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About 30 people held signs and gathered in solidarity for social, economic and environmental justice at a sit-in at Medina's Uptown Park yesterday.
(Ann Norman, special to cleveland.com )
MEDINA, Ohio - About 30 people held signs and waved colorful flags on the sidewalk in front of the Uptown Park water fountain yesterday afternoon in solidarity with those who feel disenfranchised by American democracy.
They held signs reading "Love Trumps Hate," "Ban All Bigotry," "Think Globally, Act Locally" and "Equality," among others.
They waved at drivers who honked their support as they drove by, good-naturedly accepted one or two negative responses, and engaged curious onlookers in conversation about a variety of progressive issues.
Kate Nickley, 23, organized the event as a way to create a space where progressive ideas could be heard, not silenced.
Nickley, a 2012 Medina High School graduate who earned a degree in anthropology from Kenyon College this spring, said she came up with the idea for the sit-in - really more of a stand-up - as a way to provide a forum for civic engagement in her hometown.
Mary Ellen Coolman, 89, left and her "older" friend, Adele Looney, were among those gathered on the Medina Square yesterday to stand in solidarity with people who feel disenfranchised by American democracy. Both women are Quakers and activists for social justice.
"I wanted people to take some time out of the day to think about social injustice and inequality. At the core, the sit-in is about inspiring empathy and compassion," she said.
She said a lot of people in Medina and across the country have felt "overwhelmed" in the weeks since the presidential election.
"There's all this energy built up. People want to do something, say something," Nickley said.
"I just wanted to promote good messages about how to move forward and treat people with dignity," she said.
Kristin Kranz was among the group gathered on the square. She said she was there to show solidarity for progressive causes and support social, economic and environmental justice.
"People feel a little bit alone and disenfranchised right now," she said.
Several teenagers joined in, including Brunswick High School student Angela Demchuck, 15, who was there with her mother.
She said young people especially need to think about these issues and work to make a difference.
Dozens of drivers on Court Street tooted their support as they drove past the progressive sit-in on the Medina Square yesterday.
"We want to be the positive change we want to see in the world. We can lead by example and do the small things," Angela said.
"Sometimes you need to have your privilege thrown in your face in order to understand where other people are coming from," she said.
And if young people are the future of the progressive movement, don't count out their elders. Many of them have stood on the front lines of social change since the 1940s.
Adele Looney and Mary Ellen Coolman of Wadsworth, both Quakers, were on hand with their "Fact Check Trump" signs and wearing Muslim-style headscarves they were given after visiting a local mosque.
"We were invited to a mosque to learn about their religion. We are wearing the head gear today to show our solidarity. We want Muslims to feel welcome in this country and we wanted to show our camaraderie with them," Coolman said.
"Plus, they're keeping our ears warm," she said. Temperatures hovered in the mid-30s during the afternoon sit-in.
Coolman said age won't stop the women from making sure their voices are heard.
"Quakers don't just sit around. I just turned 89, and Adele is older than I am," she said.
Passersby were invited to write down their hopes for the Medina community during yesterday's progressive sit-in in front of Uptown Park.
Looney, a longtime social justice and anti-war activist, said that as a Quaker, she feels strongly about peace and justice.
"We heard about this sit-in, and we just felt, living in Medina County, that we should come out and participate," she said.
Looney was among the most vocal protestors concerned about President-elect Donald Trump and his ability to tackle the job.
"I'm worried that the government is not going to be operating well. We were hoping that he would be more conciliatory, but that doesn't seem to be happening," she said.
"We were hoping for progressive ideas to be furthered," she said.
Coolman said she still has hope, though.
"Sometimes out of bad trends, opposition for good arises. I'm hoping for huge changes caused by the people," she said.
Nickley said she was pleased with the turnout and with the public response to the sit-in, which was mostly positive.
"Two cars had people in them who yelled 'go Trump' out the window at us," she said.
But most people either just drove on by or gave an encouraging honk or wave.
The sit-in caught attention from businesses across the street, as well. The Honey Bee Bakery provided coffee for the protestors, and the wait staff at House of Hunan donated their tips to two causes supported by the sit-in.
Nickley set up a table in front of the water fountain to collect donations for Project:LEARN of Medina County and the Medina United Methodist Church food bank.
They raised $94.73 for Project:LEARN and $106 for the food bank.
Nickley also offered literature from various progressive groups, such as OutSupport, which offers support for the LGBTQ community in Medina County.
Passersby were invited to ask questions and write their answers to "I want my community to ..." on a paper tablecloth.
"People have things to say. But we're not interested in telling people what to do," Nickley said.
The idea is to express solidarity with people who are feeling disenfranchised, promote peace and unity, and inspire future civic action and perhaps jumpstart a local progressive movement, she said.
"This was like a baby step in my mind, a way to disrupt the silence," she said.
She encouraged anyone who wants to learn more to visit the public Facebook page Medina Citizens for Social and Economic Justice.