Midstory Annual Report 2019

MIDSTORY X 2019

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ANNUAL REPORT

A 2019 YEAR-IN-REVIEW Photo: Midstory summer high school & college internship cohort visits Promenade Park.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

CONTENTS 04 ABOUT US

06 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: OUR IMPACT

08 MULTIMEDIA CONTENT

10 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS

12 YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMMING

16 SOLUTIONS-ORIENTED PROJECTS

20

‘‘A CITY IN TRANSIT’’ EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

23 2019 FINANCIALS

24 Logan Sander of the Midstory Team instructs volunteers at Midstory’s A City in Transit gala x expo.

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2019 DONORS & SPONSORS

COPYRIGHT © 2020. MIDSTORY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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A LETTER A LETTER FROM THE TEAM FROM THE TEAM On behalf of our team, thank you for supporting our mission to attract, retain and cultivate talented and passionate young people to our region through creative storytelling and On solutions-oriented behalf of our team, projects. thank you forendeavor supporting mission to attract, retain and talented and We to our inspire, connect and educate thecultivate community passionate young people to ourto region through storytelling and solutions-oriented projects. endeavor by providing a platform engage withcreative its stories—stories that, woven together, buildWe our shared identity as Toledoans, as Midwesterners and as humans. to inspire, connect, and educate the community by providing a platform to engage with its stories—stories that, woven together, build our shared identity as Toledoans, as Midwesterners and as humans.

In 2019, students from all over the nation came together in Toledo to think, research and create for the renewal and betterment of our community, tackling issues from depopulation In 2019, students from architecture all over the nation cameopportunities together in Toledo to think, research create for the renewal to city planning, to equal for disabled citizens.and They examined andToledo—the betterment ofgood our and community, tackling came issues out frommore depopulation cityattracted planning,by architecture to equal the bad—and inspiredto and our city than ever. Their was citizens. released online, over online, 4,000 reaching people aover day 6,000 and was exhibited opportunities forwork disabled Their workreaching was released people a day and was at ourat“A City Transit” gala x expo in in front members andlocal 80+businesses local exhibited our “A in City in Transit” gala x expo frontofof1000+ 1000+ community community members and 80+ and businesses and organizations. organizations.

As you may know, our midstory began on March 2, 2018 (although it had been in our hearts, As you may know, our midstory began on March 2018 (although it hadquit been in our hearts, brains, and brains and notebooks for much longer).

Our2, core team members their careers on the notebooks for much longer).home Our core team members quit their back careers east coast, returning home in the East Coast, returning in hopes of contributing to on thethe region that raised them.

With no outsideback support no that salaries, team haspast putyear, theirwe’ve… all into Midstory and this hopes of contributing to theand region raisedthe them.

In the region. In the past year, we’ve…

Received over 65 applicants to the summer internship and high school programs • Received over 65 applicants to thecollege summer college internship and high school programs • Hosted 16 interns from UT, Princeton, Case Western, Yale, BGSU, Carnegie Harvard,Mellon Carnegie Hosted 15 interns from UT, Princeton, Case Western, Yale, BGSU, Harvard, & more, 1 writer & more, 1 writer Francisco and 10 high school across rural, from Mellon San Francisco and 10 high from schoolSan students from across rural, urban andstudents suburban from districts urban and suburban districts Furthered or initiated 4 solutions-oriented research projects and produced 70+ educational multimedia stories • Furthered or initiated 4 solutions-oriented research projects and produced 70+ Partnered with local PBS affiliate WGTE on a mini-documentary about the water issue educational multimedia stories Dreamed for our with futurelocal with PBS over affiliate 1,000 attendees exhibitors at the “A about City in the Transit” galacrisis x expo • Partnered WGTE and on a80+ mini-documentary water • Dreamed for our future with over 1,000 attendees and 80+ exhibitors at the “A City in Transit” gala xyoung expo people to invest themselves in places like Toledo is the key to instilling a sense of the We believe cultivating importance of ourAsregional voice, especially amidst ever-growing divisions.

