March 2021 · Vol 8 · Issue #3 · thedevilstrip.com
PAGE 9: Market House Seeks to Empower Women Entrepreneurs
PAGE 10: converting a highland square church into a home, community
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IN THIS ISSUE How To Akron
Summit Artspace 140 East Market Street Akron, Ohio 44308
5 START SEEDS FOR YOUR SUMMER VEGETABLE GARDEN 6 EXPLORE THE DOWNTOWN SKYWALK
Board of Directors: Philathia Bolton, April Couch, Emily Dressler, Sharetta Howze, Rita Kelly Madick, Dominic Moore-Dunson, Bhakta Rizal, Audrey Worthington directors@thedevilstrip.com
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Publisher: Chris Horne chris@thedevilstrip.com Editor-in-Chief: Rosalie Murphy rosalie@thedevilstrip.com Audience Development Director: Floco Torres floco@thedevilstrip.com
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Membership Director: Jessica Goldbourn jessica@thedevilstrip.com Reporters: Public Health: H.L. Comeriato HL@thedevilstrip.com Equity and Inclusion: Noor Hindi noor@thedevilstrip.com Economic Development: Abbey Marshall abbey@thedevilstrip.com
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Digital Manager: Sonia Potter sonia@thedevilstrip.com Art Director: Chris Harvey harvey@thedevilstrip.com
8 BEANHEAD BROTHERS 9 MARKET HOUSE 10 FAMILY CONVERTING HIGHLAND SQUARE CHURCH INTO HOME, COMMUNITY SPACE 12 LEANDRA DRUMM 14 VINTAGE STRUCTURES: SELLE GENERATOR WORKS 16 DIVINE FSW 17 MARGIE’S HOPE 18 WOODLAND ACRE FLOWERS 20 AKRON ROLLER DERBY COPES WITH COVID-19 22 SINGLE PARENT ADVANCEMENT 23 THE TEA DUDE 26 SUMMIT COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION 27 OAK STREET HEALTH 28 JUAN CONTRERAS 30 FAMILY ARCHIVE REVEALS LIFE IN THE EARLY 1800S Essays, Humor & Creativity:
Client Solutions: Director: Anna Adelman anna@thedevilstrip.com Assistant: Allyson Smith allyson@thedevilstrip.com
33 SOBER CHRONICLES 34 CROOKED RIVER REFLECTIONS 36 UNENCRYPTED 38 DEVIL STRIP DISPORT
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Distribution Manager: Derek Kreider derek@thedevilstrip.com
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Family Editor: Megan Combs family@thedevilstrip.com
Want to help make The Devil Strip? Write to rosalie@thedevilstrip.com. Find us online: www.thedevilstrip.com Facebook: facebook.com/thedevilstrip Twitter: @akrondevilstrip Instagram: @thedevilstrip
Copy Editors: Megan Combs, Dave Daly, Emily Dressler, Shannon Farrell Freelance Contributors: Emily Anderson, Angie Agnoni, Martha Belden, Nahla Bendefaa, Debra Calhoun, Julie Ciotola, Kyle Cochrun, Nic deCourville, Megan Delong, Ace Epps, Ken Evans, Charlotte Gintert, Aja Hannah, Charlee Harris, Matthew Hogan, Jillian Holness, Todd Jakubisin, Laura Lakins, Marissa Marangoni, Sandy Maxwell, Brandon Meola, Vanessa Michelle, Yoly Miller, Melanie Mohler, Brittany Nader, John Nicholas, Brynne Olsen, Susan Pappas, Ilenia Pezzaniti, Michael Roberts, Arrye Rosser, Mark Schweitzer, Marc Lee Shannon, Theresa Sroka, Karla Tipton, Steve Van Auken — and always growing!
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Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
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Our Mission The Devil Strip connects Akronites to their neighbors, our city and a stronger sense of purpose by sharing stories about the people who make this place unique. The Devil Strip is published monthly by Random Family LLC. Distribution: The Devil Strip is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Copyright: The entire contents of The Devil Strip are copyright 2020 by Random Family LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials or other content. All editorial, advertising and business correspondence should be sent to the addresses listed above.
March 2021 · Vol 8 · Issue #3
The Devil Strip |
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FROM OUR TEAM
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he whole reason The Devil Strip exists is to make life better in Akron. But we can’t do it alone — and we wouldn’t ever want to. As our membership program for individual readers of The Devil Strip has grown, our client services team has developed a version for the small businesses, nonprofits and civic groups who give our city its character. Our newest initiative is called the Community Partners Program. The idea is simple: Formal financial relationships with businesses and nonprofits that support The Devil Strip’s mission. We have a lot that we can offer to businesses — but instead of shoving square pegs in round holes, we’re going to start by asking questions and listening, and we’ll create a package that fits each partner just right. As a Community Partner, a local business, nonprofit or civic group could underwrite a specific area of our coverage, whether that’s our vital reporting on public health, economic development and equity and inclusion or our long-running commitment to local arts, music, food, culture and entrepreneurship. But everything starts with the needs assessment to understand how we can help. That could include a package of digital and print ads,
creating content for your website or social media, hosting a virtual event or connecting to organizations in different sectors. It all depends on what you need. We need to bring in revenue to support our journalism. But as with everything we do, we put our mission first. We’re a local business ourselves, and there’s nothing our client services team wants more than to help other local businesses reach new customers and deepen their community connections. We’re currently piloting the Community Partners Program with 14 local, independent businesses in Middlebury, supported by Habitat for Humanity of Summit County with a grant from Republic Services. If you’re interested in joining our next round of partners We’re also lining up partners for the next round. So, if you’re interested or just have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll be kicking off the Community Partners Program this spring with the Keep Akron Local campaign. When we all commit to moving just 10% of the money we already spend to our own neighborhoods, we all benefit. If every household in Akron were to shift just 10% of what we spend on food, entertainment, clothing and personal care, we could
What we believe: STORIES MATTER. We believe the most important stories are the ones we tell ourselves about ourselves, and that this is as true for cities as it is for individuals. For better or worse, every city’s chief storyteller is its media. We take responsibility for our work because we know it shapes the way Akronites see each other, and the way we see each other influences how we treat one another. OUR WORK IS FOR AKRON. This is our reason for existing, not merely our editorial angle for stories. We are advocates for the city of Akron and allies to its people, so we may be cheerleaders, but that won’t keep us from challenging the city’s flaws. What’s the point of being part of the community if we can’t help make it a better place to live?
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OUR WORK SHOULD BE DONE WITH AKRON. We would rather build trust through cooperation and collaboration than authority. Our place in the community is alongside it, not standing outside looking in or standing above it looking down. WE CARE ABOUT YOU, NOT JUST YOUR EYEBALLS. Sometimes, we love a good fight with the status quo. But conflict and antagonism will never be a way of life for us, especially not to boost clicks, views, comments, shares and “eyeballs.” We are watchdogs to hold our leaders accountable, not to keep the neighbors up all night with our barking. WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS. Our stories humanize the people in our city. We not only want to counter sensationalized
On the Cover “Home Sweet Home,” a sculpture by Leandra Drumm. Learn more about Leandra on page 12.
keep more than $63 million in the local economy. That means more jobs. More money for public services. More of what makes Akron unique. We strive to spotlight and support businesses to help to drive that idea.
me at 330-992-4AKR or anna@thedevilstrip.com For more info, visit https://devilst.rip/CPP. I’ll help you figure out how The Devil Strip can help your business achieve its goals.
If you’re an organization that wants to help make this happen, contact
— Anna Adelman
and alarmist reporting but to eventually render it obsolete. We advocate for justice, freedom and equality because those qualities make this city, and our lives, better.
WE GET ONE SHOT AT LIFE, SO LET’S HAVE FUN. We want our readers to fall in love with Akron (again and again and again), to buck the temptation to only live vicariously through the people they follow online. One thing that makes art, dance, theatre, music, film, food, civic engagement, biking, hiking, and public space so great is that all these things can bring us together, helping us find new friends and have fun with the ones we already have. That makes us all a little happier. That’s what it’s all about.
JOURNALISM SHOULD LIVE BEYOND THE PAGE. Information without context or connection is inert. We believe journalism can connect people to each other, our city and even a sense of purpose. Though our work begins on the page, both printed and web, we promote and plan events so people can meet faceto-face where real life still happens. PEOPLE OVER PROFITS. The local businesses, nonprofits and civic organizations who support The Devil Strip are part of our community and are as vital to our culture as our artists and musicians. That’s why we don’t accept ads for national chains, things in large metros outside Summit County or businesses that profit from the exploitation of women. We are not a coat hanger for advertising.
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What is a devil strip? The “devil strip” is the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. The precise origins of the term are unknown, but it’s only used in Akron. Today, the devil strip is what connects residents to the city — its public space, its people and its challenges. The Devil Strip seeks to do the same thing.
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How TO Akron
Tips, Tricks & resources for good neighbors
Graf says. Of course, choosing to start from seeds or seedlings isn’t an either-or-situation. You can certainly grow a combination of the two. Starting from seeds There are two ways to start seeds. The first is to plant seeds indoors several weeks ahead of the last frost of the season, which is usually around mid-May.
Everything you need to know to start your summer vegetable garden REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY MARTHA BELDEN
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id you spend more time in your garden last year? If so, you weren’t alone. A recent survey by Axiom Marketing indicates that 49% of people spent more time working in their garden in 2020. This year, they predict 86% of people plan to garden the same amount of time or even more. Given the growing popularity of gardening, we talked to local experts about some of the best ways to start a vegetable garden and to discover what grows especially well in our corner of Northeast Ohio. What grows well in Akron? Akron’s hot summers are a gift to gardeners. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squashes, eggplants, okra and greens grow well in our area. In addition, we are fortunate to be able to continue growing vegetables after the dog days of summer have passed. “We are lucky in our area to have a growing season that can be extended by growing cooler crops,” says Karlie Graf of Graf Growers.
Such vegetables include broccoli, carrots, turnips and garlic.
Starting seeds indoors requires some basic equipment, much of which can be used year after year. Local garden centers and big box stores will generally have the seeds and supplies that you’ll need. A basic list includes: • A grow light (optional, but helpful) • A clear plastic cover to create a humid environment to encourage germination • Peat pots or recyclable containers • Seed starting soil • A blank calendar (optional) • A small fan to keep the air circulating (optional)
Seeds or seedlings? The first decision is whether you want to start your vegetables from seeds or buy starter plants, also called seedlings. So, which is best for you? “This is all about your level of patience and gratification. I do not recommend seed starting for low patience or instant gratification personalities,” says Noelle Akin, director of communications and education at Petitti Garden Centers.
The second way to start seeds, direct sowing, involves planting seeds right in your garden bed or container. The instructions on the packet of seeds should indicate which is the best method for that specific plant. “There are also a lot of quick growing vegetables that I recommend directly seeding in your garden. Those include green beans, peas, beets, zucchini, carrots, corn, garlic, lettuce, mustard greens and collard greens,” Akin says.
fruit if they are not cramped in the garden. • Do consider using a blank calendar to plan when starter plants should go in the ground and when they will be fully mature. Then work backwards to see when you should start your seeds based on germination rates and maturity dates. • Do read the actual seed packet to see germination and planting times. • Do keep a notebook to keep track of what is working for you, what you would do differently and which plants have been successful. You will thank yourself when you begin to plan for a new year. When is it safe to put plants outside? This is a question that stumps many gardeners. The answer varies depending on the cold hardiness of each plant. The seed packet or plant tag will indicate if it should be planted before or after the last frost. A general rule of thumb is that it is safe for tender plants to transition outdoors after Mother’s Day. However, the weather can differ every year, so follow weather reports to determine a safe date. Keep in mind that plants growing indoors will need to be brought outside for short periods of time until they have acclimated and hardened off. In late March or early April, plant cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli and spinach. In late May or early June, plant tomatoes, peppers, basil and other herbs. Still have questions?
“Peppers and perennials can take forever to germinate, so they would be my first choices when it comes to buying plants versus starting seeds. Your budget is a big factor here too. Startup costs for seed starting are fairly low — $10-$20, less if you use recycled containers. You may get 5-10 starter plants for the same cost,” Akin adds. “My top recommendations for plants to purchase as seedlings are tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb plants and berry bushes,”
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Graf also shares the following list of suggestions for budding gardeners: • Do select varieties of seeds to start that are easy if you are new to gardening such as kale, lettuce, spinach, potatoes or onions. • Don’t try to grow everything if you are new to seed starting. Try a few varieties and purchase the rest as seedlings. You’ll gain confidence and knowledge and be ready to grow even more your second or third year. • Don’t grow more seeds and seedlings than your garden will have room for. Your plants will yield more
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We are fortunate to have great resources in our area to answer your questions. questions specific to your situation. Both Petitti Garden Centers and Graf Growers provide helpful online resources. Let’s Grow Akron also offers spring and summer workshops for aspiring gardeners. // Martha Belden, a gardener who learns by “trowel and error,” writes about gardening for The Devil Strip. She can be reached at marthabelden1@gmail.com.
