Uptown

Uptown includes all the neighborhoods around the University of Cincinnati including Avondale, Clifton, Clifton Heights, Corryville, Fairview, Mt. Auburn and University Heights, so it's a diverse mix of students and residents in one of the city's most distinct and eclectic group of neighborhoods. Uptown is the home of the Cincinnati Zoo as well as multiple hospitals and the Ludlow shopping district where you can find trendy and unique shops as well as any scent of incense you need. Ethnic restaurants, including a curiously high concentration of Indian eateries, multiple taverns, coffee houses, music venues and the Esquire — one of Cincinnati's finest independent art house movie theaters all make Uptown a one-stop walkable bazaar of exciting entertainment options.

Uptown Consortium partners with Urban League to promote job growth

By Newsroom

●

Architecture + Design

●

February 12, 2013

Uptown Consortium, an organization dedicated to building up and revitalizing the neighborhoods of uptown Cincinnati, currently has about $700 million worth of development that has been completed, is underway or will be completed in the next 12 months, says Beth Robinson, president and CEO of the nonprofit. “We were looking for a way we could reach out to the residents and make sure they’re participating in the economic and development boom here in Uptown,” Robinson says. So the organization partnered with the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati to sponsor and modify sections of its SOAR Program and Construction Connections apprenticeship. Robinson says the Urban League’s programs are a perfect fit because they have high job-placement rates for their graduates and are also located in Uptown. “A few years ago, we did some work in this area and did a session with HR representatives from the big institutions up here—an informational session—and from that, we learned job readiness is something that our residents here who are out of work could really benefit from," she says. To help address that issue, SOAR, which is a three-week program that provides training in areas like resume writing, interviewing and employer expectations, will help to prepare Uptown residents and then help them gain employment. Once participants complete SOAR, they are encouraged to take part in the Construction Connections program if they show an interest in the trade. Through the eight-week program, participants learn the basic skills needed to secure employment. “Urban League is great because they have working relationships for job placement with all the big construction companies in town,” Robinson says. Uptown Consortium is looking at its sponsorship of the two programs as a pilot project, but Robinson says she’s confident that it will be successful. If all goes as planned, about 25 Uptown residents will go from unemployed to employed in the coming months, with 15 of those residents working on the construction and developments in their community that will improve livability and promote place-making. “We’re really excited,” Robinson says. “We feel like it really adds value for Uptown residents.” Do Good: • Learn more about SOAR and similar programs by visiting the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati's website. • Keep up with all the news from Uptown Cincinnati by liking its page on Facebook. • Be a part of community building in Uptown by checking out the events happening in the area. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Video University of Cincinnati: If You Can Play

By University of Cincinnati

●

Diversity

●

February 12, 2013

UC athletes Kyle Neyer and Emily Hayden found support and encouragement when they pitched the idea of a video in support of LGBT athletes. The result? "You Can Play."

Community opportunity through Carnegie’s Call to Artists

By Newsroom

●

Arts + Culture

●

February 12, 2013

For nearly 40 years, The Carnegie has strengthened the Northern Kentucky community as a venue that displays, fosters and inspires creativity in both the visual and performing arts. One way it fulfills that mission is through its annual Call to Artists, which is now underway. Call to Artists provides a means for the nonprofit to expose the work of local and regional artists, as it selects enough pieces to fill its six galleries for the 2014 season with more than 30 solo and group shows. Gallery director and curator Bill Seitz says he’s fine-tuned the process behind the Call to Artists by ensuring that the work chosen is based solely on artistic merit, as all of the artists are juried anonymously. “Each artist is equal; it doesn’t matter," Seitz says. "I tell artists, ‘I don’t care if you’re in the Museum of Modern Art. The only way you’re getting a show here is because your work’s good.' I have friends who have never gotten a show here because they haven’t made the cut. Give me the best art and artists, and they’ll give me the best shows.” Seitz says the fact that work is chosen anonymously is part of the beauty of the process. “I know in the world, you can get a lot of things on who you know, but here, I put everyone—especially the artists—on equal playing turf.” When Seitz says he puts everyone on equal playing turf, he means it, because The Carnegie’s galleries are meant for everyone in the public to enjoy—not just art aficionados who seem to understand and connect with every piece they see. “I think a lot of people get intimidated coming to galleries because you have that elitism stereotype attached to it, and we try to break that down," Seitz says. "We try to make that personal. When you come in, you’re family. If you don’t like something, that’s okay.” According to Seitz, It’s not expected or even fair to assume that one particular show will capture the attention of everyone. There are some pieces in the gallery that he says even he doesn’t like, and he wants the public to know that that’s okay and perfectly normal. “You’ll run into somebody who’ll say, ‘Well, all he showed was contemporary artwork, and it’s not my thing,’" he says. "So I’ll say, ‘You didn’t see the glass show or the basket show or the craft show.' I do 30 to 40 shows a year. We try to put a little bit of everything in there. You cant like it all—because I don’t like it all—but you’re going to come and hopefully find something you like or find something that maybe enlightens you about something you didn’t know you like.” There are all kinds of art, and variety is something the Call to Artists prides itself on finding. From photography, to art made from paper, food or even hair, the exhibitions don’t place value on one type of art over another, but instead encompass a wide array of work, from as many artists of differing abilities as is possible. “You’ve got to put everything in perspective," Setiz says. "The biggest thing I tell people is I’m happy that you came, happy that you showed up, that you looked at art, that there was something there that you enjoyed that made you happy, that you looked at something and communicated with it." “That’s what art is—visual communication. It’s like sitting down with a book—that’s written communication. You can put on a CD or go to a movie or a theatrical performance—there are different art forms, but see the talent that’s basically in your own backyard. The fun part of it is that this is your own; they’re your own talent; these are people that live right in this area.” Do Good: • Visit The Carnegie's current gallery exhibition "Pulp Art." • Submit your artwork for review with the Call to Artists. • Support The Carnegie by becoming a member. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Project Downtown focuses on interfaith effort to give back

