#LorainProud to transition in 2018

Groups look ahead in final meeting

Organizers of the Lorain Charrettes and #LorainProud will move forward in 2018 following the success of the grassroots community meetings.

At a wrap-up meeting on Oct. 3 at the Lorain Historical Society, 351 W. 10th St., organizers came to a consensus to take the movement to the next level by organizing around five broad themes to build upon the success of the most recent round of Charrettes, which concluded on Sept. 30.

#LorainProud will now work to grow their local grassroots organizing around the following five categories: active transportation, arts and history, downtown redevelopment, waterway development and youth.

Lorain Historical Society Executive Barb Piscopo said the group will aim to host a series of community conversations in these focus areas and develop community projects through their combined efforts.

“Instead of taking the Charrettes out to the people and getting additional input from them, let’s just really get working on these things next year. And then we shake it up,” Piscopo said.

Charrettes facilitator and organizer Eric Newsome suggested working through this process to identify leaders in each focus and allow different projects to grow organically.

“All it takes is one or two people who are passionate about something to make a difference,” said Eric Newsome.

“Our goal is to take that step. Our continuation is to support the individuals who were successful and come alongside them and make their vision brighter and bigger,” said organizer Bartholomew Gonzalez.

Piscopo hopes to hold another celebration at the Lorain Palace Theater following the success of

the May 10 event to give a platform to community groups to report their progress on various projects.

“We could celebrate those accomplishments in May and depending on where they are in their process,” Piscopo said. “People could celebrate all that’s been done and then people who come in May could join those folks if

what they’ve done seems intriguing and appealing to them.”

The Lorain Charrettes began in March as a way to engage Lorain residents on ways to improve the quality of life in the city. The total of 12 meetings allowed facilitators to reach a cross-section of residents covering a broad of ideas. The most recent round of meetings aimed to dig deeper and get more specific where organizers were able to engage more than 40 people in their vision for the International City.