Some Toledo students described Dorr Street as “a desert.”

Today’s teens have little to no memory of the once-vibrant community that boasted several Black-owned shops, grocery stores, restaurants, salons, offices, churches, salons, theaters, and more — many of which were owned by their grandparents.

With the understanding that it’s going to take the engagement of youth to help carry forward the vision for Dorr Street, the African American Legacy Project is working to cultivate the next generation of community leaders to be a part of bringing a new Dorr Street Historic Business District to life.

“Dorr Street can definitely be Toledo's Harlem Renaissance in that Harlem was the mecca of arts and sciences, history, and one cohesive development for that area,” said Nicole Brock, community activist and AALP committee member.

“I feel like that was the start of the revitalization of Harlem, and I feel like Dorr Street can definitely be that center for Toledo,” she said. “I definitely feel like the youth are going to be the ones to push that thing forward.”

The group hosted Friday a youth charrette themed “Kid's Visioning and Reimagining Dorr St. through Youth Leadership,” which invited students from the Jones Leadership Academy of Business and Jesup W. Scott High School to reimagine a Dorr Street Historic Business District. The event was hosted at Jones by Toledo Public Schools.

Led by Mrs. Brock and a group of facilitators, 30 students were encouraged to embrace “future thinking” and to “think outside the box” as they brainstormed ideas for Dorr Street, considering various aspects of personal and community development. In the interactive exercise, groups of students each focused on a different sector: restaurants, nature parks, entertainment, programming, and industry.

Jiovanni Shelton, a 16-year-old senior at Jones, said the exercise made him feel “acknowledged.”

“Dorr Street is what you're focusing on,” facilitator Juanita Greene said to the students. “Whether you live on it, or whether you just drive or walk by and you want to be involved in a program there, it has to exist. So, think about the things that you would like to have, that you can have right within your neighborhood.”

In all, the students came up with 164 ideas.

Some of those included spaces for a fountain, archery, and fishing pond in the nature parks category, while program ideas ranged from driver’s education to financial literacy and parenting classes.

For entertainment, the students imagined bringing in a cinema, arcades, and museums. Industry suggestions included businesses like health and wellness stores, flower shops, and cosmetology schools. Teens also mentioned multicultural and vegan restaurants could supplement fast food.

“If you want this program, what you do is you say you want this on Dorr Street,” Ms. Greene said. “You don’t always have to go to an industry. An industry should come to you because you’re creating the demand.”

By actively involving youth in the planning and implementation of revitalization efforts, the project can create a more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable community that reflects the needs and aspirations of all generations, organizers said.

Chloe Kilgore, a 10th grader at Scott High School, said she is in foster care after being taken away from her mother when she was 9 years old. She expressed a need for the future district to include a space for classes to help those who struggle with parenting.

Currently living right off of Dorr Street, the 16-year-old also reimagines a safer, cleaner community that’s more conducive to children.

“I feel like it needs safety for kids because when kids go out, there’s shooting, gun violence, smoking and all that,” Chloe said.

“We should try to make it more kid-friendly because every day when I'm walking to the bus, there's always beer bottles, glass bottles, broken glass all over my feet, all over the street,” she said. “But we have kids that are coming out and playing during the summer, and you got all these glass bottles all over the [ground].”

Golden Lawhorn, 17, a junior at Scott, was inspired and expressed confidence that his generation can further efforts.

“We can make our community better by putting things like that here,” he said of the brainstorm ideas. “In the past, I’ve seen the people coming together. I know a few times they had barbecues at Smith Park together.”

The program also included a storytelling session by Nakia Wright, a counselor from Scott High School, and a screen printing activity with artist Chariti Lockard.

Even armed with a plethora of great ideas, the students inquired how to move forward without funding.

“So, the key here is we don't want it to stop here. We want to continue,” said Lionel Brock, a financial literacy educator.

“If you have an idea, and you really want it to come to pass, I guarantee you we can find the money,” he said. “We have to be able to hear you, take you seriously, and act on what you guys have put on the table.”

Furthering the effort, organizers called for creative students to contribute to a project aimed at revitalizing Dorr Street, emphasizing the need for collaboration and financial support.

First Published February 21, 2025, 10:38 p.m.