s e c i o v k r sta O W T n o i t i /ed O W T e m volu FALL/2017
E FEATURE ARTICL Everything” d “Having Nothing an BY Eka Anthony
starkvoices TABLE OF CONTENTS About Stark Voices........................ 1 Letter From the Editor.................. 2 Article Introductions.................3-4 Feature Article............................5-7 Articles.......................................8-22 Instructor Acknowledgement....... 23 Staff and Contributors................ 23
photo: CHARLES TURNER cover photo: BRANDON KITCHEN
ABOUT STARK VOICES Stark Voices is committed to recognizing Stark State students’ excellence while facilitating an academic conversation highlighting diverse perspectives, critical insights, and thoughtful reflection through publication of student work. In order to ensure that the publication holds to the academic standards of excellence, submission of work is accepted only through an instructor with the consent of the student. Materials must be nonfiction and must comply with general requirements, which include clear focus, substantive content, unique voice, accurate citations, included references (as applicable), and a minimal need for editing. Stark Voices is overseen by a committee of professors within the English and Modern Languages Department. Technical Communications majors, in their last semester before graduation, are required to hold an internship position within the committee and oversee the publication process, holding all executive titles and
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responsibilities. As such, Stark Voices is a student-run publication that incorporates a culmination of learned processes that include all aspects of publication, such as interviewing, customer service, editing, layout and design elements, and collaborative efforts between faculty and the student body. Stark Voices encourages all students with an interest in communication, publication, writing, and graphic design to consider joining the committee and assisting in the recognition of fellow students. Faculty who encounter high-quality student writing and wish to foster academic achievement and advance student success can submit student essays for publication consideration throughout the academic year. DISCLAIMER: The content of this publication represents the academic exploration of individual students. The perspectives expressed are not representative of the official positions of Stark State College.
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starkvoices My Technical Communications internship has been LETTER an unpredictable journey from start to finish. I am new to editing and found myself out of my comfort FROM zone which, when it comes to learning, is a excelTHE lent place to be. Editing is tricky. It is often a balancing act trying to edit and maintain the author’s EDITOR voice. I found empathy necessary to help me with the language, but some stories were so far out of my emotional boundaries, it was uncomfortable. I would like to thank first the students who shared That discomfort grew into respect for these authors. their stories. Sharing yourself in these stories publicly took so much courage. Each one of you, in difThe selection committee chose seven stories ferent ways, touched my life. Thank you. I truly enfrom the submissions we had this semester. Pain joyed getting to know each of you. seemed to be a theme that ran through each of these stories. There was physical pain, the pain I would like to take a moment and thank my advisfrom civil unrest of countries, pain from loss, the ers, Elizabeth Modarelli and Nicole Herrera, for all pain of letting go, the pain of remembering, and their help. Through every obstacle I encountered the pain of realizing things are not always as they this semester, they were there to answer my quesseem. We are all familiar with pain; it is part of tions and help me edit. Thanks as well to Michael the human condition. Pain, regardless of the type, Barath, a photography professor here at Stark State, stops you and it makes you pay attention to what for his help in finding quality photography students it is saying. Pain defines the strength of a person’s willing to publish. character. There is a lot of strength in these stories and some lovely people. Last, I would like to thank Ryan Gray, a Stark State graphic design professor, for hopping in the mix of As editor, I wanted to expand the scope of the jour- this journal at the 11th hour and helping see it to nal to include visual arts in addition to writing. fruition. My nervous system is indebted to his masThe submissions we received in response to our tery of his craft. I thank him also for recognizing the call for artwork showcase the remarkable range of value and beauty of this journal and the sustainabilStark State students. From an adult professional to ity of it going forward. a first-semester photography student, the photography, drawings, and fiber tapestry presented here It has been an honor and a privilege. display the beautiful diversity of this College community. I believe that this journal should continue With great fondness, to grow to display a broader sampling of the student population. I would like to see students of all majors Annette Yohe Feltes published in this journal. This journal is not just for English majors, it is to celebrate the diversity that is Stark State College.
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starkvoices Having Nothing And Everything
EKA ANTHONY
Stigmas against refugees in the U.S. have been getting worse and depersonalizing all refugees into a dangerous class of criminals and terrorists. We have stopped thinking about the unique journey each individual travels, because the American society is clinging to the fear of terrorism. Eka Anthony chronicles an unbelievable story of the horrors he has weathered to earn the title of refugee. Through everything he has endured, he walks away with a focus on his gratitude for all the people who helped him along the way. Instructor: Elizabeth Modarelli
How Does One Live On A Desert And Not Realize It?
MARIA FERNANDA PINGLO
It is a puzzling revelation when Maria Fernanda Pinglo realizes that her home in Lima, Peru, is the second driest city in the world. When you look at Lima on a map, the last thing you would think of is desert. This year’s massive floods in Lima, the exorbitant cost of water there, and a National Geographic article led her to a discovery about her homeland she did not expect. Instructor: Nicole Herrera
Jar Of Sand
ZYRA ST. CLAIR
Some objects are filled with memories that transport you to a different place. For Zyra St. Clair, it is the adorned jar of sand that sits in her living room. The jar carries her mind to the Philippines where she was born. Each and every grain of sand in that jar is a precious memory of her life, her family, and all the memories of her homeland that she holds dear. Instructor: Catherine Rock
Choices
JOSHUA STAHL 3
Every single day we make choices that affect the rest of our lives. Joshua Stahl chronicles the choices that he made from the pre-deployment party where he met his wife, Truda, to the moment he stepped on a blasting cap in Afghanistan while sweeping for bombs. Had he not gone to that party and met his wife, he would not be the person he is today. This is a moving story about a soldier whose motivation not only to survive, but to also thrive, is the love of his family. Instructor: Deborah Miller-Zournas
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starkvoices How A Sprained Ankle Changed My World
KATELYN HORNSBY
Many people are born into a religion and can maintain that faith throughout life. But what happens when that faith causes you to feel bad about who you are and affects your self-esteem? Katelyn Hornsby details her journey from a faith-based value system to a life in which she finds strength and confidence in herself. Follow Katelyn’s journey from selfdoubt and loathing to self-confidence and independence that began with a sprained ankle. Instructor: Elizabeth Modarelli
Charlottesville And The Slippery Slope Of Fascism
SPIROS KATSARAS
In examining the violent conflict between White Nationalist and Anti-Fascist groups in Charlottesville, Spiros Katsaras attempts to understand how these once extreme political attitudes have positioned themselves at the forefront of American political discourse. Additionally, as politics become increasingly volatile in the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election, the author asserts that Americans should prioritize logic and objectivity over emotional reactions, regardless of party affiliation, as such reactionary generalized stances may only serve to widen the divide between the nation’s citizens. Instructor: Tricia Kinkaid
Forgotten Pocket Neighborhoods
KRYSTAL MILLER
Krystal Miller describes what it is like to live in Southwest Canton, a neighborhood plagued by drugs, crime, and empty, abandoned lots, while other parts of her city are getting a facelift. Krystal investigates the reasons the abandoned lots are overgrown and unkept. She also details how the city is not abiding by its own rules when it comes to property maintenance and snow removal. How much can a neighborhood care about its community when the city they live in does not seem to care? Instructor: Nicole Herrera
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS art/photography
BRANDON KITCHEN
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CHARLES TURNER
LAURA GORMAN
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starkvoices HAVING NOTHING AND EVERYTHING by EKA ANTHONY
There are at least 3,000 distinct ethnic groups and 2,000 languages in Africa. An ethnicity is a category of people who identify with each other based on similarities, such as common ancestry, language, society, culture, national experience, origin, homeland, religion or more. Africans belong to old tribes that share ethnic history. There are two tribes in Rwanda: the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. In 1994, members of the Hutu tribe massacred 800,000 Tutsi in 100 days because of political conflict. Members of the Tutsi Tribe also live in the Congo, which led to the spread of the genocide which continues in the Congo today. I am from a family in which my mother is a Tutsi, and my father is a Tshi. These are two tribes of the Congo and Rwanda. I lost much of my family and community during the Rwandan Genocide and Congo Massacres.
