By Kendahl Plank
Posted On: February 1, 2024

Cultural enrichment, learning, and experiencing new things are at the heart of travel, and in February we invite visitors into the celebration of Black History and current Black American culture that you can experience and soak in while you are here in Toledo!

 

Let's hear from some local Toledoans:

Photo courtesy of Rhonda

A true lover of arts & culture, Rhonda has stepped into the role of Director of Belonging and Community Engagement at the Toledo Museum of art. She has found measurable data points to ensure success in giving people who enter the museum a true sense of belonging. 

#RhondaHasSpoken | @RhondaSewell

 

Rhonda Sewell

Rhonda grew up in Toledo, then moved to Michigan for a time. After she earned her BA in Journalism, and attended The City University in London, England to study International Journalism, she put down roots back here in the Toledo Community. She was a Journalist at The Blade newspaper for several years, before moving to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and now operating in her role as Director of Belonging and Community Engagement at Toledo Museum of Art.

Q: What does your role at the Toledo Museum of Art entail?

A: “I am doing so much more than just DEAI.

I operationalize that, oversee a belonging committee, we have a belonging plan that we put together…and I am going to provide strategic measurables and data from that plan. I am kind of like holding the institution accountable for hitting the marks that we need to. By measuring and collecting data, we can see where we need improvements, where we are just fine, and how the community is responding."

Q: What kind of data is collected and how are you assessing where the museum is at with these DEAI initiatives?

A: “I am using a methodology called RBA, Results Based Accountability. Belonging is really a feeling, you feel welcomed or you feel like you belong, how do you measure that? So, RBA gives us the tools to measure it.

For example, one of our objectives is a transition to active outreach, meaning as an institution we want to go out in the field instead of everyone always coming to us. Our prime focus right now, is the 2 mile radius around the museum and in that 2 mile radius are 5 neighborhoods, that are all distinct. They are all underserved. We go out to trusted sources like libraries, community centers…and we go like 3 times a week with our teaching artists. We invite them into the museum once we establish trust.

We just want to be a little bit more responsive to our community, still with our mission, still with our values. Community, diversity, innovation and trust are the four values of our museum. We are being very strategic about how we are interacting with our community but we are still acquiring art and doing things that museums do. It is a dynamic shift.”

Q: How have you seen these strategies impact the community in your time in this role?

A: “We will put a scorecard on our new website so people can see in real time what we are doing because one of our strategies is to become a model museum, so that means we will air the good, the bad, the ugly…to try and improve the field of museum culture.

What I can tell you from observation and what people are talking about…we are doing really, really well when it comes to the feelings that people are feeling. They’re feeling more welcomed, they’re feeling more accepted, they are seeing themselves on the walls too.

One of the things that is so dynamic about Toledo is that we have a lot of pride in our anchor institutions just generally…and as far as collection goes, the museum is top 10 in the country. So what is this little unicorn place called Toledo? That has all these dynamic anchor institutions?

Me being a very proud Black, African American woman, to walk in and see Africa Unmasked, in gallery one…that we have been collecting African art for 65 years before it became fashionable in the art world.

It says something about the type of leadership that we had, Edward Drummond Libbey, and Florence Scott Libbey the co-founders of the museum had something in like a 1916 Blade article that said the museum was built by the people for the people. That is a sense of belonging back in 1916….that was forward thinking.

There is something about this city that really resonates with me forward thinking.”

Q: What does it mean for Black Toledoans to enter the museum and feel a sense of belonging?

A: "It means everything. It is kind of beyond definition in my opinion. Because when you walk into the hallowed halls of the museum and you cross that threshold you should immediately feel a sense of belonging.

I can have a tour of kids who might live in the Junction area and say ‘look at this Nubian Pharaoh…who looks like you!’ Who ruled Egypt. You can come to the museum and see actual ancient artifacts that tell a story about who your culture is and how important it was to civilization.

We’ve acquired some masterpieces by Black artists, like Bisa Butler and Kehinde Wiley…they resonate with people even if they don’t know a lot about art, just to see someone like you on the museum wall is pretty fascinating to me."

Q: How would you encourage visitors to interact with Black Culture in Toledo?

A: "One of my go-tos that makes me so very proud as an African American person is TolHouse. Owned by a millennial African American couple.

