Handicrafts and fine art don’t normally go together in my mind. My grandmother was a great quilter, yet I have never associated her traditional needlework as fine art. If you are like me in this thinking, think again.
The Dayton Art Institute is closing a months long exhibition centered on Grandma Moses. American Sampler: Grandma Moses and the Handicraft Tradition closes on February 21 and you don’t want to miss it.
Grandma Moses, Anna Mary Robertson Moses (1860–1961), was a lifelong professional seamstress until she begin creating works of art late in life at age 78. A sample of more than 50 of her pieces are on display. Her work covers a variety of mediums including paintings, embroideries, a quilt and other handmade items.
The entire exhibit pays homage to other artists and handicraft works. A tapesty sampler from England that dates to 1675 makes the modest fee worth it. Just feet away hangs a Grandma Moses quilt that was reminiscent of my own grandma’s quilting style.
Grandma Moses and Woldemer Neufelds paintings of rolling hills beyond small midwestern towns tell a story. The paintings are a view into American life 60, 70 or 80 years ago. I found myself moving back and forth between the two comparing styles. Both Moses and Neufeld lend their brush to depicting rural Ohio.
Checkered House is one of her paintings on display. Grandma Moses shares personal stories about this home that has been part of her family in New York for more than 200 years. The personal nature of her work and its approachability makes this art exhibition one appealing to the entire family.
Organized by The Dayton Art Institute and curated by Dr. Aimee Marcereau DeGalan, Chief Curator, Curator of European Art, American Sampler is on until February 21, 2016.
Exhibition Admission
Museum Members: Free
Adults: $14
Seniors (60+): $11
Students (18+ w/ID): $11
Active Military: $11
Groups (10 or more): $11
Youth (ages 7-17): $6
Children (6 & under): Free
Advance tickets can be purchased at etix.com
Prices include admission to the exhibition and the museum’s permanent collection.
You read that right! Sword fighting in Garden Station. Among the garden plots of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers a sword fight or two will happen this weekend. Dayton’s all volunteer BeSpoke Theater will be sharing their production of Macbeth for free this weekend. Bring a lawn chair and a few dollars for a cold 5th Street Brewpub beer and enjoy the show nestled into the back Garden Station.
Bespoke is one of Dayton’s newest production companies specializing in Classical Theatre. Shakespeare in the park is a lot different than enjoying a show in a traditional theater. The actors compete against the elements and surrounding environment. When Macduff has to pause for a passing train or Lady Macbeth has to enunciate beyond siren moving up Wayne Avenue. I was in attendance for the Sunday afternoon performance last week and found the benefits outweigh the distractions.
First, much of the story of Macbeth happens in the out of doors. The sounds of buzzing cicadas added to the story. Tonight’s show and Saturday’s as well will be visually more interesting as the torches come out as the sun sets in Dayton. Outdoor theater also allows the actors to bring the story withing feet of the audience. Having Banquo or Malcom run past you so close you feel it is an experience you normally don’t get in the Schuster or Victoria.
There are three shows remaining. 7:00 pm Friday and Saturday and a 4:00 pm start on Sunday. The show is free and donations are accepted at the end of the show. Stop in to Garden Station, soak up the city with a 5th Street Brew and take in some Shakespeare. The price point is perfect and the venue is perfect for children and families.
Nearly 300 people gathered in the historic Engineer’s Club Auditorium on Thursday night to hear 9 presentations each lasting only 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Dayton’s historic club was the host to the 24th installment of Pecha Kucha. A Japanese born presentation built around 20 slides each shown for 20 seconds as the speaker discusses their topic in sync.
These presentations, held quarterly, cover a range of subjects and are presented from every day people. One of Dayton’s cheerleaders,Charlie Campell, opened the night reminding us how Great Dayton really is.
Volume 24 also featured a veterinarian, Bethany Horn, who found love in New Zealand and moved to Dayton after purchasing her home online. Brian Petro, bartender at Rue Dumaine, shared his love for bad cocktails from the 70’s and 80’s while weaving references of pop culture into his discussion. Backpacker Kriss Gang told his story of tackling peaks in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with his son. Cincinnati organizer and blogger Austin Radcliffe brought stunning photos documenting his professional success as a curator and artist.