and an important day for the market, too. Many people from many places came to sell or buy goods at the market. All soldiers who worked at the border had an order not to allow me or my family to pass. Fortunately, God helped me that day. I found my grandmother’s pastor in the market, and I told him what had happened. He found me a truck driver, who took me with animals, vegetables, and fruits, to the capital city. I had sufficient strength to endure and to resist, because I knew God would be with me like He always is. When I reached the capital of Uganda, I realized my reality. I did not have parents or a place to sleep. I heard people speaking and saw them walking all around me. I was embarrassed and confused because I did not know the language of that city. I could not speak, and I didn’t know anything about that city. The world became big to me. I had to learn everything by myself; my adjustment was not easy. After three months, I started looking for a job. Everywhere I went to look for work, they rejected me. Employers asked me many questions about my life, and they said, “We can’t give you a job. Go back to your country.” Some even called me a thief.
In 1998, during the first war in the Congo, President Kabila Kabange and his regime took power. He said that all people from the minority Tutsi tribe does not belong in the Congo, but in Rwanda. The Kabila government gave all Tutsi 24 hours to leave the country. After those 24 hours, the Tutsi people were killed or arrested. We were harassed by soldiers because everybody in the country hated my mother’s tribe. When I was ten years old, my parents sent my relatives and me to my grandmother’s village to stay because of the violence in my city. It took eight hours on a bus to get to my mother’s village. One day, after we’d been hiding in the village for two years, some of my relatives and I went to bathe in the river. When we came back, we heard the shooting of guns, and I saw the soldiers torturing my relatives. They asked my family where I went, so they could find me, too. I was very afraid, and I hid in the vegetable garden, so they After a month of looking, I finally got a job as a shopcould not see me. After the soldiers left, I found my cous- keeper. My boss mistreated me, belittled me, and she ins, my grandmother, aunts and uncles dead or dying. often yelled at me and called me names. She humiliated me because I was a refugee. When her friends came On that day, I was 12 years old, and I walked five hours to visit her at work, they talked about me and said, alone to the border of Congo and Uganda to save my life. “This boy may be a thief.” They asked her questions like, It was a busy Friday in 2006 when the massacre occurred “Where is his family?” and “Why are you giving an un-
“i walked five hours alone to the border of congo and uganda to save my life”
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starkvoices known a job?” They wanted her to fire me and send me students. Popular is not always good. Some students back to my country. It made me sad to hear that every bullied me, calling me hurtful and discriminatory day. So, after a year, I decided to leave that job. names like Muzaire (old Congolese citizen name), Kanyarwanda (people of Rwanda), Murefu (tall), I was 14 years old at this point living in Uganda. I rent- Refugee, Mutembei (immigrant), and Malaya ed a studio and struggled with communication. I start- (prostitute). They did this because I did not have ed talking to people, and I learned Kiganda, one of the parents and I was a refugee, but I never let that country’s languages. I went to look for a job in construc- bother me. God helped me manage my school and tion. The construction manager told me that I could not work, and I finally earned my high school diploma work there because it was not my country. I begged him at 19 years old. for work, and he finally agreed to hire me, but he said he would keep 15 percent of my pay. I had no choice but to accept these terms and I started my new job. I was able to survive on these wages and save my money. Every day when I went to work, I saw kids my age going to school. My dream was to continue my education. I envied my neighbors when I visited and saw them doing their homework. One day, I went to visit my friend, and he said to me, “My father told me to never play with you because you don’t go to school.” When I heard his words, I felt small, and I asked myself why that happened to me. After one month of thought, I decided to go looking for a school that I could attend. The first school refused to enroll me because I was a refugee. The second school told me the same thing; they did not allow refugees. Finally, the third school allowed me to enroll if I passed an exam. I passed the exam with the knowledge I had from my school in Rwanda and started school the next day. I had only enough money for one uniform.
After graduation, I started looking for a better job and found one in a clothing store. I worked for a while, and I saved money for my future life. After a year of experience, I owned a clothing boutique. I liked my boutique, but my biggest dream was to go to a university. I did not think it was possible for me to go to a university because of the cost. However, I should have known that with God, all things are possible.
I stood out because I did not have enough uniforms and school supplies. All the time the school would send students home for failure to pay school fees, and I was the first to be sent back home.I did not have parents at any meetings, and this also made me different from other
I was discriminated against the entire time I was in Uganda because of my language skills, the color of my skin, and the way I dressed. In 2014, a story was published in the newspaper about me, my pastor, and other foreigners. It said that we were teaching homosexuality
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photo: CHARLES TURNER
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starkvoices and were turning the Ugandan gay. The day the newspaper ran the story, my neighbors attacked me at my house. They beat me and took all the belongings in my house. From 2014 to 2015, I was kicked out of my house seven times, and seven times I had to find new housing. All my neighbors and my landlords harassed and kicked me when they found out what the newspaper wrote. The police started an investigation about me three weeks later. The police asked my neighbors and my friends where I was. Some of my friends whose names the newspaper published were arrested and tortured by the police. I went to ask for help at Amnesty International and United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees, which put me in a protection house until I came to United States of America. It felt like a miracle from God to be able to resettle in the U.S. I came to this country when I was 21 years old. When I arrived, I settled in Akron, Ohio, where I live today. People welcomed me; I would never have been able to accomplish my integration without the efforts and dedication of those who voluntarily gave their time and energy to provide the best for me because they hope to create a stronger country. I never gave up my dream to return to school, but it was even more expensive in the United States. I had no money to pay for school, but I remained faithful that God would help me. When I arrived in the United States, I made time to go to English class every day, I read books in the library, and I socialized to practice my English. I kept looking to continue my education. Then I came to Stark State College. When I spoke to the admissions department, they were very kind to help me to fill out my admission papers, and they were able to offer me a scholarship. I started my first semester, but the financial assistance did not remove all the obstacles between an education and me. People still have difficulty understanding what I am saying because of my accent, and I still struggle with English. It is hard to focus on my education when the problems for refugees grow in the United States. I does not always feel like I am welcome in this country. I have 7
seen many Black people who look like me killed and harassed by police. The political situation changed in January of 2017. Some politicians spread negative views and perceptions of refugees and immigrants. Now, many Americans believe that refugees are criminals and terrorists. They say that I came to take their jobs. This treatment of refugees makes me sad. It reminds me of the feeling I had when the people of the Congo and Uganda rejected me. Many people do not know refugees personally. Refugees are here to serve America and to contribute to society. Refugees provide more job opportunities with our potential labor power. Our differences make the culture more prosperous and more diverse. I and other refugees are not refugees by choice. We do not want to be called refugees. We were given that name after much hurting, suffering, struggling, and for some, like me, losing our loved ones. I am here because I was forced to leave my country. I came here to save my life. I desire for all Americans to learn about and embrace the presence of refugees. Everyone must realize that we are human beings and we are all the same. We all want America to be great.