I live a few blocks away from Tolhouse, in the Wonder Bread building, which was developed by a black woman, Ambrea Mikolajczyk, of Ark Restoration. That makes me proud...It is the epitome of what Black Culture refers to as Black Excellence.

The Frederick Douglass Community Association, I think the things they are doing there is just incredible. The Toledo Black Artist Coalition, oh my gosh like, Yusuf Lateef, he is like, not only one of the leading abstract artists in our region, but in our nation.

I am always proud of our destinations here and I am always taking people to where culture happens like Lucille’s Jazz Club…Jazz was created by African Americans. That is just all Black History to me.

It’s our shared perspective…it is American history. All of us apart of the creation of that and we need to educate ourselves and our kids no matter what race, or religion or background, about the contributions of African Americans even in our city. We stand on shoulders so great in this community."

Q: How can people educate themselves and reframe their thinking during Black History Month?

A: “Find out more about historically why certain groups have been left out or become second class. I encourage them to do their own self learning and research.

As an advocate or an ally, you don’t always have to take up the mantle, but behind the scenes, if you are in a position of power that can help another culture rise up, then you use your influence. That’s power. Beyond reading White Fragility. It’s like in closed rooms where no one else is listening, correcting someone when they make a racial slur, when no non-whites are around. That to me, is the definition of being an ally or an advocate.

Do the self-learning, I think that is very important.”

 

Jaden Jefferson

Jaden is a self-made general assignment reporter and anchor in Toledo. He started out around the age of 11 and has been at this for about five years now, making appearances on local new channels, interviewing high profile individuals, and appearing in front of national audiences on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Live with Kelly and Ryan.

Q: What got you into this role in the community?

A: “I think for me it was just kind of a love of local news…for me it was like I want to be a part of this. This sounds like a fun career. And so, I was just going to different events and seeing what stories I could cover then…that was my way of getting into the news business…and seeing what the experience was going to be like”

Q: How has your role evolved as you have grown and what are you looking forward to?

A: “I think a lot has changed in the last 5 years. Learning different things about the technical aspects of the job…I am now more knowledgeable about where to get information and who to approach for information, so that has been a big change.

Seeing more of the not-so-positive stories, because I started with a lot of events, and things that were more uplifting…but I think now a lot of my focus has been on stories that can bring depth.

I am focused on things that we don’t cover enough. I think it’s a big deal to explore those stories…why are decisions made? Who makes them? Being able to see through politics…these issues aren’t red, blue, white, purple, they’re just issues and how are we going to solve them? I am just here to shine a light on those issues, and leave it up to the community to say ‘Alright, what are we gonna do about it?’”

Q: Have you encountered challenges in this industry because of race?

A: “There definitely can be a set expectation that people have. In the media…there are different portrayals of Black people and often times people seem almost surprised that I am just me.

I feel like an advantage is the fact that there is representation now in news, the fact that people can see a different type of person…to be able to offer a different kind of Black person than you may have seen on TV or in music.”

Q: How have you seen our Toledo community grow in these last 5 years?

A: “As a reporter, I see potential…for every negative story I cover, I say to myself, ‘there is something positive that can come out of this’…you meet so many people who are motivated to create change in their community.

That is really all you need. Motivated individuals who are willing to make change.

Darryl Brown is a recent example of that, I mean, a key to the city! You know and he has his own fashion line. I think there are definitely a lot of people like him that are just go-getters.”

Q: Where would you take friends when they visit Toledo?

A: “Glass City Metropark number one! You can sit right across the river from downtown Toledo and see it. Adams St. is another place that comes to mind because Ridge & River and Fowl & Fodder, one of my favorites, is there.

If you are visiting, it might just be worth it to consider staying!”

Q: What are your thoughts about Black History Month and how should people honor it?

A: “It is often associated with the negative history, when you think BHM you are thinking slavery, racism, you are thinking all these awful things. I really feel like it can be a celebration that is more current…while remembering where we started.

Why not use this as an opportunity to open ourselves up to more culture? I think that is what it is all about. It doesn’t have to be a dire or grim time. You can celebrate a Black business that you know, you can listen to some Black music. Whatever interest you may have, make that something that is a BHM celebration. It is an active holiday.

