What I love about Cleveland

I think it is important to note, that I do in fact love Cleveland, and get a little nostalgic when I read something about other people loving the Cleve. However, usually the euphoric feeling passes leaving me really uncomfortable.

The website CoolCleveland.com had a piece entitled, “Born into Ruin: How the young are changing Cleveland,” by Richey Piiparinen. I have no issue with what he wrote, for real. It was a cute sentimental piece, though perhaps the title is a bit misleading. He says little about how the young are changing Cleveland. Instead, Piiparinen focuses on the differences between the Cleveland we grew up in verses the Cleveland of legend, one of the best places in the United States to live. There is an excellent comic book, Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland, which shows Cleveland’s rise and fall.

What I think annoys me about these pieces on how Cleveland is awesome or making a comeback is the way they don’t take enough into account. Piiparinen’s piece said nothing about the racial segregation that still exists in the city. Nothing about Cleveland making the most dangerous places to live in the U.S. list.

I guess I love Cleveland in the way you love someone, not just the good side, but the awful. I hope Cleveland reaches its potential, but I’m going to love it even if it doesn’t. The points when you’re like why for the love of god why, and love it anyway. And, while I agree the young are changing Cleveland it is taking a long time. I’m talking about the urban farming movement, the outreach to the homeless, and the efforts Cleveland is making in keeping young people interested and employed in the city. But let’s talk about the displacement of the poor in the neighborhoods these young people are gravitating to. It breaks my heart that when I move back to Cleveland I will be gentrifying the neighborhood I grew up in. Tremont and Collinwood are the receiving end of this gentrification and with gentrification comes the good and the bad. Cleveland is considering putting a skywalk in the Terminal Town, which is a landmark in Cleveland, and one of Cleveland’s tallest buildings. There are naturally benefits to it and of course negatives. But I haven’t seen anyone talk about how this will affect Cleveland’s poor who congregate outside the Terminal Town. These are just a few concerns with these “we will rise” pieces.

My fear is that in our quest to build Cleveland back up; we’ll forget the weakest among us. The economic inequality in Cleveland is huge, as I posted about last week. With the increase stratification of the classes, the more and more concerned I become about what I’ll be returning home to. That being said, I think it is time for a photo tour of the Cleve (for the haters). I’m going to go home for a week this Christmas (I think), so I might as well. Plus, my Slavic Village (South Broadway) Facebook group needs some new photos.