Eka Anthony
is a third-semester Arts and Sciences major planning to pursue a master’s degree in Political Science. Eka would like to use his education to work with the United Nations to facilitate change in Africa’s governments. Eka is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His life experiences have shown him the passion, love, courage, grace, and determination of people who have helped him. He would like to help change the perception of refugees from aliens, criminals, and terrorists to normal people adding diversity. Eka is currently working at the International Institute of Akron as an employment case manager.
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starkvoices HOW DOES ONE LIVE ON A DESERT AND NOT REALIZE IT? by MARIA FERNANDA PINGLO
When I went back to my home city of Lima, Peru, in August of last year, it looked like it had fallen apart without me. As soon as I stepped off the plane, I could sense the new environment of tension. News of irregular rainy seasons and announcements of water cuts were being transmitted on every screen at the airport, while small crowds of people would gather around each screen completely stunned. Despite this first impression and the feeling that something bad could be happening, I forced myself to believe that it couldn’t be anything that serious. It wasn’t until I met with my family that I realized I could no longer remain oblivious to the information on the television.
warnings about a possible severe water shortage credible (Grupo Agua, 2008). I identified with all those statements mostly because that is how Lima looked to me, like a city where I could get water anywhere and without any problem. To put this into perspective, if you look for a picture of Lima on the internet, the image of a city under a big green coast and sided by a beautiful blue ocean will pop up. You will not fail to see that Lima’s appearance radiates life sustainability and it certainly does not look like a desert city with water scarcity. What is behind that image, however, is a city plagued with private water tanks, which covertly created the comforting sensation that the city has sufficient water.
“the article listed the top 10 driest capitals in the world, and lima was second only to cairo, egypt”
Despite the many years I had spent away from my home city, I could have never foreseen such a serious water crisis that its citizens were required to cut their water consumption by half. Anyone would be shocked by a situation like this. I started questioning the reasons behind this event, but the crisis remained a mystery. This mystery finally changed on a random morning when I read an article in the National Geographic Magazine. Everything fell into place. The article listed the top 10 driest capitals in the world, and Lima was second only to Cairo, Egypt. It would be nice to say that these tanks were like undercover heroes that secretly supplied water to a desert city I knew that Lima experienced water cuts from time to for many years, but in reality, villains would better detime, but I would have never believed that it is one of scribe them. These private water tanks not only divide, the driest desert cities in the world. How could I have even more, a city with significant economic inequalities, failed to detect I was living in a desert? A qualitative but most important their establishment, which began as and quantitative study done by Grupo Agua, which is a temporary measure, prevented almost 64% of Lima’s a group of international agencies that cooperate with inhabitants from realizing that they live in a desert. The Peru’s Water and Sanitation Sector, revealed some im- severe water crisis I saw on my last visit home was the portant information about the Peruvian perception of repercussion of living in a desert city and ignoring the their water supply. The research showed that during water scarcity year after year. five years, 63.4% of Lima’s population did not believe they were going to face water scarcity in the near future. The most impoverished, most vulnerable areas of the This belief was due to a tendency to feel that the city in city that can’t afford the privilege of having a private wawhich they lived had enough water to meet the needs of ter tank in their houses use the water that the governits population. Consequently, they would not find any ment provides through the city pipes. Kelley Lubovich, FALL/2017
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starkvoices a member of the Foundation for Environmental Security and Sustainability (FESS), reported that, geographically, there are only two small watersheds from which Lima can obtain water, and these watersheds develop from the melting of big tropical glaciers on the Peruvian Andes. Typically, the glaciers would naturally melt
photo: BRANDON KITCHEN
and then rebuild themselves with the next snowstorm. However, due to global warming, they have only been melting on a massive scale and then retreating in an accelerated rate, turning the current arid Pacific Coast area, into a drier area that is more vulnerable to water scarcity (Lubovich, 2007). What is happening with Peru’s glaciers is not much different from what is happening with the North and South Pole icebergs. For many years, scientists have been discussing the impact of global warming on the coldest areas of the world, which warned of the impending imbalance to follow in the remaining areas. Unfortunately, few listened. Now, those warnings have turned into such relatable realities, they are part of an average person’s trip back home. Nevertheless, revisiting Lima’s specific predicament, it 9
is a fact that it is dealing with multiple tangible difficulties right now due to this water crisis. For example, in the environmental aspect, as emphasized in recently published FESS issue briefs, one of Lima’s watersheds has been consistently reducing its volume to the point where last year it barely reached 30% of its average flow. Within the socioeconomic sector, the inadequate management of Lima’s water supply by the public sector has created a new majority that is in favor of the complete privatization of Lima’s water utilities. The possibility of privatization is causing widespread rejection and protests among the population for its yet not studied implications in the water money value (Lubovich, 2007). However, neither these tangible problems nor the water crisis that preceded them are the real source of Lima’s chaotic city wise state. Lima’s true deep-rooted issue is within the basic element that forges, represents and develops any city around the world—its people. Lima’s population shares an overall common mindset of waiting for crises to be completely evident and visible before they can be considered real. This type of mindset promotes inaction and this consistent progressive inaction, just as described above, turns minor preventable problems into crises. The present scarcity that is causing constant water cuts in the city followed alarming indicators for the past ten years that established Lima as one of the most vulnerable areas for a water crisis. The truly dangerous consequence is that Lima may not be able to cover its water demand at all in only two to three more years, which is not an encouraging amount of time. With this in mind, volumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices it is hard to determine a reason for society’s inclination to not do anything about a problem until the exact moment when it’s directly affecting them as individuals. Nevertheless, it is possible to make minor assumptions about this conduct based on common psychological reactions. For example, it may be conceivable to attribute this population’s tendency to a lack of delayed gratification ability. The Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology defines delayed gratification as “the ability to resist the temptation of a smaller but more immediate reward to receive a larger or more enduring reward later.” It is known to be the most powerful skill that drives people to success and many other skills such as patience, impulse control, self-control, and willpower, all of which are involved in self-regulation processes form this skill (Stolerman, 2010).
act in favor of a common fulfilling future reward, the sustainability of our resources. It may be too late for Lima, whose situation right now is entirely relying on an extreme program of awareness, elaborated by Grupo Agua, which has to create a radical culture of water conservation among the population in just a few years. Lima may have to pay a very high price for its neglect, but does this have to happen in many other parts of the world, too? Haven’t we had enough evidence that it is time to change the modus operandi of our campaigns for the conservation of our planet?