If you are a painter maybe look for some Black painters and check out their work…or if you are a musician, find some Black musical artists, if you watch TV, find some shows.”

 

Photo courtesy of Jaden

Jaden is a 15 going on 16 year old Multimedia Journalist, Anchor, Host, & Producer in the Toledo area. 

YouTube | Facebook | X | @Jaden_Reports

 

Photo courtesy of Jedah

Jedah McGee

Jedah is a native Toledoan and a University of Toledo grad who is using her media communications education and creative story-telling experience for her own brand, Jedah McGee Media, and as Lead Producer at Creadio; a local Black-owned, full service Marketing Agency.  

Q: In the past three years, how have you grown in work?

A: “Through Creadio I have been able to, just meet and get to know a lot more about Toledo than I probably otherwise wouldn’t have.

There is always things happening in Toledo, you never see that until you are out there doing it, or actively looking, and/or meeting the right people.

For Toledo its more about community, and you don’t know that until you are actually in the community and like getting to know people and forming relationships with people. And I didn’t recognize the importance of that until I started working with an agency like Creadio.

I wanted to be intentional about the type of work that I am doing and the type of stories that I tell. When I found out about Creadio it was that same exact thing. The way that Will [Lucas] has built Creadio to be this agency that doesn’t do what other agencies are doing. That really stood out to me…and I didn’t know that something like that existed in Toledo."

Q: What are some projects that you have worked on that have stood out to you?

A: “The projects that have stood out to me more are the ones that allot us the opportunity to be more creative. We do a lot of projects with the Toledo Museum of art and it was for Juneteenth. It was the “Out of the Dark” series…and online experience for the collaboration they did with TBAC (Toledo Black Artists Coalition) so that was a 10-minute documentary on the inception of the exhibition…that was one of the more creative storytelling projects.  

It is cool to see organization collaborating with other organizations, especially as it relates to things that are important to the Black Community. Obviously, Juneteenth is a holiday remembering the freedom of enslaved people during that time. So, to see an institution like the art museum wanting to kind of highlight that, incorporating the Black creatives in the community, that is a huge step, not only for the museum, but for the community.

Those are the types of projects that I love to be involved in.

Another…was a project with the City of Toledo, to bring awareness to the gun violence in Toledo. It was probably one of the most emotionally tolling projects that I have had to work on…cause I had to sit here and listen to all of these individuals tell their stories on how they lost somebody due to gun violence.

The sensitivity of this project is important to note and the fact that we were trusted with being able to deliver a meaningful yet timely message, I was grateful for the opportunity.

That to me is like what I love most about being able to put stories together like this. The ability to structure a story to get someone’s message across…a lot of that creativity comes from being in that moment. Still, keeping in mind, the very real stories and experiences that these individuals had to go through, is something that cannot go without acknowledging." 

Q: How would you describe the impact that this work has on the Toledo community?

A: “I think the significance of who is telling the story is important. I was purposefully put on projects like the Juneteenth one because I am apart of that community. There are ways to be very intentional about how you go about things. Someone who isn’t a part of that community probably wouldn’t have had the same perspective…to put the story together the way that it was put together.

Q: What are your thoughts on Black History month and how people can experience and honor it?

A: “Its always been something positive and celebratory. It’s nice to have a month but let’s make it a year!

I always love the opportunity to celebrate me and everything that makes me, uniquely me. Cause everybody has their own way…even in the Black Community…it is important to know the individuality.

I love that there is some sort of focus on the Black Community…even with my work when I first got started with my own business…I wanted to be intentional about telling stories about the people who are part of my community.

Q: Where would you suggest Visitors spend the day to experience Black Culture in Toledo?

A: “TolHouse is Black owned. You can spend the whole day here. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…and festivities! Earth is open to the public…and the food is really good! The coffee house itself, the staff are just really amazing people.

The Toledo Museum of art has become very intentional about the events that they have and what part of the community they are trying to appeal to. It has been very enlightening, to see how they are putting people in positions to create a space for all different kinds of people in Toledo.

Take a class at Callisto Terra…a candle making shop that is Black-owned…not only was the space made for candle making classes but its like a huge space for vendors to sell some of their work. Cedes-Rose Jewelry, also Black-owned, uses that space to teach classes and sell her work.