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How to walk Downtown Akron’s skywalk REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS HARVEY
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nevitably, during conversations about downtown Akron, at some point someone will mention the downtown Akron skywalk — usually followed by a couple of comments and questions like, “There’s a skywalk? Where? How do you get to it?” I’m here to clarify some of these questions and steer you in the best direction during these times. A quick Google search pulls up the Downtown Akron Partnership’s skywalk map (www.downtownakron. com/getting-around/skywalks). Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, not all 32 locations are accessible at this time. Masks in these places are mandatory in accordance with the Ohio mask mandate. According to the DAP’s website, “Many of the office buildings in
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the heart of downtown Akron are linked by a system of skywalks that make it convenient to travel through downtown no matter what the weather is like outside.” My favorite way to start exploring the skywalks is located in Lock 4, just behind the glass doors adjacent to the back of the Bowery. These double doors will take you into the Cascade parking deck, located below Cascade Plaza. This parking deck is not only an access point for the underground portion of the walk but also the Huntington Tower, which is Akron’s tallest building and a former hotel. After you enter the parking deck, continue to your right then head left you will notice another set of almost storefront-like doors that will lead you into the first part of the skywalk: The underground portion that takes you from Cascade Plaza to the Main Place building. In this tunnel you will see skylights in
the ceiling. Those same skylights are visible from Main Street. At the end of the tunnel portion, there are two sets of stairs on the right and left and an elevator in the middle. At the top of those stairs you will find yourself in the lobby area of Main Place. On your right, you will see Hamad’s restaurant; on your left is a mural titled “Made In Akron’’ by Michael Gearhart. You’ll see a sign above you labeled “Skywalk” with a red arrow pointing to another elevator straight ahead. At this point, you will take the elevator to the skywalk level, or as indicated on the elevator panel, “SK.” After a short ride up, you will come to the signs that lead you to the portion of the skywalk between the Main Place building and the CitiCenter building. As you walk farther down this portion of the skywalk, you will come to the door that leads to the Law Building,
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which is where City Hall is located — and to the next portion of the skywalk, which continues all the way to the Polsky building. If you go up the escalator on your left, you will be heading in the direction of the Ocasek building. You must have a key card to enter the Ocasek building, but you can still see some pretty cool Akron sights from this view over High Street. Best of all are the lighting fixtures in this section. If you need something to get you out for a bit or would just like to explore more of downtown, the skywalk is a great start. Just remember to heed all of the signs, because some parts of the buildings are closed to the public and maybe under renovation. Also, remember to mask up and make sure to practice social distancing if you come across a fellow sky-walker! // Chris Harvey is The Devil Strip’s art director.
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Inside the Skywalk
Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
March 2021 · Vol 8 · Issue #3
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News, Arts & Culture
Journalism about Akron, by Akronites
Beanhead Brothers ‘was a no-brainer’ for lifelong friends REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY NOOR HINDI
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or Derek “Tricky” Fromby, opening The Beanhead Brothers “was a no-brainer.” For 15 years, Fromby held onto the vision of the coffee shop he dreamed of one day owning, with smooth coffee, comfortable seating, relaxed music and opportunities for customers to support local artists.
coffee. “It was like, bam! It was instant,” says Fromby. “We already had the name and everything.” Shortly after that call, the two came together to open The Beanhead Brothers alongside another partner, Jesus Ruiz. The coffee shop opened in November.
Fromby and Tyler have known each other their whole lives. Before opening Beanhead Brothers, Fromby owned a construction company. Tyler That’s when Kevin Tyler called him. owned a restaurant and club, among Shortly after Amazon announced they other businesses. would be opening a fulfilment center on Romig Road, Tyler jumped at the Fromby considers himself the creative chance to provide the employees with brains behind Beanhead Brothers, All Fromby needed was an opportunity.
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and he designed the coffee shop and much of the furniture in the space. His background as a DJ also comes alive in the two guitars customers can play and the stage that will host performances and open mic nights after the pandemic ends. “Anybody can walk in and play whenever they want to play. That’s the whole idea,” Fromby says. Though they didn’t anticipate the pandemic in 2019 when they started planning for Beanhead Brothers, Fromby says they’re lucky because “people still want their coffee.” “The only impact from the virus is we can’t do what we want to do with the live jazz and the music,” Fromby
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says. The Beanhead Brothers menu offers sandwiches, coffee, tea, fruit bowls and smoothies. The smoothies are named after Fromby and Tyler’s kids. A favorite menu item among customers and employees is the Pookie Delight, which includes peanut butter, almond milk and bananas. Visit The Beanhead Brothers at 2495 Romig Rd. in Akron. They are open Monday-Friday 7 am-7 pm and Saturday 7 am-3 pm. // Noor Hindi covers equity and inclusion for The Devil Strip. Email her at noor@thedevilstrip.com.
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‘Once you empower a woman, you empower the whole society’ MARKET HOUSE WILL EMPOWER NORTH HILL WOMEN WITH PROGRAMS, MAKERSPACE REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY ABBEY MARSHALL
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amantha Byake recalls what it’s like to grow up in a culture that viewed her as inferior to men.
“Growing up in Africa, the culture is so conservative,” says the 23-yearold. A Congolese refugee, Byake spent nine years in Uganda before immigrating to Akron’s North Hill neighborhood. “They consider women as inferiors and can’t do anything. Women are just there as housewives: look after the kid, prepare food, make sure the house looks good.” Through her work with refugees at various organizations, Byake says women from similar backgrounds often view themselves as vulnerable and weak. “Coming to America, having a psychology degree, going to women’s empowerment conferences, I realized you don’t need to wait for a man to bring everything,” says Byake, who received her bachelor’s degree in psychology through a leadership scholars program in Uganda. “You don’t have to be vulnerable because you don’t have a husband or father or male in your life. You can be the one putting bread on the table.” That’s why Byake, along with others at the North Akron Community Development Corporation, are using their experiences and platforms to
empower women in North Hill at the new Market House at 762 Elma St. “These women are talented,” says Byake, who is on NACDC’s board of directors. “Back home they make jewelry. They know how to craft things. They know how to sew clothes. With Market House, it gives them a space to exhibit what they can do. It gives them a platform to show the world, ‘this is my culture.’” North Hill is home to a robust immigrant and refugee population, as well as many longtime Black residents. NACDC’s goal is to bolster and empower residents of the neighborhood through economic development programs like the ones hosted at Market House. “We engaged our community to figure out how we could activate this space in a meaningful way,” says Katie Beck, NACDC’s Executive Director. “The resounding response was that women in new American communities or communities of color aren’t as empowered as they could be. They want leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities.” The first floor of the Market House will be a community space similar to the Exchange House next door, which serves as a cultural hub and international hostel. Market House will host programs and cohorts of various programs for women in the community, such as a 10-week entrepreneurial training with Bounce Innovation Hub and a 4-week prototype of Crafty Mart’s beginning maker session. Both programs will be either taught by a facilitator in participants’ native language or be ESL-friendly. The cohorts will begin this summer.
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A makerspace in the attic and basement will also be available through a membership program, offering access to professional machinery like a textile machine, a sublimation printer, a heat press and a laser cutter. Two office spaces for entrepreneurs are available to rent on the second floor, with a preference for womenand minority-owned businesses. An additional room will serve as a cooperative clinic space where volunteer practitioners will assist women with healthcare needs. “There are no health clinics in this community,” says Tiffany Stacy, who is managing Market House. “We’re going to host groups of women in the years they have their babies that will meet to provide support for one another. With that clinic open, they can see somebody right there if they have a medical issue in an appropriate space.” Daycare will also be available for mothers and other caregivers wanting to participate in Market House programs, and SPARK will offer various preschool programming. Market House, painted a fresh coat of bright green and trimmed with a dark forest color, is next door to the Exchange House, which opened in 2017 with funding from Better Block. The building is an addition to NACDC’s efforts to activate Temple Square. In the last year, the organization has also opened NoHi, a rotating restaurant with community members preparing cultural dishes each weekend at 778 N. Main St., and NoTique, a retail space for residents to sell their products next door.
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“Our goal is to create interconnectedness with all our events and spaces,” Beck says. “If someone comes into [Market House] programming with a food business idea, they can try it out at NoHi. If they create something in the makerspace, they can sell it in the NoTique.” NACDC still has plans in the works. They are working to bring major renovations to their pocket park behind Market and Exchange Houses, The Backyard, including a 40x20 pavilion, sun shades, multilayer decks and a roof over the stage with added light and sound equipment. “Our goal this year is to encourage people to come to Temple Square,” Beck says. “There’s multiple reasons to come to North Hill. We want people to meet at the pocket park, eat at NoHi, shop at NoTique.” The ultimate way to support the economic development of the area, Beck says, is empowering and supporting the residents who live there. “I want to show these women that they can start something and bring bread back to their families,” Byake says. “You don’t have to just go and work for someone else. You can also work for yourself. Once you empower a woman, you empower the whole society.” Visit northakroncdc.org to learn more about programming. // Abbey Marshall covers economic development for The Devil Strip via Report for America. Reach her at abbey@thedevilstrip.com. The Devil Strip
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‘Keeping the spirit of the church’ FAMILY CONVERTS WEST MARKET STREET FELLOWSHIP CHURCH INTO NEW HOME AND GATHERING SPACE 10 | The Devil Strip
REPORTING AND WRITING BY ABBEY MARSHALL The winter sunlight trickles in through stained-glass windows, hues of marbled green and pink dancing across the hardwood stairs descending to the pews. Kristy Clark, her 1-year-old daughter Rose on her hip, sweeps her arm across the chapel, excitedly relaying her vision for the space. “We’ll tear up these pews here and level out the ground and it could be such a nice social hall,” she says. “My dream would be to turn it into an art gallery. How cool would that be?”
As Kristy and her husband, Joe Sofio, navigate through the ongoing construction work downstairs, they don’t see the shell of plywood frames. They see an apartment for neighbors needing a place to stay, a playroom for dates with other parents and children, a stage for musicians, a spacious kitchen for local bakers needing more space.
“He said, ‘Oh, but you won’t want it. It’s zoned residential,’” he remembers. “We were the first people to say, ‘Well, that’s perfect because we’re looking for a home.”
At 14,778 square feet, their new home has plenty of potential.
“I have a huge family and we’re constantly throwing baby showers, parties, all this stuff and we’re always looking for halls to rent,” Kristy says. “I was looking for a house with a big basement or party room. We couldn’t find anything like that. Then we came across this church.”
After the congregation of Market Street Fellowship Church decided to relocate to a smaller space, their former building at 981 W. Market St. sat on the real estate market for over a year. The church, originally the Monroe United Presbyterian Church, was built in 1912. The realtor told Joe potential buyers had visions of grandeur for the large Highland Square structure: a winetasting bar, a coworking space. But the offers always dried up when they realized the area was not zoned for commercial use. Joe recalls the surprise in the realtor’s voice when they put in an offer in March 2020.
Kristy and Joe spent years in New York City, where they met, and then Phoenix. When they became parents to Rose in December 2019, they decided to make the move closer to Kristy’s family in Stow. But they wanted to move someplace unique — though a church wasn’t really what they had in mind.
As soon as Kristy and Joe saw the home was located on the corner of Market and Rose — the name of their daughter — they were sold. “How crazy is that?” Kristy says. “It felt like a sign.” They bought the space in March 2020. They’re now on track to finish renovations on the downstairs area, which includes several multipurpose rooms, a studio apartment, a commercial kitchen and a social hall with a stage by April. From there, they will renovate the
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Far left: Joe Sofio, Kristy Clark, and Rose Sofio have created a home out of the former Monroe United Presbyterian Church at the corner of Rose and Market Streets in Highland Square. They plan on extending their hospitality to their neighbors. Center top: The family resides in the top half of the church. Center bottom: Stained glass windows of the Monroe United Presbyterian Church that was built in 1912. Right: Church pews in the Monroe United Presbyterian Church prior to renovations. (Photos: Ilenia Pezzaniti)
upstairs chapel and church office, where they are currently living. “We’re never going to sell this place. It can be an ongoing project forever,” Joe says. “And how cool is it for Rose to be growing up in a church office? I think it’ll be cool for her.” But beyond a home for their family, they’re looking to build community by opening their doors to their neighbors. “It’s a unique way for us to meet our neighbors,” Joe says. “Like, ‘Hey, we get to know you, and you want to have a baby shower for one of your siblings, then by all means, go for it. Do you need to get out of the house? Come to a little coworking space and hang out.’” Kristy and Joe always had big hearts when it came to sharing their home with neighbors in need. The two were foster parents for several years in Phoenix before moving to Akron, and they recognized the need for shared space and community building. “We all know someone who needs a place and would have benefited from a place like this. We saw that with the parents of kids we were fostering. If we meet someone and they have a family member or close friend who is out of luck and needs a place to stay, we’ll open our doors,” Joe says. “That sort of comes from all the fostering we’ve done. We enjoyed doing that the last couple of years and want to continue sharing our home with people.” The couple hopes to begin opening their doors as early as this summer,
pandemic pending. Their first goal is to host a flea market for their neighbors in their parking lot with food trucks, a bouncy house for the kids and local vendors. Everyone that uses the space will do so free of charge: rather than a business transaction, they view it as inviting someone to their house and forming relationships. “We really see this place becoming a modern, progressive version of a church,” Kristy says. “This obviously isn’t a church anymore, but everything that we see ourselves doing here is what you would go to a church to do: community meetings, A.A. meetings, helping a neighbor who needs to get back on their feet.” “We kind of want to keep the spirit of the church in our own way,” Joe adds. Kristy and Joe want their space to bring people together as vaccinations are being distributed more widely and people begin to re-enter their communities after months in isolation. “We want to bring people back together,” Kristy says. “Last year was really hard for everyone. Humans need contact with other people. We need to be meeting people, interacting, helping each other. When this is done, I really hope we can use this place to bring people back together and start having fun again.” // Abbey Marshall covers economic development for The Devil Strip via Report for America. Reach her at abbey@thedevilstrip.com.
Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
Leandra Drumm creates whimsical designs in pewter and glass REPORTING AND WRITING BY SUSAN PAPPAS
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s the the youngest of three daughters of sculptor Don Drumm and textile artist Lisa Drumm, the career path should have seemed obvious for Leandra Drumm. Her earliest childhood memories reflect a life immersed in art. Leandra watched her parents hone their craft and rub elbows with fellow artists, and she remembers childhood summers spent at the prestigious Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, where Don and Lisa taught as artists-in-residence every summer for a decade. Still, by the time Leandra got to high school, she felt herself rebelling against anything to do with art. A career in engineering made more sense. Or so she thought.