References Grupo Agua. (2008). Construyendo Una Cultura de Agua en el Perú. Retrieved from https://www.wsp.org/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/ Accordingly, the population’s choice of ignoring the Construyendo_una_cultura.pdf. warnings of an upcoming severe water crisis can be Lubovich, K. (2007). The Coming Crisis: Water Inseinterpreted as a choice not to suppress their impulses curity in Peru. Foundation for Environmental Securito consume water inordinately because they prefer an ty and Sustainability Issue Brief. Retrieved from http:// immediate reward rather than a future enduring re- www.fess-global.org/publications/issuebriefs/the_comward. Considering that this is undoubtedly an issue that ing_crisis_water_insecurity_in_peru.pdf. occurs everywhere in the world, and in a time when Stolerman, I. P. (2010). Encyclopedia of Psychopharmathe world is going through several changes due to the cology. London: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. damage humans have done to its natural balance, an approach to solve this mindset from the inside could start forming an important point in the environmental protection awareness speech. This idea could be solidly backed up by the fact that humans work better under intrinsic motivation than under extrinsic motivation. The years of warnings about the consequences of environmental damage and the still small number of countries that have developed efficient ecologic models to help reduce contamination and waste of nonrenewMaria Fernanda Pinglo is a fourth-seable resources is evidence of this fact. Perhaps, it is not mester Finance major who will be seeking a Ph.D. as her terminal degree. Maria would like to work in investment possible to completely change some people’s passivity funds or work as a stock trader in the future. Her story toward these crucial issues, or convince them that in began with the exorbitant cost of water this year during the certain times of crisis the individuals must hold similar 2017 massive flooding in Lima. Maria was born in Peru beliefs to the standards of their society. But helping peoand has been living in Ohio for two and a half years. She ple realize the reasons for their behavior instead of only is fluent in Spanish and French, and English is her third language. Maria is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor showing them the repercussions of their actions, which fraternity here at Stark State College. they have programmed themselves to deny, could make a significant difference in trying to persuade them to FALL/2017
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starkvoices JAR OF SAND
by ZYRA ST. CLAIR I sit on my couch staring at a jar filled with sand. This jar is adorned with dried corals and carefully chosen small white stones. It sits in the middle of a galvanized tray surrounded by candles displayed in the middle of my living room coffee table. I often find myself reaching into the jar to feel how impeccably fine and powdery the sand is. My mind wanders as I stare at this perfectly embellished jar of sand. I can’t stop all the memories that come rushing in, a flashback of my past. I have all the beautiful events in my life both good and bad that make me who I am today. I try to focus on all the joy and happiness this jar brings me. In my heart, even though it is hard to admit, seeing this jar of sand also brings memories of sadness. I keep this jar of sand close to me. It is on display in the middle of my living room not just because it goes with my décor, but because it serves as a reminder of where I come from and my humble beginnings in the Philippines. It still feels like yesterday when I first carried this jar of sand with me here to the United States. Before my flight, I researched online to make sure the jar of sand that I packed was not one of the prohibited items. The last thing I wanted to happen was to end up having a problem with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. I arrived in this country six years ago with two suitcases; one was full of clothes, the other was half full of shoes, dried fish, baked goods and my precious jar of sand. I have lived in five different houses since that day, and the first thing I ever so lovingly pack when I move is my jar of sand. So many times, I wanted to pour the sand out into a basin, but I did not want to risk losing a single grain of sand. I have just enough sand in the jar that would cover a small basin. I wish to feel that soft grainy texture underneath my feet and how the sand goes in between my toes. I like the texture of the sand on my skin so much that I used to lie at the beach, no beach towel required. Only a few people know this, but you can use the very fine grains of sand as a natural exfoliator. It works better if the sand 11
is dampened with a little bit of water and just slowly scrubbed on the bottom of the feet or all over. The spalike experience the sand provides is something that every person must try. It is very soothing and very relaxing. I was so lucky to have grown up and lived just five minutes away from a beach. It could be a beach day every day for me if I wanted. I regret not appreciating the beach while I lived in the Philippines. I have spoken with a few of my co-workers, and it’s sad to know that some of them have not seen the ocean. I would share with them a few of the details of my life in the Philippines and describe the magnificent beaches, islands, and people. I never fail to mention my jar of sand to my co-workers. They stare at me with awe as I tell them stories about my childhood living on a tropical island.
“i would share with them a few of the details of my life in the Philippines and describe the magnificent beaches, islands, and people” I look back to the time when I scooped the sand from my favorite beach in the Philippines. I close my eyes, and I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, the soft ocean breeze of the Pacific, and the smell of the ocean salt water as it rolls into the shore. I remember sitting by the shore under a palm tree watching my family having a wonderful time. My childhood friends and younger cousins were playing beach volleyball, and my uncles and aunts were all busy preparing a big feast for all of us to share. That day was my sending off parvolumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices ty, the last beach day I had with my entire family and friends before I took that twenty-three-hour plane ride to a foreign land. Implanted in my mind is the look on my mom and dad’s faces. My parents tried so hard not to look as if they were sad because they did not want me to feel bad about leaving. They wanted the best for me, to be happy and live the life of my dreams. I sat there taking it all in. The sand felt warm on my palm as I scooped it out. My two-year-old son came running to me with both hands clenched. He had a handful of small white stones that he had been collecting since we first arrived at the resort. He picked them out with such great care, trying to find the purest and whitest ones. The stones filled half of the jar. I gazed at my son’s face. He looked delighted as we put the jar away. Now I am back in the present time sitting in my living room. Loneliness and homesickness sometimes replace that good warm fuzzy feeling I get from looking at my jar of sand. As much as I enjoy my life here in the States, I keep wanting that familiar place and want to see familiar faces. Some people would find it hard to live in my homeland. I am not exaggerating when I say that the simplest things can take a very long time to get done. For example, getting a copy of a birth certificate can take up to forty-five days for processing. It can get frustrating sometimes, but that’s a part of life there. Going through hard times, living in paradise makes hard times a bit easier to endure. It taught me patience and if there is something that I want I must work hard for it. My life experience there made me appreciate all the little things that most people take for granted such as turning on the faucet and instantly there is warm water; back in the Philippines, most houses don’t have hot water tanks. I look forward to my visits to the Philippines. I have always been able to go once a year and spend two to three weeks at the most. It takes a considerable amount of planning whenever I go for a vacation to my homeland. Like every working-class citizen, I consider every critical aspect there is in traveling. From requesting enough vacation time to take off from work to making sure that when I come back, my finances are still in good standing. The most crucial and challenging part is searching every airline company for the cheapFALL/2017
est and greatest deal on tickets. After everything is finalized, I put a big mark on my calendar, crossing out each day that passes until the day of my yearly homecoming. In the meantime, my jar of sand is there as a preview of where I will be and what is waiting for me. I never thought that I would hold onto this jar of sand for six years. To me, this jar is a treasure, and every grain of sand in it represents all those memories that I hold so close to my heart. This jar is irreplaceable because it contains precious memories of my loved ones and me, a time when all at once I was filled with great delight and sadness. It gives me the sense of belonging to something, the feeling of being significant and loved which most people desire. It holds the memories I have of the land I once lived in, a place I never thought that I would miss this much. This jar reminds me of the deep connection that I have with my home even though I now live halfway around the world. Living far away from home makes me appreciate what I had and to never take for granted the connection I have with people. No matter where life will take me, I know one thing is for sure: I will carry this jar of sand with me. It keeps me connected to where I come from and reminds me that I have a place to call home.
