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.