What is really cool about Black-owned small businesses…we are always looking to the right of us and to the left of us to see how we can involve other small businesses and collaborate and lift each other up.”

 

Tom Otieno

Tom was born and raised in Kenya and moved to Toledo at 23. He attended Owens Community College and worked as a Physical Therapy Assistant until COVID shut things down. He began to reassess what he wanted and left the medical field to found Jikoni offering East African catering and cooking classes, and of course the beloved local food truck.

Q: What was the process of starting Jikoni like?

A: “I can’t find my food anywhere, so I make it myself. It was scary leaving a full time job with a guaranteed pay check every two weeks, you know then stepping into to fending for yourself, but the response was what made me dig deeper. People really like it. When we first opened we sold out in an hour. So I was like 'Sweet! Let’s sell some food'!

I feel like most people have different notions when they think of African food, they think it’s scary, you know, there is a lot of misconceptions. Kenya is very diverse, with the Indian ocean and the spice trade, there is a lot of Indian and Arabic influence to it.

It’s like building a bridge, some people will never go to Kenya or Africa, but I feel like they will get to experience the food. I’m educating people on the culture on the food…making people Google Kenya…showing people that Kenya is a big place…it opens up peoples minds to learn more about Africa.”

Q: What would be your recommendations for foodies visiting Toledo?

A: “As a foodie in Toledo, Indian is my favorite. We have Tandoor, which I go a lot to, every other week. If I want some Pho, the one on Sylvania Ave., Pho Noodle. If I want a nice sit-down dinner I go to Souk and Sidon.

When I want brunch, they just opened up HangOverEasy in Perrysburg, its pretty good. Toledo is becoming more and more vibrant. I feel like we still need more ethnic cuisine…we don’t have any really traditional African…we have a lot of good Asian restaurants like QQ Kitchen.

Q: What is your vision for the future of Jikoni?

A: “Eventually I want to open a space where people can have good African food. Where you can get Kenyan coffee and chai tea.

People don’t realize how much hard work it is to have a food truck. It is a lot of work. It is very labor intensive, a lot can go wrong at any time…holding temps and keeping food safe, you know, towing this kitchen on wheels place to place. There is a lot of risk involved.

There’s a place in Detroit, it’s called Baobab Fare its East African. The food is really good. It is very cozy, very hip, very vibrant. My dream is to have a place like that in Toledo. I want to open up something that is different, something that people want to come back to, an experience.

You don’t see a lot of young Black men owning businesses and being successful. It would be good for every young black man to be like, ‘Hey, if he can do it, so can I.” My goal is to have a space where kids they can come learn, how to cook, how to make an egg for breakfast, how to shop. You don’t have to buy fast food all the time. I am also working with a local space in Toledo, a public space, for cooking classes with a stove and everything where people can come learn.

I just want to have a space for young black kids to cook and learn and stay off the streets. Empower them to dream big and that they can be successful. You can make it in Toledo. This city is very receptive and there is a lot of people who want to help.”

Q: How has growing up in Kenya shaped your view of Black History?

A: “People think that because you are African, you are the same as an African American. We are the same skin color, but the way we were shaped was totally different.

When I first opened my food truck, I thought most of my clients were going to be Black people, and that wasn’t the case. It has been a lot of education about the food, they are used to a certain American cuisine, Creole, or Soul food. They haven’t grown up with East African food.

People who were raised here view white people differently. All the horrible past that happened to African Americans in this country, it was terrible, the history is very hard. But I didn’t experience that.

For someone who was raised in Kenya…it was colonized by the British, and then we gained our independence, and ahhh yep, there was no more white people. We didn’t see white people in every day life. There was no reminder.

It has been hard for African Americans because white people never “moved out.” There’s no like, closure. I see that tension all the time, that has been hard. There is a lot of division. But as a Black man who was raised in Africa, I am learning.

I wish MLK was alive now, just to see the situation. I feel like we still have a long way to go. There are still spaces, that as a Black man I don’t feel comfortable going into, you know? But also, we have come along way too. I believe there is good than bad. That is a win.”

 

Click here to read interviews from last year's edition!

photo courtesy of Tom

Tom is a rising star in the Toledo community, as he left the medical industry to venture out on his own, he has built a business that allows people to learn about and taste the flavors of East Africa.

