i should say you have hit a nerve about youngstown. thank you for the incredible message, the motivational words, and the kind acknowledgement of the oakland’s blog.

you rock it out.

xo,
b

I think that’s very true. And I think because Lenny sees this so clearly, he should start that conversation. He had the Walruss, but unfortunately that didn’t work out for reasons beyond his control. But I’d love to see him start a blog or something like it that doesn’t have overhead to worry about, and start this sort of conversation up for people to come to with ideas as well.

Great post, Sorry I came to the party so late.

I, too, feel that there is a current of change happening in Youngstown, and started my website to both capitalize on this change and help promote it.

I think Youngstown’s problems are large and many, but not insurmountable. There’s still a lot of hand wringing and “Woe is me” attitude around here, but the overall climate is changing.

The biggest change is, IMHO, Political. The feeling is that the new crop of politicians are not as connected to the party machine and instead are professionals who actually, maybe, some of the time, LISTEN to their constituents and do their jobs.

Wow, How controversial.

Anyway, Keep up the good work. Hope to see you Boomerang back when your successful.

Regardless, I find that people like myself are judged from a convenient distance. Categorized because it is convenient. You and I know each other, so I find it quite shocking that you – with no malicious intentions, which is understood – would outline what you have outlined above in this specific regard but I still respect your opinion.
Many, many people that know me know I about some of severe ills of this city. I deal with rapists, murders, child molesters and every other conceivable piece of s—- that comes through this town for a living. I’ve been shot at and have have had weapons put to my head for such ridiculous reasons as holding a sign for something I believe in to chasing crack heads out of Wick Park. Back here on the North Side, I have and still do live among mentally ill individuals, the poor, the uneducated, and the children of the damned, to be sure. I’m integrated in the national and local political system, I read about urban revitalization efforts everywhere like it’s nobody’s business, I was a member of a black Political Action Committee on Oak Hill. I’ve seen people die. I speak to the Board of Education and teachers who are frustrated. I talk and work with Sheriff’s Deputy’s. I am “aware” more than I receive credit for..more aware than many our age yet but, of course, not like that of victims of this town themselves.

Do these things make me some kind of hero. No. What they do is help to justify my argument that when I say I Defend Youngstown, you better understand that it is anything but a cheer leading effort. Mindless support for the good in the city is counterproductive and a waste of time. You must first embrace and accept the worst before you can believe in change. But if you do realize this and still choose to do nothing but complain or state the obvious, then either leave or get the hell out of the way – preferably both. This is Youngstown, Ohio – we don’t have a time or place for people without ideas for improvement.

P.S. Chris – this post is not directed toward you. Rather, I’m simply addressing the message to all those critics out there I’ve never had the honor of meeting yet but presume to know what I and Defend Youngstown is completely about. Peace out.

Resting on the laurels of good PR and entertainment economy building alone, though, and even factoring in the tech industry successes recently, is too early and not enough. We need to do more still, and we need to do more for the people living in poverty here. I think we have a variety of people with different things they can offer to help, and that we shouldn’t tear each other down for doing what we can. Tearing each other down because we aren’t all coming from the same place with our abilities and perspectives is the main ingredient necessary for disaster, which is what’s been on the menu for this area for the past three or four decades every day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m tired of that menu. I want this area to have more opportunities for people to become their better selves. And one of the things that we have to stop doing is expecting everyone else to be like we are, whoever we are, and to accept and appreciate what others have to offer, even if it comes at things from a different angle than the angle we have, even if it means being humbled because our idea isn’t always the best one. Between the people whose personalities are best suited for highlighting the positives and the people who are best at highlighting what’s problematic and is being ignored, and everyone who is a blend of these two sorts, like I myself am, we can get a lot accomplished. But we need to be able to see each other and who we are and how we’re going about doing things as different corners of the same foundation. We need both positive PR and critical acumen. We need to pat ourselves on the back for anything good we manage to make happen, and we need to be able to say, while honoring any good we can make happen, that it is not enough yet. Not yet. And then, after that, try to fix something else that hasn’t been fixed yet.

The things you’re talking about are very scary and very real, and I agree with you strongly that ignoring the bad scaries is not going to make them go away. But I also really believe that encouraging positive interest and enterprise will bring eyes and minds to the city for whatever purpose—whether it’s a discussion about arts and entertainment or a focus on the very real and upsetting situations you have on your mind. These are things that can be fixed if people sit up and take notice of them, decide that they’re worth fixing, and take the time to do something about them! And changing perceptions—though it is, as you said, far from the complete solution to all problems!—can still help bring that attention where it needs to be.

Opinions will obviously vary as to how powerfully positivity can affect Youngstown’s circumstances, and you’ve seen how strongly I believe in it myself! But someone has to remind us that we are not dealing solely with a lack of good publicity, and you have done that beyond any shadow of a doubt. Very excellent!

The revolution is not how one person sees it; the revolution can be whatever we want it to be. Each of us will make our part into the catalyst that does what we need it to do. Together, we’re going to be pretty awesome.