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

February 12, 2013

Each Sunday, a group of volunteers, most college-aged, meet at the Clifton Mosque to make sandwiches, bag lunches and wrap pastries to pass out to individuals in downtown Cincinnati. The volunteers make up an organization called Project Downtown, a nonprofit whose local chapter has been in existence since 2008, and whose ultimate goal is to eliminate poverty downtown. Yousef Hussein, director of PD, says the goal is a lofty one, but he’s confident that it can be accomplished. “It’s going to be difficult, but at the end of the day, I feel that if we set our mind to it, and people receive us properly, we can get the support and make a big impact in our community," he says. The Cincinnati chapter of PD began with leadership from students in the University of Cincinnati’s Muslim Students’ Association who wanted to form an organization that got them more involved in the community and that reflected their mindset of wanting to take care of their neighbors. Hussein says about 40 percent of PD Cincy’s near 140 members are either immigrants or first-generation Americans, and that it’s important to get them “more involved in the American fabric.” “As a result of that, the children aren’t as exposed to what goes on in downtown Cincinnati or aren’t exposed to the poverty that’s so close to them,” says Hussein. “A lot of them live in the suburbs, and it’s just a great opportunity for them to see what goes on in downtown Cincinnati. I think that when you have that sort of compassion and care for the general community and the community understands that, you’re able to break down the religious barriers you see between Muslims.” PD Cincy is not just a Muslim organization, however. It’s an interfaith group that aims to help others, and that’s what Hussein says he likes best. “You’ll see Catholics, Protestants and atheists, and it’s just beautiful to see them come together for one common purpose.” PD Cincy currently distributes 70 bagged lunches, in addition to breads and pastries donated by Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-Nation program to individuals along Vine Street. One-third of those lunches, in addition to any leftover bread, are then left in a box outside of the downtown mosque in Over-the-Rhine for anyone hungry to grab. “There’s a couple families that live nearby, and as we’re coming down, you can see them looking out the window so they can grab a couple for their kids,” Hussein says. But according to Hussein, it’s more than food that residents of OTR need. “A lot of individuals have mental health problems; a lot of them are just lonely,” he says. “If you’re in a situation where you’re homeless, chances are you don’t have a support network; and as a result of that, people have things they need to get off their chest. We really like to sit down and figure out what the needs are in their community.” So Hussein says PD Cincy plans to broaden its giving so that the organization provides more than just food. One way it plans to give back is through a hygiene drive, where volunteers will pass out kits filled with things like toothbrushes and lotion to help prevent people’s hands from cracking in the cold weather. The nonprofit is also planning a sock drive. “It’s easy to find clothes, but socks are hard to find, and washrags—you wouldn’t think it, but if I had a washrag to offer someone, they’d take it,” says Hussein. “Little things like that make a big difference. We run on a shoestring budget, but if we’re able to do those things with a lot of thought behind it, it makes a huge difference.” Do Good: • Learn more about Project Downtown by visiting the organization's website. • Volunteer by making sandwiches, packing lunches and distributing food on Sundays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. All are welcome, and those interested in helping should meet at 3668 Clifton Ave. Enter through the back basement door. • Assist the organization by donating or contacting those involved if you're interested in forming a partnership. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Social media entrepreneur, Xavier grad develops MBA marketing course for university