“I was pretty good at math at that time,” Leandra recalls. “I decided to sign up for an engineering course; I was enamored with being a female engineer.” But all it took was one day of a hands-on learning session with real-life engineers for her artistic sensibilities to bubble back up to the surface. “We spent half the day with a structural engineer and the second half with an architectural engineer,” Leandra says. “I remember I was sitting in the office of one of the engineers and there were drop ceilings and fluorescent lights. It occurred to me that there was no art on the walls and no color.” In that moment, she knew where she belonged, and it wasn’t behind an engineer’s desk. Today, Leandra has her own studio
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within the Crouse Street campus of Don Drumm Studios and Gallery in University Park. She has made a name for herself as an award-winning artist, creating etched glass and pewter designs under her brand, Leandra Drumm Designs. “I would say that my number-one influence was that both my parents taught at Penland School every summer since I was a baby in a basket,” Leandra says. “It was such an incredible experience because artists came from all over the country to teach there.” Her memories of being at Penland include being on the periphery of the many summer parties that her parents attended and collecting pieces of discarded blown glass turned to marble that artists threw into a sand pit to cool. “We were the rugrats of that time,” she says. “I was never old enough to
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take full-fledged classes there. But the camp made me feel that art was play time. For me, it was a form of play and creativity.” While at Central Hower High School, Leandra took a drawing class from Professor Mark Soppeland, and she credits him with shedding light on the notion that art was more than just something you create. “He opened my eyes that art was not only a craft you learned, there is an academic component to it as well. He taught me the history of it. And that made me realize I wanted to study art in some capacity.” Next, she pursued a degree in graphic design from Kent State University, a path she chose for its blending of engineering and art. As she chipped away at her degree, she could not escape the desire she felt to make things. thedevilstrip.com
Photos: Leandra Drumm at work. The work in the final frame is called “Proposal.” (Photos: Used with permission from Leandra Drumm.)
“During that time at college, my dirty little secret was that I had a black market of crafts that I would sell to fellow students,” she says. “I was doing that without realizing it — it just came as second nature.” Before pursuing her art full-time, a short stint as a graphic designer after college brought an epiphany that further cemented her direction: “With graphic design, you are working for a client to implement their vision. With a craft, I implement my vision and hope it speaks to an audience.” In addition to making art, Leandra has been a creative force in the Akron arts community, organizing such notable events as the Light-Up Lantern Festival, a street event that featured music, artists and vendors that ran for four years from 2009 to 2012 in University Park near the Drumm galleries. “It was all about outreach and connection with the community,” Leandra says of the Lantern Festival. “The whole idea was to introduce arts and music to people and having so many friends in the arts community, we were able to create this event that stretched across so many boundaries. I would barter with everyone to be a part of this.” Having the Drumm name also probably helped open some doors, but Leandra’s talent, passion for all things creative and her personable nature are uniquely hers, making her a perfect ambassador for the Akron arts scene. And speaking of her sculptor father — who is now 85 and arguably one of the most well-known artists to come out of Akron — Leandra clearly adores him. “He is the star of the show in my family,” Leandra acknowledges. “In
my opinion, there is no competing with him. I only can hope to one day be at his level. We compete with each other, but in a healthy way.”
COVID-19.
In fact, Leandra said that she and her father had a competition last year before the Christmas buying season to see who could create the most ornaments to sell.
“We decided to take our energy and emotions and create a series that expressed our gratitude to the heroes in our community,” Leandra says. “The response was overwhelming and it gave our work purpose and hope, but more importantly, we were able to give back.”
“He told my mom he was going to try and beat me and then he announced one day that he won,” she recalls, laughing.
Plans for the future include expanding the network of artists featured at the studio and enhancing online sales of artwork, Leandra says.
Leandra and her two sisters have been very protective of their aging parents during the pandemic, trying to keep them home as much as possible. And like other small business owners, they have had to adjust and reinvent their approaches to their art and their business.
“A lot of gallery owners we see are aging out of the business,” she says. “Many rent space and the cost has increased and they are deciding to retire. My husband and I will inherit Don Drumm Studios and plan on running it well into the future. I’m fascinated and very interested in ways to highlight artists in the community and throughout the nation so the gallery is a viable space for them to sell.”
She acknowledges that she and husband, Tim Benninghoff, will take over the management of the Drumm family business one day and feels fortunate that the studios have been able to survive the pandemic through online sales, curbside pick-up and socially distanced shopping hours. Keeping up with demand has not been easy, however, since all pieces are handmade. As a thank-you and a show of support to essential workers, Leandra and Don last fall decided to create themed ornaments and donate a portion of the proceeds to the COVID Relief Fund.
Leandra has collaborated with other local artists throughout her career — for example, working with Laurie Carter of folk band Hey Mavis in 2018. Their collaboration created a hardcover book and CD of historical fiction, titled Silver Ribbon Dreams Songs and Stories of the Ohio & Erie Canal. The book features Leandra’s illustrations which, along with the music, help tell the story of an important part of local history.
Among the creations were Leandra’s etched glass soap and sanitizer containers, which sold out quickly, as did ornaments featuring teachers, firefighters and healthcare workers.
As of February, the artwork from those illustrations can also be viewed in the old O’Neil’s storefront windows in downtown Akron as part of the Curated Storefront project funded by a 2016 Knight Foundation Arts Challenge grant.
The artwork even caught the attention of American Craft Week, an event that takes place every October, where Leandra garnered the grand prize for Art Therapy in the time of
“They asked if we could enlarge the artwork for the windows, which I thought was really exciting,” Leandra says. “I love that it’s more of Akron’s history being shared and hopefully it
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will encourage people to come in and rent in the building.” Besides contributing her own artwork for the good of the community, Leandra is nurturing the next generation of artists right under her own roof. Her daughter, Andra, is following the family’s artistic legacy while her son, Logan, is doublemajoring in math and physics at the University of Akron. “He escaped and wants to be a particle physicist,” she says. Andra attends Firestone High School’s Akron School for the Arts program and has already been recognized with a National Scholastics Award for her writing. She currently does social media marketing and takes photographs for the family business and Leandra is making sure her daughter understands an important aspect of being a successful artist. “One lesson I teach in this household is to value your art and not give it away,” she says. “I always tell my kids to value what you do. I like creating for people. I do tend to undersell my work, too, but if we want art to continue, then we have to have other people understand its value.” With any luck, generations of the Drumm family will be bringing their passion, talent and sense of community to the Akron arts scene for decades to come. // Susan Pappas is a writer, editor and longtime Akron-area resident. She loves meeting interesting people and bringing them to life with her words and photographs. In her spare time, she dreams of new ways to be creative, and one of her next projects will focus on turning the hilarity and hijinks of her two wiener dogs, Kiki and Carly, into a children’s book series.
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SELLE GENERATOR WORKS
WRITING BY MARK SCHWEITZER, PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE GINTERT
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ometimes it’s easy to overlook something significant, and that’s the case with this month’s vintage structure, the Selle Generator Works. Before I started working from home, I’d drive by it every day on my way to work, occasionally glancing at the old brick factory at the south end of downtown, between Broadway and High streets. Though it is built primarily of brick, the factory has a timber frame that dates from 1888, when it opened as the Selle Gear Company. Ferdinand Selle (pronounced “sell-ee”) emigrated from Germany in 1852 and moved to Akron after living in Detroit. Arriving in the midst of the city’s pre-rubber industrial boom, he had obtained many patents, and this resulted in a number of investors coming forward to support a manufacturing effort. Initially, the company produced specialized hardware for horse-
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drawn carriages, delivery wagons and omnibuses. The company’s platform truss gears and spring suspensions were widely used, resulting in an expansion of the operation and the addition of boiler rooms, a forging room and shipping docks. Though it was once a much larger complex, the main portion of the factory appears essentially as it did during its early years, with the compact, multi-story brick manufacturing structure and its tall companion chimney standing proud. The building is not ornate, but does feature construction details typical of the mid-to-late 19th century, like an arched window in an east-facing gable, tall and narrow plate glass windows to let in plenty of light, and modest brick step-detailing on the gable ends. As it stands, it is one of the very few remaining examples of 19th century Akron industrial architecture. Selle’s company was successful enough to be purchased by another prosperous Akron family, the Howers, in 1903, and was renamed the Akron-Selle Company. As it evolved,
the company began to serve the needs of the growing auto industry and got into sheet metal stamping right before World War I. This eventually grew into the production of truck bodies, and as time went on, various parts for cars, trucks, airplanes and even lighter-than-air craft. By World War II, the Akron-Selle Company was producing parts for the war effort, including military ordinance. A major tornado that hit Akron in 1943 caused some significant damage to parts of the complex, but it was repaired and production for the war effort was resumed as quickly as possible. By the early 1950s the company had settled into producing metal stampings for the burgeoning auto industry. This carried them through to 1998, when the original Selle factory was put up for sale. The company moved to a new location on Bartges Street, where it operated until it closed for good in 2001.
purchased by the Ohio Brewing Company in 2003, which operated there for some time before moving the brewery to a new location. Since then, the historic Selle factory building has seen significant restorations funded by private investors and federal historic tax credits, with over 45,000 square feet built out and leased. Currently known as the Selle Generator Works, it remains not only an important architectural landmark but an excellent example of how old structures can be adapted for contemporary uses. // Mark Schweitzer is a lifelong Akron resident and proud of it. // Charlotte Gintert is an archaeologist and a photographer. Her favorite quarantine activities are concocting gourmet hot dog recipes and telling her cats repeatedly that they are the very best cats. You can check out her photos at www.capturedglimpses. com and follow her on Instagram at @capturedglimpses.
The old factory building remained for sale for five years until it was finally
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Opposite page: Selle Generator Works on High Street. Left top: One wing of the complex is home to a medical supply company. Left middle: The east side of Selle Generator Works which can be seen from South Broadway Street. Left bottom: Selle Generator Works on High Street. Right top: The chimney of Selle Generator Works. Right bottom: Rear view of Selle Generator Works. (Photos: Charlotte Gintert)
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‘It was like divine intervention’ RESTAURANT INDUSTRY VETERANS LAUNCH DIVINE FOOD, SPIRITS, WINE REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY EMILY ANDERSON
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nyone who has worked in a restaurant here in Akron knows how special the relationships that develop among the employees are. Akron’s service industry workforce is a collection of people who have crossed paths in every direction, forming lifelong friendships and professional connections. It seems like all the bartenders, servers and chefs in Akron know each other, and they’re always ready to support one another however they can. It’s out of this network that Renee Kintz, Aric Frank and Ernie Cornelius came to know each other. Like many people who work in the industry, they spent their careers working their way across Akron, dreaming of all the things they’d do if they ran their own restaurant. Now, after what Kintz calls “20 years of manifesting,” their dreams have been realized. Partners Kintz and Frank, along with Cornelius as the Head Chef, opened Divine Food, Spirits, Wine in December. It’s located in the freshly renovated original Rockne’s building on Hudson Drive in Cuyahoga Falls. Cornelius has been working his
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way up in Akron kitchens since he needed a job for concert money as a teenager. He’s passionate about classic European culinary techniques, but it’s local ingredients and traditions that inspire his menus. During my conversation with Cornelius, one classic culinary phrase kept coming up - mise en place. In professional kitchens, the act of setting up for service is referred to as mise en place. It’s French for “put in place,” and it doesn’t only describe perfectly chopped vegetables and thoughtful organization — it’s also a state of mind. With everything in its place, there are no surprises or improvisations. The staff is united and prepared for a great shift. It’s total zen, and it’s the perfect way to describe what’s going on at Divine FSW. After years of working for other people, Kintz, Frank and Cornelius are taking mise en place to a new level. They know exactly how they want each guest’s experience to go, and it shows. As soon as you walk into Divine FSW, it’s apparent that the staff has great attention to detail. Everything is in order. Each course is thoughtfully delivered. You won’t ever be looking around for service or disappointed in the presentation of your dish. They make everyone feel really cared for, and they do it in an
easy, relaxing way. Divine FSW has a minimalistic, upscale-casual vibe with high ceilings and lots of textures - white gallery walls, fabric, brick and wood all add to the aesthetic. All of the artwork is meaningful and personal to the team. Kintz’s late father’s paintings are on display, surrounded by a stunning collection of Don Drumm originals. Photos of rockstars by local photographer Nate Burrell cover one whole wall, and the purple water vases were custom made by local glassblower Mark Wentz. Cornelius’s food menu is all made from scratch and features some refreshing takes on Akron’s favorites. The most popular items are their signature Shrimp Divine and a 16-ounce ribeye steak. The burgers are served with freshly baked challah buns, housemade pickles and sides of truffle fries. Other dishes include smoked kielbasa-stuffed “sauerkraut bombs,” crispy brussels sprouts and daily specials. My personal favorite was the pappardelle bolognese, which is made with fresh pasta from Ohio City Pasta. The sauce was amazing, and it came with a bright, fresh salad.
around at the right time — it was like divine intervention.” It was perfect timing two years ago when they began plans, and despite setbacks from stay-at-home orders and curfews, everything still fell into place. While it’s harder now than ever to see into the future, the team at Divine FSW is still looking forward to it. For now, they’re settling into their management positions and building up a small, tight-knit staff. They’re excited to fill the space in the neighborhood that Rockne’s left, and hope to become a new local favorite. Judging by the way things are going so far, that’s exactly what they’re going to do. // Emily Anderson has proudly been working in Akron restaurants for the last 14 years.