Zyra St. Clair
is a first-semester international student majoring is AAS Concept-Based Nursing. After finishing her coursework here at Stark State, Zyra will be pursuing a master’s degree to work as a nurse practitioner. The inspiration for Zyra’s story is her life and her family in the Philippines.
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starkvoices CHOICES
by JOSHUA STAHL Stepping forward into the soft Afghanistan orchard dirt, slowly sweeping for explosives, adrenaline surged through my body, causing my senses to sharpen and my mind to focus. Moving along the left side of the path, making my way to the top, I returned down the opposite side continuing my sweep. About halfway down, my left leg planted into the ground, the sound of a blasting cap going off came from under my foot. For an instant, my hands were in front of my face, and my mind screamed, “You’re dead,” as dirt crashed around me and into me throwing me into the air. Those few seconds allowed me to see my body twist around and change forever.
I was still alive. Time passed by for what seemed like weeks to a broken soldier, but were only a few days. A doctor stands out as the turning point in the realization that I was alive and not dead. He came into my room, looked at me calmly, and stated, “If you want to live and go home, then you have to want to. If not, you are going
A silent shriek replaced all sound that was the world. The following moments and hours up until I woke from surgery, are memories of both this world and a place I pursued: the paradise for warriors who died a bloody, honorable death in combat. Valhalla. I awoke for the first time into a world of fluid moments. Tubes were coming out of every single body part, including some places that they should not; nurses moved around me, and two soldiers tried to hand me an award, saying, “Sergeant Stahl, you are alive. Here is your Purple Heart.” As I was in a semi-comatose state at the time, these are the only words I remember before speaking—or mentally shouting—through the ventilator, “Why the hell am I awake!” These words signaled my disdain for a world that allowed a body to live while a mind traveled between life and death. As fast as my eyes opened, though, they closed again, this time into complete darkness floating for what seemed like an eternity. When I woke the next time, it was as if everything came alive within me. There was no moving, no thinking; the pain would wash over every inch of my being as if I were lying on the beach as the waves come in. The waves I felt were small sometimes, but others were so big, they threatened to crush my soul into pieces. The doctors, in passing, mentioned that I had made it to Germany and that they had notified my wife that 13
photo: CHARLES TURNER
to die.” From that moment, a switch flipped on and no matter the cost, no matter the difficulty faced, surviving was the only option. I was on the flight to the States not long after that, landing in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where I would recover. My first significant memory stateside is my wife, Truda. As they rolled the gurney into the hospital, Truda came into view. Seeing that she was not handling what had happened well, I looked at her, and in the darkest humor I could muster at the time, I playfully scoffed, “At least my face is still beautiful.” What would follow were months of surgeries, physical therapy, and being laid up in a hospital bed. Every few hours a nurse would bring volumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices painkillers and push the medication through the IV, in addition to a button that could be pushed allowing for a small dose of painkillers every few minutes. A push of that button over and over again on top of what the nurse would put in the IV drove the world around me into a diluted state over and over and forced sleep to take over. Brightening each day were visits from Airika and Rainer Chacon (the kids that I became a father to when I married Truda), bringing me all different kinds of things, along with tons of questions. They and their mother never saw a broken man. They saw me for who I am and always will be.
for our kids was the most important thing. My change of view applies to memories that are a haunting reminder of what could have been different if we had never met, before waking up the first time from surgery. Vivid memories of standing before the gates of Valhalla are in remote parts of my mind as if beckoning. A reminder that choosing to stay at the gates of Valhalla would have meant dying a proud warrior or walking away and living a devout follower of a higher plain I can never reach again. Knowing that I made this choice closed the doors of ever reaching Valhalla, but in return gave me more happiness than ever before from the time gained with my family. The chance to meet my youngest daughter Time went on, but recovery from the medication, in- Lycris and have my youngest son Aramis are all opporjuries, and mental challenges all took a toll. With each tunities that would never have been afforded to me if I different step in recovery, I learned a lesson that made it stayed devoted to my faith even in death. easier for me when someone walks up to shake my hand and says, “I am sorry that you have a horrible life.” I No matter the pain, the physical, mental drain, and the look them in the eyes, smile, laugh, and reply, “My life is way people treat me, I learned a primary lesson from amazing; I have a beautiful wife, five amazing kids, and I all that happened to me. The lesson pulled from the love what caused me to get put in this chair. What about hard times of not being able ever to do the job that I was you?” It usually takes them aback. How could a man meant to do again and to know that crippling pain will who is overly crippled be so happy? The staring, obvious be in parts of my body every day until my life is over. jokes and the pointing like the guy sitting across from This lesson is simple: love harder, live faster, grow stronthem is an animal in a zoo used to make me so mad that ger, and know you can never regret your past, only live I felt like ripping off people’s heads. I must learn to ac- to improve yourself for the future. With this, I always cept that others’ lives can have things going wrong with try to push forward with my wife, making a life with them, so when they see someone whom they assume to her and my kids, not caring how others think or view be worse off than they, it is hard for some to avoid doing me. This lesson lets me look at life as a whole and know and saying things that are in bad taste. that even if losing all my dreams and goals for life had to be a path that I rolled down, it would be okay if the There is a single point in life that has led to why sit- moments in the future were spent teaching and creating ting in a chair with no legs is hysterically odd and lets happiness for the family that I love. me take everything that happens without a care in the world: the night that Truda and I met. Walking into the bar that night before deployment was going to be a simple night of partying with buddies to blow off stress before going to Afghanistan. It happens that she was there. Joshua Stahl is a first-semester Business ManageAfter spending some time talking to her, telling Truda ment-Culinary Arts major here at Stark State College. He is that she was the one that I was meant to marry, a few a retired US Army Sergeant. Joshua’s life and the choices he weeks later we were married on April 9, 2011. She, at has made along the way were the inspiration for his story. His family, wife Truda, and their five children are a perpetthe time, knew little about the fact that she was causing ual source of happiness in his life. my views of the world to change, that it was not okay to wander through life caring only for myself, that caring FALL/2017
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starkvoices HOW A SPRAINED ANKLE CHANGED MY WORLD by KATELYN HORNSBY
Just about every summer between sixth grade and high school graduation, I attended a week-and-a-half-long Northeast Ohio Church of God Youth Camp. When school was out, I eagerly (though some years not so eagerly) awaited the last week in June. That was the time I got to spend away from home with friends. I was desperate to grow up and excited to be “on my own.” Most years, my experiences there were the same: camping, having fun with friends, praising God, being forgiven for my transgressions, reaffirming the notion that God can help you with anything, and then traveling back home with my soul feeling refreshed.
