Civic // Space: PechaKucha Night Cleveland - Volume 43 at The City Club of Cleveland

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One of my joys is not only attending great PechaKucha events in Cleveland and Akron, but then afterwards learning more about the presenters. I do this by developing my PechaKucha blog posts about these events, which feature Northeast Ohio creatives. The process of writing this blog post provides me with the opportunity to take the time to study more about their interesting work. There is so much to learn from these people who make a difference in our community.

TAKE ACTION: I want to encourage readers of this blog post to go to a future events with a purpose in mind. Take time to connect to each other by not only attending the gathering, but interacting with both the attendees and the PechaKucha Night Cleveland presenters. At the very least, please personally thank the presenters and organizers for sharing their talent with our community.

The Thursday, November 21, 2024, PechaKucha Night Cleveland - Volume 43 - Civic // Space event had additional significance, since it took place at the "America's Citadel of Free Speech " -- The City Club of Cleveland!!

I want to thank The City Club of Cleveland Chief Executive Officer Dan Moulthrop and the other City Club staff who helped bring this great event to their place of service to the community. Their hosting of the creative storytelling format event reflects their openness to encouraging postive speech in our community.

Here are my photos from the evening, which include The City Club of Cleveland's new building, the start of the presentation, and pictures of the evening's presenters:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the slides!!

 

I hope you enjoy learning about the "Volume 43 - Civic // Space" presenters from what I share here:

 

PechaKucha Night Cleveland - Volume 43 Presenters

Charlie Olivo
Senior Interior Designer, DLR Group

Charlie Olivo, a proud Clevelander and senior interior designer at DLR Group, led the design of The City Club of Cleveland relocation. He is passionate about creating equitable, welcoming spaces and values time with family and friends. Charlie shares life with his architect husband, Tommy, and their two beloved dogs, Daisy and Milo.

The evening of presentations kicked off with learning about the history and the current renovations of the building in which we were gathered. Charlie Olivo explained how the current The City Club of Cleveland building was an F. W. Woolworth Company building ("a retail company and one of the pioneers of the five-and-dime store").

It was interesting to learn from Charlie Olivo the details of the building's construction and design, since I wrote a blog post in 2023 about how the Cleveland Foundation supported this project with a "$1 million total investment." See my blog post and the following two articles from The City Club of Cleveland's website blog:

• Blog Date: August 23, 2023 - Community Celebration 2023: Cleveland Foundation New Beginnings
  See the sections in my blog post with the video of the Cleveland City Club honoring retiring Cleveland Foundation CEO Ronn Richard, and the BIG announcement of the major gift from the Cleveland Foundation.

• The City Club of Cleveland Receives Major Gift from the Cleveland Foundation
  Published: Friday, July 14, 2023. By City Club Staff.

  $1 million total investment will support The City Club of Cleveland’s move to Playhouse Square
  
  . . . The City Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Foundation jointly announced today a major investment by the foundation to support the buildout of the City Club’s new home at 1317 Euclid Ave. . . .
  
  “The Cleveland Foundation has been a strong programming partner for several years, and now, they’re stepping up to help ensure that our new home is an accessible space—a City Club for all people,” said Dan Moulthrop, the City Club’s CEO. . . . investing in a place devoted to tough conversations and big challenging ideas that can move us forward. . . .
  
  Cleveland Foundation President & CEO Ronn Richard. “Our support will help The City Club build on its 113-year legacy of civil discourse, which is a cornerstone of our democracy.” The Cleveland Foundation’s contribution will be recognized in the City Club’s new home.

• I highly recommending reading the full Steven Litt article, since it complements what I learned from Charlie Olivo's PechaKucha talk:

  The City Club of Cleveland’s move to Playhouse Square heralds higher visibility for historic Cleveland institution
  Published: Thursday, June 8, 2023. By Steven Litt, cleveland.com (Guest Author, Blog, The City Club of Cleveland).

  America’s Citadel of Free Speech is getting ready to come down to earth so it can retail big ideas from a storefront on the sunny side of the street.
  
  . . . from its current home in an upstairs space west of East Ninth Street downtown to the ground floor in a former F.W. Woolworth store at 1317 Euclid Ave. in the heart of Playhouse Square.
  
  We’re creating a retail civic experience here that is all about access and accessibility,’’ said Dan Moulthrop, the club’s CEO since 2013. “I’m thrilled.”
  
  . . .
  
  At Playhouse Square, the club will be far more visible on the north side of Euclid Avenue inside a new, sidewalk-friendly storefront where it will face south into the sun from behind big glassy windows. It’s a fitting spot for an institution whose mission is “to create conversations of consequence that help democracy thrive.’’
  
  . . .
  
  The new renderings, prepared by the Cleveland office of DLR Group, emphasize the light, airy look of the new space, which has 16-foot-high ceilings and big display windows with curved corners.
  
  . . .
  
  . . . 14,600-square-foot space in the club’s new home, with seating for 350, representing a 50% increase in capacity over its current location in the City Club Building at 850 Euclid Avenue, where it has spent the last 40 years.
  
  . . .
  
  . . . to create a column-free space with clear sightlines inside the club’s bigger new dining room, the DLR architects have decided to remove four of them from the center of the space.
  
  In order to do that, the designers will transfer the structural load to a pair of giant trusses that will be placed on the building’s roof.

Charlie Olivo shared with us how the process of developing the design included interviewing the staff and volunteers who would be using the space. From their input, we now are enjoying the openness of the space, which includes soft curves and has a warm, inviting atmosphere. There is a library room that contains City Club newsletters going back to 1912, and current books written by speakers who have presented at the Club.