Pecha Kucha talks can be fun, serious and informative. Many times one talk can be all three simultaneous. Volume 24 delivered that multiple times last night by the three ladies on the stage.Emily Fleitz somehow made discussing women’s menstrual health in Tibet engaging, comfortable and informative. The same holds true for local Labor Attorney Lela Klein who redefined Rosie the Riveter for us by sharing modern day tales of women in transit manufacturing. Local storyteller, Lisa Holmes, also moved the crowd with her poignant story of overcoming dyslexia to now using her gift of storytelling to teach in local schools.
In closing the room was challenged by Rodney Veal to consider how we use vocabulary as shared his work building an art installation investigating the word Ghetto at UD. It was impossible to not think beyond that term as he shared the art he created around that word.
Pecha Kucha is a free event and open to the public. As you can see from this most recent event, the topics cover a range of issues and interests. For more photo’s from Volume 24 look here.
The next Dayton PK event is scheduled for December 17. Follow www.pechakucha.org/cities/dayton for information or to register as a speaker.
Dayton’s Engineers Club is a living memorial to the men and women that built our city. Walking through the Club you can easily imagine Charles Kettering or the Wright Brothers sitting and discussing the social and political issues of the day. It is here you can find rich pieces of Dayton’s at every turn.
It is the mission of the Engineers Club to “foster the advancement of business, education, engineering and science, and to promote the professional development of its members.” If you have never had the pleasure of visiting the club Thursday night is your chance to soak up all that is Dayton while enjoying the 24th Volume of Pecha Kucha.
Pecha what? Pecha Kucha are 6-minutes 40-seconds presentations accompanied by 20 slides. The speaker must use 20 slides that automatically advance every 20-seconds. Pecha Kucha rules are strict and going over your time is prohibited. Generally each slide only will contain a single image. The format was developed in Tokyo (hence the Japanese name) by two foreign architects: Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein.
Dayton gathers 4 times a year for Pecha Kucha. It is free and open to the public. Volume 24 is scheduled for Thursday August the 20th and will begin at 7:30 pm. According to the Dayton PK website you can expect a diverse roster of presenters.
“Emcee Duante Beddingfield will keep us on our toes as the mic passes between: Emmy-winning artist Rodney Veal, Rue Dumaine bartender Brian Petro, artist Austin Radcliffe of “Things Organized Neatly,” attorney Lela Klein, the “great” PR man Charlie Campell, Chef Anthony Head, librarian Lisa Holmes, Tibetan traveler Emily Fleitz, veterinarian Bethany Horn and adventurer Kriss Gang.”
The event is free and a cash bar will be available. Don’t miss out on this unique style of presenting in one of Dayton’s most unique spots.
If you drive south on Main Street out of Dayton you eventually will find Bill’s Donuts. A south Dayton establishment and mainstay on any Best Doughnuts list. Drive a little farther south on Main Street/Far HIlls/St Rt 48 and you come to Chevy Chase Apartments in Centerville. With a little over 200 apartments this enclave Centerville residents is often overlooked.
More than 400 kids, school age and younger, live in those 200 apartments and many are short of adult role models and attention. It is estimated that the majority of these kids are in single parent households or households where both parents, or grandparents, work to make ends meet.
Lisa Tucker, daughter of Bill’s Donuts namesake, Bill Elam, decided she should get involved there. So last summer she called a few friends, grabbed some hotdogs, chips and plenty of doughnuts and set out to make some friends on the playground. This summer she, assisted by employees, friends and various church groups, delivered lunch and fun to kids every Monday of their summer break. For 9 consecutive Monday’s she brought lunch, some entertainment and adults to hangout on the playground in the middle of the Chevy Chase courtyard.
I had the privilege of spending two Monday lunch hours with the kids and Lisa. When I asked her about the kids she simply said “these are great kids, they just want someone to hangout, play kickball, push them on the swing and listen.” So that is what I did, assisted with a few magic tricks to break the ice, I simply hung out and played.
