By Doug Livingston, Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com. View the original article here.
The Akron Beacon Journal, WKSU and The Devil Strip will host a series of conversations with the public a month before the May primary to hear from anyone who works, lives or plays in Akron about the future of the city.
The goal of this collaborative is to give residents, voters and workers an agenda-setting voice while building trust and engagement with local media. All are welcome to participate in these four free conversations.
The Akron-based Center for Marketing and Opinion Research has provided fresh polling data to help moderate and make sense of the conversations. Your Voice Ohio, a nonprofit that connects and supports media organizations through community deliberation, will assist with the conversations to probe for general concerns and build consensus around how to move the city and its neighborhoods forward on a host of issues.
Participants are asked to RSVP either online at https://www.ohio.com/forums or with reporter Doug Livingston at dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3792. Please note which of the following conversations you will be attending:
• April 9 (Tuesday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Buchtel Community Learning Center.
• April 11 (Thursday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at East Community Learning Center.
• April 14 (Sunday) from 2 to 4 p.m. at Jennings Community Learning Center.
• April 16 (Tuesday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Innes Community Learning Center.
The media partners would like to sustain this effort by helping concerned citizens organize around issues and — more to the point — solutions that spring up from the discussions. There will be more on that, and opportunities to get involved, after the May primary.
In the meantime, let’s get talking — now.
Email dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com with concerns and solutions for your community and the city or take your thoughts online using #ThisIsAkron (This Is Akron) on Twitter to start or join a conversation.