On Friday, September 15, The City Club of Cleveland had its first forum in the new building, which was a conversation between Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. It was very cool to learn from Charlie Olivo that the meeting of these two Ohio mayors was an homage to the first City Club meeting in 1912, which also hosted Ohio mayors. Learn more from the following description and video:

Finally, I was very interested to learn how the open space for the forum was created by removing the interior pillars that supported the ceiling. Now, the City Club ceiling and second floor are supported by trusses that were placed on the roof of the building. (Pause the video to see my photo to take a closer look at the I-beam in the ceiling.) Now they can seat 320 people in the forum room, which is twice as many people as they could accommodate at their old location.

Here are my photos from Charlie Olivo's PechaKucha talk:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the building designs that are in the slides!!

 

 

Jeremy Johnson
President & CEO, Assembly for the Arts

Jeremy Johnson is an outspoken champion for cities and the role of the creative sector in improving America’s communities. He promotes collaborations that help grow the arts and culture economy, which in Cuyahoga County generated $533 million and supported nearly 9,000 jobs in 2022. As President and CEO of Assembly for the Arts, he led the campaign for Issue 55, which county voters passed by an overwhelming 72%. The resulting cigarette tax will generate $160M over 10 years for 400 cultural nonprofits.

I had not heard about the work of Assembly for the Arts until I was invited by COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) to their Art at Work networking event. This event was presented in partnership with Assembly for the Arts, and took place at the Beachland Ballroom on March 26, 2024. There I heard Assembly for the Arts Chief Community Officer Deidre McPherson speak about how artists are entrepreneurs, and that they need the resources to succeed. (I have included a video of part of Deidre McPherson's Art at Work talk below.) Thus, I was interested to hear Assembly for the Arts President & CEO Jeremy Johnson's PechaKucha talk to learn more the both the Assembly for the Arts, and what outcomes we can now expect with the passage of Issue 55 on Election Day 2024. It is interesting to note that he was confirmed to as PechaKucha speaker before the November 5, 2024, Election Day, which made for a much more positive presentation about our community arts programs than if the issue had been defeated.

 

Learn about Assembly for the Arts two partner organizations at the following websites:

• Cuyahoga Arts & Culture - CACgrants.org

• Assembly for Action - VoteForArts.com

  Vote Yes for Issue 55. This ad paid for by Assembly for Action - VoteForArts.com

While writing this blog post, I found an interview with Jeremy Johnson in a Cleveland Foundation blog post, that gives more about the history I was looking for about Assembly of the Arts:

• Stories of Impact: Assembly for the Arts is unifying and amplifying the voice of Greater Cleveland’s arts and culture sector
  Published: May 20, 2022. By Cleveland Foundation.

  Launched in the summer of 2021, Assembly for the Arts is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen and support Greater Cleveland’s arts and culture sector with a focus on advocacy, cultural policy, racial equity initiatives, research, marketing that elevates the region, and services for nonprofits, artists, and creative businesses.
  
  . . . we have advocated for the creation of a City Hall office for arts and culture. We’re excited that Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is working toward making the office a reality. . . .

Fast forward from Jeremy Johnson's 2022 Cleveland Foundation interview mentioning a City Hall office for arts and culture to Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb's Thursday, June 15, 2023, announcement: "The city’s inaugural Senior Strategist for Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy is Rhonda K. Brown . . ." It was great to hear Jeremy Johnson PechaKucha talk with an update on Mayor Bibb's initiative on arts, culture, and the creative economy.

Here are two recent official Assembly for the Arts videos about the Mayor's support:

Looking over my notes and photos that I took during Jeremy Johnson's PechaKucha presentation, the main emphasis of his talk was all the fun and entertaining things to do in our region with the support generated by the passage of Issue 55!! In addition to the indoor museums and concert halls, he also talked about arts and culture at outdoor venues. He stated how arts and parks go together. Art and culture are happening everyday.

The emotional power of arts and culture: As Jeremy Johnson mentioned venues I have enjoyed over the years, memories popped into my head of good times I have had at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and of taking my dad to the Community Arts Center | Centro de Artes Comunitarias.

I love how he ended his talk with the following positive statement about the current and future status of arts in our community: “This is our moment. Let it shine!”

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Ken Schneck, Ph.D.
Editor, The Buckeye Flame;
Professor, Leadership in Higher Education, Baldwin Wallace University

Ken Schneck is the Editor of The Buckeye Flame. As a self described “Action Oriented Rabble-Rouser, Ken employes inspiration as deftly as he wields irony. He regularly presents on the topics of LGBTQ identity, community change, racial justice and always, ALWAYS, how you can use your voice to create actual change (instead of creating more meetings about creating actual change). He is the author of “Seriously, What Am I Doing Here? The Adventures of a Wondering and Wandering Gay Jew” (2017), “LGBTQ Cleveland” (2018), “LGBTQ Columbus” (2019), and “LGBTQ Cincinnati” (2020). In his spare time, he is a professor of education at Baldwin Wallace University.

In Ken Schneck's PechaKucha presentation, he shared some of the historic points of working to gain rights for people of the LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ (also commonly seen as LGBT,[1][2] LGBT+,[3] LGBTQ+,[4] and LGBTQIA+[5]) is an initialism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning.[6][7] It is an umbrella term, broadly referring to all sexualities, romantic orientations, and gender identities which are not heterosexual, heteroromantic, or cisgender.