By Newsroom

●

Education + Learning

●

February 12, 2013

Xavier University grad and entrepreneur Matt Dooley is giving back to the university. This time, he's not a student but an instructor. Dooley, who in 2011 launched a social media agency called dooley media, now teaches a social media marketing course he developed for Xavier's MBA program. This fall will mark his third year teaching the course, which was recently accepted into the lineup of Xavier's MBA electives after an experimental period. The course centers on the changing and emerging social media marketing space. It's a real-time, real-world course that teaches students to create, analyze and and adapt social media campaigns across platforms. Dooley approached the university about the class, hoping to contribute to an existing course. Instead, he was asked to develop one himself. "I think the underlying motive was simply that so many people were talking about social media and trying to figure it out," Dooley says. "That prompted me to send that email, to see if there was an opportunity to build dialogue around social media's best (and worst) practices." He graduated from Xavier with a BSBA in finance and an MBA in marketing. Throughout his course, Dooley shares his own experiences in the working world, managing and developing social media campaigns for small- and medium-size businesses. Dooley also writes about social media marketing for the online publication Cincinnati Profile. The course has featured numerous experienced speakers, including social media marketing experts from companies and organizations like Caterpillar, Waste Management, Yelp!, Microsoft and Obama for America. The course emphasises on meeting real-life challenges, and in one project, help solve a marketing challenge 3M presented to the class. The challenge related to helping the company better sell a new suite of computer privacy and protection products. "It's a real-world course," Dooley says. "I think it's going against the nature of social media to be any other way. It's as interactive and fun and lively as possible." By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter

City Gospel Mission program builds friendships at The Outlet

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

February 12, 2013

Kevin Rosebrook, who serves as vice president of homeless services at City Gospel Mission, says stereotypes of homelessness are broken down when volunteers interact with guests at The Outlet. Rosebrook remembers four years ago, when he sat across the table from a man who was homeless. The two did not know each other, but they came to find out they shared striking similarities. They both attended Miami University at the same time; they were both athletes; and they both shared similar friends. “He’s obviously a very gifted person, [who was] able to succeed in college and was a varsity athlete, and yet some mental illness he had caused him to have different struggles in his life and find himself homeless,” Rosebrook says. It’s these kinds of stories, he says, that open people’s eyes to the reality that homeless individuals can’t be stereotyped as having a “lack of education” or as being individuals who “just need to go out and get a job.” ”And these kinds of thoughts that were told as true and that become acceptable in middle class communities are not true,” says Rosebrook. “And I think that impacts people when they sit across the table from someone and recognize they have many similarities.” The Outlet is a program that enables volunteers and homeless individuals to do just that—whether it’s by sitting down with one another to share a donut and a cup of coffee, playing ping pong or pool, making arts and crafts, listening to live music or kicking back for a game of cards. In an effort to achieve City Gospel Mission’s vision of “breaking the cycle of poverty one life at a time,” The Outlet aims to bring people together to form relationships that help homeless individuals address needs, whether those needs are physical, mental, social or pertain to one’s faith. “Nine times out of 10, when a person has gone from homelessness to the middle class, it’s because of a significant person in their life, so we want to create those significant relationships,” says Rosebrook. So every Saturday and on the first and third Sundays of the month, more than 100 guests and about 30 volunteers hang out and get to know one another better. Rosebrook says he would love to see the program expand to every Sunday and even throughout the week during after-dinner hours. “Ultimately, it’s about resources," Rosebrook says. "We say it all the time—it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And those things are true for the guests we serve, and it’s putting them in contact with the right people. We have some of those resources and are trying to help our guests reach that level of independence, one life at a time.” But it’s not just the guests who are impacted by their experiences at The Outlet. Rosebrook says volunteers often tell him they were impacted far more than they could ever impact someone else’s life. “I think many volunteers want to do a good thing and want to feel good about themselves on some level, but then when they get there, I think their eyes are open to just love—loving the people that are there and recognizing it could be any of us,” he says. “And I think it shatters a lot of the stereotypes that we came in with. That’s what I want to encourage our volunteers to do the most is to just be open when they come in.” Do Good: • Volunteer at The Outlet by enjoying fellowship through music, games and crafts with guests. • Donate items or funds to support The Outlet. • Like City Gospel Mission's page on Facebook. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Parks offer tour of Underground Railroad route

