Join ArtsNow for the next installment of our Dreamers and Doers series with a conversation between Suzie Graham, President & CEO of the Downtown Akron Partnership, and Josy Jones, Founder of The Chameleon Theatre Collective. It promises to be a wonderful discussion with two inventive community leaders.

Suzie mobilizes positive partnerships and oversees the design and implementation of programs and services to address the needs of the neighborhood and improve its vitality. She facilitates efforts to enhance and promote downtown as an economic driver, hub for arts and culture, guardian of social equity, community gathering space and keeper of the city’s sense of place. She works closely with government, corporate, education, non-profit, human services and small business stakeholders. Prior to her work with DAP, Suzie served the city of Akron for 18 years including coordinating Arts and Children’s programs for the Office of the Mayor. An Akron native, Suzie is honored to serve on the board of directors for Akron Roundtable and Development Finance Authority. She is a graduate of Leadership Akron Class 29, recipient of the 2011 Human Values Award and 2012 GAR Glass Half Full Award.

Josy is an actor, director, playwright and community organizer. With a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and International Relations, her work has always been focused on providing a platform to amplify the voices of different communities. Jones’ goal is to shine a light on under-utilized and underappreciated spaces and businesses, provide space for artists to explore their talents, and be a force for making theatre an inclusive artform. Out of these goals, the Chameleon Village was born in 2015. Awarded the 2018 Emerging Cities Champions Fellowship through 880s Cities and the Knight Foundation, Jones created a walking site-specific theatre tour through the Cascade Valley neighborhood called “Reimagining the Village.” This project provided residents of the neighborhood the opportunity to learn playwriting, activate underappreciated space and reshape the narrative of their neighborhood. Her work has activated tattoo parlors, art galleries, created walking theatrical pieces and provided many opportunities for creatives to explore their practices through mentorship and new project development. Jones hopes to help site-specific theatre shape economic development through community engagement.

Thank you to Akron Community Foundation and Knight Foundation for making this series possible!