Gerald Mack

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH:

I live across the railroad tracks, some would call it across town, some would call maybe like the West End, right around where Douglas Park is. It’s a photo of me being active with some of the youth in our community. I think it's imperative that we pour into our youth and just pass the baton. Help them grow from our knowledge.

The photo represents Middie Pride because we're a close-knit community. Middie Pride is just like a sense of leadership, a sense of optimism within our community. And that photo represents that I believe, to the fullest. It's so organic. To be a mentor into the community is about purpose. When the photo was taken, I actually was just coming off of my first coaching, volunteering as a basketball coach. That coaching experience changed my life, because I never thought that I would be coaching. And just from a volunteer standpoint, it gave me a different outlook on life as to what it means to give back to the community. 

I wish everyone knew that Middletown was a hidden gem in between Cincinnati and Dayton with a lot of potential. One of the strengths is safety. I feel like our kids are safe in this community. There’s not a lot of violence in our community. A lot of the community knows each other. That's our strength. This is a city that I grew up in, born and raised in. The optimism of it becoming this mega small city gives me hope. But it's also something that keeps you excited because you see the potential, and it's just a great place to live.