After running our pilot can year with ...and more.

Midstory looks to 2020, we believe that our greatest regional challenges minimal funds but with incredible aspathways Midstory to looks to in 2020, wetoare in desperate need of your be our capital—that they can results, become bring talent invest in and contribute to our After running our year with minimal but incredible results, support to shared continuefuture. and grow our midstory forpilot a brighter tomorrow forfunds Toledo. we are in desperate need of your support to continue and grow our midstory for a brighter tomorrow for Toledo.

The Midstory Team - t h e -m idstory team P AG E 3

2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

MEET THE CO-FOUNDERS Samuel Chang has a B.A. in Public and International Affairs from the Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School and a certificate from the Department of East Asian Studies.

A recipient of the Puttkammer Fellowship, Samuel previously managed a non-profit organization in Massachusetts and Connecticut that provides educational services and support to incarcerated individuals. His interest on the intersection of culture, media and policy led him to intern at the Center for American Progress, where his video and graphic work has been published. Samuel also works as a freelance videographer.

Logan Sander has a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University with a certificate in Chinese Language and Culture. She served as the president of the Princeton University Press Club, and her work has been published in various journals and newspapers including TIME, the Forward, and the Toledo Free Press. Her interest in theater led her to work with acclaimed Irish actress Lisa Dwan and writer and literary critic Fintan O’Toole on a production of Samuel Beckett’s Ill Seen Ill Said. She wrote her award-winning thesis on the socio-cultural implications of the translation of modern literary works into Chinese.

Alex Lim has a B.S. in Biological Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He brings to the team three years of research experience supporting researchers in the Koch Institute of Integrated Cancer Research and the MIT Synthetic Biology Center. He has also been involved with the construction project of a controlled-environment agriculture device—a Personal Food Computer, which he coordinated between the MIT BioMakers Group and MIT Media Lab.

Ruth Chang has a B.A. in Architecture from Princeton University and a M.Arch from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Ruth previously worked as a designer at a Boston-based architecture and planning firm focused on community-centered and affordable housing solutions. She has diverse design work experience in cities such as Taipei, Shanghai and Paris.

She dedicated her graduate thesis to the origin story of Toledo, uncovering the Great Black Swamp and its connection to the modern human condition. She is also on the board of the Toledo Design Collective.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Samuel Chang, Midstory Logan Sander, Midstory Alex Lim, Midstory Ruth Chang, Midstory

James Repp, Lucas County Mingyang Liu, University of Toledo Lauren Uhrman, ProMedica

BOARD OF ADVISORS Keith Burwell, Toledo Community Foundation Alex Catchings, Small Engines, Blossman Gas Tony Chang, Resonance Group Ltd. Lisa Hawker, Hylant Group Bob Howell, SSOE Group

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Mike Hunter, APTUS Business Services Betsy Hurner, SSOE Group Keith Instone, UX Consultant Krystal Knapp, Planet Princeton Paul Toth, ConnecToledo

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"... any young person can come to Toledo to shape the narrative, to change perspectives and to grow these communities. [You can't] always say that about NYC, or LA or SF. But you can say that about Toledo ... and that means something."

- Samuel Chang, TEDxToledo 2019

ABOUT MIDSTORY Midstory began in March 2018 as the culmination of our four co-founders’ desire to contribute back to the community that raised them. After dropping fulltime careers on the East Coast to move home and start Midstory full time, the Midstorians hope to forge pathways for more young people to find a home in and contribute to the growth of cities like Toledo.

THE FOUR CO-FOUNDERS The Midstory co-founders’ diverse backgrounds help them have perspective on the challenges facing many young people today, with firsthand experience of growing up low-income and as immigrants, as well as being the first in the family to get a college degree. While all four went away to the East Coast for schooling & careers and found “success” elsewhere, they decided the best place in which to invest their lives would be back in their hometown. In one year alone, they’ve drawn students from Princeton, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Yale, local universities and more to come to Toledo to engage in the revitalization of our region through research, creative problem-solving

and media on issues the city is facing now, such as the water crisis and depopulation. Midstory also ran a major, first-of-its-kind event in August to rally the Toledo and regional community together to dream for a post-industrial future.

