David Hardin owes his name and life’s work to a legacy that stretches back to 1856, which is as far back as he can trace his family lineage.
The original David Hardin was born into slavery and had no opportunity to pursue an education. His son, born David Hardin II during Reconstruction, completed grade school and became an Alabama sharecropper. In the 1920s, his son, David Hardin III, attended middle school. The next David Hardin – David Hardn IV, Hardin’s father – got a high school education, earned multiple job certifications, and became a homeowner.
And then, says David Hardin V, “there’s me. I graduated from college, earned a master’s degree, and now bring education, jobs, and homeownership to other people. I also have a son, and you’ll never guess his name.”
‘A Heart Like a Teacher’
The Morehouse College graduate is chief executive officer of Build UP. Founded in 2018, Build UP Birmingham, a grade 9 through 12 school, is the Build UP network’s flagship location. It combines education with workforce development and a path to homeownership through financial preparation and education.
Students follow a traditional high school curriculum and complete a paid internship. For some students, that means hands-on work experience in one of the building trades. For others, it entails an internship aligned with their college goals, such as a role in marketing.
Research shows that students who participate in career and technical education programs in high school are more likely to enroll in two-year colleges and to be employed after high school. To ensure success, Build UP offers students ongoing support and guidance for two years following graduation.
Hardin came to Build UP with experience as an educator both in and out of the classroom, starting his career at Teach for America and going on to manage a portfolio of schools and a cohort of teachers for the organization. Later, he founded a mentorship-based nonprofit providing support and scholarships to students.
His teaching background is “absolutely essential” to his current role, said Hardin. “Knowing what it’s like to be in the classroom and to have a heart like a teacher applies not just in education but in other fields as well.”
Innovation Award Spurs Expansion
In 2023, Build UP won a $3 million grant from the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge, a national innovation competition that Enterprise leads with support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
To expand its reach, Build Up opened an alternative high school, YouthBuild UP, in Birmingham in 2024. Participants ages 16-24 work toward a GED or high school diploma while gaining real-world experience through paid internships in construction, real estate, and entrepreneurship. The program also includes financial literacy courses.
Earlier this year, Build UP brought its model to Ellwood Christian Academy, a pre-k through 12 school in Selma, Alabama, transforming the 25-acre campus of a once-segregated institution. “That replication wouldn't be possible without the grant from Enterprise and Wells Fargo,” said Hardin.
Hardin calls the expansion “a powerful reclamation of space that honors Selma’s civil rights legacy, while creating new opportunities for equity, education, and economic mobility.”
Community-Driven Engagement
Build UP focuses on community needs and input, employing an asset mapping process when looking toward expansion. The organization is careful to ensure there is an appetite for their unique model as well as organizations with which they can partner.
We’re not just going to push our way into any community. We want to work alongside existing organizations and with community demand.
Community demand is high. A recent survey of high school graduates found a rising degree of uncertainty among young people, with 72% feeling only moderately, slightly, or not at all prepared for their next steps. Build UP aims to change that by helping students define and prepare for their success.
“College for all is a farce, and all students going into the trades is a farce,” said Hardin. “With Build UP, students get exposure to all options.”
‘We Don’t Go It Alone’
Hardin says the technical assistance and peer support provided through the Breakthrough Challenge has been key, helping the organization to thrive and scale its innovation.
“Our program has a lot of complexity when you tie education to workforce development and affordable housing,” he said, adding that having access to experts in each of those fields has been invaluable.
For example, Build UP collaborated with fellow Breakthrough Challenge winner Hope Enterprise Corporation to provide students with financial education workshops and online resources through Hope Credit Union. Students also set up bank accounts where they can deposit earnings from their paid work experience, an important step to preparing for homeownership and applying for a mortgage from Hope.
“We don’t go it alone,” explains Hardin, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Brigitta Kral is a freelance writer and high school English teacher in Arlington, Virginia.