After Ken Schneck's PechaKucha talk, I had an opportunity to thank him, and let him know I learned new information from his talk. I told him that as an undergraduate double major in psychology and history, I don't remember learning about what he presented in my history classes (of course, a lot of historic significant milestones for LGBT+ rights have taken place since I was an undergraduate student). My psychology classes would have only dealt with the scientific aspects of LGBTQ+ people, and not the political changes to improve their lives.

I told Ken Schneck and a couple of other PechaKucha Night attendees about my recent tours of the University of Akron's Cummings Center for the History of Psychology. The Center's museum has an informative exhibit dealing with field of psychology in regard to discrimination of LGBTQ+ and other minorities. We are fortunate to have a museum focused on history and psychology in Northeast Ohio. Here are my two blog posts about my visits:

• Blog Date: March 29, 2024 - My Day Exploring the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology

• Blog Date: October 7, 2024 - Disinformation Panel Discussion - Human Science Institute - Psychology Museum

Learn more about Ken Schneck's work at these websites:

• Ken Schneck's website: KenSchneck.com

  As insightful as he is irreverent, Ken employs inspiration as deftly as he wields irony. He is a highly sought out speaker who regularly presents on the topics of LGBTQ identity, community change, racial justice and always, ALWAYS, how you can use your voice to create actual change (instead of creating more meetings about creating actual change).

• The Buckeye Flame - TheBuckeyeFlame.com

  Our mission
  The Buckeye Flame amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ Ohioans to support community and civic empowerment through the creation of engaging content that chronicles our triumphs, struggles and lived experiences.
  
  Our History
  The Buckeye Flame launched in June of 2020 as a 501c3 nonprofit newsroom, filling the lack of a statewide LGBTQ+ news and views platform in Ohio. With a Board and roster of writers comprised of LGBTQ+ and journalism luminaries from all across the state, the site quickly became a go-to source for original stories covering politics to policy to community celebrations.

• The Buckeye Flame YouTube Channel

Here are my photos from Ken Schneck's PechaKucha talk:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Siaara Freeman
Poet Laureate, Cleveland Heights & University Heights;
2023 Room in the House Fellow, Karamu Theater

Siaara Freeman is the 2023 Room in the House fellow with Karamu Theater and Poet Laureate for Cleveland Heights and University Heights. She is the 2021 Premier Playwright fellow recipient with Cleveland Public theater, is a playwright and her work appears in journals, magazines and virally nationally and internationally. Her first full length manuscript Urbanshee is available with Button Poetry and is a 2023 finalist for the Audre Lorde Award and Silver award winner for the Benjamin Franklin IPBA award for Poetry. When she is not working she is likely by a lake, thinking of Toni Morrison & talking to ghosts.

Middle school teacher, Poet Laureate, author, playwright, and, as a child, wanting to be Ariel from The Little Mermaid story -- I enjoyed listening to Siaara Freeman's PechaKucha talk as she shared some of her life story. Here is a video I took where she is talking about how, even as a baby, she knew that she would be a writer:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

She spoke in her talk about being your own person, and how she was inspired by meeting American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou.

Siaara Freeman is from Cleveland Ohio, where she is the current Poet Laureate for Cleveland Heights and University Heights, she is also the unofficial Lake Erie Siren

She is a 2023 Room in the House fellow with Karamu Theater, a 2022 Catapult fellow with Cleveland Public Theater. In 2021 Siaara filmed a commercial for the Cleveland Museum of Art She is a 2021 Premier Playwright fellow recipient with Cleveland Public theater. She is a 2020 WateringHole Manuscript fellow, 2018 Poetry Foundation incubator fellow and a four time nominee for the pushcart prize. Her work appears in The Journal, Josephine Quarterly, Cleveland Magazine and elsewhere. She has had multiple poems go viral and has toured both nationally and internationally..Her first full length manuscript Urbanshee is available with Button Poetry and is a 2023 finalist for the Audre Lorde Award with The Publishing Triangle as well as a 2023 Silver award winner for the Benjamin Franklin IPBA award for Poetry. When she is not working she is likely by a lake, thinking of Toni Morrison & talking to ghosts. She is growing her Afro so tall, God uses it as a microphone and speaks through her.

Learn more about Siaara Freeman's book, Urbanshee, from her website and from the Button Poetry website.

Urbanshee is Siaara Freeman’s retelling of fairy tales and mythological stories through a modern and urban lens. This collection discusses the weight of being Black in America, Freeman’s relationships to lovers and family, and how the physical place you grew up can become part of your identity. Urbanshee expertly combines humor, fantasy, and raw emotion to create this astonishing reinvention of classic fables. Freeman’s poems are venturously unique and are sure to enchant anyone who reads them.

I did get to talk to Siaara Freeman after her PechaKucha talk to thank her for sharing her story and her vision. But it was not until I was writing this blog post that I realized that I already had a video of one of her presentations featured at the very top my blog post about a Cleveland Museum of Art 2022 exhibition:

• Blog Date: February 1, 2022 - Returning to Cleveland Museum of Art for "Picturing Motherhood Now"

  Picturing Motherhood Now - Spoken Word: Siaara Freeman
  Cleveland Museum of Art
  . . . Jan 11, 2022
  Listen as poet Siaara Freeman expresses an original poem on the meaning of motherhood inspired by the exhibition Picturing Motherhood Now. Reserve tickets today: cma.org/motherhood-now #MotherhoodNow
  On view through March 13, 2022.
  