I don’t have all the answers (even many), but I also don’t think cheerleading is going to help any problems. When I hear you or other people hype (and that’s what it is, in large part, hype) the Youngstown 2010 cult of personality that is rapidly surrounding Jay Williams, Anthony Kobak and Hunter Morrison, I can’t help but cringe. What I hear coming from Defend Youngstown is “stamp out criticism and reinforce positive thinking.” That to me sounds like the definition of political public relations or the work of some bullshit self-help guru. On the contrary, criticism is vitally important to any functioning Democracy. Only fascists (and Scooby Doo villains) argue, “We could get so much more accomplished (could have gotten away with it) if it wasn’t for all the naysayers (meddling kids).”

You say you are disappointed that I have the opinions that I have? I’m disappointed at your level of tolerance for divergent viewpoints. I doubt you have the same view of criticism when it comes to our current national government and projects. For example, besides Rush Limbaugh, who in their right mind would be disappointed with someone’s negative views of George Bush and the federal reaction to Hurricane Katrina. They might not agree with it, but they shouldn’t be disappointed that the viewpoint is allowed to exist. I hope that Phil Kidd isn’t Youngstown’s Rush Limbaugh.

I think there are plenty of good things about what’s going on, but I also think those good things are helping to mask the bad things that are still happening. I think its great that blighted areas are being torn down. I don’t think its great that some of the city’s poorest may end up being abandoned in the shuffle (despite what planners say). I think its great that violent crime is down 21 percent, to use your stat (of course the population has shrunk too; is that stat per capita?). I don’t think its great that gang murders (or drug related clique murders, as is probably more accurate) are still a major problem (Youngtown is still the third most dangerous city in the country, according that survey last year). I think a strong entertainment scene is good, but without the financial support of a good economy to hold it up, its going to either collapse in on itself or consist solely of upper middle class hipsters with rich parents who can afford their instruments or art supplies.

I think when you talk about a Youngstown recovery, you have to include all the information, not just the good stuff. And by being aware of how the media works and being an avid follower of media criticism, I don’t think that logic dictates because the media covers it, it must be good. If you’ve noticed, ever since that “Governance” story came out, all the other mainstream media stories that followed have aped its tone, content and structure with little deviation. This is because most media types are lazy. When the mainstream media swoops upon a local town with a story they deem nationally significant, they look for the easy angles that will tell the best story, they aren’t necessarily looking for the the complete truth (and you couldn’t fit the complete truth in a 700 word story anyway). Further, it’s not considered unusual or out of the ordinary for an urban city to have gangs, drugs and murders, so they don’t cover it. It’s the classic man bites dog test. Black kids killing black kids, all high school drop outs with few future prospects, that is the dog biting the man. It’s ordinary, not news. A city trying to shrink instead of grow? That’s out of the ordinary and will get covered. I’m not even passing judgment on the idea of smart shrinkage. It’s a good idea and worthy of coverage. But it’s not the complete story.

I consider myself working class, like most people in the area. I’ve worked real jobs in my life, in factories and call centers and shipping bays, beyond my stints dabbling as a journalist and musician (and in fact, I think the fact I am working class makes me a better journalist and song writer). I come from a poor family, a single mother home. My mother was on welfare when I was young; I got free lunch at school for a long time. I, like a lot of people in this area, have some proper higher education, but no degree. I’m struggling right now to go back to school because of money issues. I strongly agree that there needs to be more jobs for educated people, and the efforts to bring jobs in the area for college grads is admirable, but a simple numbers game (or peek at census stats) shows that there are more non-college grads than grads in this and most areas. Something needs to be done (what exactly, I haven’t the slightest clue) to help the working poor, the blue collar people, the ghetto, the young urban black male, the kids in the Youngstown City Schools who will drop out. Show me a real effort to help these kinds of people (of whom I consider myself one) and I’d gladly sign onboard to volunteer. As fine of ideas as they are, tearing down some houses, increasing the annual number of Kenny Rodgers concerts and bringing in high tech jobs is not going to greatly help these kinds of problems.

I don’t care about helping Kimmy Sue Poland and Brad Michael Boardman find a job in the Valley after they graduate from Ohio State with their degree in business. They have other options; they can help themselves. What I care about is helping the average kid on the East Side or the South Side make it past 25 without being dead or addicted to drugs or with five kids of his own that he cant afford to take care of. I don’t see anybody seriously discussing these topics with the same depth they talk about 2010.

Will the year 2010 be better than 2000 was or 1990 was? Probably. Will Youngstown still have a lot of unaddressed and unresolved problems? Undoubtedly.

Defend Reality.

I came back to make a film I set out six years ago. This was my third time around and it’s not because it wasn’t ready to be made. I was finally ready to get off of my ass to do it and when people saw that I was serious, everyone came out of the woodwork to help. It’s been a positive experience for myself, everyone involved and for Youngstown. If it’s positive, people will get behind you and paying it forward really does work.

One person alone can’t change a city or it’s perception but if each person does the best at what they do whether it be a film or music, working at a homeless shelter or a hospital, running or even supporting local restaurants and businesses…it is making a contribution to the cause and a difference in our community. Each small pixel adds to the picture. I’m proud of what Youngstown can become and that our group of 20-30 somethings are coming back to share their international experiences and applying what they’ve learned for the benifit of the whole community.

Protect/preserve/progress