Kintz and Frank decided on the name Divine because “the right place came
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Margie’s Hope provides support groups, clothing for trans and non-binary Akronites REPORTING AND WRITING BY MEGAN DELONG
“I
f nobody shows, you stay, if nobody walks in the doors, you keep the doors open. Because eventually the people will find you.” That’s what Jacob Nash, co-founder and president of Margie’s Hope, said when he started his nonprofit in 2011. Today, Margie’s Hope facilitates support groups and youth programming for transgender individuals and their loved ones and runs a “closet” where trans people can purchase clothes that support their gender identity. Jacob, a transgender man who had been brought up as an activist since a very young age, didn’t know what he wanted to do career-wise until he tried to get married in 2002. After being outed as a trans man on local television while trying to get a marriage certificate, Jacob stepped up and became an accidental activist for trans people around the country. For five years after that, Jacob facilitated a trans support group in Cleveland, and started noticing that many members came up from Akron to get resources. Jacob and his spouse Erin launched Akron-based support group Trans Alive in 2007, and it grew into Margie’s Hope in 2011. Jacob and Erin came up with the name of their nonprofit when reminiscing about a long, heartfelt conversation they had with Jacob’s mother Margie. Although Margie didn’t necessarily understand Jacob’s gender identity, she always supported him and recognized that his relationship with Erin made him happy. Margie’s hope for her kids, always, was that they would be happy. Margie’s Hope was made in the
image of a mother’s love, Jacob says. “It truly was. And for many trans individuals whose family members have put them out, have not talked to them in years, simply because of who they are, they then can find hope.” Now 10 years old, Margie’s Hope has three different support groups as well as a youth program. All met at the Fairlawn United Church of Christ before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Trans Alive is still the overall support group; anybody can come to Trans Alive. “It’s for trans folks, but also for family members and friends and supporters that want to come. We invite [social service] providers to come. We invite students to come. We invite different organizations to come and listen and learn more about who the community is,” Jacob says. Margie’s Hope also has a parents group known as Margie’s Pride. “Parents need to be with other parents that understand exactly what they’re going through,” Jacob says. This group is currently looking for a parent of a transgender child or young adult with the time and passion to lead it. To provide resources for the partners and spouses of transgender individuals, Margie’s Hope created the Together We Can support group. Jacob explained that, when people are transitioning, their partners are going through a transition as well and may now see their partners and relationships in a different light. Having a support group to process the transition is important because resources are rare for spouses and partners of transgender people.
Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
Photo: Used with permission from Jacob Nash.
Finally, their Youth Program is named Margie’s Kids. Margie’s Kids gives transgender and gender expansive kids a chance to just be kids with other kids like them. They have two age groupings, 6- to 13-year-olds and 14- to 18-year-olds, where the kids can talk about what’s going on in their lives and focus on their gender expression. Margie’s Kids is led by six volunteers from across the gender spectrum: cisgender, transgender and gender expansive people. Jacob notes that this is important so kids “get to see adults that are like them. They get to see adults that are living their dream, like musicians, or someone that does karate, or somebody that does IT or somebody that runs a nonprofit, that they too can follow their dreams.” Before the pandemic, participants in these groups had expressed that they didn’t know what to do with their old clothes from before their transitions. They began donating them to Margie’s Hope. By February 2020, the organization had 13 long tables full of donated clothes that they intended to give to the gender expansive community for free. Although the pandemic made that dream a lot harder, Margie’s Hope has now secured a location in Lakewood for a Margie’s Closet store front where people can get gender affirming clothing they like. “We are making history for being the first trans-owned, -operated, -specific clothing store in Northeast Ohio,”
Jacob says.
At Margie’s Closet, trans folks can get clothes, binders and wigs for free, and cisgender and transgender people alike are invited to shop the store to support Margie’s Hope financially. Next door, there will be an alterations professional who is partnering with Jacob and his team to provide alterations for job interviewready clothing once Margie’s Hope opens the store in the spring of 2022. That isn’t all Margie’s Hope wants to accomplish, either. Jacob envisions a large space to have an office for staff, a rec area for Margie’s Kids, another Margie’s Closet location, as well as transitional housing for transgender people over the age of 18. There would be employment specialists and life coaches available for anyone who needed support. With the help of donations, volunteers and grants, Margie’s Hope plans to grow to provide more services in Akron in the years to come. You can find more information about Margie’s Hope at margieshope.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ MargiesHopeOhio. Contact Jacob Nash at margies-hope@sbcglobal. net. // Megan Delong (she/her) is a resident of Middlebury, an avid painter, a self-proclaimed feminist, an animated movie watcher and a go-to person for Akron resources.
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Megan and Codi Berkenstock. (Photo: Used with permission from Megan Berkenstock.)
Backyard flower business blossoms during COVID-19 REPORTING AND WRITING BY MELANIE MOHLER
Megan and Codi also have enjoyed gardening together for several years.
ust like many others, Megan and Codi Berkenstock’s lives did not go quite as planned this past year. The two were to be married in April 2020, but plans changed due to the pandemic. They decided to downsize their wedding, with only close family and friends, and were married two months later in June.
Their home in Springfield Township, with just shy of an acre of land, is the headquarters of Woodland Acre Flowers. The flowers, from dahlias to sunflowers to dianthus, are grown on site from seeds. The seeds begin in trays in their basement under a grow light, then move to a greenhouse next to their garage once they reach a certain point. Finally, the flowers are transplanted into a 30-foot by 75-foot growing plot located in the backyard.
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“We always talked about starting our own business and played around with the idea, and we’re still pretty young… [but] we really weren’t planning on starting anything quite yet,” Megan says. However, their smaller wedding left them with extra funds, and the two decided to start a small flower farm in their backyard. Thus, Woodland Acre Flowers became an official business in May 2020.
Codi and Megan work together to maintain the plots and handle the other “grunt work” involved, while Megan manages the floral design side of the business. Once the flowers begin to bloom, most evenings are spent outside harvesting the flowers.
Their harvest is plentiful thanks to the type of flowers they grow, which will Why a flower farm? “I’m an artist, so continuously bloom throughout the I always knew kind of in the back of season. Last year they sold some of my mind I want to do something with their flowers to Dougherty Flowers, art,” Megan explains. “And then I Inc. in Louisville, and they are willing actually ended up working at a flower to sell to other local florists. “We try farm in Hartville [for two seasons], so not to have any waste,” Megan says. I learned the ins and outs of flower She has turned leftover flowers into farming, all of the hard work that bouquets for her siblings, neighbors goes into it, and I just kind of fell in and even a local nursing home. “It love with that rewarding lifestyle.” kills me to throw flowers away,”
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Megan says.
seasonal blooms.
Woodland Acre Flowers’ first season was quite successful. Start up costs were small, special orders came in weekly, and Megan oversaw the floral design for three weddings. Megan’s biggest challenge was not having enough space when putting together arrangements.
Currently, Megan already has three weddings booked for this year and the flower share spaces are filling up fast. They will begin selling flowers in late April or early May until the season ends in October. Both local delivery and pickup at their farm are available Friday through Sunday.
“Last year, my studio was my kitchen,” she says. Things were piled everywhere when she did the flowers for her friend’s wedding in September and their two coolers were not enough. She hopes to build a walk-in cooler by the end of this season for even more space for the cut flowers.
For now, Woodland Acre Flowers is a side business for the couple. Codi works full-time as a warehouse supervisor for Alco-Chem, Inc. in Canton, while Megan works parttime at Jones Group Interiors and is a freelance crafter for JoAnn Fabrics. Megan hopes to grow the business so that she can run the business fulltime within the next few years.
This year, Megan and Codi are adding two additional smaller plots in order to double, if not triple, their flower yield. One of these plots will be dedicated to spring flowers, including ranunculus, one of the new flowers they will be growing this year. They also plan to try local delivery and a flower share program. The flower share program is a six-week “subscription” offered for either summer or fall flowers. Megan will provide customers with a vase with their first bouquet. Then each week, for six weeks, the vases will be refreshed with a new arrangement of
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“I just always want to make sure that it’s something that we always love to do,” she says. You can find more information about Woodland Acre Flowers on their website, woodlandacreflowers.com, as well as on their Facebook and Instagram pages. // Melanie Mohler is a West Hill resident with a love for baking, cross stitch, and local history. thedevilstrip.com
THE DEVIL STRIP IS ON A MISSION TO
KEEP AKRON
L O C A L WH A T
C A N
Y O U
D O ?
BE 10% MORE LOCAL! THREE EASY WAYS TO START:
1. Order take-out more often than delivery so restaurants keep up to 30% more. 2. Give local art, music, clothes & gift cards as presents for loved ones. 3. Find your new favorite food, shops & services on our Black-owned business list. I f y ou w a nt yo u r or g ani z at i on to be c ome a Comm uni t y P art ne r, co nt act A nna Ad elm an a t 33 0 - 9 9 2- 4 A K R or b y e m ai l at a n n a @ t h e dev i ls tri p.co m Fo r mo re i nf o, v i si t htt p s: //de vi ls t .ri p /C PP
‘There’s no personal bubble in derby’ HOW AKRON ROLLER DERBY IS COPING WITH COVID-19 REPORTING AND WRITING BY DEREK KREIDER, PHOTOS BY ILENIA PEZZANITI
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hen Akron ground to a halt last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so too did the Akron Roller Derby. The international governing body of women’s roller derby shut down play in early 2020 after only two games. Roller derby is an inherently physical sport. During bouts and practices, participants (players and fans both) are within breathing distance of each other constantly — a feature at odds with even the most lenient pandemic restrictions. But the closeness isn’t relegated to physical proximity. The Akron Roller Derby has a deep camaraderie running through it like a gold vein in granite. The feelings of separation and isolation everyone experienced in the past year are felt by the women of Akron Roller Derby as well.
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“When you’re together with your team three times a week, sometimes four, there’s just this family bond, and since the pandemic a lot of us have lost touch,” says team member Jamie Suvak, aka Darby Crash. “People aren’t on Facebook anymore; they’re leaving Facebook because of how awful and harmful social media has been for mental health, so you kind of lose the closeness that you once had with your team, or your family.” “I feel like I’ve met different people while on the juniors and the adults [team] that has made me a better person,” says N’Cole Allison, aka Nickel Nastee, player and coach of the junior team. Still, the women of Akron Roller Derby found some opportunities during last year’s warmer months to keep their skills sharp. “We did group trail skates where we all wore masks and we were able to
distance using bike trails and things like that,” says Victoria Diegelbach, aka Notorious VIC, team member and president of the board for AKRDs. “Some of our skaters have been known to just skate through downtown Akron.” Now that the weather has turned ugly, they’re attempting to make the most of their practice space at Canal Place while still remaining safe. “We can sign out our practice space to skate with people in your immediate circle. So we can go be on our skates at our facility, but that’s all we’ve really been able to do,” says team member Valerie Elfrink, aka Valkillree. Derby names, the nicknames each player picks for themselves and displays on their jersey, are a big part of the games’ culture. In some ways, derby names are similar to a professional wrestler’s adopted persona. Dwayne Johnson becomes
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The Rock and Victoria Diegelbach becomes Notorious VIC. (There’s a pay disparity between the two, though.) Having access to their own practice space has been both boon and bane to the team. While it’s given them the opportunity to keep their skills sharp, there’s still rent to be paid. “On a regular year, in our off-season, we would still pay dues because we still have rent to pay. With us being down, those of us that can are still paying our monthly dues,” Valerie says. “I won’t lie, it’s pretty tight right now, but we are trying to have something to come back to.” During a normal season, skaters get sponsorship help, often from their employers but also from friends. These funds are used by skaters to pay for dues, skate gear, training, as well as other related expenses, and 10% of sponsorship support goes to the league. No new sponsorships were made available in 2020, thedevilstrip.com
Far left: Jamie Suvak (Darby Crash), left, and Alissa Mbimba (Cookie CutHer), right, of Akron Roller Derby pose in blocking positions at an unofficial practice on Feb. 17. Left above: A chest with the words “Punk Rock Pixies” written in blue and green paint is filled with roller skates in the entryway at the Akron Roller Derby hub at Canal Place. Left below: Because of the pandemic, all practices are unofficial and limited. Jamie Suvak (Darby Crash), right, and Alissa Mbimba (Cookie CutHer), left, rev up for a night of drills on Feb. 17. Below: According to Jamie Suvak a.k.a. Darby Crash, “The jammer is essentially the ball of the sport. It is the goal of the blockers to get their jammer through the pack because jammers are the point-scorers.” Far below: Jamie Suvak of the Akron Roller Derby team chose her derby name, Darby Crash, as a clever nod to Darby Crash of the Germs, an American punk rock band established in 1976. (Photos: Ilenia Pezzaniti)
meaning that the team had to make due with what they already had. Fundraising is playing a large part in Akron Roller Derby’s fight to stay afloat. On Jan. 20, they joined forces with the Chipotle on Exchange Street. If customers told the cashier they were supporting the event, 33% of the cost of their order was donated to the team. The team is mulling doing this again in the future. In early February, the team launched a GoFundMe. After a week, they were more than 20% of the way to their goal. Selling beer at the Summit County Fair is another avenue of revenue generation for the team during normal seasons. Luckily, the fair was held in 2020, albeit in a reduced capacity, and they made a little money that way as well. Akron Roller Derby’s classification as a nonprofit helps. Amazon shoppers
can support the team through the Amazon Smile program where Amazon donates 0.5% of purchases to charitable organizations of the user’s choosing. There are a couple of fundraisers coming up as well, including an auction of decorated plaster casts of the players’ busts that will be held on Facebook during the first week of March. Despite the difficulties, Jamie’s trust in the bonds between her and her teammates rings out in hopeful optimism about the future despite the forced break they’ve endured. “There’s no personal bubble in derby,” she says. “So I feel once you’re back into it, I think that it will definitely grow back into what it was.” // Derek Kreider is a freelance writer and distribution manager at The Devil Strip.