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

February 5, 2013

Cincinnati Parks’ Explore Nature! program will host its award-winning Ravine to Freedom event Feb. 10, allowing participants to walk along the same trail that served as an escape route for those using the Underground Railroad more than 100 years ago. “The Ravine to Freedom was recognized by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as the only documented, undeveloped, local escape route,” says Kathy Dahl, naturalist at Laboiteaux Woods. It’s a 1.5-mile unpaved path that runs along Hamilton Avenue, up and downhill, through the College Hill and Northside neighborhoods. “College Hill was named because of the colleges here, so people were progressive in their thinking and more toward abolitionist views; however, the Farmer’s College—where Aiken [High School] and the College Hill Recreation Center are today—also had Southern students, so they had to be especially careful,” Dahl says. Dahl leads the tour and is well-versed in the history of the land, but it’s the stories, she says, that are so important. To help make those stories come to life, she conducts the tour in the winter—first because the leaves from trees are gone, so historical houses can be seen along the route—and second because the winter months were the primary times that slaves would make their escapes. “If you were field hands, you weren’t doing as much, so your absence may not be noticed as quickly,” Dahl says. “There were also the holidays in there where the owners would travel or go to parties; and at the same time, the Ohio River would freeze, so it was a land bridge—or an ice bridge.” To help others understand the history of the ravine, Dahl joined forces with local historian Betty Ann Smiddy to create a detailed map of the route and markers of interest along its way. “Cincinnati’s role—it was a battleground,” Dahl says. “We’re taught [about] the Civil War in history books, but it’s only a part of what actually happened.” Dahl says it’s important that people not only recognize the history of the town where they live, but that they experience it. “It was trying times, but when I discuss this, when I talk about these things on the hike, I try to show that there was hope,” Dahl says. “There were people who came together, and they were up against big odds.” Do Good: • Call (513) 542-2909 to register for the Ravine to Freedom Feb. 10 from 1 to 3 pm. • Volunteer to help maintain Cincinnati Parks. If you want to help maintain the grounds so that tours like Ravine to Freedom can continue successfully, you can request to volunteer at Laboiteaux Woods. • Connect with Cincinnati Parks by liking their Facebook page. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Architecture by Children embeds learning in discovery of the built environment

By Newsroom

●

Architecture + Design

●

February 5, 2013

Kyle Campbell remembers designing his first house when he was home sick from school in the fourth grade. “Ever since then, going through high school, while most people would go out and do things, I would actually build models of houses I designed just for fun,” he says. “Coming into architecture was sort of a long time coming.” Campbell, who currently serves as the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati’s board member for the Architecture by Children program, did not initially make the decision to major in architecture, but he says the built environment has always had a huge impact on him. “I was a huge LEGO nerd,” says Campbell. “So the thought of building space and constructing things and designing things has always been a big part of who I am.” Now Campbell is sharing his childhood love with others in the ABC program. Jointly sponsored by the AFC and a local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the program aims to teach architectural principles to students through hands-on projects, as explained by volunteer architects. Campbell is one of those volunteers, but he’s also working to evaluate the program by matching it with the Ohio Department of Education's academic content standards to ensure that it has a lasting educational impact. “The AFC, as of this year, has decided that we want to take a more invested role in how the program unfolds because essentially, what we’ve been in the past is a donor of money,” Campbell says. “We’d like to be able to provide more manpower and more resources to help it be more successful.” The program currently reaches about 60 schools and 1,100 students, with ideally one architect assigned to each school. Participating students are tasked with a new project each year. This year, they are designing a museum of their choice for a space at 12th and Vine streets downtown. One seventh grade student has envisioned a nature museum with a river running throughout and a grand staircase with water flowing from the roof to simulate a waterfall that flows into an outdoor pond the public can enjoy. Her museum also contains a fountain enclosed in glass so people who are not inside the museum can interact with it. “It’s just amazing coming from a seventh grader because those are the things I’d dream to do in a real-world project,” Campbell says. “The most important thing is to keep the kids understanding that it’s okay to be creative and to think outside the box.” Campbell says he’s proud of the architecture this city has to offer, and he’s made it a personal goal to help the AFC achieve its mission of “educating the greater community of Cincinnati on the built environment.” “Most people don’t realize that Cincinnati has a fantastic history in architecture; it’s actually one of the most historical cities in the development of modern architecture,” Campbell says. “I want to be able to use the AFC as a way of educating the general public on those kinds of things.” Do Good: • View ABC student projects at the downtown branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County during the week of April 13-20. • Contact the AFC if you live in a home or know of a historically significant building that you'd like to share or learn more about. • Attend the AFC's exhibit, ENVISION CINCINNATI. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Alliance for Immigrant Women builds confidence, changes lives