Through programming, mentorship, cultivation and more, the Midstorians hope to be the first of many young thought leaders making a home in and contributing meaningfully to this region.

Our MISSION is to retain, cultivate and attract youth and the public through creative storytelling and solutions-oriented projects.

Our VISION is to have a powerful midstory in the nation, curating a voice for post-industrial communities toward renewed sociocultural capital in the Midwest.

Midstory is a non-profit organization pursuant to Section 510(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

Since starting operations in March of 2018...

Prior to the internship, 0% of our interns answered yes to considering looking for jobs in Toledo. After working with us over the summer, our interns likelihood of jobsearching in Toledo increased by 56%.

16

50%

college students interned with Midstory

of our interns joined our operations from outside the region

150+

unique media stories were produced tackling key topics and assets of Toledo

Our gala x expo hosted at the Downtown Train Station saw...

80+

1,000+

organizations, nonprofits and businesses come together

members of the urban and suburban community enliven Middlegrounds

95%

of attendees that would recommend the event to others in the future

Our summer program contributing to the youth and vitality of this region saw...

75%

30+

area organizations hosting workshops and on-site tours for the students

improvement in the interns' impression of the city

100%

recommendation of our internship from our students

Since 2018, our top platform followings have grown by

500%

201%

LinkedIn

Twitter

110%

69%

Instagram

Facebook

OUR FOLLOWERS...

are predominantly between the ages of

are

are

63%

37%

25-34

female

male

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primarily come from Toledo, New York City, Columbus, Cleveland & Princeton

Midstory's 2019 programming and media showed real progress toward fulfilling our mission of retaining, cultivating & attracting young people and changing perspectives about our region. Our young adult programs changed the thoughts and potential career paths for our students and our media reached audiences across the nation and even world. We believe change starts on the ground, one person at a time.

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SOME OF THE TOPICS WE'VE PROJECTED OUT & EDUCATED THE NATION & WORLD ABOUT ARE:

Depopulation & Environmental demography issues, including the algal bloom crisis

Architectural & urban history

Current local trends & culture and how they affect the nation

MIDSTORY MEDIA IS SEEN BY OVER

1,360

41,001

26,512

people daily

people monthly (nonunique visitors)

people in a single top post

DURING OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, OUR MEDIA REACH INCREASED

BY MORE THAN While just under half of our following is from Toledo...

300%

MIDSTORY MEDIA REACHES

108

29

1323

countries

states

cities

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

A still from the original mini-documentary, “All Aboard: Toledo in Transit”: Robert Seyfang, lead architect on the 1990s renovation of the station, leads Logan Sander on a tour of the building during the interview.

MULTIMEDIA CONTENT Midstory produces original media—short films, podcasts and other audio, written articles, graphics and mixed media stories—focused on highlighting relevant trends and happenings in the Toledo region and Midwest, but with a national perspective and appeal. All of our media is attractive & educational and is aimed toward building up the socio-cultural infrastructure and influence of our region.

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WHY MEDIA For decades, the Midwest has lagged behind the coasts in economic, social and cultural development and trends. And this is unsurprising, considering the barriers of time and space that once kept the Midwest disconnected and isolated not only from the coasts, but also within itself.

Now, with the advent of the digital age breaking down these barriers, we once again have a chance not only to “catch up,” but also to be a powerful voice and influence within national conversations. We begin in Toledo because we believe media—or education—has the power to change not only others’ perspectives about us, but also our own perceptions about our city and region.