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Single Parent Advancement helps families take it ‘day by day, step by step’
Brandi Shephard. (Photo: Noor Hindi)
REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY NOOR HINDI
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randi Shephard knows what it’s like to be a single mom. For 17 years, Shephard was on her own, balancing her kid’s homework assignment, household chores and her career. It was “overwhelming,” she says — which is why she started Single Parent Advancement in 2017. “It’s a massive job, being a parent,” she says. “In some cases, you’re working two to three jobs trying to make ends meet. And you have to keep going. There’s no choice. But it’s the joy on your kid’s face, and seeing that smile when something is accomplished, and seeing the victories you share with them when you’re at a game and they’re celebrating. There’s nothing that beats the feeling of being a mom or dad in that moment.”
says. “I decided to go Facebook Live one day and tell my story about how I was a single parent trying to get into dental school. I wanted to encourage single parents in that moment that you don’t have to feel like a failure as long as you put your best foot forward.” Shephard’s endurance and positive outlook in that video encouraged many strangers to reach out to her. They shared stories of their own struggles as single parents and asked for advice from Shephard, who was feeling less and less alone with each new person she connected with. “It was kind of odd having them reaching out to me, because I was like, ‘Did you guys not hear that I didn’t get accepted?’” Shephard laughs. “So I thought maybe I should start a support group to bounce off ideas and encourage single parents.”
Shephard founded the group after facing a huge disappointment in 2017. After moving to Columbus to try to pursue dental school after years as a dental hygienist, Shephard wasn’t accepted to the program of her choice.
After the Facebook Live, Shephard moved back to Akron and continued her career as a dental hygienist. On the side, she started meeting with parents once a month, where they would all get together “with no plan at all” and talk.
“I really felt defeated,” Shephard
In 2019, Shephard launched
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Single Parent Advancement as an official nonprofit organization. She experienced a stroke that year, and that changed her outlook on life, Shephard says. She wanted to take the group to the next level. “I wanted to focus on what my true purpose was here on earth. It’s my passion to help single parents overcome adversity and it’s my goal to help them overcome poverty and break cycles,” she says. Before the pandemic, the group would meet twice a month for nine months at the Reach Opportunity Center in Summit Lake. The group is organized in threemonth increments and goes over financial literacy, self-awareness, career and education, and health and wellness. Shephard says her goal is to empower parents to “break the cycle of poverty,” as she did years before. “I became a parent when I was 18 years old. I went through the generational cycle with my family of teenage pregnancy and living in poverty,” she says. “It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my second child that I was like, ‘this can’t be life. There has to be more than this.’ I was
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tired of going back and forth from the welfare department, submitting my income and having to live in a certain confinement.’” Though the group took a break in 2020 because of the pandemic, Shephard says it’s now being offered virtually and sessions will be recorded to accommodate busy schedules. Sessions are meant to provide support, educational opportunities and resources. And though the group attracts a lot of moms, Shephard says it’s open to all parents. “If I can teach you how to manage your money and how to budget and fix credit and how to confront your past and things that are hurting you or people who’ve let you down, it’s a different story. Even stuff like how to fill out a college application or how to fill out a FAFSA,” Shephard says. Sign up for upcoming sessions by Single Parent Advancement group by visiting their website, www. singleparentadvancement.org. // Noor Hindi covers equity and inclusion for The Devil Strip. Email her at noor@thedevilstrip.com.
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The Tea Dude ‘plays in the kitchen’ to create bold new flavors REPORTING AND WRITING BY MICHAEL ROBERTS
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his is a story about a dude named Chris. Chris is a dude who builds — builds flavors, builds a community of customers and builds a family business as The Tea Dude. Chris Charek was working as a cook when he got into tea. “I started getting a loose leaf tea just because I wanted something to drink on the line when I was cooking,” he says. When he got bored drinking basic teas, his instincts as a cook took over and he began building flavors. Around the same time, Chris’s mother was dealing with some health issues that affected her job as a bookkeeper. For the dual benefit of helping her keep busy and giving him something to do between gigs, Chris became the Tea Dude. “Everybody’s just always called me dude. So I felt like Tea Dude fit,” Chris says. “So I went with it.” What he expected to go for maybe a year has now endured for seven and continues to grow. And his mother still does the books. “Our first show was a Crafty Mart. We only had two blends of tea and we made money. So we kept doing it,” Chris says.
One thing that catches people’s attention about the Tea Dude’s teas are the unique names. Chris draws on his lifelong fandoms to give his blends names that build an instant familiarity with pop culture fans. The recognition draws potential customers in and the quality that he demands of his product keeps them coming back. His two most popular flavors both have fandom-inspired names: “Tonberry,” a fruity green and black tea blend, is named after a character in Japanese role-playing video game series Final Fantasy, and “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot,” a classic black tea, is a recurring quote from Captain Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Chris’s commitment to flavors has also led to some failed experiments along the way. His two “white whales” are a s’mores tea and an elevated version of the classic Red Zinger herbal tea. Through many attempts of both blends, he’s been unable to achieve the flavor balance he strives for. He’s confident he’ll achieve both one day. For more adventurous tea drinkers, he recommends his personal favorites: Meegs Tea, a self-described “fall-in-a-cup” tea, and J’rk’s Vicious Mockery, his take on a classic mulled wine flavor. One of his most recent creations is “The Old Man and The Tea,”
Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
Above left: A Tea Dude blend. Above: Chris Charek selling his tea blends. (Photos: Used with permission from The Tea Dude.)
a rooibos and cinnamon noncaffeinated tea. He created the blend at his sister’s request for the Just Write Ohio high school writing competition. His sister, Brit Noble Charek, is a teacher and one of the competition hosts. Chris is helping sponsor the event by donating $1 from every tin sold on his website. As to why he went with teas over coffee, he credits the range of flavors he can achieve with teas. “It’s a lighter flavor. For my purposes, I like diversity. There’s only so much you can do with a flavor as overpowering as coffee,” Chris says. For the gaming enthusiast looking for the perfect Tea Dude tea for a long gaming session, Chris recommends “Code Black (black tea with spearmint, peppermint and cinnamon) with a little bit of bourbon.” “One of the things I’m actually really good at is balancing flavors. I think that’s what kind of sets me apart from everybody else,” Chris says.
havoc on many small businesses, he has managed to maintain by reallocating his resources. With no Crafty Marts or Oddmalls to show at, Chris has gone heavier in advertising his website. With so many people stuck at home, his online orders have seen an increase. Following COVID-19, the Tea Dude’s long-term goals are expanding his catalog and customer base. He’d also like to get into more local stores. And true to his roots as a builder of flavors, “in a perfect world, [I would] have someone else stand in as the new Dude while I just play in the kitchen.” Tea Dude teas are available at www.TeaDuder.com, Northside Marketplace in Akron, Farmers Exchange Market in Medina and the Canton Art Museum Gift Shop in Canton. // Michael (he/him) is a lifelong resident of Highland Square, a performance artist, a traveler, a writer, and a part-time mad scientist.
While the past year has wreaked
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Gage House Sessions is offering musicians a platform during the pandemic BY AMANDA RABINOWITZ AND BRITTANY NADER, WKSU
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kron songwriter Ben Gage is working to bring the Northeast Ohio live music experience to audiences, virtually, with his Gage House Sessions video performance series. He launched his online platform, gagehousesessions.com, in January. The site features a schedule of upcoming, livestreamed concerts, along with a viewable archive of dozens of past streams featuring local talent. Gage House Sessions has featured a long list of regional artists over the last year, with a new guest performing every week. The online streaming series began as smaller, in-person concerts that took place in Gage’s home. The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to put these shows on hold, but it granted Gage the opportunity to develop a new way for audiences to get their music fix during lockdown. “It was cool to see it blossom,” Gage says. “We now have all these videos cataloged on YouTube. You can look back at the beginning—I didn’t exactly know what I was doing. It was a lot of trial, by far.”
Northeast Ohio music community brings artists together and promotes supporting each other’s craft. He began ramping up this effort with his original iteration of the Gage House Sessions concert series. Gage hosted private, invitation-only, bi-monthly gatherings of musicians and music fans. The in-person house concert series started out with Gage and a few cameras. He invited some friends over to record, eat pizza and watch the show. This idea turned into a monthly concert event, featuring three to five performers each night, 30 guests and a pre-show potluck. Gage would film then edit the recordings and share them on YouTube after the fact. He captured this intimate setting through highquality audio and video via for a little more than a year. “They were incredible evenings. We were so excited to keep doing them. But then, of course, the pandemic hit, and we had to innovate,” he says. Connecting with area talent Gage didn’t have much trouble finding local artists to participate in his “Live With” Gage House Sessions concerts, and when he made the shift to livestreaming the performances instead of hosting in-person events, he soon amassed a large roster of local talent.
Capturing the local music scene Before the pandemic hit, Gage had a goal of showcasing how the
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He says the Northeast Ohio music scene is special because of its inclusivity.
“My favorite thing about music is getting on the road, but as I go to other music cities, it never feels like it has all the pieces that Akron does, or that Northeast Ohio does,” Gage says. “It’s like a puzzle that’s just missing one or two.” Gage, originally from Rome, Ohio, came to Akron for college and never left. He fell in love with the music community in Northeast Ohio and met his greatest friends and strongest inspirations here. He and his brother, Zach, started the Americana-folk band The Gage Brothers in 2014. The duo would jam to old folk songs Sunday afternoons and soon turned these jam sessions into a full-blown bluegrass band. Gage sang and played mandolin, percussion and harmonica in the group. After the project dissolved in 2017, Gage began pursuing a solo music career. He collaborated with local players Christine Petersilge, Gretchen Pleuss, Nathan Hunter and Kevin Martinez on his acoustic, self-titled EP in 2018. His inspiration from local songwriters played a role in his shift to a solo artist, as well as his efforts to spotlight area talent through the Gage House Sessions. “We just all seem to be doing it because we love it, and we all work
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so hard to improve and support each other. And it’s a really special and really incredible thing,” Gage says. Rethinking the live music experience For Gage, music has always been an outlet for telling stories. The Gage House Sessions series lets viewers inside an intimate space where Gage and a featured musician will engage in conversation and perform live music. Because he is so well connected with the local music community, the videos capture the rapport he has with other artists. “I just think of it as me hanging out with one of my respected friends,” he says. “I think it’s fortunately very organic. Because we have such a great group of musicians locally, I just love hanging out with them.” Gage says during the pandemic, a lot of artists were trying to figure out how to perform virtually and livestream, but quality was often a concern. “There’s just a lot that is lost from that live, in-person to the livestreaming, and I wanted to reduce that loss as much as possible,” he says. “High-quality audio and video is not the same, but it gets us close.” Gage had some experience livestreaming tech events for work and saw its potential for bringing live music to the masses. He researched platforms and gear and made a thedevilstrip.com
streaming rig. He began watching YouTube tutorials and training videos. He says a lot of making high-quality livestreaming work was trial and error. “Still capture that high-quality content, because that was a big focus for me, to get away from just a cell phone recording. I wanted to keep that quality high,” he says. Chrissy Strong, Brent Kirby, Jul Big Green, Ray Flanagan and John Patrick Halling from The Outside Voices are a handful of Northeast Ohio musicians who have performed a streaming concert through Gage’s online platform. Gage has a long studio room where he and the performer will sit on opposite sides. The artist just has to plug in their microphone, and everything else is set up for them to play and stream. The Gage House Sessions platform has allowed Gage and other area artists to stay connected with their fans while in-person, live music events remain on hold. “We were able to keep our Gage House Sessions audience in the loop, and we were also able to keep a lot of musicians still connected with their remote audience,” he says. Finding silver linings during a dark time Gage keeps a wall of set lists from each artist featured in his live streams.
been difficult. He has struggled with bouts of depression and dealing with feelings he hasn’t felt of this magnitude before. The silver lining is that he’s gained a new perspective on what matters most. “It also has maybe given us a little bit of a fire or a hunger to get back at the things that we do love that much with kind of a new focus,” he says. Gage says he wants to try to get back on “the recording horse” this year and get new, original music out there. But he thinks streaming will be here to stay. “I think that’s another positive for the pandemic,” Gage says. “It did, sort of, it gave us more of an insight into the ways we can use streaming.” He said this won’t replace the experience of live music, but when everyone is able to experience concerts again, livestreaming will still be part of the norm. “Streaming can augment a live performance in a pretty incredible way,” he says. He wants traveling musicians to be able to use his platform going forward. When they’re in the area on tour, they can pop in and do a streaming show and allow friends, family and fans back home to watch. When he is able to host in-person house shows again, Gage wants to livestream them instead of recording, editing and posting the videos after the fact.
He says music is a social endeavor, and operating the “Live With” streaming concerts has been a way to stay connected with his peers and local songwriters he admires.
“It’ll be a special way to highlight those evenings,” he says.
“Not to sugar coat it, it was a really difficult year,” Gage says. “And it continues to still be a difficult time. I think by default, musicians and creators are extremely social people, even if we have to go into our isolation to recharge, we still get a lot from being around people.”
“Australia, England, the Netherlands... those are people that, as a local musician, we probably never would have been able to connect with before,” he says.
Gage said he has been writing a lot of new music, and last year he decided he wanted to get in the studio and start recording. Those plans changed. His main focus in 2020 was on streaming and helping area artists have an outlet to perform.
Gage says he has amassed a global following of his weekly livestreams.