Jikoni Toledo | @jikoniToledo

 

 

Highlighting Black-owned businesses

Black Frog Brewery

Jamaican Spice

Jera's Heavenly Sweet

One of the most direct ways you can support the Black community all year long is shopping at the local, Black-owned businesses in your community and when you travel. There's a huge variety of Black-owned businesses in the Toledo area offering tasty cuisine, craft beer, unique art and retail shopping and more. We've compiled a growing list just for you!

Check out the list here!

 

 

Black History Month Programming

More events will be added as they go live

Black History Month Kickoff
University of Toledo
Thursday, February 1 | 6 p.m.

Nikki D & the Sisters of Thunder
Lucille's Jazz Lounge | TolHouse
Saturday, February 10 | Doors open at 7:15

Cultural Cooking Series | A Taste of Congolese Cuisine
Toledo Lucas County Public Library | Main Branch
Saturday, February 10, 2024 | 2 p.m.

Black Art Exhibition and Mixer
TolHouse
Friday, February 16, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Toledo Symphony Black History Month Performance
Lucille's Jazz Lounge | TolHouse
Saturday, February 17, 2024

LGBTQ+ Black Excellence Mixer
Golden Hind Wine Bar
Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Speed Mentoring with Black Leaders
TolHouse
Thursday, February 22, 2024 | 5:30 p.m.

A Night of Black Voices
Collingwood Arts Center
Saturday, February 24, 2024 | 7 p.m.

Black Excellence in the Drag Community
The Ottawa Tavern
Sunday, February 25, 2024 | 1 p.m.

Africa Unmasked Exhibit
Toledo Museum of Art
All Month Long

 

Notable Black Toledoans

Art Tatum

Darryl Brown | Photo courtesy of Midwest Kids

Angela Lucas

Jon Hendricks

Crystal Ellis

Fletcher Word

Will Lucas

Jean Holden

Ramona Collins

Ambrea Mikolajczyk | Photo by AByrdsEyePhoto

Nate Washington

Clifford Murphy

 

Those shown above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talented Black individuals putting Toledo on the map!

Art Tatum | Jazz Pianist
Arthur Tatum Jr. was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in his field. From early in his career, Tatum's technical ability was acclaimed by fellow musicians as extraordinary. (Source: Britannica)

Crystal Ellis | Educator
In December 1990, Crystal Ellis became the first African American superintendent for Toledo Public Schools. First hired by TPS in 1969, Ellis served as a basketball coach at Libbey, as principal at Hamilton School (later renamed Leverette), and as superintendent (from 1990 until 1996). He came back to the district in 2006 for a short time to serve as acting chief of staff. He currently resides in Toledo and is 90. (Source: Toledo Publilc Schools)

Ramona Collins | Jazz Vocalist
Ramona is a jazz staple and has been performing in Toledo for over 50 years and has a commanding stage presence and a soulful voice. (Source: RamonaCollins.com)

Darryl Brown | Midwest Kids
Brown is the founder of the athleticwear line Midwest Kids and his namesake DB workwear line. Midwest Kids is a brand that reflects the soul of creatives from our region. That same soul carries the values that were implemented in us throughout our lives. That we take everywhere. (Source: Midwest Kids)

Fletcher Word | Publisher
Owner and publisher of The Sojourner’s Truth, a weekly newspaper that serves the northwest Ohio area and brings its readers information about the local, state and national African-American community. (Source: WGTE Public Media)

Ambrea Mikolajczyk | ARK Restoration & Construction
Ambrea is the owner of ARK Restoration & Construction, which develops real estate, manages properties, and restores distressed structures to increase property values and elevate real estate quality in northwest Ohio. (Source: 20 Under 40 Toledo)

Will Lucas | Entrepreneur
Will Lucas is a serial entrepreneur and content creator. He is founder and CEO at Creadio, a marketing and production agency, and serves as Brand Manager for both AfroTech and Black Tech Green Money, where he leads brand strategy. (Source: Willlucas.co)

Angela Lucas | Entrepreneur
Angela Lucas is Founder and CEO at Made With Purpose, LLC, a branding strategy firm based in Toledo, Ohio as well as Co-founder of Creadio and co-owner of TolHouse with her husband Will Lucas.