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SOCIAL MEDIA While nearly all of our media is hosted and released through our website, much of the traffic and viewership comes from posting directly on social media. In today’s age, social media is perhaps the most powerful tool to influence young people and, furthermore, is a platform that breaks down socio-economic barriers; nearly everyone has access in some form or fashion to the Internet and participates in at least one form of social media. As an educational non-profit organization, Midstory aims to use the power of social media to bring educational and visionary material to citizens locally and regionally, as well as to create media that is relevant and influential elsewhere to put Toledo back on the map in national conversations.

Midstory’s primary, most popular platforms are Facebook and Instagram, although our LinkedIn and Twitter followings and reach have grown

rapidly in the past year. Midstory also hosts media on YouTube and SoundCloud. To date, Midstory has produced over 150 multimedia stories and thousands of multimedia posts on social media. Midstory media is seen by 1,360 people daily and 41,001 non-unique visitors each month, and one single post reached up to 26,512 people. Our media reaches 108 countries, 29 states and 1,323 cities. In 2019, our top platform followings grew 500% on LinkedIn, 201% on Twitter, 110% on Instagram and 69% on Facebook.

Our audience is primarily between the ages of 25-34 and 54% is from outside Toledo.

National trends point toward declining use of Facebook for “Gen Z,” with huge increases on Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, especially on mobile devices (Business Insider survey, 2019).

Midstory aims to focus more on Instagram while maintaining Facebook, and to potentially venture into growing platforms such as Snapchat.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Throughout the year and in addition to our set programming, the Midstory team participates in community engagement and outreach opportunities. In 2019, Midstory team members spoke at local and statewide events as advocates for this region and its revitalization. In 2020, Midstory hopes to expand its physical outreach nationwide, securing speaking engagements and events across the U.S. Propel Ohio Conference In November, co-founder Ruth Chang spoke on behalf of Midstory in the opening panel for Senator Sherrod Brown’s annual Propel Conference, a statewide, day-long program for over 400 students from 80 colleges and universities across the state. Midstory also participated in their engagement fair.

TEDxToledo In September, co-founder Samuel Chang gave a TED Talk at TEDxToledo 2019 to an audience of over 100, speaking about redefining the term “flyover country” in the modern age and renewing our regional cultural identity from the inside out. His talk can be seen on the official TEDx YouTube channel.

Toledo Area High School Workshops Throughout 2019, Midstory worked with and gave workshops or lectures at five local high schools, as well as with local high school students through a partnership with Leadership Toledo to inspire students to get engaged with Toledo’s development and growth before they leave the area.

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PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS Midstory believes that true collaboration is the key to help move Toledo forward. With over 3,000 nonprofit organizations and thousands of businesses in the Toledo region, Midstory looks for productive partnerships wherever possible. Midstory also looks toward other entities for specialized expertise and an interdisciplinary diversity of thought & perspective.

• University of Toledo Office of Diversity and Inclusion • Florida International University Dept. of Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design • Leadership Toledo • WGTE, DPTV & Great Lakes Now • Toledo School for the Arts • Owens Community College Co-op and Internship Program • Princeton University Center for Career Development

In the summer of 2019, Midstory worked with the University of Toledo’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to give incoming UT freshmen of minority backgrounds the opportunity to work alongside our interns to create and publish their own stories, and selected three groups from an architecture studio at Florida International University to present their visions for Toledo at our event and on our website.

Midstory hosted Leadership Toledo for a workshop with our students and likewise held a workshop for the Leadership Toledo students, worked on a minidocumentary with PBS-affiliate WGTE, worked out of the Toledo School for the Arts in the summer and hosted TSA students, partnered with Owens Community College to form a co-op for students and prepared to welcome Princeton students in for a week to experience Toledo through the university’s Center for Career Development.

Above: Midstory college interns joined the University of Toledo’s Multicultural Emerging Scholars Program to collaborate on a diversity project, sharing stories and fostering new connections.