Visit gagehousesessions.com for the schedule of upcoming Gage House Sessions livestreaming concerts or to get in touch with Gage. // Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader produce Shuffle for WKSU. Hear the full feature at wksu.org/ shuffle or subscribe to WKSU’s Shuffle on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Gage said the lack of socializing and performing as a musician has Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
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Left: Summit County Beekeepers Association president Robert Najjar with beehives at Crown Point Ecology Center. Above: The beehives wrapped in insulation. (Photos: Theresa Sroka)
Summit County Beekeepers Association is thriving in the era of virtual meetings REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY TERESA SROKA
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obert Najjar, President of the Summit County Beekeepers Association, fondly recalls a childhood memory in Lebanon, when a neighbor who kept bees cut a piece of the comb off and gave it to him. “Cubes of the comb honey,” Najjar recalls. “Until today I still remember that taste, and I couldn’t wait — when I started beekeeping, I couldn’t wait until I could do that.” In the three years since he has been president of the SCBA, membership has grown, structure is being added, and while many organizations struggled to adapt to meetings via Zoom, Najjar used his business
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know-how to quickly and successfully transition into the virtual meeting world. With new virtual classes just finished and beehives at the Crown Point Ecology Center waiting for the warmth of spring, 2021 is shaping up to be a busy year for the organization. “When I jump into something, I jump in with both feet,” Najjar says. Najjar came to beekeeping by way of his garden in the Richfield community garden. “I was looking for a support system, and I found them right in my backyard,” he says. After joining the group, Najjar was an active member, helping with
events and expressing ideas to strengthen the organization. His mentor, then-president Greg Varnes, asked Najjar to take the post of treasurer. Then, he says, “I don’t know why, but they elected me president. I told them, I don’t know a lot about beekeeping, but I know a lot about business.” Robert, an electrical engineer, worked for four years at Goodyear before starting his own business, Digital Integrated Systems, in 1992. His work includes IT work and cyber security. Running his own business and being SCBA president means a lot of demands on Najjar’s time. The morning we spoke, he was preparing for an SCBA meeting in the evening. They sold out of their 100 seats, so he had to field phone calls and texts and expand the capacity of the Zoom meeting. “There are clashes sometimes and I have to prioritize,” Najjar says. Expanding the Zoom number fits right into what Najjar, a self-described “visioneer,” has in mind for the SCBA. “I tell them at every meeting, I want this to be the best club,” Najjar says. “I want to work with the community, I want to work with the schools to
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expand knowledge. Our mission statement... is about education and awareness of beekeeping.” Even when group gatherings may again take place, Najjar says Zoom meetings are here to stay. “By the time you rent a hall, and you have to find a speaker who is willing to travel two or three hours, and book a hotel, it is a lot.”
With virtual meetings, Najjar says they have been able to host national and international experts on beekeeping at their meetings. To combat the loss of community that exists with virtual meetings — the casual post-meeting chats, easy exchange of conversation and sharing — Najjar and Vice President Randy Katz have formed a mentorship committee. Najjar quotes Les Brown as his motto for everything: “Reach for the moon, for even if you miss, you will still land among the stars.” If you would like more information about the Summit County Beekeepers Association, visit www.summitbeekeepers. com. // Teresa Sroka lives in Fairlawn and enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and hiking with her husband, Dale. She can often be found in her studio creating quilts or in her kitchen baking. She believes we make the community better by getting involved. thedevilstrip.com
‘Great care can’t wait’ OAK STREET HEALTH OPENS NEW AKRON LOCATION SERVING OLDER ADULTS ON MEDICARE REPORTING, WRITING AND PHOTOS BY H.L. COMERIATO
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n the lobby of Oak Street Health on opening day, staff huddle at the front desk for a group photo. Dr. Laola Fayanju, Oak Street’s senior medical director, takes his place in the back row. His colleagues crouch and smile for the camera, a cluster of blue surgical masks glowing bright in the flash. Oak Street Health is a network of primary care centers that serves older adults who qualify for Medicare. Since 2012, Oak Street has opened more than 75 locations across the country. But since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily Hershey, the center’s outreach executive, says older adults have been nearly impossible to reach. Retreating into their homes with limited contact with friends or family, Hershey says older adults are vulnerable to the virus in more ways than one. Isolation can be dangerous for older adults, who risk accidental falls and compounded mental health issues on top of their vulnerability to the virus itself. That’s why Oak Street Health provides holistic care, she says — a model that ensures older adults, often managing multiple chronic conditions like diabetes or COPD, are able to access exactly the kind of care they need, especially during the pandemic.
location. “Oftentimes, we’re working with patients who may not be high on the radar of most other primary care processes, because some will say, ‘Oh, it’s too hard taking care of somebody with this many problems.’ People sometimes start labeling [patients] by their comorbidities,” Fayanju says. “But these are people. These are parents and siblings and aunts and uncles. “I think we want to make sure that no one is denied great care,” Fayanju adds. “And we all just operate under the understanding that great care can’t wait.” That’s why Hershey says getting Oak Street’s first appointment on the books was a victory in itself. For the last few months, Hershey has been pounding the pavement. Just before Christmas, she followed a line of cars down Dart Avenue and West Bartges Street, a fistful of Oak Street lanyards swinging at her knees. After struggling to connect with older adults during the pandemic, Hershey and her team decided to reach out to people waiting for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s grocery distribution to begin. For hours, they walked back and forth between idling cars — knocking on windows, handing out flyers and talking to older folks about Oak Street Health’s new Firestone Park
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It’s this kind of street-level outreach that has kept Hershey on her toes since the onset of the pandemic — committed to talking to as many older adults as possible before Oak Street officially opened its doors on Jan. 20. “I don’t think anybody has been unaffected by COVID, whether you’ve been infected or been affected by seeing so much suffering, so much loss,” Fayanju says. “As a healthcare provider and as a physician, it’s been tough. I won’t lie. I won’t say it hasn’t been tough watching colleagues go through this. The stress of watching people suffer and die from this disease is horrifying, but I am reassured by what we’ve been able to do.” Before the pandemic, Oak Street’s model was entirely center-based. But in the midst of COVID-19, Fayanju says older adults need more support than ever before when it comes to accessing healthcare in new and creative ways. So Oak Street designed a model that allows patients to access a telehealth portal on their own devices. If a patient can’t come to the center in person but doesn’t have access to a smartphone or laptop, Oak Street drops a Wifi-equipped tablet at their doorstep.
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“Our objective in delivering this kind of care is to help our patients live happy and healthier lives in their communities,” Fayanju says. “And to show them that chronic conditions that they may have, while they need to be managed, don’t need to dominate their lives.” The center also offers transportation to and from appointments at Oak Street Health’s new location at the Arlington Road Plaza and within local hospital systems. Since 2018, Oak Street has opened 10 locations across the state. Fayanju, who serves as the medical lead for Oak Street’s centers in Cleveland, Youngstown, Akron, Dayton and Cincinnati, says part of the organization’s mission is to impact as many patients in as many communities as possible. “It is a privilege to take care of people,” Fayanju says. “Being a doctor is a privilege, and I take it seriously, and I hope people see just how much this work means to us. “If we can show that we can provide great care to older adults,” he adds, “we can show that this works. This is the formula I think can really change and truly rebuild healthcare.” // H.L. Comeriato covers public health at The Devil Strip via Report for America. Reach them at HL@ thedevilstrip.com. The Devil Strip
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‘The energy of the classroom’ THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON’S JUAN CONTRERAS ON VIRTUAL TEACHING, SUPPORTING HIS STUDENTS AND MAKING AKRON HOME REPORTING AND WRITING BY NAHLA BENDEFAA, PHOTOS BY ILENIA PEZZANITI
“D
efinitely not the weather.”
After three weeks of looking at Akron blanketed in snow, that’s Juan Contreras’s first thought upon being asked why he chose this corner of Northeast Ohio as a place to live. “Mexico is always gonna be home in many ways, but I also have to say that Akron has become my new home. A home that embraced me,” Juan says. “We’re not a city that is exempt from problems but we have an amazing community. That’s one of the things that makes me happiest to call Akron my home.” A Mexico City native, Juan found himself in Akron 16 years ago when he first
Top photo: As general manager of ZTV, Juan Contreras mentors students
enrolled in the University of Akron’s M.A. in Communication Studies program. Juan initially wanted to work in the television industry. However, those plans changed once Juan received his degree and got the opportunity to start teaching at UA, Stark State Community College and Walsh University. He is currently serving as a professor of practice at the University of Akron and the general manager of UA’s student-run television station, ZTV. “Honestly, I never even considered [teaching]. I tend to be more of an introvert. So when my department chair came to me and said, ‘you’re not gonna work in the lab anymore, I need you to teach a class,’ I was like, ‘I don’t know about that. I don’t know if I’m the right person for this,’” Juan says. “But then within two or three weeks of teaching, I honestly fell in love with teaching and decided to make a career change.” Juan aspires to provide space in his classroom for students to explore their curiosity. “I like to invest in the students. I like to get to know the students,” Juan says, “I can’t teach uniformly. I mean obviously, there are times when I lecture, and lecturing is very uniform. But I also have to know what’s driving my students. Is there a specific thing that is a dream that they want to accomplish?” This inclination to support students in all aspects of their educational journey also includes looking out for those who sometimes go to college with little to no guidance.
and helps prepare them for careers in broadcasting and media. Here he stands in the editing room at ZTV. Bottom photo: Juan Contreras reviews Akron After Hours producer Dylan Bowe’s compilation on Feb. 24, 2021. (Photos: Ilenia Pezzaniti.)
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“I also make it my job to sit down with students and say, ‘what is it that you want?’ and when they tell me ‘I have no idea,’ then my answer is, ‘if you want, we are in an environment where we can sort of explore the answer to that question,” Juan says. “I try to motivate all students, to say, thedevilstrip.com
Right: The sign “Welcome to WZIP and ZTV” hangs on the entrance door to the station in the University of Akron’s Kolbe Hall. (Photo: Ilenia Pezzaniti.)
‘this is your place to try and figure out what you want to do.’” Before the pandemic, Juan had taught online courses a handful of times. While that made the technical aspect of the transition smoother, virtual instruction has hindered his ability to connect with students. “I use the energy of the classroom to help me in my style of teaching. I like to read people and read people’s faces as I am talking about something,” Juan says. “Ever since I started teaching online, I feel like I lose a little bit of that, especially since my courses tend to be asynchronous. With COVID, I’ve had to increase the amount of teaching online, but [I try to] be in constant communication with my students. I try to always message them and check in. It turns things more personal.” A self-proclaimed Star Wars geek, Juan teaches the popular Films of Star Wars course at the University of Akron. First offered in the summer of 2016, the course addresses film history, technological developments and special effects in cinema, social justice themes across the series and the role contextual influences play in storytelling. “Star Wars is really interesting because it’s produced over 40 years. We can see women, gender, and race representation in the ‘70s, ‘80s, at the turn of the 21st century, and then 20 years after that,” Juan says. “I always thought you could do an interesting class with science fiction because it’s sort of like a modern version of mythology... an interesting way to analyze what the cultural values are like.” In his role as the general manager of ZTV, Juan oversees the daily happenings in the newsroom. This includes mentoring students and helping them prepare for careers in broadcasting and media. The station has won nine regional Emmy awards,
six under his leadership. “I really enjoy spending time at the station because students are always here and it’s not a classroom when they’re here. They’re here to work on projects and so because there is no formality of the classroom between them, it gives me the opportunity to talk to them,” says Juan. “I’m definitely looking forward to at least that aspect of going back to normal, post-pandemic.” Beyond the classroom, Juan serves as vice president of Global Ties Akron, a local nonprofit he was introduced to during orientation week when he first arrived in Akron. Global Ties Akron runs education, citizen diplomacy and cultural exchange programs, some of which are sponsored by the State Department or the Library of Congress. The organization coordinates things like host family placements to assist visitors during their stays in Akron. “It’s a great way to give back to your community in some way, because these exchanges ultimately make your community stronger, but they also make communities in other parts of the world stronger,” Juan says. // Nahla Bendefaa is a writer, photographer, and content creator from Akron, Ohio by way of Kenitra, Morocco. She enjoys rewatching Friday Night Lights, painting, and confusing Spotify’s algorithm while making her way through a seemingly never-ending tea collection.
Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
Left: Simeon Prior’s log cabin.
‘Wolves and Flax’ uses a family archive to illustrate 19thcentury Cuyahoga Falls REPORTING AND WRITING BY KYLE COCHRUN
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n April 1802, the seventh U.S. Congress passed the Enabling Act of 1802, which permitted residents of the Northwest Territory to form the state of Ohio. In autumn of that year, the Prior family – Simeon, Katherine and nine of their children – left their home in Northampton, Mass. and traveled for more than 40 days, by teams of horses and open boat, to the Connecticut Western Reserve. They settled on 80 acres of land near what is now the corner of Chart Road and State Road in Cuyahoga Falls. This was the first settlement of what came to be Northampton Township, named after the family’s New England hometown. Northampton Township merged into Cuyahoga Falls in 1986. Kenneth Clarke’s Wolves and Flax: The Prior Family in the Cuyahoga Falls Wilderness outlines the story of the Priors’ journey west and their remote life in Ohio. Clarke’s history is built from letters, government documents, other books and news articles making up the Prior family archive, which has been preserved and passed down for several generations. Clarke is its most current curator. The book is part family history, part local history, as well as a record of Clarke’s fervent interest in what he considers, “a compelling time for American history.” “That the western border of the nation was more or less marked by the Cuyahoga River and what was beyond was largely unknown
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is fascinating to think about,” Clarke says. “Our collective memory places the American frontier much further west and much later in the nineteenth century, but for good and for bad, the policies, beliefs, conflicts and et cetera that the nation would experience were established in places like Ohio.” When the Priors arrived at the Connecticut Western Reserve, they stayed with the area’s first, and then only, settlers, the Hudson family, before moving on to the four lots they purchased in the Cuyahoga Valley. Clarke includes the text of the original land deed, as well as a scanned image of the crumpled and yellowing document. “The formal text of these deeds,” Clarke explains, “belies the fact that all four lots were out in the middle of nowhere.” Clarke adds context to the family documents he presents, including the disclaimer that, “white writers from this era can be cringeworthy at best in the way native cultures are depicted.” The passages directly quoting letters and historical accounts written by Simeon and his family provide the book’s most compelling moments. Some of the letters include endearing spelling inconsistencies (Simeon uses both “where” and “whair” within the same letter) and occasional bouts of literary flair. One account from Simeon’s oldest son, William, describes an eclipse in proto-horror-
story fashion: “The dense wood so intensified the darkness and sudden gloom that animals of all kinds were frightened. Owls hooted and wolves howled most hideously...” One account, written by Simeon’s son Elisha, describes the Cuyahoga Valley as a wilderness that would be nearly unrecognizable to people living there today: “Leaving the family at Hudson, my father with the older sons went in search of the ‘promised land,’ and made choice of a tract one mile north of what are known as Northampton Mills, and immediately commenced felling trees and building a cabin. That finished the family were removed to their new residence in the woods, seven miles from any other white family, and there, without any roads, mails or neighbors, except the red men of the woods, they commenced life anew. Bears, wolves, deer, turkeys and an occasional panther abounded in the woods, with other kinds of wild game in abundance.” Clarke, who is the fifth greatgrandson of Simeon and Katherine Prior, largely keeps himself out of the story, referring to himself sparingly as “the writer of this book.” Though he writes with the detached tone of a historicist, Clarke’s interest in the Priors’ story comes through in occasional reading recommendations, footnotes highlighting discrepancies between different historical accounts, and a personal anecdote in which Clarke and a relative replace Simeon and Katharine’s weathered headstone with a white granite upgrade, which includes a recreation of the original front text, a list of
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Above: A photograph of William Prior. (Photos: Used with permission from Kenneth Clarke.)