While at camp my last year, my friends and I came to know a boy who hurt his ankle in a volleyball match on day one of camp and could barely walk the rest of his stay. We expressed our sympathies to him, and he had a surprisingly cheery response. He told us that he was going to stay; he did not want to miss out on the healing and enrapturing power of God that would surely take place throughout the time we were there. We all felt like God was going to transform many young adults during all of the sermons, and he wanted to revel in their newfound spiritual oasis with them. We all understood and agreed with his statement. The events that unfolded the night of the last church service amazed me and rekindled the ever-growing fire and passion for Jesus Christ that I had carried with me nearly my whole life thus far, just to be thoroughly washed away by the results of the following morning.
“the boy suddenly th r u s t h is h e a d u p s m il in g a n d b e g a n On the final day of camp, the nightly church service was gymnasium instead of the usual outdoor r u n n in g a ro u n d o n intentandueindoor to the weather. It was midsummer; the heat was the ankle that only sweltering making the small, overfilled gym nearly sufWe were cramped together with hundreds of ten minutes ago he focating. young, excited teens who loved Jesus. It was setting the for a unifying and bonding experience. The pastor could hardly stand on” scene who was supposed to speak that night canceled. The reI attended church year after year. The sermons began to make me feel like I was a failure: I did not go to church as much as I should; I did not control my tongue enough; I did not have pure thoughts as a good Christian should. In Christianity, impure thoughts are equal to sin. This impurity can include anything from coveting the things of others, to overthinking about a good-looking person. I started to realize that these thoughts were normal and that I was not less of a person for having them. These feelings altered my view of this camp and process. I became less of a devout follower and more of a skeptic. One summer stands out to me and may have been the spark that ignited my fire of self-exploration and long battle with depression. 15
placement pastor was young and charismatic. His words were more relatable to us teens, and we were all thrilled.
The sermon began with the usual speech about how God understands what we are going through daily. We heard how He cares for and loves us, even if we cannot see or hear it from Him directly. Near the end of the sermon, the worship team came on stage and played an inspiring and spiritual worship song. It made me feel like I had no care in the world, and all my problems and stress were slowly melting away. At this time, the pastor called for us to come up to the stage if we needed to be healed spiritually, emotionally, or physically; nothing was too tough for God to fix. volumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices My eyes focused in on one boy, struggling to get up to the stage to the pastor with his crutches. It was the boy who had hurt his ankle playing volleyball. The pastor apparently saw this as a great opportunity and went over to him personally. He prayed over him and solicited the help of other God-loving adults. They all went to work, calling the power of God to fix this poor boy’s ankle. After a period of intense praying, the boy suddenly thrust his head up smiling and began running around on the ankle that only ten minutes ago he could hardly stand on. To say I was stunned is an understatement. Right before my eyes, God had healed this boy through the work of his followers. Everyone in the gym began to cheer and praise God, for the boy’s healing had not gone unnoticed by anyone. After the service was over, my friends and I gushed about what had transpired before our eyes. We continued to talk late into the night about this miracle and the awesome power of God. The next morning, I woke buzzing with a feeling of joy after the wonder I had witnessed. Melancholy began to creep into my mind, for it was the day that we all had to return home. I packed up my bags and reminded myself I would be back next year to enjoy camp. With all our luggage in hand, my friends and I headed to the car that would take us back home. As we made our way to the car, we noticed a boy on crutches. We talked amongst ourselves. Surely that could not be the boy from last night who the pastor healed; it had to be someone else. We eventually caught up with him, and sure enough, it was the boy who had been miraculously healed the night before. We wondered if we should speak to him about it, and eventually worked up the nerve. He told us that his ankle was “healed” the previous evening, but in his excitement, he must have run too hard, injuring it a second time. He then hobbled away, leaving my friends unshaken in their faith, as they blindly agreed with him. I felt confused. I was flabbergasted that my friends were so quick to dismiss the logical explanation that just slapped us all in the face. The excitement of the evening and the overflowing of endorphins had allowed this boy to run around on the stage, not a healing. Something clicked in me that day. My relationship FALL/2017
with church and religion changed. This revelation affected how I viewed myself and my relationship with God. I began questioning everything after that day. At the same time, I tried to maintain a life that my family believed good Christians should live. That experience at camp opened up a door that led to years of pain and confusion about who I was. It changed the way I saw myself as a perfect follower of Christ. The years that followed my revelation were full of self-loathing. This doubt I had about the existence of God made me feel like I was doing everything wrong; living for God had been the only thing I had ever known. I continued to struggle with this self-loathing until after I graduated high school. I spent many months deliberating, thinking, and feeling sorry for myself. I finally decided to leave Christianity. During this struggle, I felt like I was in a prison, but this decision released me. I was finally able to realize that anyone can decide who they want to be and that they can choose the life they want, not a life chosen by the church for them. Looking back now, I am grateful for these experiences and all the pain. I can now understand people may not want to dredge up old memories and look at their past. If you can struggle through discomfort, everyone can use their past experiences to understand better who they are and how they want to continue to develop as human beings. Thank God for that.
Katelyn Hornsby
is a second-semester student majoring in Medical Laboratory Technology. She plans to pursue a degree in Microbiology and someday work in a medical lab at a hospital or do medical research for a private company. Katelyn’s essay was inspired by the belief that you don’t need a higher power or a guiding force to do the right things or to feel like you are enough; you can find these things in yourself. Katelyn currently works at Stark State’s Digital Library.
