up schools in various boroughs of NYC, create brand new community education campuses in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, through UNICEF and their “Learning Along Borders for Living Across Boundaries (LAB4LAB)” program while with Partners for Architecture, and new additions and renovations across multiple colleges and universities including at the Monroe County Community College.

The latest project that I am working on and very excited about is a collaborative project that will provide a new commnity based Library/Community Center/Adult Education facility in the Orchard East neighborhood of Monroe, Michigan. This project will act as the hub of the community and will provide a facility that allows The Opportunity Center at ALCC, The Monroe County Library System, and The Monroe County Learning Bank to create a campus that will act as The Center of the Orchard East neighborhood.

The Plntng Seeds initiative is the work that I am currently most proud of. This idea stems from my desire to ‘Create Future History’ and use this as a way of introducing the young people of Monroe to world-class art and creatives, and to also inspire them to explore their own creative genius as well. This initiative has set the table for a creative renaissance in this area, and is using culture to speak to all residents and visitors, but most importantly to the young people of this community, and inspire within them the exploration of what talents they own. Plntng Seeds was launched in the Orchard East neighborhood, the most racially diverse section of the City of Monroe, so it was of great priority that the artists that we brought in to take part would reflect this same diversity. In the first year of this program, we have been able to install 6 new large-scale murals across the city, by artists who have works around the world, and that come from very diverse backgrounds. We were also able to provide an intensive art exploration program for young people in the community, and lastly hosted a free community block party that showcased performances by both local and national hip hop artists.

I believe what sets me apart from others is that I live a mantra that is ‘Purpose over Publicity’. All of the works that I participate in come from a place of Purpose. I am not one who seeks publicity for what I do but rather spend my energy on what the purpose is of what I do. I am always looking for opportunities for collaboration and building genuine collaborative relationships. I am expecting to launch a new design identity in the coming year, as this is still in it’s infancy, keep an eye towards my social media for those developments.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I hope to see my industry continuing to evolve to be a more inclusive and equitable industry. I also am encouraged by the emphasis on sustainability and carbon neutrality; however, the industry and society have a long way to go with our uses of fossil fuels in the built environment, reuse, and recycling of building materials, etc. I do believe that in the next 5-10 years, artificial intelligence will make some major shifts in how we design and do business, as well as the continued development of technologies that expand beyond 3D printing and computational design. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @woodrow2.0 and @plntngseeds

Image Credits
Josh Eikenberry
Woodrow Hoffer II
The Bentway Kohler Architecture
Junfu Han