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On MLK Day, citizens of all ages and all walks of life will
begin sharing their stories about police-community relations
in Toledo and beyond. At least, that is the intention of the
newly formed StoryCorps in Toledo Project, which is being
launched to contribute to the national StoryCorps project (www.storycorps.org).
Nationally, StoryCorps interviews can be about any topic;
however, the new StoryCorps in Toledo project is focusing
first on stories about police-community relations. This is
clearly a timely topic, and one in which all individuals’
experiences need to be heard, valued, and eventually
understood.
The goal of StoryCorps in Toledo, in choosing this topic, is
“to improve relations between police and community by
increasing trust through sharing and listening to the
personal experiences that make us human.” The project plans
to collect and archive 100 or more interviews in the next
three months, and to have a citywide event in May to share
examples of the stories. Most important will be including
stories from all points of view.
Linda Alvarado-Arce, director of the City of Toledo Board of
Community Relations, has brought the City of Toledo, Toledo
Police Department, and several other entities together to
develop the StoryCorps in Toledo project for the 2016 Martin
Luther King Day Celebration. Though the project will
officially begin at the celebration, it will continue far
beyond that day.
Alvarado-Arce said, “StoryCorps is about everyone and anyone
having the opportunity to tell their stories and share their
stories for generations to come. The stories are also being
used to make change in the present, as telling them creates
a colorful picture of what Toledo currently has in regards
to diversity, history, and cultural wealth.”
Alvarado-Arce learned of the StoryCorps project from Mary
Ellen Edwards, Ph.D, and Lynne Hamer, Ph.D, of the
University of Toledo Program in Theory and Social
Foundations of Education (TSOC).
She then took the StoryCorps model to Toledo Mayor
Paula Hicks Hudson and Chief George Kral of the Toledo
Police Department. Both endorsed the project
enthusiastically.
One member, JeTahn Avery, is Hub Director for Pickett
Academy. Avery joined the StoryCorps team because of the
educational value of the project. “It is the perfect
opportunity to share our loving words with generations to
come,” said Avery.
In his role as Pickett Hub director, Avery sees potential
for involving community members in the school in meaningful
ways, and added, “I'm hoping my community members will
participate and share stories that inspire all.”
Another team member, Erma Blakely, is a local minister and
proprietor of the $1.50 Store on Nebraska Avenue. Blakely
brings to the project deep and wide connections in the
Junction/Kwanzaa Park neighborhood and in broader Toledo.
Blakely was inspired to join the StoryCorps team because,
she said, “People my age need to share what we’ve been
through, and how we’ve been blessed, so younger people can
learn from our experiences and take that blessing forward.”
Sergeant Anita Madison represents the Toledo Police
Department on the committee. She has found there is much
excitement among officers and community members alike to
share their stories. For her own part, she said, “It is
exciting to share my story on how my community helped shape
the police officer I have become.”
Madison and Blakely interviewed each other about the
relationship between police and community for StoryCorps in
Toledo. Madison asked Blakely for the interview because she
had fond memories of running down the street from church to
visit the store that was located at that time on the current
site of Blakely’s store. By the time Madison had children of
her own, Blakely had opened her store and Madison’s children
frequented it.
During the course of the interview, the two women discovered
that they had lived within a block of each other, on
Pinewood. They also discovered a shared love for being part
of their communities, and a shared belief that God’s
inspiration guided them to work in their communities.
Blakely commented, “One reason I like being in the store is
that the Lord placed me there to be a light.” Madison
agreed, and emphasized that though police are often charged
with “cleaning up” a neighborhood, that is wrongheaded:
“police and business people must work together,” she said.
Madison and Blakely’s videotaped StoryCorps interview will
be featured as part of the MLK Celebration on January 18.
Produced by fellow committee member Les Robinson, of Les
Robinson Productions, the video is intended to inform and
inspire attendees to bring a colleague, neighbor, or loved
one to interview as part of the Toledo project.
Nationally, StoryCorps began in 2003 with the mission “to
provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the
opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our
lives” (www.storycorps.org).
Key to StoryCorps is that people interview each other, in a
conversation about a topic that is important to them and
their relationship. A StoryCorps interview is a conversation
between people who love and respect each other, and so come
together to make a recording.
However, the recording isn’t just for the two of them: it is
a piece of national history as well. Every recording that
is submitted to StoryCorps becomes part of its permanent
collection in the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington,
D.C. In this way, every personal history can become a
permanent part of U.S. history.
Until recently, would-be historians had to travel to
official StoryCorps Collection Booths to record and submit
stories. But last year, StoryCorps developed an app
available on any smart phone. The app guides participants to
develop interview questions, select a partner, record their
interview, save it for themselves, and submit it for
archiving in the Library of Congress. This made it possible
for individuals and groups to contribute from virtually
anywhere, any time.
The StoryCorps in Toledo collection will be part of this
national history collection. It will also be housed in the
Local History Division of the Toledo-Lucas County Public
Library.
Branches of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library will also
host story recording sessions. Everyone is encouraged to
think about who he or she would like to interview, and bring
that person to a session at a library, or contact StoryCorps
in Toledo to set up a session.
Committee members see the project as contributing to
national healing as well as local understanding.
“Nationally, I hope to see people connect with one another
for strength based on the stories recorded,” said Avery.
Committee member Rahwae Shuman, Toledo educator and chairman
of the Toledo Truth Telling Project, sees StoryCorps as a
vehicle for the truth telling necessary for national
healing. “Truth telling is a revolutionary act,” said
Shuman. “It is an essential component of justice. Without
truth, justice is impossible. The truth reconciles opposing
factions. We need truth in America today.”
The StoryCorps in Toledo project has potential to expand
throughout the City and to continue far beyond its current
focus on police-community relations. Toledo has been and is
a city of immigrants. That is why organizations including
Welcome Toledo-Lucas County have signed on to help make sure
stories are recorded and shared now and in months and years
to come.
But for now, StoryCorps in Toledo hopes to convince all
Toledoans, of all walks of life, and with both positive and
negative experiences in police and community relations, to
share their stories. As Blakely said, “People want their
stories heard.” StoryCorps in Toledo is ready to listen.
StoryCorps in Toledo is the
outreach/community engagement event featured at this year’s
MLK Day Celebration. StoryCorps in Toledo is led by
representatives from the City of Toledo Board of Community
Relations, Toledo Police Department, Pickett Academy and
Robinson Elementary (TPS) School Hubs, University of Toledo
Program in Theory and Social Foundations of Education,
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, Welcome Toledo-Lucas
County, Les Robinson Productions, and $1.50 Plus Store, in
cooperation with U.S. Library of Congress StoryCorps Project
(www.storycorps.org).
Contact JeTahn Avery, Pickett Academy Hub Director, at
419-944-5043 to volunteer to help with StoryCorps in Toledo.
The MLK Celebration will
take place Monday, January 18, from 9-11 am, in Savage Arena
at the University of Toledo, with a free community lunch
following. Community members can sign up to record their
stories and can learn more about the StoryCorps in Toledo
project before or after the celebration. Look for tables in
the Savage Arena lobby. Or call or text Avery at
419-944-5043 to arrange to record an interview, or for your
organization to host a recording event.
Les Robinson, Erma Blakely, Anita Madison, and JeTahn Avery
are all members of the committee organizing StoryCorps in
Toledo
Contact:
Lynne Hamer, Ph.D, UT Program in Theory and Social
Foundations of Education, 419-283-8288 or
419-530-7749 or
lynne.hamer@utoledo.edu
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