A forgotten garage at 901 Pinewood Ave. was the newest site of a beautification project in collaboration with Bowling Green State University’s mural class.
“Joy is the best type of protest,” the organizer of the event, Lydia Myrick, 22, a recent graduate from the University of Toledo, said of the 2024 Paint it Forward Festival and Reflections of Peace Exhibition.
Officially the gathering at the intersection of Pinewood Avenue and North Miller Street was activism “against the death penalty and gun violence,” as Ms. Myrick said. But to those who may have happened upon the location, it is likely they would have seen a community indulging in one another’s company with yard games, a DJ, and an open invitation to paint the newly refurbished building.
“Our primary focus is connecting with the community and enhancing the initiatives that are already in motion,” said Yusuf Lateef, an adjunct professor who teaches the mural class at BGSU.
Previously Ms. Myrick, a South Toledo native, “was already curating exhibitions on her own,” he said.
For two years prior to Paint It Forward, the double major in digital art and art history had put together an art exhibition focusing on Black art. This effort established her in the art community and led the BGSU adjunct professor to seek her out for a new mural in South Toledo.
“Our hope is after this weekend to really get some support and resources to create a permanent installation for artists,” Mr. Lateef said. “In general, it's open for a longer conversation with the community.”
After removing debris from inside the shambled garage, a tarp acted as a makeshift ceiling during the first day of the event, protecting the contents of the garage from the elements while muralists painted the outside. Art adorned the inside walls as a yoga class led by Isabella Weik, president and CEO of Toledo Mindfulness Institute, walked attendees through basic stretches.
“I like that everyone is having fun,” Ms. Myrick said as she explained she grew up in a “really tight community” with “a lot of support.” Since Ms. Myrick was helped by her family and community, she was determined to give back by bringing people together.
Vendors and sponsors set up tables next to the street. Northwest Ohio Peace Alliance, No Death Penalty Ohio, Toledo School for the Arts, Junction Coalition, HYPE (Helping Young People Excel), Hype 2.0, BGSU, and the city of Toledo had resources on display.
The fresh approach to advocate for a better tomorrow was cloaked in a sincere desire to commune with one another.
“It'll help everyone out if we know about each other and what each other needs,” Ms. Myrick said as she explained how she saw community. “Without that we're lonely and easily preyed upon.”
On Deck Alliance, a local initiative seeking to help kids stay out of trouble by teaching them to skateboard, blocked off a section of Miller Street for their half-pipe ramps and provided energetic release for kids and adults.
“They've been looking forward to this for a while,” Jessica Lothery, 37, South Toledo, said of her kids who were already sliding down the ramps on skateboards.
“It’s always good to experience positive things in the neighborhood,” she said.
The festival continues 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the same location and will feature live music, art, speakers from the community, and food trucks.
Ms. Myrick said they are taking donations in association with the event to cover the costs of operation, and anything above and beyond their cost of operation will be donated to the South Toledo community via donations to a domestic abuse shelter or a homeless shelter.
First Published June 28, 2024, 9:39 p.m.