For Black History Month, students from Akron, OH were invited to go on the annual Rosa Parks Tour through the Akron Area YMCA. The Rosa Parks tour aims to educate our youth while also allowing them to see different aspects of their community.
The tour began at Rooted in Christ Church with a healthy breakfast to start off strong. After breakfast, the students then went to the City of Akron City Hall to meet and hear from multiple staff members. These men and women included the Youth Opportunities Strategist, the Director of DEI, the Assistant to the Chief of Staff, and the Cultural Coordinator for DEI. These individuals took an hour out of their day to not only explain what they do but also how they got there and the mentors that helped them along the way.
The Youth Opportunities Strategist, Denico Buckley-Knight, had this to say when talking to the kids: “One of the coolest things that I heard, this is representing the north side of Akron, the east side, the south side, and I think it’s really important for you to understand that although you represent a community, this collective, we are Akron.”
After visiting the City of Akron City Hall, the next stop on the tour was the newest fire station in Akron, Station 12. At Station 12, the students got to learn about the inner workings of being a firefighter, including where they sleep, train, and relax. During this section of the tour, firefighter DJ Costa and Lieutenant William Carter also spoke about the importance of firefighters and their role within the Akron community. Before leaving Station 12, the students also had the opportunity to see paramedics arrive back at the station and talk with them.
After finishing up at Station 12, the students then went to the Akron Zoo to see the new Black History Exhibit. Jessica Skelnar, an MBA Grants Specialist, took the students around the exhibit to learn more about the history of Akron as it pertains to Black History and the Akron Zoo. Students got to get hands-on experience with items from the past as well as gain fruitful knowledge of the history made in their backyard.
After visiting the Akron Zoo, the students made one last stop at the Firestone Park YMCA for the Rosa Parks Tour Luncheon. During this time, students served a healthy lunch with speakers including Executive Director of the Firestone Park YMCA Kishan Patel, the President and CEO of the Akron Area YMCA Jill Kolesar, and the keynote speaker for the day, Ms. Tammy Monroe. Jill Kolesar and Tammy Monroe discussed how amazing the students are and how just going on this tour and being a proud part of this community has already put them on the path of excellence.
When asked about why the Akron Area YMCA does the Rosa Parks Tour, the Vice President of DEI at the Akron Area YMCA Tony Grimes had this to say, “It’s really important because it’s part of Black History Month and we teach them along the way. I think it’s just a great opportunity, anytime we can engage kids we’re doing the right thing.”