I've been complaining about this from the outset. I "like" updayton on Facebook, and follow with interest the group's efforts to make Dayton a place anybody would be proud to call home on purpose. But I've never formally joined updayton or attended its summits, because that young part throws me. It tells me that while I may indeed be creative, my creativity and that of other old geezers is not particularly useful or desirable. Keep moving, Grandmaw, nothing here for you to worry your little blue head about.
I have less of a problem with Generation Dayton--the under-40 network of young professionals that is an outgrowth of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce--and other "junior" groups, precisely because they're outgrowths. But there is no Dayton Area Bunch of Creatives that updayton is the under-40 cadre of.
To be fair, updayton's mission statement puts no age limits on membership. "Our members are of all ages," it begins. That explains why so many of the folks I see promoting updayton and participating in its events are suspiciously longer in the teeth than others. (Some of these are my friends, so I know firsthand that they have been ineligible for the Dayton Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list of up-and-comers for more than a few years.) That concession seems to be a formality, though, because the statement continues, "but are focused on attracting and keeping those under 40 in the region. We are passionate about building a better Dayton."
All this hoopdeedoo about young creative people being the salvation of dying cities is, of course, a Richard Florida thing. Florida's group used Dayton as a training ground a few years ago, and updayton emerged from those sessions. It's certainly true that the transformation of places like Dayton will not happen without a commitment from young people--creative, professional, or just your average Joes and Janes--to stay in or move to the area and get involved in its life. But it's also true that building a better Dayton has been going on for much longer than Richard Florida has been in the consulting game, and that some very fine folks who haven't seen 40 in a while have been and continue to be passionately committed to and creatively engaged in that effort. Some have even moved here to do it, without any organized efforts to recruit them.
I have my own candidates for the start of a 40 Over 40 list, people who make a difference in Dayton every day through the passion of their commitment and the creativity of their gifts. They're artists like Willis 'Bing' Davis and Michael and Sandy Bashaw, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Sharon Leahy and Rick Good, Bruce Cromer, Jim (The Rev. Cool) Carter, and Rodney Veal. They're idea people like Herman Castro of El Meson, Peter Benkendorf at Blue Sky, Beth Miller at Five Rivers MetroParks, Bill Pflaum of Stivers' seedling foundation, Perry Martin of The Agency Group. They're gadflies like David Esrati, blogger and love-him-or-hate-him-you-can't-say-he-doesn't-care-about-Dayton candidate, Janet Michaelis and Ken Clarkston of the Hope Enclave Alliance, and the older, wiser heads who kept Occupy Dayton occupying longer than almost any other such group in the country. They're indefatigable Dayton boosters like Charlie Campbell, who paints and plays the accordion with the same gusto as he emails his It's Great in Dayton newsletter. These are only the names that come to my (aging) mind at the moment--I ask pardon of the many I've neglected--and I'd be happy to welcome your nominees.
Is there no deadwood in Dayton? Of course there is, but lack of creativity and apathy about Dayton's future are not limited to any one age group. So, updayton, I salute you, and wish the participants in tomorrow's summit well. And I ask you to consider refining your subtitle to lose that age-limiting adjective, and widening your mission so it becomes attracting to and keeping in the region all those who are passionate about living in Dayton On Purpose.
In the meantime, anyone for joining me in forming Dayton's very first Old Creatives chapter?