  Poet Bio: Siaara Freeman is a native Clevelander. She has more than 20 years of experience in creative writing with a specialty in spoken word. Siaara teaches at the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, The West Side Community House Sisterhood project, and Anisfield-Wolf Foundation.
  
  Siaara’s achievements in fellowship include: Cleveland Public Theatre Premier Playwright (2021), The Watering Hole Manuscript (2020), Winter Tangerine (2018) and a Poetry Foundation Incubator (2018). Siaara’s creative portfolio has been featured in The Offing, BOAAT Press, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, and Josephine Quarterly. Siaara has toured both nationally and internationally showcasing her unique ability to connect with diverse audiences. In addition, Siaara is the co-founder of The Outsiders Queer Midwest Writers Retreat. She is currently working on releasing her first book, Urbanshee.

See more videos and links to her podcasts on her website: SiaaraFreeman.com/Videos-

I wrote in my notes from the evening that she ended her talk stating: “You could be whatever you want to be, and we live in the city that will facilitate that.” -- I really like her final message of being who you want to be.

When you look at the following photos, please note that Siaara Freeman started her PechaKucha talk saying that as a little girl, she wanted to be The Little Mermaid. Be sure to notice the last photo that shows her as an adult being a mermaid:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Michael N. Parks
Regional Executive of the Northern Ohio Region, American Red Cross;
Rear Admiral, Retired, United States Coast Guard

Rear Admiral Michael N. Parks, United States Coast Guard, Retired, is the Regional Executive of the Northern Ohio Region of the American Red Cross. During his 35-year Coast Guard career, Parks was deployed in support of multiple emergency response efforts, including for the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina and multiple other significant assignments serving in the Coast Guard all over the United States. As the Regional Executive, he oversees five American Red Cross Chapters covering 31 Northern Ohio counties serving 5.3 million people.

Since I used to be certified in advanced first aid and in wilderness first aid, I strongly related to the information that Michael Parks presented in his PechaKucha talk about the The American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region. I am familiar with their Cleveland location at 3747 Euclid Avenue, since I often used to attend meetings in the area. I also knew that the national American Red Cross has a special Congressional Charter to provide emergency, blood, and other services in the United States. I have always appreciated the unique role that the American Red Cross plays in our country, so I was interested in hearing the update from Michael Parks.

From my notes that I took during the PechaKucha event, here is some of what Michael Parks presented:

• Blood and mud -- he talked about how the Red Cross is known for its blood supply services, and how their staff and volunteers are willing to get into the mud to serve people in disaster areas.

• Only 3% of people give blood, but 60% are able to give.

• The most shocking thing he shared with attendees is that there is no longer a disaster season! Weather-related disasters now happen all year long! The climate crisis is creating different types of storms during all seasons. Once every 12 days, there is a disaster.

• Fire in homes is the biggest issue that the Red Cross deals with, which is why they have a home fire prevention campaign.

• 90% of the work is done by volunteers. Thank you, volunteers!!

• The one area that I was not familiar with is the Red Cross's services for veterans. One of these programs includes providing service dogs.

Learn more details on the American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region "Our Work" web page.

The following photos that I took don't capture the full depth of services provided by The American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region that Michael Parks discussed, so be sure to also check out their website and @NEORedCross YouTube channel.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Deidre McPherson, MBA
Founder and Cycling & Marketing Consultant, Bike Your Neighborhood;
Chief Community Officer Assembly for the Arts

Deidre McPherson is a creative producer, brand experience expert, and community advocate who has held leadership roles at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, the founding director of Sistah Sinema Cleveland, the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), The Cleveland Orchestra, and Arnold Worldwide (Boston, MA). Deidre is a classically trained violinist, a truly remarkable advocate for the arts, biking, transit and is the Chief Community Officer for the Assembly for the Arts.

I first remember learning of Deidre McPherson when Fred Bidwell sent me information about FRONT International 2022, and I then saw it announced that she was FRONT's new Director of Artistic & Community Initiatives. (FYI, Fred Bidwell was the first Board Chair of Assembly for the Arts when it was founded in 2021, and he continues as a Board Member.)

As I wrote above in Jeremy Johnson's section of this blog post, I first met Deidre McPherson when she was the featured presenter at the Assembly for the Arts Art at Work event. After her presentation, I had a chance to talk to her and a young woman who was a college student. The college student was asking for advice, and I remember being impressed with the career coaching that Deidre McPherson provided her. Here is the video I took of part of Deidre McPherson's presentation at the March 26, 2024, Art at Work event:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

The focus of Deidre McPherson's PechaKucha talk was not about her leadership in the Cleveland arts community, but instead for her leadership in supporting Cleveland's biking community. In April 2024, I had learned a little about her work as a leader in the Cleveland biking community when I attended the Cleveland portion of the national Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Celebrate Trails Day. The April 27, 2024, Celebrate Trails Day Cleveland event was hosted locally by Slow Roll Cleveland and Bike Cleveland. I was very aware of the good work of both of these organizatons, and had recently joined Bike Cleveland, but this was the first time I had attended one of their events. At the event, I saw that Deidre McPherson was one of the true "heroes of Slow Roll" as a SQUAD member:

SQUAD are the true heroes of Slow Roll; protectors of the ride and guardians of the street. Our yellow-shirted volunteers are always at the front of the ride (and everywhere else) to guide, protect and help riders along our routes. They are highly trained and dedicated and without our SQUAD, we couldn't put on these rides.