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starkvoices CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF AMERICAN FASCISM by SPIROS KATSARAS
Presently, Americans are embroiled in an ideological civil war. It is one that reflects the unrest in the nation, as well as mirroring the questions Americans have grown accustomed to wrestling with in a post-9/11 geopolitical atmosphere: Between freedom and security, which should we prioritize? As
photo: BRANDON KITCHEN
tensions rise between white nationalist and anti-fascist groups, and interactions are becoming increasingly volatile, this question is more relevant than ever. However, with it come several ethical implications that we must consider. Foremost, as history has shown, unchecked fascism can allow otherwise civilized societies to sink to unfathomable depths, becoming party to all manner of atrocities and horrors. There exists a moral obligation to quash those attitudes before their influence can spread, in the service of preventing history from repeating itself, as it is all too prone to do. This notion that we could prevent history from re17
peating itself becomes an increasingly complex and muddy proposition, and we must also consider that, by suppressing the current fascist ideology, we may merely be perpetuating a different sort of fascism. In consideration of these ideas, to what lengths, if any, could or should one go to challenge them? To answer these questions, one must examine the surrounding state of the American political atmosphere and the degree to which the government’s policies have influenced and encouraged many of these ideas. Perhaps, most influential in the unrest is the current Commander-In-Chief of the United States: President Donald J. Trump. Since the beginning of his campaign, Trump has, if not encouraged, allowed ideas of white supremacy and white nationalism to become emboldened as his controversial policies have been aimed, mainly, at minorities. In building a campaign upon issues of immigration, terrorism, and socioeconomic instability, whether intentionally or inadvertently, Trump has created an “us versus them” narrative among many in his party. Campaign promises included increases in protecting the country’s borders, going as far as to assure his supporters that he would build a literal wall between the United States and Mexico. To reinforce this perception, prominent personalities within the white nationalist or “alt-right” movement, such as Steve Bannon, David Duke, and Alex Jones have all rallied volumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices around, and, in the case of Bannon, been employed by Trump. With that in mind, it isn’t difficult to imagine why some of the population would feel encouraged in their prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes. Things become increasingly muddy as one nears the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 21st. As demonstrators gathered to protest the removal of a statue of prominent Confederate General Robert E. Lee, a group of counter-protestors organized to express their disapproval of the perceived racist attitudes of many among the initial group. With Lee’s identity innately intertwined with the Civil War and the South’s longstanding tradition of slavery, the significance of the statue varies between groups, with some claiming it as a symbol of “Southern pride” and others an indictment of the South’s tradition of celebrating racist ideologues. As would be expected in considering such a sensitive topic, tensions rose in the environment, but the nation was shocked when violence erupted, and a young man ran his car into a crowd of people, injuring several and killing Heather Heyer.
“w h a t th e y fa il to re c o g n iz e is th a t th e ir m y o p ic a n d c o n fr o n ta ti o n a l p e r s p e c ti v e s o n ly serve to exacerbate th e is s u e fu r th e r” Naturally, national outrage ensued, but amidst the anger, President Trump remained stoic, emphasizing the violence on both sides. While many were outraged by his failure to indict the group of white nationalists, specifically, as motivators of the unrest, Trump’s actions leave Americans with a complicated question to contemplate: Is violence tolerable if it’s FALL/2017
used as a preventative measure to dispel hateful and potentially violent attitudes? Moreover, does the American government ally itself with a side in the conflict depending on the outcome? When white nationalists with torches and assault rifles, adorned with Nazi regalia, begin chanting in the streets that they will not “be erased,” it’s difficult to reconcile that visual with the longstanding American tradition of hating Nazis. However, in examining the alternative, members of the anti-fascist segment of the protest groups often express their dissatisfaction with the state of American politics with violence and property damage, opting to exemplify their outrage in a manner that the American public cannot ignore. On the one hand, history has shown what happens when Nationalists become emboldened to the point that their rhetoric affects policy (a trajectory that, in many ways, is already being repeated). However, one must be mindful of the consequences of rewarding or excusing the behavior of a group known for their volatile temperament, however morally justifiable their aims may be. To many, it is easy to condone the actions of anti-fascist groups and look the other way, as they perpetrate against some of society’s more undesirable elements, and, to most civilized nations, there exists no group more undesirable than Nazis. While that may seem acceptable to some, in the interim, Americans are viewing the more extreme segment of the anti-fascist movement as a necessary evil in combating the diffusion of White Nationalism. If the nation condones these attitudes, it must also be willing to consider that doing so may result in increased hostility and segments of these groups taking a more proactive and broad approach, as they seek to curb fascism, one bike lock at a time. As tensions increase, people lose sight of the nuance of each side of the issue. Presently, the American consciousness is not only enabling hasty generalizations but outright encouraging them, as individuals become increasingly irrational, and a sense of righteous indignation takes hold. What they fail to rec18
starkvoices ognize is that their myopic and confrontational perspectives only serve to exacerbate the issue further. If someone decides that everyone protesting racial inequality is a black-clad, hooded vigilante, beating people and preaching the tenets of Marxism, they are creating a narrative that erases individuality and dehumanizes people as symbolic representatives of ideology. Likewise, if one man running his car into a crowd of people becomes definitive, in the minds of those across the political divide, as being a de facto representation of protesters on one side of such a complex issue as being violent nationalists and homicidal Nazis, they too, are only serving to embolden those ideas by forcing that definition upon individuals who may, otherwise, not share values with those most vocal or extreme among that population. It is not beyond understanding to consider how the United States has reached this point, as the political discourse has become sharpened as much by personalities as by ideology. However, for us to make any headway in finding viable solutions to these problems, people must be willing to have the uncomfortable conversations, to engage in civil disagreement. Until we can do that, finding common ground and building on it will always remain an impossibility, as those on both sides of the fence continue to view each other as stereotypes, rather than human beings.
Spiros Katsaras
is a third-semester English major. After completing his associate’s degree, Spiros is considering pursuing a bachelor’s degree as well as other options. Spiros would like to use his passion for writing to write for film, but until that happens, he is considering editing or journalism. The inspiration for his story was the increasingly volatile political divide that he was seeing in response to Trump’s presidency and the way those political attitudes manifested themselves on both sides of the aisle. photo: LAURA GORMAN
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starkvoices FORGOTTEN POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS by KRYSTAL MILLER
When driving through my pocket neighborhood in Southwest Canton, you will see empty, overgrown lots, multiple bars, in memoriam plaques for people shot over drugs, empty houses, and a few houses waiting to be torn down. Towards the center of my community is a park that has cracked pavement and rusty, outdated playground equipment used more for drug deals than for child’s play. However, there are a few houses here and there that are well-kept and very beautiful. It is hard for people in my community to do more to improve their homes for two reasons: lack of funding and/or the perception that the city does not care for our community. Why should they care how their property looks if the city doesn’t support them? A pocket neighborhood is a small, close-knit community of similar homes that surrounds a courtyard or common area creating a sense of community and neighborliness. Some pocket neighborhoods have nice homes with beautiful yards, low crime rates, and white picket fences. Then, there are pocket neighborhoods, like mine, where people roll up their windows and lock their car doors before they drive through if they cannot avoid my neighborhood. Currently, the city of Canton has been making great strides trying to improve our great city. Several buildings in downtown Canton are being renovated to create more luxurious housing and hotels as well as a new federal building. They are repaving roads, and new streets lamps are being added to brighten and enhance the downtown and surrounding areas. Some of the surge in improvements is due to the massive development of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village funded by the National Football League. Now that the ball is rolling on massive improvements in certain parts of Canton, when will this light reach my community? In my neighborhood, there are over ten empty lots where single-family houses used to stand. They FALL/2017
are the city’s responsibility. Yet, summer after summer, they remain overgrown, causing flea, rodent, and roach infestation in nearby homes. Canton City Codes 78-2 C 9 and 78-2 C8 state that grass in landscaped areas must be maintained five inches or less and that all shrubs and trees must be maintained free from public walkways and no more than seven feet high. Breaking these city codes, for residents, can lead to added fines to property taxes, community service, as well as possible jail time, but the city does not adhere to its own codes for these lots.