Left to right: Ruth Chang speaks on a panel at the Propel Ohio conference; the Midstory team speaks to Representative Marcy Kaptur; the Midstory team spends some time with Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz; the Midstory team hangs out after filming at the University of Toledo; Samuel Chang gives a TED Talk at TEDxToledo 2019.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT In the hope of retaining and cultivating Northwest Ohio’s young people before they enter adulthood—to embed in them a deep sense of agency in their community— Midstory runs programming specifically for high school students, both full-time in the summer and more abbreviated throughout the year. In 2019, Midstory saw incredible success in attracting students and changing their perceptions about their home region.

HIGH SCHOOL THINKLAB During our summer programming, students went through extensive training and developed their own projects around the city, ranging from a podcast about being a Korean immigrant in the Midwest to an interactive timeline of Toledo’s architectural skyline.

The High School ThinkLab ran in parallel with our college program and paired our high school students to work closely with the college students in a mentorship relationship. This proved to be effective in inspiring and cultivating the high school students.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

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Midstory interns and high school students participate in a workshop activity with Leadership Toledo.

Abby Kim, 2019 ThinkLab participant and senior at Sylvania Southview High School, shows her program certificate at the final-day celebration.

Midstory welcomed 13 high school students, majority juniors and seniors, from across rural, urban and suburban school systems: Toledo Public, Sylvania, Otsego and Toledo School for the Arts. Our goal was to facilitate communication across districts to expose these young people to more diverse perspectives, as well as to inspire them through working with college students who give a national and even international view to what’s going on. The students had the opportunity to take over 10 field trips to local institutions and businesses and hear from nearly 30 guest speakers, from Fortune-1000 CEOs to community leaders invested in the betterment of Toledo.

TESTIMONIAL

“I met great mentors who gave me so much advice... [they] made a significant change in how I think and will always be people I can look up to...When I had my college interview for Cornell, the interviewer thought highly of this unique experience. He liked the idea of this whole project and internship and he thought highly of the fact that I contributed something to my community.

We eventually talked for over 2 hours just about the experience I had...”

- Abby Kim, 2019 participant, Cornell University class of 2024

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CHANGING PERCEPTION For some of our students, the ThinkLab was the first time they had ever experienced downtown Toledo. For nearly all, it was the first time they had ever considered Toledo as more than just “where they live.”

“As a high schooler, I planned to leave the area, believing that Toledo had nothing to offer me.

I participated in the High School program during the summer after my senior year, right before I left for college. After the Midstory program ended, I found myself having a hard time saying goodbye to a city that I had fallen in love with.”

- Lydia Applin, 2019 participant

80%

of high schoolers now consider Toledo as a future destination in their lives after our summer program

OUTREACH Outside of our summer program, Midstory works extensively with local high schools, looking to inspire students to get engaged with Toledo’s development and growth before they leave the area. This includes creative civic engagement workshops, presentations and even one-on-one meetings and projects with students.

In 2019, Midstory worked with and gave workshops at St. John’s Jesuit Academy, Southview High School, Northview High School, Maumee Valley Country Day School and Toledo School for the Arts, as well as with diverse area high school students through Leadership Toledo.

For example, one workshop focused on civic decision-making and leadership on a citywide scale. Each of the students was randomly given a leadership role, from city mayor to start-up owner, and placed into groups of 5-6 people to develop city revitalization plans. Partway through the exercise, each leader received a “curveball,” such as the mayor’s office losing funding or the start-up owner receiving an offer to move somewhere more “promising.” They then presented their decision-making process and plans to the group, taking into account real issues and presenting solutions to real problems.

Left: Joshua Repp, 2019 ThinkLab participant and freshman at Sylvania Northview High School, does on-site research for his project at the Local History & Genealogy Department at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

The lotus, a flower native to Northwest Ohio that once populated the banks of the Maumee River.

SOLUTIONS-ORIENTED PROJECTS Ideas are capital. Education is power.

As a “thinkhub,” Midstory engages both the local and national community through solutionsoriented projects, producing research briefs and dockets with accompanying educational media. Much like a thinktank but without the political slant, Midstory aims to become a hub for forward-thinking, substantial research and communication on issues facing our city, region & nation. We believe in facing and addressing our challenges head-on and using them as fuel for the next generation of thinkers to participate in propelling our community forward.