Today I witnessed a Centerville Police officer, full uniform, 90 degrees playing kickball with about a dozen of the kids. Assisted by City Councilman Brooks Compton, volunteers and a Bill’s employee, the kids got a full hour of kickball with new friends. I figure more was done to understand these kids in 4 innings of kickball that can ever be attained by a commissioned study or committee investigation.
While taking pictures it became clear to me that peace in our community and communication between folks in the cul-de-sacs and the folks in large apartment complexes doesn’t have to be complicated. All you have to do is show up and toss the ball.
Today 50 kids are happier because they got a hot dog, a balloon animal, a doughnut and some playtime with folks who just wanted to hang out. Easy as that.
Do you know someone who’s making a difference in the Dayton region? Someone who gives of their time and talent to make our community a better place? An unsung hero that is quietly making an effort to make someone’s life a little better? Nominate them as a DMM Difference Maker and we’ll honor them and share their story. Send us an email with their story.
Runners and athletes in the Miami Valley and beyond know Tim Rieger. Tim is both a Centerville High School and University of Cincinnati standout distance runner. Tim’s running accomplishments include winning the Flying Pig Marathon in 2005 and long list of top finishes in 50 and 100k races.
Recovering from an injury, Tim found himself on an Eliptigo bike. The Eliptigo is powered by an eliptical type machine that moves the wheels on a bike. Tim recently decided to go the distance on the bike for A Kid Again. Since 2010 Tim has served the children’s charity as a board member here in Southwest Ohio.
Tim shares some history and the inspiration for this challenge in this video:
A Kid Again strives to foster hope, happiness and healing for families raising kids with life-threatening illness. This statewide Ohio charity just celebrated 20 years of serving these special kids and their families. Tim had a big goal of raising $10,000.00 for the charity by riding his bike 250 miles in 24 hours.
It only took Tim, a Vice President at Dayton based McGohan Brabender, three weeks to reach his goal. He is now looking to meet a new goal of $15,000.00 before his 24 hour challenge in just 3 more weeks.
Here is an update from Tim this week.
Tim says this 24 hour 250 mile challenge is the toughest he has attempted to date. In the past he has biked 200 miles, and once ran over 40 miles in 6 hours.
On August 21st, Tim starts his 24 Hour 250-mile journey on an ElliptiGO to raise money and awareness for the charity. The ride will start at the Home Office of A Kid Again at 777-G Dearborn Park Lane in Columbus and will travel through Dayton. From Dayton Tim will bike to Cincinnati where he will finish out the remaining distance of the 250 mile distance at Lunken Airport on the Lunken Playfield Loop.
Observers are welcome to come out and encourage and cheer Tim on the Lunken Playfield Loop. Tim has asked for your help to give Illness a GIANT Time Out for the kids and families of A Kid Again!
Uber has reached Dayton. Uber, a German word, means over, above or across. In America we have used the word Uber to add emphasis to almost anything we are excited about. Dayton has lots to be excited about with the addition of Uber in the Miami Valley market.
Uber, the app and San Francisco company, was founded in 2009. In its earliest days Uber was a smartphone app tool used to request black car ride service. The app became popular quickly because it allowed the user to track the cars location and estimated time of arrival. Since 2009 the company has grown to service 200 cities in 53 countries around the world. 2012 was the mark of big growth when Uber expanded to allow any qualified driver with a suitable car to drive.
I began to drive for Uber in December of 2014. I had a few friends that were driving part time and making a little cash on the side. The process of applying to join the Uber fleet was tedious, but not difficult. The registration requires an Uber amount of paperwork and a background check. Uber is very cautious and vets drivers and their cars in a very systematic manner. Interior and exterior photos of my vehicle, a 2005 Honda Odyssey had to be submitted along with proof of insurance, vehicle registration; and a copy of my driver’s license had to be submitted online.
New Uber drivers are required to complete a short online training program to become familiar with the Uber app. Uber operates on two mobile apps. The Uber partner app is for drivers. This app allows drivers to log on when they are available and ready to drive. The app alerts drivers when a nearby rider has requested a ride. Drivers have 15 seconds to accept or reject the ride. The app only tells the driver where the pickup spot is. Normally it is within 5-15 minutes of your actual location. The app allows the rider to see the driver’s progress in real time and the driver alerts the rider upon arrival via the app.