While I am more of a backpacker than a bike rider, I am a longtime member of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and have attended their national Celebrate Trails Day events in Cleveland. (Learn more in my three Celebrate Trails/Opening Day for Trails blog posts.) This year, it was especially important for me to get out on a trail for Celebrate Trails Day, since April 27, 2024, was the one-year anniversary of my open-heart surgery. (See blog post.) I am grateful to all the volunteers, like Deidre McPherson, who made this national trails event happen in Cleveland on this important anniversary for me.

Learn more about this 2024 Cleveland event in the following article, which includes some photos of Deidre McPherson:

• ‘We all want to make Cleveland better:’ Avid cyclists participate in Celebrate Trails Day (photos)
  Published: April 27, 2024, 3:32 pm. By Kaylee Remington, cleveland.com.
  I see that Deidre McPherson is in the fourth and fifteenth photos in the slideshow.
  
              Enlarge Image

Before Deidre McPherson's PechaKucha talk, I thought I knew a lot about her leadership activities in our community, so imagine my joy to learn about an additional interesting program that she helped create as one of the founders of Bike Your Neighborhood Cleveland! From articles I have read over the years from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, I know about the health benefits of bike riding and the economic improvements that happen in communities that embrace the idea of providing access to bikes and bike trails. I was excited to learn that Bike Your Neighborhood Cleveland takes it to the next level by reaching out to people who have not biked before, and creating a healthy community around bike riding:

 

From my notes and photos I took during the PechaKucha event, combined with websites I found, I learned the following new information:

• Deidre McPherson is listed as the "Founder, Cycling & Marketing Consultant" for Bike Your Neighborhood Cleveland During her talk, she emphasized that Bike Your Neighborhood is an inclusive program that welcomes all bikers. She described it as an organization that fulfills the following three "F" words: "fitness, freedom, and fun." In particular, I like that she included "freedom," since I think that most people only think of bicycles as recreational toys. In fact, bikes can also become a means to travel freely in an economical way if communities invest in bike path infrastructure.

• Article: League Cycling Instructor Seminar With Bike Cleveland
  Published August 9, 2021. By Raven Wells, League of American Bicyclists.
  This article talks about how Deidre McPherson and others earned the League of American Bicyclists' Cycling Instructors (LCI) certification at an event hosted by Bike Cleveland.

• You will see in my photos from her talk a slide from The Center for Community Solutions stating that "There is a 23 year difference in life expectancy between these two neighborhoods, less than 2 miles apart." This is a comparison of Buckeye-Woodhill/University Circle (age 65.4) and Shaker Heights (age 88.6). These figures were not new information to me, but what is new are the actions that she and other leaders of Bike Your Neighborhood Cleveland have taken to be part of a larger solution.

• She talked about a bicycling event where over 100 people had attended, and bikes were provides for the event for those that did have a bike. And then, with support from the Saint Luke’s Foundation, bikes were given to those individuals who need them so that they could continue to participate in future events.

  There is a June 8, 2024, post on the Saint Luke’s Foundation website about the Bike Your Neighborhood 2024 Season, which mentions local political leaders who attended their events: Mayor Justin M.Bibb, Council President Blaine Griffin, and County Executive Chris Ronayne.

• She also talked about the movie Bike Vessel.

  Here is the movie trailer and information from the BikeVessel.com website:

  Bike Vessel Trailer
  Digifé
  . . . Jul 13, 2024
  Bike Vessel follows a father and son, 35 and 70, as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric D. Seals’ father almost died after three open-heart surgeries. However, 20 years later, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for bicycling, bringing his son Eric along with him.

   

  Bike Vessel follows a father and son, 35 and 70, as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric D. Seals’ father almost died after three open-heart surgeries. However, 20 years later, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for bicycling, bringing his son Eric along with him.
  . . . Over the next fifteen years, he would have a total of three quadruple bypass surgeries and be forced into early retirement. However, the story doesn’t end there. Seals is now 70 years old and bicycles more than 30 miles a day; his heart problems have all but disappeared. Having once been on more than 20 daily medications, he is now down to one and his doctors call his recovery miraculous.
  . . . The film takes a hard look at the health disparities plaguing Black men, and the systemic racism that has elevated them to the lowest life expectancy and highest death rate of any other racial or ethnic group.

• Saint Luke’s to Host Special Film Screening and Discussion of ‘Bike Vessel’
  Saint Luke’s, City Club, Bike Your Neighborhood Host Special Film Screening and Discussion of “Bike Vessel"

  On the Saint's Luke Foundation website, I found the following excellent The City Club of Cleveland video for learning about the movie and the Cleveland bike organizations making a difference in our community.

  It was great to learn about Eric D. Seals's story in the following video, and I took extra time to listen to the Q&A from the audience closely. "The mind is much stronger than you think" -- what a great message! I let Deidre McPherson know that I plan to remember in 2025 Seals's statement about the power of the mind as I act on my plans for the new year.

  The Power of Cycling: A Journey of Healing and Community 7.12.2024
  The City Club of Cleveland
  . . . Streamed live on Jul 12, 2024
  Eric D. Seals grew up eating just about every southern delicacy you could name: pulled pork, liverwurst sandwiches, fried fish, alongside his father, Donnie Seals Sr. Living in Wheaton, a west suburb of Chicago. He also watched his dad drink and smoke for almost 10 years, until 1995 when he almost died. Over the next fifteen years, Donnie would have a total of three quadruple bypass surgeries and be forced into early retirement.
  