THE WATER PROJECT The Water Project is a research and design project that has been ongoing since the algal bloom of 2014, presenting a holistic vision for both the water and city revitalization. The algal bloom disaster in Lake Erie and Northwest Ohio provides a perfect catalyst to engage the local, national and even global communities around solving this environmental problem, while at the same time positioning Toledo as a key geographic location for waterfront development, academic research and business opportunity.

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Stone Oak Pilot Project MIdstory is now one year into an on-the-ground educational campaign and pilot in the Stone Oak community in Holland, Ohio, where algae overtakes the pond system each summer. In Phase I, Midstory has published an extensive community masterplan, held community & public events, created media for neighborhood & public education and done testing of local water systems. In addition to applying to multiple grants, Midstory partnered with Great Lakes Now to produce an educational segment on the water issue. Learn more about how you can get involved at: www.midstory.org/stone-oak.

PROJECT GOALS

Present an holistic, environmental solution to manage the nutrient overload at its root.

Encourage economic return and growth for Toledo through a new agricultural product and industries.

Renew the city’s cultural and social identity through integration of the lotus as a symbol and icon.

PARTNERS: Bowling Green State University, WGTE, Detroit Public Television & researchers from the University of Toledo. For a complete list of researchers and more information, or to inquire about how you can get involved, contact us or visit www.midstory.org/toledo-water-project.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

THE DEMOGRAPHY PROJECT In May, spurred by recent news about Toledo, Midstory began the Demography Project, a collaborative effort between the Midstory team and regional researchers to unearth an indepth picture of millennial and overall population loss in Toledo and other post-industrial communities. Looking ahead to the 2020 census, current demographic data suggest that if we are to reverse the trend of loss in our communities, we must focus on courting, retaining and investing in millennials. The goal of the project is to provide avenues to move toward a solution through a comprehensive research brief with data, an innovative and reproducible framework, analysis and recommendations along with accompanying media and educational tools. de·​mog·​ra·​phy | the science of vital and social statistics regarding human populations, especially with reference to size and density

PROJECT GOALS

Dig into the contextual details of local realities.

Fuel local decision-making through analytic analysis of community concerns.

Empower our city to embrace its full potential through powerful storytelling.

OUR RESEARCHERS Victor Ogundipe, Ph.D., Data Scientist at the University of Michigan Anna Diasio, MSAS, Data Specialist at Mercy College Mingyang Liu, Ph.D., Educational Research & Measurement Survey Statistician at the University of Toledo Palm Zhiwei Chen, Ph.D., Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Toledo Jamie Luster, Research Area Specialist at the University of Michigan Interested in reading more or getting involved? Visit www.midstory.org/demography or email us at demography@midstory.org.

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THE INNOVATIONS PROJECT The Innovations Project is a collaborative effort between the Midstory team and researchers from across the region to examine the reality of and make recommendations for our region’s innovations scene. We believe innovation requires a healthy ecosystem in which to thrive, which requires collaboration between the realms of technology, business, design, entrepreneurs, investors, higher education and more. in·no·va·tion ec·o·sys·tem | a group of diverse communities and resources that collaborate to determine the feasibility, viability & desirability of new ideas, products & services to create value for a regional economy

PROJECT GOALS

Raise awareness of innovation opportunities, start-ups & ecosystem success stories in the Toledo region.

Support individual communities through research and partnerships to increase their contribution to the ecosystem.

Provide leadership for collaborations across the ecosystem to generate high-potential innovations.

OUR RESEARCHERS Keith Instone, User Experience Consultant Jordan Valdiviez, Manager of Launchpad Incubation at the University of Toledo Interested in getting involved? Email us at contact@midstory.org.

INCOMING PROJECTS THE NONPROFIT PROJECT encouraging collaboration and innovation in non-profit models & sustainability.

LOCAL JOURNALISM PROJECT fostering a healthy news ecosystem as a fundamental part of regional development.