For the driver it is a very easy process. Once the rider is in the car the destination address is entered. The app is complete with mapping and turn by turn directions. Once the ride is complete the driver acknowledges arrival to the destination in the app and payment is made immediately. Riders are required to have a credit card on file in the User app. No credit card information is shared between the rider and driver. The app calculates and makes the transaction. Drivers are paid weekly.
Are all riders drunk? No. Most of my riders are not intoxicated. My riders include college students who do not have a car on campus, people out for dinner and drinks, out of town visitors and the occasional late night reveler. More often I carry a small group of friends out for a night together. Uber is easier to request than a cab, normally cheaper and more dependable in the suburbs for a ride when needed.
Is it dangerous? No, not really. Riders are registered with Uber as well. Their identity is confirmed as they have a credit card on file with Uber to cover charges. Both the driver and rider know who to expect at pick up. The drivers photo and license plate number are sent to the rider so they know who to look for.
Recently I was dispatched to a home in Oakwood and my passengers were three teenaged girls. The app was registered in their parents name. The Uber app for riders allows the rider to share their trip with anyone in real time. Once they started their ride with a swipe on their iPhone, their parents were able to watch the ride in real time and see they were dropped off at the correct destination in short order.
Drivers are independent contractors and are responsible for their own gas and maintenance. Uber will also provide a phone for you for a modest $10.00 a month so your personal phone and data plan is unaffected.
In Dayton on a typical Saturday night I will drive 7-8 riders, a total of 150-180 miles and my income will be about $150.00. My expenses are about $15 in gas and 5 hours of time. Not a bad way to make a few dollars spending money.
If you have a car in good shape, clean inside and out, and are interested in driving for Uber, use this referral code (FA2RX) when you register online at Uber.com. As demand increases for this service, the demand for drivers also increases.
Dayton is still a young market for Uber and the ability to drive on your schedule makes this an appealing way to make some extra cash driving around town.
Almost 20 years ago on the campus of Murray State University I watched news coverage of the beginnings of the Rwandan Genocide. Standing in the midst of fellow classmates we watched the reports of Rwandan’s seeking refuge to escape the brutality falling them. Over 100 days in April, May, June and July of 1994 more than 1,000,000 Rwandans were murdered by their neighbors, friends and co-workers. In the simplest of terms the Hutu majority constructed a campaign to eliminate the Tutsi minority. For my generation this would come to pass as the largest ethnic cleansing genocide of our lifetime.
This past week I found myself at my dining room table sharing pizza and chocolate chip cookies with new and old friends. My newest friend is Claude. Claude is a website developer from Rwanda. He and his wife emigrated from Rwanda two weeks ago and have settled in Dayton Ohio. Sitting at the far end of the table was my friend Laurent. Laurent’s family are Rwandan and he too has settled in Dayton Ohio. We discussed American food, weather, church, kids, family and work.
What made this evening special is that Claude’s tribal ancestry is Hutu. Laurent’s tribal ancestry is Tutsi. 20 years ago these two men would have been risking their lives to be in fellowship with one another. 20 years is not a long time to erase such a devastating event. These two men see each other now only as Rwandan brothers who are making a life in America for themselves and their family. I simply invited them over for pizza and soaked in the sight of forgiveness and a renewed pride for the homeland Rwanda. The Genocide and its after shocks are not forgotten or ignored, simply forgiven among men who have a common country and common hope for the future.
My wife, Melissa, is working with Laurent to plan a celebration of Rwanda’s progress since those dark days in 1994. Laurent’s vision is to pull together all of Dayton’s Rwandan population for an evening that celebrates the Love and Hope Rwandan’s hold of their future in spite of their history.
First Baptist Kettering has agreed to host this event where local Rwandan’s will share their music, their culture and most importantly their stories of what forgiveness can do for a nation in need of healing. Dayton Ohio has welcomed more Rwandan’s that most any other city in the United States and the East African community continues to grow. Many men and women from the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were affected by the genocide and now are neighbors again here in Dayton
.
