Neighborhood Solutions, a LIVE Community Conversation
While the calendar year may change, the challenges that impact communities in Southwest Ohio persist in 2026. The responses to those issues, whether they are related to housing, health, poverty or something else, also continue. Focusing on the solutions that may lead to more thriving neighborhoods is the foundation and purpose of this Brick by Brick endeavor, or as our host and producer Ann Thompson likes to say, “It’s journalism for good.”
Over the past season and a half of reporting on the regular podcast, the TV series, or here on the webpage, we have been exploring numerous solutions related to housing access and supply, eviction, community voice, health and more. This journalism is meant to provide both a re-framing of the challenges we face as well as offer clear information around viable responses so that we all have the data we need to make collective decisions moving forward.
In that vein, this past November Brick by Brick was officially able to add our first in-person community event to our methods of solutions and public engagement. It was an exciting evening and conversation, as experts who directly work in the community discussed the ongoing issues, as well as potential fixes. Our panelists included: Mike Squire, Dayton community engagement division manager; Adam Blake, vice president of housing with developer CountyCorp; Destiny Brown, a community organizer with Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (A.B.L.E.) as well as founder of the Dayton Tenant Union; and Matthew Sauer, a local architect, preservationist, and planning board member. Their collective experience and insights make this a conversation worthwhile of your time, especially since many of the challenges we face at the hyper-local level have parallels across our region, state, and country. We can all learn from each other.
This event would not have been possible without the partnership and collaboration of Dayton Metro Library, the Dayton Daily News, and the Journalism Lab. We thank them and share our appreciation for their thoughtful contributions that allowed us to make this forum happen. We look forward to future events out in the communities we serve, and hope you’ll consider attending if one pops up near you.
While our episode was edited for time and presentation, the full transcript for this event can also be found HERE.
We want to hear from you. What did you think about the conversation? Are you seeing similar problems in your own community and neighborhood? Sharing your thoughts and opinions helps us sustain this work. It also allows us to learn about the solutions near you. This “journalism for good” is not just a one-way communication; your feedback and thoughts help shape and inspire this effort. So, don’t wait until the next election to sound off on the solutions that resonate with you. Click the green button and share your thoughts today. We appreciate every neighbor we hear from.
Mark Lammers – Executive Producer
Mark is an award-winning storyteller, producer, and a native-Cincinnatian. As a fresh Ohio University graduate, he jumped into producing broadcast news with CBS affiliate KKTV in Colorado Springs, CO. Gaining insight over a half-decade, Mark then pivoted to production management, helping Amazon Studios produce and launch its first line of original streaming series in Los Angeles. From there, Mark and his wife Sheena (a fellow Cincinnatian) returned to the Queen City to start a family and serve as executive producer and director of local content for Public Media Connect, CET and ThinkTV. Since joining the team, he’s earned numerous regional Emmy awards. Mark hopes this effort – to highlight solutions while contextualizing our social problems – will empower more of our neighbors to engage with each other to create a better future for us all.
