Cincinnati: the Queen City.
Philadelphia: the City of Brotherly Love.
Las Vegas: “What happens here, stays here."
Fort Myers: the City of Palms.
Many major cities throughout the United States have a nickname, a slogan, or something they’re known for. As I watch the Cleveland skyline recede in the distance while on a flight to Chicago (aka the Windy City), I think of the city’s undeserved less-than-reputable character. A classic tagline for this average city on a great lake is a failed attempt at trying to be optimistic: “At least we’re not Detroit."
So basically, “things are bad, but hey, they could be worse!” How am I supposed to keep alive some hometown pride at an out-of-state school when all Cleveland is known for is our losing professional sports teams, poverty, crime rate, and overall lack of grandeur? Granted, my home is a small town 40 miles west of Cleveland, but I find that the whole northeast coast of Ohio often gets a bad name for being associated with Cl*****nd, aka the Mistake on the Lake.
All it takes is to look up “Fake Cleveland tourism video” on YouTube to understand why I struggle with maintaining pride in the urban companion to my small-town home. The two-part video series contains some of the following lyrics, while showing footage of the correlating site: “Come take a look at both of our buildings” (for the record, we have more than two buildings. Promise.); “Here’s the place where there used to be industry” (cue shot of derelict industrial building); “This train is carrying jobs out of Cleveland” (surely we can’t be the only city with unemployment). And of course the final line of the song is the classic “At least we’re not Detroit”. The creators of the video remind us Clevelanders that, despite it all, we can take comfort in the fact that we are not yet at the level of a city that has declared bankruptcy. Oh good, what a relief, right? ….Right?!
[Disclaimer: if you do in fact watch the video, please keep in mind that every city has less than desirable parts to it. This video highlights Cleveland’s and in doing so does not address any positive aspect of the city. (And yes there are positive aspects!)]
Cleveland is not the greatest city on Earth. I will not attempt to argue differently. There are countless cities in America, let alone the world, that can boast lower crime and poverty rates, higher employment rates, and a…let’s just say… better aesthetic appeal. Cleveland is home to the Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns, all of which are average professional sports teams at best. Cleveland is home to a river that has literally caught on fire. Cleveland is… well, it’s Cleveland. And gosh darn it, it’s home (or close to it).
It took me until my freshman year of college, when I found myself in landlocked Kentucky, to truly discover my appreciation for northern Ohio, Cleveland included. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and “they” could not be more accurate. After having an extended time away from Lake Erie and all its wonders, I realized that Cleveland is not just a grim city that’s past it’s prime. Quite the opposite. Cleveland is a city that will not be defeated, no matter how hard the rest of the nation- and the state of Ohio itself- may try to bring it down.
I’ve decided it’s time for people to reevaluate their conception of the city whose claim to fame is that it isn’t Detroit. Cleveland is a city of believers. It’s a city of hope. It’s a city of resilience. We may get knocked down, and we may stay down for awhile, but we will always get back up. You would have a hard time finding a group of people who have so much pride in a severely underrated city. The Cleveland Browns may have losing season after losing season, but you can place money on the fact that the fans will not be deterred. They have hope. Things may look bleak, but they will grip their season tickets with vigor and proclaim that next year will be “our year”.
The same attitude is true of all citizens of Cleveland, whether or not they are sports fans. There’s a reason a recently emerging nickname for Cleveland is “Believeland," a name which will hopefully continue to increase in popularity. The people of Cleveland never stop believing. They never give up. We could all stand to learn a lesson from the unwavering Cleveland faith and optimism. I believe there’s beauty in everything if you look hard enough. You may have to look a little harder in Cleveland, but the beauty is undoubtedly there. Take a walk through our theatre district and then dine on 4th Street before catching a ball game at Progressive Field on “Fireworks Friday”. Take a walk around University Circle and visit our museums where you can learn of the historical significance of northern Ohio. Stand outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and look out over the lake, picturing your afternoon at Huntington Beach. Not only does Cleveland have true beauty, but it also has potential, and slowly but surely we will live up to it.
We were great once- we’re a former industrial power of the Midwest (hello, have you ever heard of U.S. Steel?)- and will be great again. All it takes is will power, gumption, and hard work. Cleveland lacks none of these. We embody the saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. We have not given up hope, and don’t plan on doing so anytime soon. It took me almost 19 years, but I’ve never been more proud of being a resident of “the Cleveland area”. My roots and heart are in northern Ohio, and it’s time I start acting like it. I have faith in Cleveland. With citizens this passionate about and dedicated to an often overlooked city, anything is possible. We refuse to sit by while the rest of the state tries to make a mockery us. We will stand by Cleveland until the very end, and never waver in our pride or confidence while doing so.
No, we are not Detroit. We’re not Cincinnati. We’re not New York City. We are Cleveland. And we wouldn’t want to be anything else.