You are invited to join us on April 12th, 7:00 pm to share in this celebration. Opportunities to meet men and women who escaped the genocide will be on hand to tell their stories and share their love for Rwanda. Music, dance and stories will fill an evening that remembers the past and celebrates the bright future before Rwanda.
For more details on this event, visit our calendar.
One night in August 2004, a young cattle herder named Innocent woke to the sounds of screams. Scrambling out from a crude, plastic United Nations tarp provided for the 27-year-old and his family, he realized their refugee camp in Gatumba, Burundi was under attack.
Innocent, his wife and their two sons scattered as violence raged around them. Rebel soldiers of Forces For National Liberation wanted the thousand refugees they’d already driven from eastern Congo dead – simply because their victims shared a common language with neighboring Rwandans. During the attack, more than 150 men, women and children would be slaughtered. Over 100 more were injured and left for dead.
In the chaos, Innocent could not find his wife or their boys, ages 5 and 2, again.
“I think, maybe Patrick, Esther and Moses die,” he recalled this winter, sharing his story across his dining table. “Many people die, so I left myself, and go to Tanzania.”
Escaping to the wilderness, Innocent traveled alone, on foot, without food or water, seeking refuge across the border more than 60 miles away. “I slept in the grass only and the forest,” he said. “I slept where the grass was tall, so the animals no find me.”
When he reached the Tanzanian border, he was interrogated by police before being approved for placement in another refugee camp.
Innocent was raised by his father in the village of Uvira in the eastern Congo. He earned a meager living caring for a herd of cattle. When Esther had turned 16, he had paid one adult cow as dowry to her family, and the two who had never dated or courted anyone else became wed.
But trouble was growing in the region. Bloody ethnic wars raged in neighboring Rwanda, and a Congolese group known as the Banyamulenge people were associated with Rwanda’s Tutsis. Because Innocent spoke the Rwandan language, Congolese rebels considered him Banyamulenge. His family’s village was targeted three times for attacks. Each time, he and his family had escaped harm, into the safety of the wilderness.
The final attack, however, left the village destroyed. Innocent, Esther, Patrick and Moses fled on foot, with no choice but to make a four-day journey to seek refugee status in Burundi.
Now, Innocent had lost not only his home and livelihood, he was haunted by the fear that his wife and two sons had died in the Burundi camp attack. He spent nearly four frustrating years in a tent in the Tanzania camp among refugees from the Congo, Burundi and Rwanda itself.
“The UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency), they helped the refugees, they give us the food,” he said. “So we have no occupation, no work, no nothing.”
Then, one day in 2008, a “miracle of God” happened. Someone from the Tanzanian camp returned to Burundi, and in another camp, he met Innocent’s wife! He led the whole family back, on foot, to join Innocent in the camp.
“It was a miracle,” Innocent said with a big, toothy grin. “I was so happy to see my wife again; it was a miracle from God! I don’t believe that I see them…I was very happy…it was a miracle from God.”
For the first time during our chat, Innocent’s shoulders relaxed and he sat back in his chair, obviously cherishing a bright moment in the story of his journey.
The entire family was interviewed, and it was understood they could never return to their home country of the Congo. Innocent and his family were granted permission to apply to live in America.
More interviews in the camp followed, with American embassy staff from Nairobi as well as American immigration officers. Innocent and his family were tested for HIV, tuberculosis and other diseases. After eight months, the refugees were told to wait for a letter from the American government. During this time, Innocent and Esther celebrated the birth of their first daughter and third child, Rusi.
Finally, the highly anticipated correspondence from the American Embassy arrived! An interpreter walked with the family to their tent and read the letter to them.
“The America accept you, you have to go to America,” Innocent recalled. “We were very, very happy.”
The final step: the family waited for their name and departure date to be listed on a bulletin board. For some refugees, the wait time was as little as a few days; for others it would be almost a month. Seeing their name on the board was as exciting for Innocent as receiving the letter. The whole process had taken almost a year since the family’s reunion in Burundi.
Innocent, Esther, Patrick, Moses and Rusi departed Burundi camp carrying only a folder of official papers and the few items of clothing they owned. They were bussed to an airport and took their first airplane flights – to Nairobi, then with fellow refugees to London, then New York City.
