Building Together: Recap of the First East Wheeling Forum

The first East Wheeling Forum is in the books, and we want to thank everyone who came out and joined the conversation about building this community together. Every person in that room added something, and that’s what this Forum is for.

Thank you to our partners and speakers

We want to give a special shout-out to our community partners at Market Miners Group. They’re building right here in the community, they spoke at the Forum, and they’ll keep working with us, including helping bring programming to our youth.

Thank you to our Councilwoman, Mrs. Connie Cain, who spoke about Clay School and the new proposal that will be submitted next year. This is where you come in. Councilwoman Cain needs to hear from us. What would you like to see go in place of Clay School? Reach out to her, share your ideas, and make sure East Wheeling’s voice is part of that decision.

[Photo: speakers addressing the room]

East Wheeling’s history, told by someone who lived it

Mr. Jimmy Martin gave an oration on East Wheeling’s history, and it was fascinating. Many people may not know that the first Jacks Produce wasn’t at 15th and Wood. It was on 13th Street, which was wild to hear. There were also several other stores in East Wheeling, including one on 12th Street.

Mr. Martin spoke about the American Legion, what it means to him, and what it did for the East Wheeling community. That should never be forgotten. He also spoke about Urban Renewal and how it displaced many Black businesses, buildings, and residents.

Mr. Martin has lived in East Wheeling his whole life. Firsthand experience and storytelling like his help us understand who we are as a community, what this place means to the people who live here, and what it takes, with the right opportunities, to sustain and grow a community like ours.

What’s next

The East Wheeling Forum is a quarterly event, and we’re planning the next one for around February or March. It will keep doing what it’s here for: bringing the community together to share our history, talk about what we need, and build partnerships to get the work done. We’ll share details with the community and the public early and often so everyone gets a chance to come.

We’re also launching our next event and program initiative, and it’s youth-focused, for students in grades 5 through 12. We have a lot planned, so please encourage your children to get involved. It’s going to be a great experience for them.

Stay tuned, stay connected, and keep the conversation going.

Rebuilding a community takes a community.

East Wheeling Cooperative · eastwheelingco.org