Pomp and Circumstances

On Saturday, May 20^th, Tower City opened its doors to a brand new tenant. Occupying the location once home to the Disney Store, Adoption Network Cleveland begins a one year lease in the shopping complex to lodge its Heart Gallery, a hub of information for potential parents and an artistic exhibit for portraits of area children impatiently waiting for love and protection.

Twenty feet past the glistening new gallery stands Victoria’s Secret.

On Detroit Avenue, just across the RTA station on West Boulevard, towered a large billboard encouraging daily commuters not to give up hope for the city’s lost children. 16 year-old Gina DeJesus has been missing since April of 2004. Amanda Berry was last seen in April of 2003 when she was 17. Up until a week ago, their images haunted the consciousness of Westside citizens, reminding them to never forget.

Now that same billboard space advertises for a popular brand of fruit-flavored alcoholic beverage.

On Friday, May 26^th, The Plain Dealer included a special three-piece, 24 page insert section, with the front cover brandishing a bright evening image of the city’s skyline and the text “We Believe in Cleveland” emblazoned across the top of the horizon. Inside ran a litany of Northeast Ohio success stories, tales of human interest, endorsements from local celebrities, and celebrations for the indomitable spirit that proves that the region is alive and well.

The first headline of the Metro section that morning read “Kids on school outing find boy shot”.

This is a city of juxtapositions, where the contradictions flow as thick as the river. And through all of the misdirection and deception found on these streets, it is often difficult to ever truly know whether life is coming or going. Are we represented by the man sleeping on the public bench, or by the gleaming skyscraper giving him shade from the afternoon sun?

Another graduation season storms the region again this spring, and the city’s most hopeful and least jaded dream about a future of success, security, adrenaline, and love. Many of them never envision that future here. Those surrounded by the loneliness, fear, and pain cannot see triumph in this place. Those force-fed promises of the sexy and invulnerable cannot see past the desire for an unattainable utopian promise elsewhere. Only in honesty can the class of 2006 know the evil and triumph that grew up here alongside them, know that this a very flawed home, and know that there are incredible obstacles to be cleared; and in that, have some sort of faith that maybe the good can overcome the negative, that we can win out over the adversity, and that there is a future somewhere here on the shores of Lake Erie. Either be honest, or everything is just a lie.

Welcome to Cleveland, students. Hope you’ve enjoyed your stay.