In the airport in New York City, Innocent’s family learned the immigration department had set them up for a new life in California. Almost 30 hours after leaving the refugee camp, they landed in Los Angeles.
Leaving the airplane in Los Angeles, Innocent recounted that he had no idea where he was supposed to go. He and his family had no idea what to expect or what to do once they landed. Walking through the terminal, they were met by someone holding a sign with Innocent’s name and picture on it.
“You are Innocent!” the caseworker said in English.
“Yes, I am.”
“I am your caseworker.”
The caseworker was also African, but from Somalia, so they didn’t share a common language. An interpreter who was a native of Kenya and spoke Swahili was called to help them communicate. The caseworker worked for Catholic Social Services, who had been charged with the family’s settlement in California. CSS would work closely with Innocent and his family for three months.
Innocent spoke three languages, Kinyarwandan, Swahili and French. English would become his fourth language.
Leaving the airport, the refugees were taken to an apartment of their own in San Diego – furnished and complete with food in the pantry and a stocked fridge. This was the first time Innocent and his family had ever seen or used a refrigerator, stove, flushing toilet, light switch or thermostat. The many foods provided were foreign to them as well.
Innocent reminded me that many people in Africa live without technology, electricity, plumbing, cars, even without roads. In the refugee camps, the family ate a cornmeal mush and beans most days. Occasionally there were fruits and vegetables. In Los Angeles, they were given rice, fish, meats, and spaghetti. He laughed when sharing with me the first time they prepared spaghetti on the stove. It seemed he liked to say the word spaghetti and this learning opportunity brought him a fond memory of those early days in America. Fortunately, Innocent quickly met other Africans who spoke the same language and could show them how to cook and prepare American foods.
Innocent described those early days and weeks in San Diego as difficult. He said he was thankful for the help of the government, especially the job center in San Diego where he took some classes in English and began to look for his first job since herding cattle in the Congo almost five years earlier.
One fellow immigrant from the Congo shared news of a relative in Dayton. Innocent decided to move his family to the more affordable Midwest to be closer to others like them. In 2009, Innocent and his family arrived in Dayton. For some time, they lived in a modest duplex on Neil Avenue off North Main Street. Many African refugees and immigrants seemed to find one another around this neighborhood. Like their modest homes in the Congo or Rwanda, their doors were never closed. Neighbors come and go without knocking, and they share a vacant lot to grow vegetables. Everyone looks out for one another.
In 2010, Innocent and Esther became proud parents of a fourth child, an American by birth! Angie, born at Miami Valley Hospital, is like any other toddler you might know and love. Hoping for better schools and safer neighborhoods, the family soon relocated to Kettering. The two boys are in school, and although English is still their second language, each week their skills grow stronger.
Innocent works hard as a landscaper for a local company. He has no fear of labor or long hours. Esther works as a housekeeper with a local hospital network and enjoys her work greatly. They look forward to working to provide for their children and as a way to become more American and learn more about their new culture and language. The family attends a mainstream Protestant church on Sunday mornings, and gathers in the afternoons at an “African” church reminiscent of their old evangelical congregation in the Congo.
Innocent is eager for people to know he receives no government support, food stamps or insurance today – their only assistance is living in a subsidized housing complex. He is thankful for work and the opportunity to work toward citizenship.
Still, there is one area he and his family would love to receive help from their community. Innocent asked for friends to help teach the family English, as well as the customs and traditions of our community and country. It is clear that he wants nothing more than to be an American!
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3SGbsEKEXI’]
If you would like to help a family like Innocent’s, you can contact Catholic Social Services here in Dayton at www.cssmv.org/volunteer.htm or by calling Cathy Guerrant at 937-223-7217 x1146. You can also reach me at [email protected] for ways to get involved. Also check out Welcome to Dayton, an unrelated program but one that served as an inspiration for this project.
Writer’s note: This is the first of 12 interviews with Dayton immigrants. Dayton has a full and exciting immigrant community, and I am excited to share the stories of our neighbors who have struggled to arrive and join in our city. I hope you will learn something as we share this journey together and will consider embracing these neighbors who have come so far to live in this city we all love.