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

February 5, 2013

One out of every four women in America are victims of domestic abuse, says Julie Marzec, program coordinator for the Alliance for Immigrant Women. Marzec, who in previous years spent time working in Latin America, says their statistics were much higher, with four out of five women predicted to be affected by domestic abuse. “That doesn’t just go away when they come to the United States,” Marzec says. Cincinnati became home to an influx of immigrants in the early 2000s; and in 2001, a group of organizations came together in an effort to assist women facing a number of troubling issues within the community. Shelters were unable to provide women with the support they needed for a number of reasons, including language barriers and lack of legal support, Marzec says. So the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati formed the Alliance for Battered and Abused Immigrant Women. The nonprofit’s efforts have now shifted and are led chiefly by the YWCA, which has formed a coalition with more than 30 organizations—the AIW. The main goal is to provide support for women who have either been victims of domestic abuse themselves, or know someone who has. The AIW assists women in a variety of ways, whether it is through teaching them about healthy relationships, creating multilingual safety plans, training other social workers and law enforcement officers about successful tactics for helping those in need, or referring women to other organizations within the alliance that can best help them. As part of the community education goal, the AIW hosts a Lunch & Learn series, a monthly luncheon where service providers eat, listen and learn about an issue central to domestic violence survivors within the immigrant population. This month’s session, “Domestic Violence and Immigrant Women with HIV/AIDS,” takes place Feb. 20 at the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati. “It’s really a chance for community members to reach out and meet each other, learn a little bit about different opportunities and different references they utilize in the future,” Marzec says. The Lunch & Learn series is just one effort the organization has made to raise the profile of immigrant women and domestic abuse, and it hopes to continue to do so through its various advocacy and outreach programs. “To help these women, we really need to learn about it,” says Marzec. “More immigrant women are learning about our services and know there’s an organization out there specifically for them, and that makes a big difference.” Do Good: • Contact Julie Marzec if you're interested in or in need of the organization's services. • Request literature and handouts for immigrant women who may benefit from knowing safety plans and information about domestic abuse. Contact Julie Marzec for more information. • Become culturally competent about immigrant women and the struggles they face when they are survivors of domestic violence. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Pets in Need offers help for pets, owners

By Newsroom

●

For Good

●

February 5, 2013

Pets need homes, and according to Cathy Madewell, program director of Pets in Need, it’s not feasible to say that people who can’t afford them shouldn’t take on the responsibility of owning them. “There are just way too many cats and dogs that don’t have homes, and you have too many people with a compassionate heart for them that take them in,” Madewell says. Pets in Need of Greater Cincinnati is set to open in early to mid-March with a facility of its own in Lockland, though the nonprofit is currently running a weekly clinic on Tuesday mornings at Valley Interfaith Food and Clothing Center. PIN provides basic care, including checkups, vaccines and antibiotics, to pets whose owners can’t afford preventive care. Madewell says that when those involved with PIN first started their work, they witnessed too many pets who had contracted severe diseases and had to be euthanized, either because they had never received a dewormer, or because they had flea infestations that had gotten so bad, they were no longer treatable. “Simple things that could have been avoided,” Madewell says. “We’re now able to provide that and help people keep their pets healthy so that they avoid any major situations, and [so we] don’t end up finding them on a vet’s doorstep.” When PIN opens its new clinic, it will serve members of the community who income-qualify for just $10 a visit—a fee that will cover the visit itself, in addition to any needed vaccines or medicines—so long as the condition is treatable and is within the realm of possibility for what the organization can feasibly take on. PIN currently has two vets—both have other jobs as well. “So they definitely have to have a passion for what they’re doing,” Madewell says. One of the two vets is Jennifer Wells, director of the veterinary technology program at the University of Cincinnati's Blue Ash College. Wells uses PIN to not only assist pets and their owners, but to also provide real-world experience to her students, who use their involvement at PIN as a clinical experience. Madewell says their experience with clients is invaluable, as their other clinical experiences involve animals from the SPCA, for example, so there are no pet owners involved. Prior to being treated at PIN, pets must be spayed or neutered. “We will pay for that for our clients,” Madewell says. “It’s a $10 copay for a cat or a $20 copay for a dog, and we then give them a voucher to use that for spay or neuter.” Clinic hours are currently 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday, though pet owners can begin submitting applications now if a cat or dog needs to be seen prior to PIN’s official opening. Do Good: • Donate to support the work of Pets in Need. • Volunteer to help keep the PIN program running. • Register your Kroger Plus Card so that each time you use it, the PIN program benefits as well. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.