HIGHER EDUCATION PROJECT recognizing the importance of higher education in regional revitalization.

CITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT educating about and participating in the planning of infrastructure to improve quality of life.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

“A CITY IN TRANSIT”

GALA X EXPO

The gala x expo was held on Aug. 3 from 4-9 pm at the downtown train station, an art deco architectural gem constructed just on the cusp of the fall of the passenger rail industry in the 1950s. Local organizations came together to celebrate and exhibit their part in Toledo’s growth. Our vision is for Toledo to be a future model city for the postindustrial Midwest, and to rewrite its narrative from that of decline and vacancy to that of agency, vitality, creativity and problem-solving. We chose the venue for its historic and symbolic value as a place in transit, bringing strangers together toward a shared destination—a story of collaboration and joint vision that Toledo must embrace. This first-time event not only attracted members of the general public with educational exhibits, but also creatively repopulated an underappreciated hallmark space in the heart of a struggling neighborhood.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS - CREATIVE POP-UPS REPURPOSING AN UNDERUSED TRAIN STATION - MAYORAL MIDSTORY ADDRESS - INTERACTIVE TRAIN TICKETS - “CORRIDOR THROUGH TIME” WALK - STUDENT PROJECT EXHIBITS & PRESENTATIONS - ARTS COMMISSION INTERACTIVE OUTDOOR ART - “ON THE LINE” INTERACTIVE PHONE BOOTHS - 10 - CAR SHOW, ANTIQUE & MODERN - FIRE & POLICE MEET & GREET WITH CRUISER AND TRUCK - SPONSORED P. A . ANNOUNCEMENTS - INSTAGRAM PHOTO CONTEST & GALLERY Community members listen to podcasts of our interns’ experiences of Toledo in the “One the Line: Messages from Toledo” interactive exhibit at the “A City in Transit” gala x expo on Aug. 3.

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- ORIGINAL MIDSTORY PROJECT EXHIBITIONS - OPEN TOLEDO “ SILHOUET TES OF CHANGE” INTERACTIVE PROJECTIONS

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The train station bridge, transformed into the “Corridor through Time,” complete with fog, image panels of Toledo through the years, a photography competition exhibit and a constructed wall.

1,000+

PEO PL E AT TE N D E D “A CI TY I N T RANSI T ” O N AU G . 3 , 2019

80+

NO NPROF I T O R G A N I Z ATI O N S & BUSI N E S S E S

70+

MI DSTO RY VO LU N TE E R S

10

LO CAL FO O D TR U C KS A N D RESTAUR A N TS

6

L IVE MU S I C PE R FO R M A N C E S BY LO CAL A RTI STS

95%

O F AT T E N D E E S WO U L D RECO MM E N D TH I S EVE N T TO T HEI R FR I E N D S

Top to bottom: Community members and exhibitors at the event; the lobby of the train station, featuring the Water Project booth with live lotus flowers; a 3-D rendering of the event layout done by Ruth Chang.

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2019 MIDSTORY AN N U A L RE PORT

Samuel Chang and Logan Sander join local TV station WTOL and their longtimefriend-turned-meteorologist John Burchfield for an interview in late June.

PRESS In the first full year in operation, Midstory has been featured in 19 different newspapers, magazines and digital publications, both local and national. For a full list and to read the articles, visit www.midstory. org/press-room.

Local News — The Blade, WTOL, 13ABC During the summer programs and leading up to the gala, Midstory was featured twice on WTOL on their Friday morning program and on Leading Edge with Jerry Anderson, as well as on 13ABC with Lee Conklin. The Blade wrote a feature on Midstory’s programming in August and our organization has been featured multiple times in the Toledo City Paper.

Local Radio — WGTE, 107.7, Q105.5, 1370 Midstory has been on the air on 91.3 WGTE, 107.7 The Wolf, Q105.5 with Eric Chase, 1370 WSPD with Fred LeFebvre, and has been a guest on Haley Taylor’s weekly WGTE program, The Rough Draft Diaries.