the couple’s children, and an acknowledgment that they were the first settlers of Northampton Township. “The outline of the book follows the chain of custody of the people who were the keepers or main contributors of the Prior Family Archive,” Clarke says. “This allowed me to approach the book almost like one would approach a mystery – uncovering clues, following information where it leads and making discoveries. I continue to be amazed by what I discovered about the people in the book…. It all seems so simple now, seeing it laid out in the book, but it was anything but simple to figure out. And I’m still learning.” Clarke has also started a Wolves and Flax Facebook page that provides photographs, postcards and other historical images not included in the book, as well as written summaries offering context. Though the book has been published, Clarke considers his research on the Prior family history an ongoing project. “Simeon Prior’s contemporary David Hudson has a historical society named after him, but Simeon and Katharine and their family had almost faded to obscurity,” he explains. “This inspired me because unlike David Hudson, Simeon wasn’t wealthy... stories about common people tend not to get told largely because nothing is saved that ties their lives to the past. The Prior Family Archive lets the story be told.” // Kyle Cochrun is a writer and turntablist from Akron, Ohio. thedevilstrip.com
Red-tailed hawks are Akron’s neighborhood apex predators WRITING BY JEFF DAVIS
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alking the dog one day and approaching one of those attractive fences designed to keep household pets in the yard, the dog slows down — dramatically. Then she goes into one of those low crouches you see when animals sense danger or get ready to pounce. Then she stops altogether and stares. This isn’t part of the regular routine, because she normally goes into a happy dance at this point, expecting to see and free-associate with the friendly neighbor dog inside the said fence. But she’s not staring at the neighbor dog. She’s staring at a squirrel, splayed out on the side of a huge maple eight feet away. The squirrel is staring right back, and it doesn’t move. Neither does the dog. When the dog doesn’t respond to a flick of the leash and a “let’s go,” a closer look reveals the true situation: Standing on the ground on the other side of the fence, and exactly halfway between the crouching dog and the frozen squirrel, is a red-tailed hawk who isn’t moving either. Because it’s almost lunchtime. This is a predicament for the squirrel. Potential freedom if he doesn’t move. Quite possibly becoming a take-out meal if he does. This goes on for five more minutes. This drama would have never been observed were it not that red-tailed hawks are getting pretty common around here. If you haven’t seen one, you need to look up more often. Wild things aren’t necessarily confined by city and county lines, but, based on the Greater Akron Audubon Society’s bird count, there were 177 red-tailed hawks in Summit County last summer, up from 149 in 2016. There were another 139 hawks of other varieties, too. That’s a lot of hawks around here. A nesting pair usually presides over a territory of 2 to 3 square miles, where
they find their food, raise their babies and reside for as long as 20 years. In Akron, they’ve grown accustomed to seeing people and cars and chimneys, right up close. They can look pretty fierce. Standing, they’re tall enough to come up to my thigh. But like most wild animals, they don’t bother people. Just squirrels, rodents, and other small creatures that would surely overrun us otherwise. Hawks also prey on a lot of smaller birds, which is getting to be an issue. Rock pigeons and grackles seem to have taken a hit around here in recent years, though many other species are up. Adult hawks have no natural enemies. That makes them “apex predators.” Bald eagles and great blue herons — the sexier of the Summit County big birds — are apex predators, too. But even apex predators have preferred diets. In the case of large birds, it is often defined by the dead weight they can haul away. But it’s also a matter of what’s on offer. Herons, for instance, are built for wading. What’s in the Cuyahoga River at ankle depth? Small fish, frogs, ducklings, et cetera. Bald eagles need more calories, so they eat bigger fish from deeper waters. But in times of desperation, all these birds will eat almost anything they can catch. As will coyotes. Like the big birds — who, we must remind you, get better press — coyotes scatter themselves throughout our urban, suburban, and rural lives. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says they have been in every one of the state’s 88 counties for decades. We don’t know how many, because no one actually tries to count them. ODNR only refers to their population “density.” Our very own Summit County is “densely” populated with coyotes, they say.
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A friendly neighborhood red-tailed hawk near Highland Square. (Photo: Used with permission from Bernadette Gibson.)
Should we be afraid of them? Not so much. They can look pretty big, but coyotes are all hair. In the Midwest, mature males usually weigh only 35-40 pounds, about the same as your average Welsh corgi or cocker spaniel. They will wander into neighborhoods to scavenge trash and pet food that has been left outside, but they much prefer undeveloped areas with fresh water, good hunting and a bit of privacy. According to Ryan Trimbath and Doug Markan, Cuyahoga Valley National Park biologists, even in the 55 square miles of the national park, coyotes mostly keep to themselves. They will push foxes out of their hunting areas and, like dogs, sometimes chase people away from their pups. But otherwise they are so lightly regarded as trouble that their population isn’t actively controlled. In the parks, coyotes serve a useful purpose in balancing out the populations of smaller critters, including things the big birds can’t reach or lift. A study done in the CVNP showed coyotes are omnivores, chowing down on raccoons, voles, muskrats and the occasional dead deer, as well as beetles, nuts and seeds. Encounters in neighborhoods are typically very brief, one-sided
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arguments with pet dogs, who bark at coyotes and chase them away. Rarely, they will grab an unattended small pet. Typically, this happens at night, because coyotes have learned that’s the best time of day to avoid humans, who are in fact their biggest threat. Still worried about coyotes? Published reports say, in the U.S., there are an average of five coyote attacks on humans every year. Since 1981, these attacks have caused two deaths. Dog attacks, on the other hand, number about 4.5 million a year. Fatal attacks average between 30 and 50 per year. Remember the dog, hawk and squirrel triple stare-down event I mentioned at the beginning? It turns out there was a fourth party at the party — the resident dog, who had been out of sight behind the big maple tree the whole time. After what seemed like a pretty long coffee break, the dog whipped around the tree, the squirrel ran straight up, and the red-tailed hawk did a quick one-eighty and flew directly over our heads to find a more cooperative lunchmate. We could feel the breeze. // Jeff Davis is a lifelong resident of the Akron area and is a retired writer, editor, teacher, and dog lover. He’s also a proud co-owner of this newspaper. The Devil Strip
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Essays & Humor
First-person essays and columns plus horoscopes, comics & games
without her intervention, her love, and her toughness. But she would never take any credit. None.
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ELLE THE ANGEL
xceptional interventionists can take on an almost supernatural form for those blessed with chance proximity, fate, or even pure luck. I was more than fortunate to meet someone like that — one extraordinary woman. I loved her with every part of my being. Her name to me was Elle and she had a mystic sensitivity and empathic prowess like no one I have ever met. She had a see-right-through-you, nobull superpower. I had met my match but I played on. She let me. Just to get the facts straight, Elle is not her real name, but for the respect of her family’s privacy, that is her “angel” name for this story. I first saw her at a gig and was struck by her poise, her stunning beauty, and a stubborn ability not to look my way or give me one ounce of her energy. Ha! She told me later she thought, “Who is that guy so full of himself up there thinking he is all that?” — and she was right. It was the summer of 2013 I was living a double life as a puffed-up, well-employed, look-at-me-with-apersonal-trainer, big-house-in-theright-neighborhood, import-autodriving, self-obsessed P.O.S. I was a massive, out-of-control alcoholic. The truth was that I hated myself. Some head-slightly-cocked conversations led to a date at Jilly’s in downtown Akron. We clicked that night. The grasping of my hand in hers, a stolen kiss in her car... we both knew right away that we were about to start something that would change us, and there was no turning back. At the time, I was still a highly skilled prevaricator about the “problem.” The first few months were full of highs and some lows, and they were quite difficult. We separated for what would be the first time. She sent back all the talismans and gifts I had
given her in a neatly packaged box that basically said, “I don’t want your energy, I’m out.” I’m leaving out a lot. In February 2014, on a more-thandesperate, down-at-the-bottom morning, I found her number and called her. I was trying to detox after a bad stretch, and thankfully she answered, as she had deleted my number. I broke down and told her the truth about the “problem” and asked her to please help me. She came right over. She lifted me up and got me out of my house, which was a big deal because I was a hermit by that time. She helped convince me that the chronic stress of the corporate lifestyle was the undoing of my true authentic self and that a writer, musician, and teacher was in there. I believed her. It was the first time in a long time that I believed in the hope of a new life. I loved being loved. But it didn’t last. Again, I’m leaving out a lot. In June, after another separation, there was another call from me. Again she knew I was really in trouble, and she came right over. I was in terrible shape. She sat me up and said that If I wanted to die from my disease, she would leave and let me, but if I wanted to live she would take me to detox. Apparently, I took several minutes to decide. I have very little memory of this, but she got me to Akron General, and there was a bed at St. Thomas. She was like a spirit in a dream; I can still feel her lips on my forehead. I was going to get better. I have written and spoken much about the angels on the ward on the seventh floor at that excellent hospital, but never about the day I was released. I took the elevator down to the bottom floor. You make a right turn when you get off, and as I did that day, I saw Elle. She was
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there to pick me up and take me home. It had never dawned on me that someone could love me that much. I have never felt the same extraordinary feeling that I felt at that moment, and may never again. I hate to keep mentioning this, but I am leaving out a lot. In the end, the reality was that we were not meant to be partners or married. Not to live together, not to live happily ever after — no fairy tale. As I was learning to think again, a series of disagreements proved to be too much. There was a bad breakup, a sharp separation, and a long silence from her. When she reached out to me 18 months later, it was for help. She said she needed my business training and insight for her start-up company. We became friends again. I was more than happy to have her in my life on any level. We would text each other occasionally. She would call, I would call. One day she told me about the cancer, but would never again talk about it. She was always OK. Shiny, bright, cheerful, and happy, never negative in language or thought. It’s funny about past lovers. You can never really stop loving them. It’s like that favorite sweater in the bottom dresser drawer. Often you take it out, try it on and wonder if you are ever going to wear it again, but you don’t. You only know you will never, ever throw it away. Our conversations were open but not too personal. We talked about kids, my work in music, teaching and now writing, her business, and her new fella, and we were kind to each other. I would call her on my sobriety birthday and thank her. I never missed an opportunity to remind her that she was my angel in recovery. I would not be writing this today
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I got the text she had passed on a Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago. I cleared my teaching schedule that day and just sat with a cup of tea in hand and made my shirt wet with tears. Like that day in the sacred St. Thomas chapel one week after my time in detox, when that sweet old woman tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a box of tissues and said, “Oh, you poor thing.” I thought about calling her last Christmas but got busy and never got around to it. I will never again let that feeling pass.
Now, I will not speak to Elle the Angel again. I cannot thank her or hear her say, “I’m cheering for you, with my old-fashioned ‘70s pom-poms!” A few years back, I finally wrote the song for her, for us. It’s on Spotify. The title is “Let it Go.” I probably won’t be listening to that one for a while: “Some love lasts a season; some love lasts for life. Some come for a reason like a candle in the night.” I am sure that I will not be OK knowing that I did not say goodbye to Elle. But I know this: I am a better person because of her. I will remember her gift of kindness and love. And when another broken person or addict or alcoholic shows up in my path, I will try to pay forward the love she showed me. I will be a voice of strength and compassion, like Elle the Angel, who somehow appeared at the right time so that I could be here today to tell you all this story. A story told with my eyes shut, remembering her smile. My favorite hoodie now wet from tears. The cherished one she gave me, rarely worn but stored safely from now on, in the bottom of a dresser drawer. Steady on. // Reach Marc Lee Shannon at marcleeshannon@gmail.com. Listen to “Recovery Talks: The Podcast” from 91.3 The Summit at www. rockandrecovery.com, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify. The Devil Strip
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WOMEN WHO KNOW WILD PLANTS
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hen most of us walk through nature, we appreciate the scenery, but the living things that make up that scenery are strangers to us. Darting wildlife might catch our eye and capture our attention. Many common animals are familiar neighbors. Raccoon, white-tailed deer, grey squirrel, and northern cardinal have crossed our path before. But what of the plants around us? Nature lovers might master the names of spring flowers. These little sprites dab cheerful colors along roadsides and forest trails. We greet them eagerly after months of winter drab. However, few people can make sense of a carpet or wall of greenery. Biologist Sonia Bingham is the exception. Her expertise is wetland plants. For years, she has led the small team of Heartland Network scientists who have studied more than 1,500 wetlands in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Ohio has lost almost 90% of its wetlands, from 4.4 million acres historically to 481,900 acres now. Of the remaining wetlands, most have experienced physical, chemical, or biological changes resulting from forest clearing during Ohio’s settlement period and from current farming and urban land use. Until Bingham came along, the park
had only a general understanding of the scope, diversity, or condition of these vital communities. They are nature’s kidneys, holding and filtering water. They are nature’s nurseries, where many animals raise their young. They are nature’s insurance policy, protecting us from floodwaters. Sonia has helped us understand that wetlands are more than cattail-choked marshes. They include sedge meadows and floodplain forests. Some even “hang” on the valley walls. Bingham’s team identifies plants in a study site as the primary measure of environmental health. They also look at water chemistry and water levels as well as breeding birds and amphibians. (Nearly half of all endangered species rely on wetlands.) She watches for changes over time, rechecking areas on a five-year rotating basis. Invasive species can quickly overrun native plants, so patches are mapped for removal. Information about these sensitive habitats is important when park managers plan new trails, for example.
woods and picnic shelter. Keeler distinguished herself in several areas, but is most famous as an author of seven nature guides. Unlike other areas of science, botany was an acceptable activity for women starting in the early 1800s. It fell into their domestic sphere because of its practical applications in preparing home remedies. At the time, there was a division between “scientific” and “recreational” study of plants, with the latter being the domain of women. Being a professional scientist wasn’t an option in Keeler’s day, although she was widely respected for her plant knowledge. As you venture outside in the warming weather, watch for changes in the plant life. Observe their differences. In time, plant traits and habits will become more familiar. To learn more about Bingham’s wetland research, visit www.nps. gov/im/htln/wetlands.htm. To learn more about Keeler’s life, visit home.nps.gov/people/harrietkeeler.htm.
