This community member project was open application to anyone within the greater Akron/Cleveland area. Recipients were those who had a sudden loss of total income due to shut downs for coronavirus containment with a focus on those with no other source of income. This project was supported by a coalition of local businesses and organizations including The Mustard Seed, Elevate Akron, The Spiritual Life Society, Dance Your Soul, and The Akron Peace Project.

This event was in coordination with Akron Peace Project as an annual effort to build wisdom, service, accessibility, and collaboration between Akron and Canton. The Yoga Summit Conference was held in Canton with accessible yoga in both cities the day prior. The purpose of the Yoga Summit is to: foster healing and resiliency within ourselves and our community; unify a yoga and meditation community that promotes inclusivity, authenticity, and respect; create and promote classes, programs, trainings, and teachers that share yoga with folks of all ages, abilities, socioeconomic statuses, ways of being, experiences, and expressions of self; and to spread equity and justice to yoga classrooms, practices, retreats, and trainings.

This event was an opportunity for women to share their stories of power that are often rich from overcoming obstacles and finding community. The goal was to host a transformational experience that helps to check the status of society and know how to build a thriving future for us all. The first experience was hosted at the Weathervane Playhouse. Big Love Women was also structured around a storytelling workshop to learn the art of storytelling and prepare prior to the next event.

This annual conference was developed to focus on different challenges facing sustainability in Summit county. The project was planned through biweekly meetings with a steering committee comprised of Big Love, Greater Akron Innovation Network for Sustainability, The City of Akron, The County of Summit, and other nonprofits or businesses targeting the year’s theme. The event itself is designed through the appreciative inquiry process to encourage participants to dream, discover, and design solutions for our own sustainable future. After each conference, designs and recommendations are published for public access. Following COVID, this project became more widely accessible through Zoom.

The Future of Love was held at the Summit Artspace focusing on honoring the generations that came before us, celebrating those that live now, and supporting those who will come after us. The festival included live music, art installation, food, holistic healing modalities, a kid’s space, and other activities throughout the day. It was also intentionally crafted to be accessible, family-friendly, and zero-waste.

This initiative worked on celebrating democracy through Akron City Repair neighborhoods (Middlebury, West Hill, Cascade Valley, and Summit Lake) to facilitate getting people to the polls and creating a meaningful community event to celebrate the ability to vote. This project was a collaborative effort through The Akron Organizing Collective, South Street Ministries, The Akron Sustainer, Cascade Lofts, Cascade Park Association, Cascade Village, The W.O.M.B., Miller Avenue Church of God, and The Joy of Voting.

Akron City Repair’s annual projects culminated in a three day, city-wide placemaking festival. Each site (four total) implements their neighbor-led designs and joined together each evening at Love On Akron for panel discussions with Akron leaders. This also included a forum period for questions, ideas, and opinions. Panel discussion and workshop topic examples include: The Re-Identification of Rubber City, Ecosystems of Problem Solving, The Way of Permaculture, Tactical Urbanism, Effective Methods for Change, Building our own Myths and Legends, Design of Displacement, and Caring Economy.