  However, the story doesn’t end there. Donnie is now 70 years old and bicycles more than 30 miles a day; his heart problems have all but disappeared. Having once been on more than 20 daily medications, he is now down to one and his doctors call his recovery miraculous. Directed by son Eric Seals, Bike Vessel follows father and son as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. The film takes a hard look at the health disparities plaguing Black men, and the systemic racism that has elevated them to one of the lowest life expectancies and highest death rates in the nation.
  
  Part of the Health Equity Series sponsored by the Saint Luke's Foundation, join the City Club, Bike Your Neighborhood, and the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival for a special film screening of Bike Vessel. Following the film, Donnie Seals will join a panel conversation about the documentary, health equity, and the transformative power of cycling.

• December 5, 2022, Assembly for the Arts Media Release about Deidre McPherson:
  ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS HIRES CHIEF COMMUNITY OFFICER
  Arts Champion Will Draw on Her Experience with Diverse Artists and Institutions

• Do More Cycling - Deidre McPherson's website: DMC-DoMoreCycling.com

Here are my photos ....

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Darl Schaaff
Executive Director, The Darl Center for the Arts

When Darl Schaaff, a former Alaskan turned Clevelander, asked himself, “If you wanted to display what your life collected, what would it look like?,” his answer was the Darl Center for the Arts. Before moving to Cleveland, Daryl spent decades working in performing arts and managing an event planning business which catered to large corporations. Along the way, Daryl accumulated a large collection of art, which has been sitting in Alaska until he finally found a home for the works; a former Library building in Slavic Village.

I first learned of The Darl Center for the Arts when I talked to Darl Schaaff at IngenuityFest 2023: Biologies & Geologies. I suggest you open the full IngenuityFest 2023 blog post I wrote to watch the News 5 Cleveland video I embedded and to read the the 2022 Darl Collection preview article, which I link to in my blog post:

• Blog Date: October 19, 2023 - Grateful for IngenuityFest 2023: Biologies & Geologies

  [ Friday, September 22, 2023,] We learned about a new, private museum and off-broadway theatre space opening at 5437 Broadway Avenue, Cleveland. (See information from first preview in 2022.) The Darl Collection will consist of approximately 200 pieces, with more to be added later.
  
  UPDATE: After I finished writing this blog post, but before I published it, I saw the following [News 5 Cleveland video] about The Darl Collection's new museum that I want to share with you:

The video is also available on the News 5 Cleveland YouTube Channel:
Old Andrew Carnegie library converted into arts center in Slavic Village

The second time I met Darl Schaaff was at the March 26, 2024, Assembly for the Arts/COSE Art at Work networking event. (It was a must-attend event where I connected with many creative people.) I told Darl Schaaff that I enjoyed meeting him at IngenuityFest, and he gave me his business card and invited me to see The Darl Center for the Arts in the summer. At that time, the Center was currently open by invitation only, so I really appreciated his offer. Unfortunately, I had some issues over the summer 2024 that prevented me from touring the Center.

I already knew that Darl Schaaff was originally from Alaska, and I learned the following from the notes I took during his PechaKucha talk and looking at The Darl Center for the Arts website:

• DARL SCHAAFF
  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
  Darl is an artist, producer and entrepreneur. He owned and operated a major event company for 35 years, working with corporations and large charitable causes. He has been on many Boards of Directors. His extensive travels have included human rights work and teaching.
  
  The Darl Center for the Arts is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. The Center's EIN is 92-374195.

• [The Darl Center for the Arts] mission is to develop relationships with artists and craftspeople, allowing them opportunites, as well as engaging our local community in the understanding and appreciation of the arts.
  
  To that end, The Darl Center for the Arts will create educational opportunities through the experience of art, support artists by providing space to create and showcase their art, and provide event space to support local non-profit organizations.

• Darl Schaaff has earned multiple black belts in martial arts. I found the following about his black belts in the CAN Journal Fall 2024 article: Collector Darl Schaaff Exhibits Favorite Life Artifacts in His Own Museum

  Darl’s fistful of black belts in a variety of martial arts—Korean, Chinese, Japanese styles—is on display, as well. He’s studied and competed in the martial arts since his teens, won numerous competitions including a US Championship, and was instrumental in bringing the Gay Games to Cleveland in 2014 initially through his participation in the Games’ martial arts tournaments.

• I wrote in my notes from the PechaKucha talk: "Carnegie oldest library. 10 sided building." -- It was fun to then look for more information. See an aerial view of The Darl Center for the Arts building on Google Maps:

  Looking at the Wikipedia article, List of Carnegie libraries in Ohio, I sorted the 104 Ohio libraries to see that, indeed, of the 14 Cleveland libraries listed, the "Cleveland Broadway" library was the first to receive a $590,000 grant on April 4, 1903. According to the Wikipedia article, Cleveland Broadway was the third Carnegie library to open in Cleveland: "Open 1906–1987, later became a church, purchased in 2022 and reopened in 2023 as the Darl Center for Performing Arts"

  I am so glad that Darl Schaaff saved this building, since it is truly unique. I was disappointed that in my Internet searches, I did not find much information about the building, so I hope that part of the new displays at the The Darl Center for the Arts will include information about its history. It is excellent that The Darl Center has a web page with a timeline with interesting historic facts about the building: "The Carnegie Library - A brief history of the Cleveland landmark"

  I did find the following in the Wikipedia article Broadway Avenue Historic District (Cleveland, Ohio):

  Acme of the district: 1900 to 1930
  The first two decades of the 20th century mark the high point of the Broadway Historic District's existence. A third wave of Czech immigration to Cleveland began in 1900, drawn by the growing steel industry in the city. These immigrants were remarkably well-educated, with a literacy rate of 98.5 percent (greater than that of most other Americans).[39] The accommodate strong community demand, the Cleveland Public Library established the Broadway Branch Library in 1902 at 5437 Broadway Avenue.[69][70] The building was a unique structure with 10 sides, and as of 2009 was one of the few 10-sided buildings still standing in the United States.

