She has received many national awards and accolades for her tireless work, most recently the Columbus YWCA's "Women of Achievement" award. Because of that honor and her vast efforts locally and internationally, she is this week's Daytonian of the Week.
Read on – you might be surprised to find that I’m not the only Ballengee gal who has a love of Dayton original music!
I heard you had some cool neighbors when you lived on the west side of Dayton. How did you meet the famous people next door?
One day I couldn't hear my television over some very loud, rhythmic music coming from a neighbor's house. I went to where I heard the music, and introduced myself in a "not so friendly" manner. However, in just a few minutes, I became a fan. They later became famous as The Ohio Players!
As a Professor at The Ohio State University, you live in Columbus, however you come back to Dayton often. What are your favorite spots here?
I enjoy going to the Dayton Art Institute, Sunwatch Indian Village, The Pine Club, the farmer's markets, and a concert here and there. I just recently shared Carillon Park with my grandson, which was really special.
You have worked for a long time to save the Earthworks in Ohio. We have one set of mounds in Miamisburg. Can you briefly explain why those are significant?
The Miamisburg Mound is a burial site, and one of the largest conical shaped earthworks of its kind in the U.S. and possibly the world. Ohio was very important for the earthwork builders. The land was fruitful for agriculture and domestication of plants, and people used the plentiful waterways as major transportation space and for food.
As a Cherokee-Appalachian, what specific challenges have you faced in your professional or personal life?
I see challenges as a good thing. In the process of dealing with a challenge one can become a better person. For me, one challenge has been more about my accent. People assume that I am ignorant or uneducated or have referred to me as a hillbilly. I've even had people ask me to say certain words as if I was their entertainment.
You encourage people who are not American Indians to become our allies. What is the best way for people to do that?
I encourage everyone to learn more about their local American Indian communities. We are not looking for people to become us, just to support, celebrate and be open to our differences. I would suggest going to places such as Sunwatch or one of the mounds in Ohio. The World Heritage Program is recognizing many of these important Ohio sites soon, and I ask that everyone support this important recognition.
You were honored the YWCA's "Women of Achievement" award. What advice would you give to other women who are inspired to make real change in their communities?
Never give up. One of the books that I wrote is titled "Stand(ing) Up for a Change." The book is an anthology that includes educators, artists and activists' stories about their journeys to confront social injustice, racism or inequities of some caliber. They were inspired to be change agents – some were successful and some were not – but each story spoke to their process, their personal growth, and reflections. Standing up can be a lonely place, but there are times which nothing less will do, and we know it.
If you could change or bring one thing to Dayton, what would it be?
Since moving back to the Ohio area, I was surprised to see the downtown area not as populated and busy as I remembered. In recent years, I have witnessed a renaissance with the farmers market, art walk tours, and the re-establishment of historic neighborhoods. Those places, events and the arts here, keep a city vital and helps establish sustainability and economic growth.
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