Stories of Akron: Highland Square residents discuss their home town (Article and Audio)

“If you talk to people outside of Akron about Akron, they’re like ‘oh yeah, whatever Akron,’ or they haven’t even heard of it at all.”

-Nalani Rodgers, 16

 

“There’s a lot of updates and advancements, I feel like, they need to be more successful,”

-Jeff Hogan, 16

 

 

 

 

“Family. Family style living. New York City is very fast paced. Not that it doesn’t have its suburbia areas; however, Akron, I just feel comfortable here. Ya know, it’s warm, friendly, you have a lot of good people here.”

-Danette Lewis, NYC native

 

“If there was anything I could change in Akron, it would be the level of violence taking place among our youth. Their access to guns and ammunition and to provide more support and programming for families that are really struggling.”

-Donald Lomax, Chief Deputy Clerk at Summit County Juvenile Court

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s (Highland Square) where everything good happens. It’s where people try new things. It’s where people start new businesses. It’s where differences all come together, so we celebrate those differences.”

-Eric Jones, Akronite since 1994

 

 

 

“Akron memory is my childhood like the Soap Box Derby, camping, that sort of thing.”

-Jim King, Co-owner of Angel Falls Coffee Company 

 

 

“I think it (vinyl) sounds better. I think it shows more respect to the artist when you buy it. I want to make sure they’re able to keep making the stuff that I love.”

-Riley Kmat, a recent purchaser of a Temples album at Square Records