Browse Interviews

Florence Sutowski was born in 1927 and has spent her entire life in the Tremont neighborhood. Sutowski describes Tremont as a safe and ethnically diverse community, primarily inhabited by Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, and Russian immigrants who worked in local steel mills. She reflects on the strong sense of community, where residents often left their doors unlocked and intermarriage among ethnic groups was common, despite some preference for marrying within one's own ethnicity. Sutowski shares her…

Tommy Thompson, who lived in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, from August 1994 to August 1995, discusses his motivations for choosing Tremont, seeking an urban lifestyle close to downtown amid limited residential options at the time. He describes the neighborhood as being in the early stages of gentrification, characterized by a mix of newly renovated apartments and older, dilapidated housing. Thompson shares his experiences with crime and safety concerns, highlighting a divide…

Marge Misak recollects her early life growing up in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and attending Northwestern University where she received a degree in Journalism and met her husband, Jim. The young family then moved to Clinton, North Carolina, for four years where Misak got involved in a migrant ministry programs. The Misaks eventually decided to move to the Near West Side where they found a sense of community through Cleveland's Catholic Worker. While living on the Near West Side, Misak was…

Maria Smith recollects her early life growing up in Jefferson City, Missouri, attending Catholic schools and later studying Political Science in college. Smith decided to go to law school soon after, later reconnecting with her faith. Smith highlights the need to find community in her life, which eventually led her to Cleveland’s Near West Side. Smith and her husband were involved in the Witness for Peace where they lived and worked in Nicaragua during the Contra War. They would eventually live…

Lifelong Clevelander Chuck E. Hoven recollects his early life growing up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood and attending St. Ignatius High School. Hoven attended John Carroll University as an undergraduate and later attended Cleveland State University for graduate school. Hoven shares his involvement as managing editor for Cleveland's Plain Press, which is a vehicle for many people to raise awareness on community issues like affordable housing. Hoven highlights the imbalances of community…

Gail Long recalls her early education which eventually led her to Cleveland’s Near West Side. Long worked as a community organizer at the West Side Community House, where she helped organize community block clubs that dealt with various issues in the neighborhood. She focuses on the affordability and gentrification of the Near West Side along with her involvement in Tremont’s Merrick House. Long recollects various initiatives she was a part of like the efforts to stop the privatization of Metro…

This oral history interview with Bernard Sokolowski, conducted on October 15, 2003, captures his reflections on life and business in Tremont, Cleveland. Sokolowski discusses his role as the third-generation owner of Sokolowski’s University Inn, a family-operated restaurant established in 1923. He provides insights into the evolution of Tremont, noting the neighborhood's shift from a working-class, family-oriented community to one dominated by single professionals and gentrification. Sokolowski…

This oral history interview with Gene Tracy, conducted on October 29, 2003, by Michelle Burk, explores Tracy's experiences and observations of the Tremont neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. Tracy discusses his long-term familiarity with the area, the changes brought by gentrification, and the impact on the local artist community. He reflects on the transformation of Tremont from a vibrant, diverse neighborhood into one increasingly dominated by wealthier new residents and developers, leading to…

In this oral history interview, Walter Wright discusses his experiences as a long-time resident and commercial development director in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. He provides a detailed account of the neighborhood's history, highlighting its transformation from an industrial hub to a diverse, revitalized community. Wright elaborates on the role of the Tremont West Development Corporation in fostering economic development, preserving historic architecture, and addressing…

Near West Side resident Mike Fiala recollects how his early life experiences shaped his role in Cleveland's Catholic Worker movement. He shares his involvement in activism on behalf of affordable housing and providing services for unhoused people on the Near West Side. Fiala highlights the rise of gentrification in the Near West Side, along with the expansion of St. Ignatius High School. He also recollects his involvement in the 2015 March for Tamir Rice.

Near West Side resident Kathleen McDonnell recollects her arrival to the Near West Side and her efforts as a community organizer. McDonnell shares her involvement as a mediator for Cleveland Mediation Center and as an educator on mediation in Euclid High School. She shares her experience dealing with a hazardous waste recycling facility in a residential area and the arrival of lawyers to pressure the Northeast Chemical Corporation to relocate operations away from the neighborhood. McDonnell…

Megan Wilson-Reitz recollects her early life growing up in a diverse community which steered her towards a life of faith and social justice. Wilson-Reitz shares her involvement with community organizing in the Cleveland Nonviolence Network, the Cleveland Catholic Worker, and then her role as a board member for the Ohio City Near West Development Corporation.

Elliot Gordon is interviewed for his thoughts on Cleveland and its development since he moved to the city for school in the 1980s. Poor sound quality.