Attached to it was a yellow Post-It Note with a handwritten addendum: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward. We rise by lifting others every day.”
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Just over five years ago, 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. Email photos and written responses to edletter@coxinc.com.
Here are a few of the responses we’ve received so far:
Mary Cook, Brookville
What makes #DaytonStrong?
In a word — we are scrappy. We’ve been through a lot over the years. Acts of nature (tornado/flood) as well as acts of man (mass shooting, KKK, etc.) yet, we keep putting one foot in front of the other. What really makes us strong is the kindness of people. Neighbors helping neighbors in times of need. People shopping local for both businesses and restaurants to keep our downtown thriving. One fabulous example is the Levitt Pavilion. It is a magical place where everyone is welcome to come see live music for free! People who might not otherwise have the means to go to concerts have the opportunity to come enjoy a show and dance! And dance they do — Black, white, tan, old and young. It’s family-friendly so there are often lots of kids which makes everyone happy!
How do we keep #DaytonStrong?
By continuing to do things that matter. For example, the memorial that was just dedicated to the nine people who lost their lives in the mass shooting. Having that space is really important, not only for the families of the victims, but for the community at large — so they are never forgotten. Another thing we must do is continuing to build up downtown. Sadly, it had become kind of a wasteland from where it used to be when Elder Beerman and Rikes were there for shopping and Courthouse Square had lots of activities going on. Now we have Riverscape and the Dragon’s stadium and lots of new housing and hotels being built. We need to keep investing in these things to maintain the upward swing to our downtown. That said, we need to continue supporting our local businesses whenever possible. All the independent restaurants and shops need us to patronize them to keep them healthy and thriving. And most importantly: always remember to love one another. :)
Lenny Zaleski, Dayton
What makes #DaytonStrong?
Dayton is strong because its community. From businesses to schools to local neighborhoods, we support each other. I’ve never seen a place have as strong of community bonds as Dayton. When challenges come here, people rise up to the occasion and help one another. Whether it’s been making roads safer, finding affordable groceries in food apartheids, or building new businesses, everyone pitches in.
How do we keep #DaytonStrong?
I think there are a few ways we do it. First, we need to make sure housing is here and affordable. Dayton has been struggling with a housing crisis for a while. People can’t work, think of new businesses, or create new community spaces without housing, and they can’t access them without housing to start from. I think expanding RTA service is also crucial, a lot of people aren’t able to afford a car and rely on the transit to get around. Lots of routes only come every hour or 90 minutes, which doesn’t help people with a variety of schedules get around. If we help people move around and help people settle down, we’ll keep Dayton strong.