Above: Biologist Sonia Bingham takes a well monitoring measurement at the Krejci wetland in Cuyahoga Valley National Park; Bingham in a dense stand of phragmites, an aggressive reed that invades wetlands. (Photos: NPS)
Since March is Women’s History Month, let’s also pause to consider the remarkable career of Cleveland botanist and educator Harriet Keeler, who made her professional mark more than a century ago. Brecksville Reservation, within the national park, preserves her legacy via a memorial
// Arrye Rosser is an interpretive and education specialist at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Below: Sonia Bingham uses a magnifier to identify a wetland plant. (Photo: NPS / Ted Toth)
Left: Ghost Note Comic is a series by Nick Muffet. View more works at ghostcomics.limitedrun.com. Nick is donating all proceeds from prints purchased to the Movement for Black Lives.
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Trouble With Old People PANDEMIC PROCRASTINATION
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andemic isolation isn’t much fun. This is a great time, however, to work on your home. You know what I’m talking about — those decluttering and deep-cleaning projects you have been putting off for so long. Your usual excuse — that you have no time because of your busy social schedule — no longer applies. So, ready to roll up your sleeves and make your home that well-organized, sparkling place you’ve always dreamed of?
that says exercising outdoors in winter improves health. The article cites a traditional Norwegian saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing.” Dress in multiple layers of adequate clothing. Go outdoors. Discover that what the weather app is calling “wintry mix” is actually freezing rain. Go back indoors. Remove multiple layers of adequate clothing. Understand why there has never been a best-seller titled, “There is No Such Thing as Bad Weather.”
Just kidding. Of course you aren’t. So if you want to avoid the hideous peril facing you — actually having to do those miserable tasks — you will need a whole new set of excuses. Help is at hand. Those of us in the older cohort have decades of experience in evading our homebased duties. Check with a veteran homeowner or apartment-dweller and ask for ideas. We’re happy to share. To get you started, here are some procrastination techniques that work for me. Drink coffee. Read a detective novel. Reorganize your sock drawer by color. Read an article in a scientific journal
Wonder whether it is too late to send Christmas cards, rebranded as Valentine’s Day cards or possibly Groundhog Day cards. Reorganize your sock drawer by thickness. Decide to audit your bins of old photographs. In the first five minutes, find a team photo of your daughter’s sixth grade softball team. Start remembering each player and wondering what they are doing now. Call your daughter to ask. Learn that you have interrupted her (not for the first time) while she is on a Zoom call with her boss. Agree never to call her again during a weekday except in urgent circumstances, such as you getting vaccinated and becoming
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able to borrow a grandchild for a week or two. Worry about wearing out your Roku remote-control after months of overuse. Realize that the characters of Schitt’s Creek have become more real to you than your actual friends. Set aside the remainder of the day to worry about your mental health. Calculate, based upon your current rate of consumption, and factoring in the TV schedule of upcoming sporting events, when you will need to go back to the beer store. Smile at the short-sightedness of your friends who claimed no one ever had a good use for algebra after high school. Realize you are sick and tired of all the non-organic food you have been feeding yourself. Decide to listen to your body and learn to prepare meals rich in vegetables. Find the “heart-healthy” cookbook you got as a Christmas present 10 years ago. Open it at random and read: “Follow recipe above, except add 5 teaspoons minced zucchini squash with the green peppers. Add one cup each diced onion and radish and onehalf cup Swiss chard with the turnips;
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double the amount of water.” Call the pizza shop. Ease your guilt by ordering the Veggie Supreme. Brood for three minutes. Call back and change it to sausage. Decide it’s high time you made a priority of your spiritual life. Resolve to begin meditating. Find a quiet place. Recall the meditation techniques you learned in that class at the Y. Begin to embrace the essential goodness of the universe and of yourself. Try to ignore a growing realization that you were a fool to try this on an empty stomach. Form a vivid mental picture of the left-over chicken in the refrigerator. Decide that Ram Das would have wanted you to have it. Right now. Drink coffee. Read a detective novel. Stop at page 86 when you realize you read this book in October. Decide to read it anyway. As best you can remember, it was pretty good. // Steve Van Auken is a longtime contributor to The Devil Strip and a psychologist.
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Member Spotlight The Devil Strip is co-owned by more than 900 Akronites! To join, visit https://thedevilstrip.com/be-amember.
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f you used to visit 69 Taps in downtown Akron, you might recognize a former bartender, Ray Roos. After graduating from the University of Akron, he spent a couple of years living in Canal Fulton and Solon, but he’s glad to be back in the Akron area, and his “old stomping grounds.”
In addition to working as a design engineer in Hiram, Ray is earning a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering and living in Copley. “I definitely like how quiet it is. It’s a very comfortable area to live in. Nothing crazy goes on here too, too much, which is good for where you want to live,” he says. Ray describes himself as a “straightup nerd.” During his undergraduate career, he was a member of the Aero Design Team. Today, in his free time, he utilizes his engineering skills outside the workplace by working on
his car and building models. “I used to design, build, and compete with aircrafts… that was definitely a highlight of college and my life experiences,” Ray says. Ray is really grateful that he and his roommate decided to return to the area. “Just being back in Akron felt really nice, where we know where everything was already. We’re closer to friends. It’s really nice to keep the college group together,” he says. — Allyson Smith
LOGIN AND PASSWORD SHARING WITH FINANCIAL APPS
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t seems like every commercial break now has an ad for some new app that can help you manage your finances, teach your kids to be financially responsible or get you into the stock market with small amounts of money. The companies who develop these applications are part of the financial technology, or fintech, industry. The apps and services they provide have potential to be useful. But some of those apps will ask you to share the login and password information for your various financial accounts through outside or thirdparty sources.
Plaid, as does the local Akronite app. According to their website, “Plaid provides tools that enable you to share your financial data with apps that provide services to you.” The advantage is that Plaid offers secure transfers for these companies. That allows the companies to focus on providing their service while Plaid focuses on securing the transactions. Plaid is by providing a standard middleman service that’s used by multiple apps and is trusted by the banks and other financial institutions.
However, Plaid uses a controversial practice to accomplish this — Third-party software refers to and there is a good reason it is programs that are designed by controversial. When you are asked by companies that attach to another the primary app, say Robinhood, to company’s software, but are not enter your financial information, they actually controlled by that company. take you to a page that looks like you It is similar to the way a mortgage are going directly to the link to your broker works. They don’t represent or bank account. Next, they ask you to work for the lender, but they work on share your username and password behalf of the lender and the borrower for that account. to arrange the deal. Hence the term “third-party.” Many e-commerce companies, such as Amazon, either ask to enter a Fintech companies like Acorns, credit card or link to PayPal for each Venmo and Robinhood use a thirdtransaction. You enter your credit party bank data aggregator called card number on a secure page and
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complete the transaction. The same is true for ApplePay or Google Pay, The controversial practice Plaid uses is asking for users’ login credentials to link directly to their bank accounts, not just to a credit card. It is best to never share your login credentials with a third party. But it is necessary in some cases to access some services. Plaid, for example, is attached to apps that provide some deeper services than the purchasing of goods and services, such as person-to-person money transfers. In order to confirm that you have money in your account to cover the transaction, they need access to your account. We all have become used to the speed and convenience that our connected devices bring us. But that speed and convenience becomes a liability when we blindly trust the apps. The key is to use caution. Slow down and be thorough. Start with the rule that you should never share your login credentials
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and password with anyone, but with the understanding that some services may require that you do so. Venmo, Acorns, Robinhood and, ironically, Privacy.com are some examples of apps where this is necessary. Some of these financial apps offer real solutions to real problems. If that is the case for you, the next step is to weigh the risk versus the reward. If you have determined that the app is worth the risk, the next step is to research the company by reading their terms and conditions as well as their security policy. You can find those on the company website. Then dig a little deeper and read with whom else the app or companies does business. If you cannot find them or if you do not think the company is safe, then do not use the app. In the security section of their website, Plaid states: “To help keep your data safe, we don’t share the username and password for your financial institution with your apps. Once you give us permission to share your financial data, we Continued on page 38
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March tarot reading
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ith shutdowns and stay-athome orders approaching the one-year mark, it’s no shocker that we’re seeing the Five of Cups for March. Loneliness, solitude and pandemic fatigue have been taking over and threatening to get the best of us. The thing about humans is: It’s hard to keep our cups full when it seems like every headline and current event knocks them over. Take some time this month to do the things that fill your cups, or make you feel fulfilled and happy. Also, try to count your blessings. It’s easy to focus on the spilled cups in front of you instead of the full cups right behind you. The Four of Pentacles is asking you to remember and pull from your resources this month, both material and emotional. In doing so, you
can find balance and stability. In some cases, the Four of Pentacles can also call us out when we we’re operating from a scarcity mindset. Fear can quickly and easily distort our perception of what we need and what we have. When combined with the Five of Cups, this card reminds us that if we find our own cups full, we should start pouring into others’ cups. Make sure your loved ones, neighbors and community are taken
care of too. The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that the world is always turning, the calendar is always changing, and the only we can really do is roll with it. I would like to think this says there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, that we’re no longer waiting around for the other shoe to drop. Could balance soon be restored? This is a reminder that what goes
around comes around and we’re all subject to the cycles and forces of the universe, no matter how hard we try to control the outcome. This doesn’t mean we’re powerless. Instead, this means we gain a great power by learning to surrender that which was never ours to begin with. — Allyson Smith
MARCH LUNAR READING March forth!
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his issue of the Devil Strip drops around Akron on March 4 — the only day of the year that is also a sentence (get it? March forth!). That best describes the energy we feel during the month of March. The beginning of spring at the equinox also marks the start of another journey around the zodiac with the first sign, Aries.
earthly realm and another in a higher dimension. It is said Pisces people are the hardest of all the signs to spot because they are a culmination of all 12 of the sun signs.
We have a new moon in Pisces on March 13, which looks to be a lovely time for artistic, especially musical, endeavors. Venus and Neptune, both in Pisces during this lunation, will Coming off February, we encountered be holding the same space in the a full moon in the orderly sign of sky. Venus is the planet of love and Virgo, which allowed us to get our beauty and Neptune carries an ideal, (rubber) ducks in a row to help close or sometimes confusion — so clear out the astrological year during the off any rose-colored glasses and see last sign of the zodiac, Pisces. Pisces, love clearly, or just continue to dream a water sign, is represented by two a romantic dream. fish swimming in opposite directions. One is swimming upstream and the This can be a time to take a little other downstream; one foot in the rest before we gear up for a shift in Akron’s Community-Owned Magazine
energy as we enter the cardinal fire sign season of Aries on March 20, when life may feel like it picks up and begins to accelerate. Aries is represented by a ram and, with its horns, is determined to push through obstacles headfirst with bravery. Aries people are the trailblazers of the zodiac. Not known for their patience, they are the first to step up to the plate and show the rest of us how it’s done. During 2021, the Aries energy can be used toward pioneering new and inventive ideas — especially with our social planets, Jupiter and Saturn, located in the futuristic air sign of Aquarius. We wrap up the month with a full moon in Aries’ opposite sign,
March 2021 · Vol 8 · Issue #3
Libra. It’s time for a balancing act between your desires and another’s. The warrior spirit of Aries is likely to strap up its boots and march forth for the love it craves. The moon in the partnership sign of Libra can keep the ram in check by suggesting compromise to any dilemmas that may pop up, or else it may feel like a tug-of-war in a battlefield of love. // Angie Agnoni is a local astrologer and graduate of the International Academy of Astrology. She is Vice President of Lake County Astrological Association, which is one of the longest-running astrology groups in the country. Angie can be reached and booked for personal astrology consultation at www.calendly.com/ angieagnoni. The Devil Strip
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Unencrypted continued from page 36 securely transfer it from your financial institution to the app through our application programming interface (API).” A data breach for a company like Plaid would be catastrophic to them and potentially all of the other companies that use this service. They use security best practices like encryption of data, robust monitoring of their systems and continuous security tests of those systems to ensure safe storage of your personal data. They are also subject to data privacy laws that vary from country to country, but all have high financial penalties for violations. There is always a risk every time you share any information with an app or website. I am not in favor of sharing any personal information with third-party applications as a rule.
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March 2021 · Vol 8 · Issue #3
But there are situations where it may be necessary and reasonably safe to do so. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for your personal cybersecurity. There is only caution, best practices and contiguous diligence. Protecting your data should always take priority over convenience. All of this is basically to say, welcome to the 21st century — where we should all be checking our financial accounts daily to make sure we are not hacked. // Dr. John B. Nicholas is a Professor of Computer Information Systems and Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Degree Track at The University of Akron. Dr. Nicholas has over 30 years experience in the technology field in both the private sector and in higher education. Send quiestions and concerns for future articles to jbnicholasphd@gmail.com.
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