Turning Lines of Division into Paths of Triumph
Photo credit: Signal Akron, Akron Beacon Journal, Wilder Family
Some lines divide. We choose to redraw them.
In Akron, the Redlining Redefined Project, led by the Akron Black Artist Guild and made possible by the City of Akron, is a movement rooted in truth, honoring stories that deserve to be seen and heard. For generations, redlining shaped neighborhoods, limiting opportunity and stifling cultural expression. Its impact lived beyond maps; it shaped everyday life. Today, something hopeful is changing that. We are coming together not as fragments shaped by those lines, but as a community strong enough to redefine them. This is where healing begins.
Redlining Redefined is built on one idea: we don’t have to do this work alone. It brings families, elders, and young people together to share, listen, and build something meaningful across generations. Community is not just where we live, it’s how we show up for each other. Here, collaboration replaces isolation, stories replace silence, and trust begins to grow.
At the heart of this work is storytelling; every saved photo, family memory, and unheard voice is part of a story that deserves to be honored. Through exhibitions, conversations, and digital archiving, Redline Redefined preserves these moments for future generations, protecting legacy, celebrating resilience, and ensuring our cultural identity is never erased. And this story cannot be told without you.
Coming together, we don’t just shift narratives, we strengthen our community. We create opportunities for generations to learn together. We support local artists and cultural workers. We build connections that foster trust and a sense of belonging. And we remind one another that our full history is worth preserving. This is how we move forward, not by ignoring the past, but by reclaiming it, together.
The Redlining Redefined Interactive Mural will be installed inside the Akron Urban League and revealed in June.
Photo & Story Submission Details:
Submit scanned photos and stories by April 15
Include your name, estimated date of the photo, and contact information.
Send to: info@abaguild.org
Need assistance? Call 234-529-0052
Whether you share one photo or many memories, your contribution matters. Your story adds truth and humanity to our collective effort.
by Dara Harper
