The Community Need

Durham lacks a permanent, community-centered space that actively supports disability justice, neurodiversity, and inclusive education for all ages. For families navigating systems that often exclude or marginalize their children, particularly those who are neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, or living with disabilities, there are few safe, affirming environments where they can learn, connect, and thrive together.

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The Wildly Inclusive Learning Collective (WILC) has built a vital alternative through our part-time self-directed co-op, but we are currently operating in a shared and temporary space. To expand our impact and meet the increasing demand for inclusive education and community support, we must establish a permanent home.

 

The opportunity to purchase our forever home, specifically the historic Murphey School, complete with a school building, house, barn, and seven acres of land, offers more than just stability. It offers the chance to create Durham’s first dedicated hub for inclusive, equity-centered learning and community connection. This space will serve as a safe gathering place, an educational resource center, and a permanent foundation for the next generation of changemakers.

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The need is urgent. Research reveals that over 60% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously consider suicide due to bullying, discrimination, and isolation in schools. Meanwhile, 95% of neurodivergent students struggle in traditional classrooms, where rigid structures often fail to accommodate their diverse learning needs. BIPOC students face disproportionate discipline rates and systemic inequities that hinder their academic progress and personal development, challenges that are especially acute in low-income communities, where access to alternative educational models is scarce.

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*Funds raised will be used to honor our campaign mission of finding a forever home, even if we do not meet the funding goal needed to purchase the Murphey School.*