Ohio is a Laboratory for Welcoming and Belonging
#OneLoveOhio highlights stories of love and community connection
There are two famous songs called “Ohio.” One is from the 1953 musical “Wonderful Town,” sung by NYC transplants Eileen and Ruth. From the “gossipy neighbors and everyone yapping who’s going with who” and “dating those drips that I’ve known since I’m four,” the women remember exactly “why, oh, why, oh, why, oh” they “ever left Ohio.” But they also recall what is good about the place.
The second famous song is by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Every time we hear its ominous, bluesy intro, people of a certain age get a chill in their bones. “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming / We’re finally on our own / This summer I hear the drumming / Four dead in Ohio.” This “Ohio” is about the Kent State Massacre on May 4, 1970, when four college students, protesting the Vietnam War, were killed by the Ohio National Guard.
It’s little wonder why the fun, yet innocuous, “Hang on Sloopy” by The McCoys remains our state’s official rock song.
Ohio is a national focus group. It’s the place where new fast food concepts are tested first. The theory goes, if they can make it here, they’ll make it anywhere. Not New York City — Columbus, Ohio.
At one time, people cutting political ads would use Ohio narrators because we were deemed to have an appealing non-accent. The ads could be used in media markets across the United States. But anyone who has heard me pronounce the words “pop” and “Dad,” getting stuck on the drawn-out vowels, or even my own name — Lynn— which somehow comes out of my mouth like “Glenn,” would beg to differ.
Which is why I think the national narrative about Ohio—sparked and stoked by some so-called state “leaders”—needs some context. Ohio is not “fly-over country.” We are “the heart of it all” (our state shape is a Kindergartener’s shaky drawing of a heart). We may have a lot of problems, and a lot of people who continue to vote for corrupt and selfish politicians in gerrymandered districts, but we also have a lot of great people working to make this a better state. Just like the rest of the United States.
Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance’s attacks on Haitian-Ohioans and the city of Springfield have become international news. Neo-Nazis and other racists amplified their actions, bringing terror to the city of Springfield’s schools, houses of worship, communities, and city hall. It was ugly and continues to be ugly.
But there’s another side to Ohio. The one that is flocking to Haitian restaurants to try the cuisine and support local businesses. The one that is speaking from the pulpit about what Jesus Christ really believed, and worshipping together. There are Ohioans speaking up on social media — whether its John Legend or Millennial Mom—with a message of love, solidarity, and welcome. There are Ohioans standing up for dignity in our communities and in the workplace, because “solidarity isn’t just a word,” in the words of UFCW Local 75.
Ohio is also home to the first certified Welcoming City in the United States, Dayton. There are brave and resourceful immigrant leaders and diaspora communities who have chosen to make Ohio their home, and are working with individuals who have lived here for decades to make it a more welcoming, safer, and vibrant place for everyone.
Check out #OneLoveOhio for more stories of extraordinary love, generosity, and welcome.
In recent years, when a number of Black Mauritanians came to Ohio to seek asylum, the established community opened their doors to them and wrapped their arms around them. After new immigrants are able to get work permits, they can strike out on their own, rent or purchase homes, work and start businesses, continuing to live their lives in peace.
People move for safety and opportunity every day. They move from Ohio to New York, and from Mauritania and Haiti to Ohio. The action of migration is as old as time. It’s a basic part of what it means to be human, and as vital to survival as breathing.
Like the songs I mentioned above, some of our problems in Ohio now have place names in the national lexicon. “Kent State” is not just a university; when said a certain way, it means a self-inflicted tragedy. Springfield, Ohio is now far more famous, or infamous, than it ever wanted to be. But Ohio is not just about problems and pain. Kent State is a revered institution of higher education, with renowned Journalism and Fashion Design programs. Springfield is going through a transformation right before our eyes, and growing stronger because recent immigrants and long-term residents are coming together.
That is why Ohio is a cross-roads, a national focus group, a laboratory of connection, and a place to keep fighting for. Just like the greater United States.
Hang on, Sloopy.
