Photo by Susan Ruiz Patton. Through a crazy coincidence of events, the Akron League of Creative Interventionists found themselves with a lot of seeds. So they did what anybody else would do; they planted them and gave away the rest. Not only did it give them great fuel for a Light-themed intervention, but it also […]
Article · May 28, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
A food truck during Open Streets Akron. Photo by Susan Ruiz Patton. Akron Mayor-to-be Garry Moneypenny was right about the cool breeze on the Y-Bridge. Most people don’t feel it because usually they’re in their cars driving across the bridge. But Sunday, May 17, traffic along the 2.8-mile span of North Main Street from downtown […]
Article · May 22, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Akron Better Block. Photo by Tim Fitzwater. The North Main Street section of the North Hill neighborhood of Akron normally looks a little empty—with unoccupied storefronts, cars speeding through, and vacant lots. But the street performers, sidewalk cafes, farmers market tables and busy storefronts that occupied that same block last weekend forced neighbors to see […]
Article · May 22, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
North Main Street in Akron, Ohio. Photo by Susan Ruiz Patton. The people in North Hill won’t have to imagine what it would be like if their Akron neighborhood was a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly place with lots of shopping, dining and family activities. They’ll get to see and experience it this month. May 15-17, neighbors, […]
Article · May 13, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Over the past two months, the Akron League of Creative Interventionists has been celebrating culture, music, art and even time to connect local residents through creativity. Participating in Big Love Fest was just one of the approaches the group used, which gave league members a chance to contribute through art and leadership within a zero […]
Article · April 24, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
This post has been updated. In the documentary “Finding the Gold Within,” about 25 young African-American men sit in chairs arranged in a circle, each one with an African drum in front of them. Between the rhythmic drumming and the storyteller’s narration, they each talk about their college experiences with friends they’ve had since they […]
Article · March 20, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Photo: Tobin Buckner and Aa’Ron Epps, at the Akron Urban League’s Emerging Entrepreneur Networking Group. Credit: Susan Ruiz Patton. An accountant by trade, Melinda Boykin of Richmond Heights, Ohio, used her energy and creativity to help make her employer successful. But something was stopping her from using those skills to build her own successful business. […]
Article · March 2, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Photo by Megan Louise. Instead of letting the bitter cold and snowy weather trap them inside, the Akron League of Creative Interventionists chose to build their January change-themed event around the snow. Sure, they had to reschedule it twice – once for a storm that dumped five inches of the white stuff and again in […]
Article · February 26, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Photo by David Swirsky. Styrofoam couches and sidewalk chalk turned out to be a potent attraction to families with children at Akron’s First Night celebration thanks to a happy series of unexpected events. First Night Akron invited the Akron League of Creative Interventionists to participate in the New Year’s Eve family-oriented celebration with music, theater […]
Article · January 15, 2015 by Susan Ruiz Patton
As people across the country shopped for bargains at big box stores and shopping malls the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Akron League of Creative Interventionists headed to a local market to capture grateful thoughts. Akronites, it turns out, are grateful for a lot, including kittens and pancakes. But mostly, they said they are grateful for […]
Article · December 23, 2014 by Susan Ruiz Patton
Akron, Ohio (left) and Detroit. Photos by Flickr users Ian Freimuth and Paul Bica. The musician, business owner, student and lawyer had more in common than they thought. Not only were they leaders in their own circles, but also they shared a passion for their city: Akron, Ohio. And after spending 30 hours together in […]
Article · December 18, 2014 by Susan Ruiz Patton