“towards the center of my community is a park that has cracked pavement and rusty, outdated playground equipment used more for drug deals than for child’s play” The ever-growing, unkept empty lots are not hard to notice, but who owns them may not be as clear. According to Mr. Kevin Fisher, former city council member, there’s a loophole in Ohio laws that allows banks to leave abandoned or foreclosed homes in the previous owner’s name, which means the banks are not held responsible for the property’s maintenance or demolition of dilapidated houses. In our interview, Mr. Fisher also discussed a program in Canton called Side Lot, which encourages community members to buy these empty lots. Any owner of a house that is neighboring an empty lot can purchase 20
starkvoices that lot from the city for one hundred dollars. The Side Lot program seems like an excellent plan that could benefit the community, but residents need to read the fine print. The Side Lot Program allows residents with adjoining properties to buy the empty lot for $100. However, purchasing the vacant lot raises a person’s city taxes, and any improvements they wish to make require a permit from the city. The new owner now pays out ridiculous amounts of money just so these lots are maintained and no longer infesting their home.
photo: CHARLES TURNER
Property owners are responsible for their property, whether occupied or not, and punished accordingly for breaking city codes. Then, who is held accountable for the city breaking its own codes? The city appears to avoid certain neighborhoods even though they say they care, so why should the community care? Maybe, out of pride or honor, a person would care about his or her community, but how far will that carry a person who is treated with such disregard? Â Not even the typical blizzards of Ohio winter can chill this issue. Winter creates an even bigger problem within these forgotten communities. 21
In early 2015, during the middle of back-to-back blizzards, the city placed an article in The Repository enforcing snow removal code 62-37. This code states that homeowners have 72 hours to remove all snow and ice from their sidewalk, as well as any neighboring house that is vacant or is an empty lot. That means I have to shovel not only my sidewalks, but also those owned by the city as well. If I choose not to shovel my lot or the empty lot next to me, then I could get fined, imposed community service, or even jail time. I understand the safety of clean sidewalks, which is why I keep my sidewalks shoveled and salted, but this is an added burden on already forgotten community members. The sidewalks are not the only cause for concern during the winter; the roads are not cleared properly to allow for safe travel. The other downside during a crazy Ohio winter is trying to park the car or leave the house. Only a few houses in my neighborhood have driveways, so residents have to park either on the street, in a garage, or in a parking area off an alley. This all fine, but alleys are the last to be plowed, and that makes it hard to even go to the grocery store in winter. If you do not live on a main thoroughfare, it may be all day before you see a single snow plow on your street. Â The only thing more rare than a snowplow in my community is the presence of the police when you need them. The lonely cold chill that my community feels grows colder when we try to call the police for help. In the last two years, there have been at least five people stabbed or shot over drugs. Most recently, a man was volumeTWO/editionTWO
starkvoices stabbed over drugs and an hour later and a block away, another man was shot for the same reason. Not even a week a later, a woman trying to make methamphetamine set her brother’s house on fire.
ty when it seems clear the city does not. We are supposed to pay city taxes, follow all the city codes, put out trash according to code, keep sidewalks shoveled, and it feels as though we cannot expect anything in return. This narrative is my truth of what it is like to One specific house is known as a place for people to live in a forgotten neighborhood and the consequencmeet up and do drugs, mostly heroin. We hear gun- es that come from living in neighborhoods like mine. shots and ambulance sirens all hours of the day and the first responders are typically going to that house References to administer Narcan to someone. A few months “Code Enforcement.” 15 September 2017. City of Canago, the same woman had Narcan administered twice ton. <https://cantonohio.gov/building/?pg=131>. in five days. The police have searched the house, Fisher, Robert. Forgotten Pocket Neighborhoods watched by undercover police, and yet no arrests Krystal Miller. 16 October 2016. have been made, and they find nothing. Harris, Brittany. “Mow or Go to Jail! Local City Cracks Down on Lawn Care.” 15 May 2014. Fox8. Watching a house or car getting searched by police com. <Http://fox8.com/2014/05/15/mow-or-go-tois not only common in my neighborhood, but the jail-local-city-cracks-down-on-lawn-care/>. whole block turns out to watch. It is kind of like our Safeguard Properties. “City of Canton OH Yard own sick and twisted form of entertainment. While Maintenance.” 15 September 2016. SafeGuardPropwe adults watch with cynical humor, I feel sorry for erties.com. <Http://safeguardproperties.com/News/ the children in this neighborhood who witness all All_Alerts/2008/06/City_of_Canton_OH_Yard_ this violence. Despite all the crime and violence in Maintenence_Ordinance.aspx> the community, it seems the police are only present in the most extreme of situations. With eight bars within a two-minute drive from my house, it is not uncommon to walk out in the morning and find someone has hit a car. One night, someone hit my brother-in-law’s car. We called the police, and three hours later, they finally showed up. The officer seemed remorseful, but at the same time, it was like, “Yeah, this happens a lot, and there is nothing we can do.” The officer even asked if we were sure we wanted to file a report. We have been told since we were kids to call 911 when we need help or when there is a problem. However, the police make us feel like we’re wasting their time. So, one hesitates to call the police unless it is a dire situation, which leaves us feeling like we have to fend for ourselves. I understand that the city is not solely blame for all the problems in my community. The city cannot control what people do and do not do. I question how they can expect the residents to care about the communiFALL/2017
Krystal Miller
is currently working towards an associate’s degree in Nursing and Applied Science and a minor in Chemistry and Mathematics. After finishing her associate’s degree, Krystal plans to earn a bachelor’s in Nursing at Kent State Stark. Krystal was assigned a topic of current problems in her neighborhood for her College Composition II class and she took the opportunity to write about all the problems her neighborhood has with drugs, alcohol and violence.
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starkvoices STAFF AND FACULTY Technical Communications Intern Annette Yoho Feltes, Editor Advisers Nicole Herrera, Associate Professor of English Elizabeth Modarelli, Assistant Professor of English Committee Members Robert Berens, Assistant Professor of English Duane Dodson, Assistant Professor of English Graphic Artwork and Publication Design Ryan Gray, Adjunct Professor of Visual Communications
ADDITIONAL STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS Brandon Kitchen is a second-semester Digital Photography major. Brandon is looking forward
to graduating and working in portrait photography. He hopes his photos, compositions, and “eye” encourage people to look differently at photography. Brandon credits his instructors of photography for his confidence in his future success in photography. He desires to bring more awareness to the art of photography. Instructor: Michael Barath
Laura Gorman is in her second semester of an Associate of Arts. Laura intends to continue her
education to the completion of a degree in Art Therapy. Laura is a cancer survivor. In her healing process, her family and art therapy are what helped her through the rough stages of recovery. Laura hopes to help others in treatment and recovery through art. Contemplative thinking during the Northeastern Ohio fall was the inspiration for her pieces.
Charles Turner is a second-semester Computer Graphic Arts-Digital Photography Major. After
earning his Associate of Applied Science degree from Stark State College, Charles plans to go on to a four-year university to pursue his Bachelor of Arts degree. Charles has plans to open and run a successful photography and graphic design business following his schooling. Charles is very intuitive when composing compositions and capturing the moments through photography. Instructor: Michael Barath
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