Alumni Publications - Harvard GSD, Princeton Alumni Weekly The Midstory co-founders have been featured by their alma mater alumni publications, sharing Midstory’s (and Toledo’s) story with Princeton and Harvard students & alumni across the world.

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2019 FINANCIALS VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

assets

3,638 22,308 15,000

Total Liabilities Unrestricted Restricted assets Total Activity Expenses

$40,946

Revenue and Support

Individual Contributions & Grants Fundraising & Events In-kind Donation Other Income Total Revenue & Support

23,189 34,959 15,130 452

$67,886

Activity Expenses

Program services Salary (estimated)* Management + general Fundraising

16,583 (240,500) 1,758 8,550

Total Activity Expenses

$26,891

($267,391)

*Currently, Midstory has 4 full-time staff and multiple part-time staff who are working without salary. Your support is greatly needed!

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS over

$50K 125+ 350% RAISED IN SUPPORT

UNIQUE SPONSORS & DONORS

ANNUAL GROWTH OF ASSETS

2019: A YEAR IN THE MAKING Over the last year, Midstory and its volunteers have invested heavily into quality programs, including our College Internship, High School ThinkLab, A City in Transit gala x expo, solutions-oriented projects and more incoming.

These feats would not be possible without the amazing and often overwhelming support of our volunteers and community as well as the immense hours and dedication of Midstory's core members.

MIDSTORY CORE

60

4

Volunteers

Full-time

10,300

10,000

Hours Served

Hours Served

$247,715

$240,500

Values of Service

Values of Service*

Program OUTPUT $488,215

DONOR IMPACT 18 X Our tightly-run operation allows us to effectively utilize the dollars community members give to maximize the impact in our community. For every dollar, we have output over 18 times in terms of programming and content.

2020: your Support NEEDED As we grow our programs, we continue to look toward the community for sustainability. Our full-time staff have donated over 10,000 hours in 2019 and have ensured that all funding went directly toward kickstarting our pilot year and making each program effective.

Everything—marketing, design, program coordination & planning, event renderings & construction, management and more—have been done in-house and donated by the core team and volunteers.

For the programs to continue, we need your support for Midstory to grow and sustain our existence here in Toledo. We look forward to a bright 2020 in our community.

P AG E 23

DONORS & SPONSORS Platinum ($5,000+) • Guardian Industries • Owens Corning • Resonance Group, Ltd. • SSOE Group Gold ($2,500+) • Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, LLC • The Andersons, Inc. • TJ Metzgers, Inc. • Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Silver ($1,000+) • Adams Street Publishing Company • Harold R. Howell, Jr. & Barrie S. Howell • Jupmode • Managed Care Advisory Group (MCAG) • ProMedica • Skyline Tent and Event Rental • TARTA Bronze ($500+) • Alfred Dannhauser & Carolyn Dannhauser • WGTE Public Media Patron ($100+) • Alex Catchings • Jim Chiang • Mina Chiang • Elizabeth Engoren • John K. Graham • Dr. & Mrs. L. Stephen Kish • Kroger Co. • Katrina Moses • Steve Robinson Friend ($25+) • Becky Abde • Anonymous • Amazon.com, Inc. • Matt Chang • Jin Jin Chiu • CNWR, Inc. • Gene & Penny Cobau-Smith • Todd Crail • Heather Gallant • Alessandro Giammei • Mary Jeopardy • Susan & Doug Massick • Michael Murray • Amy Odum • Poap Panusittikorn • Beth Sander-Thompson • Mary Sander • David Topoleski • Jordan Tsai • Angela Wei • Anna Windenmuth • Lauren Uhrman AN NUA L RE PORT PRINT ING C O UR T E S Y O F D ESIG N & CONTE NT BY

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2019. JOIN US IN 2020 TO FORGE THE PATH AHEAD FOR A GREATER TOLEDO. 2 0 1 9 MI D S T ORY A N N U A L R E P ORT