Credit: DaytonDailyNews
What makes Dayton strong?
One of the things that makes Dayton strong is that its people and its leaders are resilient. Just in the course of my professional life, I’ve seen massive changes that have happened in the community. And every time there’s something that people think is a major blow, it’s a major blow for about 5 minutes and then its people and its leaders gather together and they go, OK, how do we bounce back?
So I think it’s because the people are resilient. It’s not a city of innovation by happenstance. I think people pivot and they come back stronger than ever.
How do we keep Dayton strong?
We keep Dayton strong by involving many voices. One of the things that I get anxious about is that I want to make sure everybody has a seat at the table, that we have a lot of diverse voices and diverse thought, that we’re not just listening to the same people every day.
Another way to keep Dayton strong is that we as older, seasoned professionals make it our responsibility to help mentor young, up-and-coming bright stars so that we have a natural, organic transition of leadership. I think we have to make space for new people. We can’t hold on to things forever. It’s the natural order of things to pass the baton to someone else.
So if we’re not mentoring young leaders, then what is the community going to look like in the future? I think that’s one of the main ways to keep Dayton strong, by making sure that we are always mentoring, cultivating, leading new people who want to get engaged and who want to make a difference. I think that will help protect this community.
Credit: DOWNTOWN DAYTON PARTNERSHIP
Credit: DOWNTOWN DAYTON PARTNERSHIP
#DaytonStrong
Dayton has been tested.
In 2019, our city witnessed tragedy after tragedy, from an unspeakable act of violence to weathering a literal storm. We faced hate in the form of a KKK rally.
We came together, raising the #DaytonStrong banner as not just a statement of our strength but our commitment to rebuild a better community.
Then followed a national pandemic, economic volatility and much more. We continue to stand strong. From a flood a century ago to the hollowing out of manufacturing or the housing crisis, we aren’t content to persevere; we want to take flight.
So here are the questions we have for you:
1. What makes #DaytonStrong?
2. How do we keep #DaytonStrong?
Your responses will be used in a special reporting project online and in print, celebrating our community and helping us focus on what matters most.
There are many ways to submit responses:
Shoot a video of yourself, your friends, family or coworkers showing us what makes #DaytonStrong.
Share that video with us and the world through social media. You can tag us @daytondailynews or use #DaytonStrong in your video response on social media. If your account is private, please send us a DM as we will not be able to view the video. Here’s where you can find us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daytondailynews/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daytondailynews/
X: https://twitter.com/daytondailynews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daytondailynews
You can put it in a song, or a poem, or a piece of art. Fill out the form below or email photos and written responses to edletter@coxinc.com.