This week's guest bloggers are no strangers to us at Soapbox - in fact, they're one of us (doesn't make them any less stranger though). Publisher Dacia Snider is the engine that makes Soapbox go and chief custodian of the principles that guide our evolving take on the new narrative about Cincinnati. And every new publication needs a spark before it can burn brightly and Soapbox's firestarter is Eric Avner. This week, they'll both take stock of Soapbox's first two years and shine a light on some exciting future developments as well.
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Soapblog: Eric Avner
Posted By: Dacia Snider & Eric Avner
2/10/2010
When we launched this experiment two years ago on another snowy day, I'll admit I wasn't sure it would work.
Don't get me wrong. I knew - heck, we all knew - Soapbox was needed. How much more coverage did we need of car wrecks, racial distrust, and losing teams? I was sure that if Soapbox could shine a bright light on the achievements and aspirations of our region's talented, innovative, and diverse residents and businesses, people would take notice. You certainly have responded.
Elsewhere in this issue you can find the statistics. More and more Soapbox readers every month. More and more Soapbox stories finding their way into other media. More and more people mentioning Soapbox as their preferred source of learning about our region’s successes. Thank you for your support so far, but we know our work is not done…
I spent the last week up in Canada dealing with the death of a parent. My dad was a modest, self-effacing guy who nonetheless touched a lot of lives, and by extension, changed the world around him. Without getting melodramatic, I will say that this past week has strengthened my resolve to continue our progress in changing the perception of our region. Don't underestimate the reach of Cincinnati and Cincinnatians. Even in London, Ontario, people are watching us, learning from us, modeling their programs after ours, eating our ice cream. Which Cincinnati stories do you want people in Canada - or in West Chester, Chicago, or Beijing - to read and repeat?
This past week - and the past two years - has confirmed for me the imperative of continually telling the world about the Cincinnati that Soapbox sees. Instead of focusing on deficits (that all cities have), let's continue to point out our unique opportunities. Instead of lamenting about a business closing, let's continue to celebrate our newest entrepreneurs. Instead of being preoccupied with the effects of historic disinvestment, let's tell the stories of urban neighborhoods being rediscovered. This is what Soapbox was created to do, and I have no doubt that Soapbox will continue to lead down this path.
On the occasion of Soapbox’s 100th issue and 2nd birthday, I encourage you to celebrate our success. However, I also hope that you'll continue to help us help the region by sending us story ideas, by encouraging your friends and co-workers to subscribe, or by forwarding a particularly compelling story to your social network. Soapbox hasn't become a valued part of this region’s media ecosystem by accident. It's happened because of you - our dedicated, connected, inspirational Soapbox readers. I only started the fire. It's up to you -and all of us - to fan the flames.