• Darl Schaaff created the The Darl Center for the Arts as a place to put all his collections. He has been told that he is crazy to take on this adventure to create this museum, but listening to him, I could tell that it is a labor of love. He has invested a lot of his time and money to make the museum possible. Three truckloads full of art were initially brought to the building as its starting point.

• Darl Schaaff recently added an outdoor sculpture garden to the property.

• The contrast between his PechaKucha photos of water damage from before the opening to the current, beautiful views of the museum were incredible! I look forward to visiting.

Here are my photos from the PechaKucha talk:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Walter Patton
Founder, Ghetto Therapy^™

Walter is a father of three and fourth-generation resident of Outhwaite (Case Court). He along with his great grandmother Lula Patton, grandmother Barbara Patton, and mother Mary Patton are life-long residents of the Central community. Walter was educated in the Cleveland Municipal School District and is the creator of Create Art not Violence, a youth art initiative formed to help the youth overcome their traumatic environment through poetry, film, hip hop and arts and crafts. He is also the creator of the award-winning mental health program, Ghetto therapy^™ Free public therapy sessions that are open to the public and include all age groups. We are so grateful Walter is joining us for PechaKucha Night Cleveland Volume 43.

In 2018, Walter Patton founded Ghetto Therapy^™, which provides free mental health services in the poorest communities of Cleveland. Where service is provided, the average person makes less than $10,000 a year. Walter Patton brings mental health professionals into communities where services have not been provided historically. I highly recommend watching all three videos that are currently on the video page of their website to learn more about their services. In particular, I think the following video does an excellent job of telling the story of their impressive work:

I wrote in my notes from the PechaKucha talk that Ghetto Therapy^™ has seven types of mental health therapy. Most of the services are provided in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic at the hospital's Langston Hughes Community Health and Education Center, 2390 East 79th, Cleveland. I found the following listed on their "Programs" and "About" web pages, but it is my understanding that additional services can be provided as needed beyond what is listed:

Walter Patton talked about research he had done about historic redlining, and presented the history of the loss of community stores starting in the 1930s. He also described how redlining affects the community today. I enjoyed talking to Walter Patton and his videographer after the PechaKucha Night Cleveland Volume 43 event. I shared with him what I learned from the Data Days 2024 keynote speaker, and suggested he contact her: Yeshimabeit Milner, Founder & CEO of Data for Black Lives. Learn more about Data for Black Lives in my blog post about Data Days 2024:

• Blog Date: November 19, 2024 - Civic Data and Technology Enthusiasts Gather at Data Days Cleveland 2024
  See all the details in the "Keynote: Yeshimabeit Milner, Founder & CEO of Data for Black Lives" section!

  The presentation started with some historical examples of data showing discriminative practices. Yeshimabeit Milner showed a Cuyahoga County map that shows redlining where financial resources were withheld based on the race or ethnic makeup of the community. My notes say it was a 1930s map, but I know that historic redlining areas still today lack resources . . . .
  
  . . .
  
  During the presentation, examples were shown of ideas that were reported as facts, but were not true (Examples: super predators myth, crack babies epidemic myth). Yeshimabeit Milner says that these myths will continue unless we have data to disprove them. . . .

Here are my photos from Walter Patton's PechaKucha talk:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

I wrote the section of this blog about Walter Patton before watching the following video. I talked to the videographer who came with Walter Patton, and he let me know that the video of Walter Patton's talk would be posted publicly. PechaKucha Night Cleveland leadership team member Audrey Hudak does an excellent introduction to his PechaKucha talk. I am glad to share it here so that you can watch Walter Patton's entire PechaKucha talk:

 

 

How do you pronounce PechaKucha? What is PechaKucha?

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PechaKucha is a free online and offline global storytelling platform that celebrates people, passion, and creative thought. Our users share ideas and connect with others visually, concisely and memorably. We are redefining authentic human connectivity through inclusive social engagement and technology.
What is a 20x20 PechaKucha?
The PechaKucha 20x20 presentation format is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and you've got 400 seconds to tell your story, with visuals guiding the way. PechaKucha was created in Japan in 2003 by renowned architects, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat.”

At the end of PechaKucha Night Cleveland - Volume 43, I had one of the people at my table ask how to pronounce PechaKucha, and what it means. This is my 23rd PechaKucha blog post, so I thought it would be fun to end with the following videos and the quote above from the official International PechaKucha Night website.

WARNING: the following Muppets verson of the Mah Nà Mah Nà song is an earworm that will get stuck in your head:

 

The following video, and the website it recommends, presents a better example of the correct pronunciation, but I still think the Muppets Mah Nà Mah Nà pronunciation is more fun!

Here is the link to the Forvo web page: "pecha kucha pronunciation in Japanese."

Here is information about our local PechaKucha Night Cleveland:

Bringing people together since 2008 ...
Since 2008, PechaKucha Night Cleveland has brought together audiences to hear amazing presenters share their passion around topics ranging from visual art, architecture, and technology to food, film, music, photography, furniture design and community. For each event, 8-10 Presenters share exactly 20 slides (timed to 20 seconds per slide) and feature diverse topics at every event, guaranteeing something interesting for everyone! This rapid-fire presentation format keeps audiences engaged and exposes people to new ideas, communities, and connections.

