2023 Annual Report

Bulldogs: THEN, NOW, FOREVER

As each year passes with Stow Collaboration for Change (SC4C), I continue to be humbled by the passion and effort put forth for the community of Stow by our members and affiliates. While some corners of the country are beginning to shutter their DEI campaigns, Stow continues to build a community that lets its citizens share their truths, build their identities, and seek a sense of inclusion and equity. 

SC4C has continued in its spirit of working together to make progress hand-in-hand with the Community Subcommittee of the Stow DEI Initiative, and is a constant presence during school board meetings. Our members’ missions continue to put advocacy for students and safe, inclusive schools at the forefront when deciding where our assistance can be used most effectively.

Our partnership with the Initiative to Memorialize George Garrison, Jr. finally came to fruition in the form of a physical monument at Wetmore Park, next to Holy Family School. Throughout the last year, Stow citizens have enjoyed a peaceful place to sit and bask in memory and introspection. Each year the memorial will bring a new bloom of wildflowers that can be enjoyed by all who pass.

As we navigate the coming years successes and challenges, SC4C will continue to be a beacon for student voices. We will continue to be available to young people who feel that their voices are not heard or valued. We continue to believe that Stow will become the version of itself that it wants to be: a true and welcoming home to all.

With love and solidarity,

Miguel J. Carvallo
President, SC4C

We supported the passage of the SMF school levy, and Nancy Brown’s and Kari Suhadolnik’s successful school board re-election campaigns, by posting on social media, publishing interviews, and canvassing door-to-door.

We also helped inspire the board to create a student representative position, and rallied the community to support passing the SMF Schools Anti-Racism Policy, which outlined specific steps for ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in the district.

We celebrated Pride Month, and helped demonstrate support for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Greater SMF area, by distributing free mini pride flags, during the month of June.

We helped the SMF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Community Subcommittee plan and facilitate the Celebrating Juneteenth: Community Conversations + Reflections event, at the Leona Farris Lodge.

We also invited the Executive Director of Akron AIDS Collaborative, Steve Arrington, to speak at there, and collected donations on behalf of his organization.

We worked with the Initiative to Memorialize George Garrison, Jr. to complete the George R. Garrison, Jr. Unity Memorial in Wetmore Park, and helped host a dedication ceremony for it.

We also helped the Initiative select and award the second annual George R. Garrison, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, worth $1,000, to a SMF High School senior.

We raised $750 for Caring for Kids, a local nonprofit adoption, foster care, and birth parent services agency, so that they could buy Christmas presents for local foster children.

We created an extensive sample ballot for the November 2023 general election, and educated people on the dangers of Ohio’s Issue One.