Friday Ombudsman: Geralyn Sparough
Name: Geralyn Sparough
Residential neighborhood: Northside
Share one of your favorite Cincinnati-area hacks, i.e. a trick, shortcut or skill that helps you get things done faster &/or better: Get to know your city workers — the letter carrier, trash collectors, and maintenance workers. Talk with them, recognize them for the work they do, ask them how they're doing. . . . I had a real interest in the 3CDC workers assigned to Washington Park over the time my project was installed there. Just by being kind and interested in them as human beings I found they were more likely to go out of their way to help me. One of the workers, in particular, was there all of the four days we were. I recently met a friend of hers who knew who I was because she had spoken so highly of the project and how she was treated by me and my team. It made my day to know we had such an impact, just by being interested.
What are your favorite Cincinnati places?: Hard choice! Smale Park along the riverfront with the labyrinth, the Black Brigade Monument, swings, and Riverwalk.
I love my neighborhood, Northside. I've lived here 26 years and it was the first place that felt like home to me (as a West Coast transplant the first few years here were a bit mystifying).
Another favorite place is Mt. Storm Park, it has a great view of the city and can be used year-round.
The Mercantile Library is fantastic — every time I walk into it and am surrounded by the books and their smell, I am in heaven. And they have incredible programming, too.
I shouldn't forget Tango Del Barrio in College Hill — great dancing with even better people.
What is an “unwritten public etiquette rule” of Cincinnati-area life: When I first moved here I spoke very quickly. I noticed when I was ordering in a market or restaurant that everyone said "Please?." I thought I was being chided for being impolite. One day when I was hungry and feeling frustrated and nearly yelled, "Four dolmas, PLEASE!" a deli clerk explained it to me. "Please" is an old-time Cincinnati way of letting you know someone didn't understand or couldn't hear what you said. I've lived here so long now, I'm not even sure if anyone still does this, but it certainly caught me off guard when I was new!
Who is your favorite Cincinnatian: Too many to choose! One of the things I love about Cincinnati is it is filled with great, compassionate, dedicated, and committed people. One person who means a lot to me though is ninamdot and her KingMe project. She is so dedicated, encouraging, creative, and humble while she lifts others up. I am a serious fan of her work. (KingMe exhibit is at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center through 3-1-20. Read more here).
Defunct place or institution you would bring back: I miss People's Liberty for the light it brought to the creative community of this city.
This goes way back, but DW Eye comedy club in Clifton. Cheap beer, world-class comics, and affordable.
New place or institution you would bring to Cincinnati: I am really excited about what's happening with Urban Consulate at the Mercantile Library. The first gathering in January was fantastic. (Information about the next Urban Consulate event here).
If they would just make me mayor for a day, I would: Host an "ask the mayor" event and get people answers!
You should have asked me: “As a West Coast native, why are you still here after all these years?” I would tell you that Cincinnati has been very friendly to me — I could afford to live here and do the kind of community work I was drawn to, which doesn't pay very well anywhere, but here it's enough to live pretty well on. Also, who can beat being a six-hour, or less, drive from Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Lexington, St. Louis... and not much more to Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Toronto and more.
Shameless Plug – use this space to plug one local Cincinnati-area event/organization/website/business/place/product that is special to you. Why should we know about it? What makes it singular?: Since this is a shameless plug, I'd like to highlight Social Fabric DNA (SFDNA), an interactive weaving experience that is both fun and informative. The original project, funded by a People’s Liberty Project Grant and known as Shelter from the Storm, was a large scale, interactive public art experience exploring the metaphor of social fabric. That project lives on as the Social Fabric DNA Weaving Experience.
SFDNA makes people’s experience of the social fabric tangible and tactile. Through the use of a hands-on weaving panel, participants create a large art piece woven from social fabric identifiers such as “I feel safe in my neighborhood, I vote regularly, I am a native of the Tri-State area” and more. A healthy social fabric can only be created when multiple experiences and points of view are shared in the public space. People who experience a healthy social fabric are more resilient.
I have been having great fun getting to work with a variety of groups and organizations creating custom social fabric weavings with them — as varied as a state-wide conference, the Neighborhood Summit here in Cincinnati, a once-yearly meeting in Columbus, and the Starfire Council's Annual Celebrations. Currently, I am in the planning stages of a series of weavings to be woven with patrons and displayed at Findlay Market this spring and summer. It's an exciting time!
You can find out more at http://socialfabricdna.com/
Why stop reading now? You might also like:
Issue #1 -- What does "no turn on red" on school days mean?
Read prior Friday Ombudsman posts:
Fred Neurohr — Traffic calming in Northside and a beef with Izzi’s
Rachel Hastings — Case study in crime reduction in Covington and that Cincinnati question
Regina Carswell Russo — Real talk on diversity and the dish that is addicting, delicious, soothing and medicinal
Dr. Amber Kelly Pro networking tips using Cincinnati’s strengths and the question I really should have asked her
Steve Ramos Animal control and his favorite “urban, egalitarian Jewish community” leader
Jeffrey Miller Food waste reduction through the tax code and York Peppermint patties
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