Are you interested in being involved with PechaKucha Night Cleveland? Send suggestions for speakers and/or locations to: pknCleveland@gmail.com

Enlarge Image

 

 

Related Blog Posts

I always like to include a list of related blog posts that may be of interest to the readers of this blog post:

See all my 23 past blog posts with the "PechaKucha" tag to learn about past events I attended in both Cleveland and Akron.

In 2016, the PechaKucha Night Cleveland leadership team asked me to do a special PechaKucha Talk at the first-time-ever PechaKucha Night Cleveland Past Presenters Happy Hour. See my PechaKucha slides, video of my talk, and read more in my blog post:

• Blog Date: December 15, 2016 - A PechaKucha Talk by Stuart O. Smith, Jr., about PechaKucha Night Cleveland

 

See my 12 past "The City Club" blog posts. With The City Club of Cleveland's new location, you may be interested in what I wrote about its neighbors by reading my blog posts about "PlayhouseSquare" (18 posts about PlayhouseSquare theatre district) and "BlueBridge" (4 posts about BlueBridge Network data center). In particular, read about the Cleveland Foundation's support for the new City Club of Cleveland's location in:

• Blog Date: August 23, 2023 - Community Celebration 2023: Cleveland Foundation New Beginnings
  See the section: Friday, July 14, 2023 - Cleveland City Club Meeting: Honoring Ronn Richard's History of Service

 

Jeremy Johnson mentioned in his talk the following museums about which I have written many blog posts:

• "Cleveland Museum of Art" (59 posts)

• "Cleveland Museum of Natural History" (18 posts)

• I want to make special mention about Jeremy Johnson mentioning the Community Arts Center | Centro de Artes Comunitarias, since I have a very strong memory of taking my dad there. See the full list of organizations that I wanted to thank, since they made possible a higher quality of life for my dad in what turned out to be his last year.

 

In light of the disinformation campaign in the recent election, I had the Human Science Institute and Psychology Museum on my mind when I attended PechaKucha Night Cleveland Volume 43. I mentioned to a couple of people at PechaKucha Night Cleveland how fortunate we are to have these resources in Northeast Ohio. Learn more in my two blog posts:

• Blog Date: March 29, 2024 - My Day Exploring the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology

• Blog Date: October 7, 2024 - Disinformation Panel Discussion - Human Science Institute - Psychology Museum

 

Siaara Freeman was featured as part of the Cleveland Museum of Art "Picturing Motherhood Now" exhibition. Learn more about this exhibition in my two blog posts:

• Blog Date: October 20, 2021 - Cleveland Museum of Art "Picturing Motherhood Now" -- Preconception vs. Actuality

• Blog Date: February 1, 2022 - Returning to Cleveland Museum of Art for "Picturing Motherhood Now"
  "Listen as poet Siaara Freeman expresses an original poem on the meaning of motherhood inspired by the exhibition Picturing Motherhood Now. "

 

Blog posts that relate to Deidre McPherson's PechaKucha bike talk and her professional experience:

• "Bike" (25 posts about bikes.)

• "Rails-to-Trails Conservancy" (Three blog posts about past Celebrate Trails Day Cleveland events.)

• Blog Date: September 30, 2021 - moCa Cleveland, Ingenuity at the Lake, Remembering Euclid Beach Park
  Deidre McPherson is mentioned in this blog post as "FRONT's new Director of Artistic and Community Initiatives!"

• "FRONT International" (19 blog posts.)

• Blog Date: November 19, 2024 - Civic Data and Technology Enthusiasts Gather at Data Days Cleveland 2024
  If you search for the word "bike" in the this blog post, you will see several comments, but I want to bring focus to the section: "Survey We Go! Understanding the Community Survey Process"

  It was funny to hear that one of the case studies they would present was about the community of Pepper Pike and its work to open a community bike path. I happened to be familiar with work done in 1998 on this subject, since I know someone who was directly involved. At that time, 26 years ago, people working to develop a community recreational bike path were verbally attacked by the people who stated that they did not want the path. The people that did not want the proposed path feared that users of the path would be urinating in their yards and make noise with loud boom boxes. The Pepper Pike bike path was not developed in 1998, which made it even more interesting to learn how community involvement surveys, and a vote on election day, made the creation of a bike path in 2024 possible. . . .

 

Since I first learned from Darl Schaaff about his art museum at IngenuityFest 2023, I want to provide the following links to my Ingenuity and Art blog posts:

• Blog Date: October 19, 2023 - Grateful for IngenuityFest 2023: Biologies & Geologies
  Note that in addition to listing "The Darl Collection," I also list the local circus troupe, "Crooked River Circus," that performed in the Darl Center for the Arts theater at a special event in 2023. In his PechaKucha talk, Darl Schaaff shared the story of surprising his guests with the same circus performers that I have enjoyed at IngenuityFest for several years.

• "Ingenuity Cleveland" (21 posts)

• "Art" (95 posts)

• "Museums" (92 posts)

 

I suggested to Walter Patton that the research done by Data for Black Lives, that I learned about at Data Days Cleveland 2024, might be of interest to him:

• Blog Date: November 19, 2024 - Civic Data and Technology Enthusiasts Gather at Data Days Cleveland 2024
  See the section: "Keynote: Yeshimabeit Milner, Founder & CEO of Data for Black Lives"

 

I hope that this blog post encourages you to attend future PechaKucha Cleveland events!