Each week, #SpanningtheNeed will present an “Inspirational Person of the Week’ and have a “Q & A” with one of its many gifted individuals and/or groups who are willing to go out of their own way to help others. This week’s featured is Phil Kidd from City of Cleveland, a former Mahoning Valley resident.
Name: Phil Kidd
Position: Complete & Green Streets / Trail Coordinator (City of Cleveland)
Organization: City of Cleveland
Phil Kidd is the Complete & Green Streets / Trail Coordinator for the City of Cleveland. In this role, he coordinates the design of major road rehabilitation and trail projects throughout the city.
Previously, he was the Special Projects Manager for Northwest Neighborhoods CDC where he managed the Gordon Square Special Improvement District as well as coordinated green infrastructure, active transportation, affordable housing policy and tree canopy work.
During his time in Youngstown, Phil served as the City of Youngstown Director of Events & Special Projects; Senior Organizer with the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative; Staff Consultant for the YSU Journalism Department; Associate Director of Youngstown CityScape and; was owner of Youngstown Nation and author of the blog, Defend Youngstown.
He was also a co-founder of the former City Club of the Mahoning Valley and is a Community Affiliate with the YSU Center for Working Class Studies.
Phil has a Masters Degree from Youngstown State University and he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Studies & Public Affairs at Cleveland State University.
He is a graduate of Leadership Mahoning Valley and the Mahoning Valley Local Government Leadership Academy; was named ‘Most Valuable Professional’ by the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals organization and; and remains a board member of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.
What made you want to go into this field?
My parents worked in similar fields. So, I grew up around this work (although I didn’t fully understand what they did that time). After college, I served as an officer in the Army but missed Youngstown and wanted to return to participate in the Youngstown 2010 planning process. When Jay Williams was elected mayor, I decided to stick around and there was more opportunity to get involved in community development and planning related work which I did through a variety of roles while in Youngstown. My work in Youngstown led to my opportunities in Cleveland (although I’m still very connected to Youngstown). I’m 15-20 years in and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful?
I experienced some family tragedy at a young age which hardened my world view and taught me to self-reliant and driven. I was also raised by a supportive and civic-minded family which helped shape what I wanted to do with my life, which was to help build community.
What is the biggest professional mistake you made along the way?
Oh, man – where to begin! In my early days of “activism” in Youngstown, I developed a popular blog/social media network called “Defend Youngstown”. It was quite large and a lot of folks listened to what I had to say. And sometimes what I had to say wasn’t entirely based on complete information or understanding of issues in ways which I now realize – through much experience – are quite complex and anything but easy to solve for. But I learned from those “mistakes” and have kept activism but refined the messaging and approach.
What is the hardest decision you ever had to make in this field?
I don’t know if I can point to one thing but I would say in general, when you’re dealing with the public, you just can’t make everyone happy. Quite frankly, most people are not as expert as you on a particular topic and their opinions are based largely on their own world view or self-interest. So, you’re often going to have to make decisions that upset some folks, even ones you respect deeply. But that’s the job of public service. The key is to be as informed and as transparent as possible when you make your decision. Folks may not agree with you but they’ll likely understand why you made the decision you did. Once the anger clouds clear, they will respect you for it.
POTW, Education Edition: Gary Lendak, Howland Local Schools(Opens in a new browser tab)
If you could start all over again, what would you do differently regarding your profession?
I don’t know if I’d do anything differently but maybe I wish I would have “discovered” this line of work a bit sooner (although your late 20s isn’t that late). For example, it may have maybe shaped my education goals a little differently earlier on. But I’ve really have no complaints. Job opportunity has been plentiful and Youngstown and Cleveland have been very good to me. I’m about to be 44 and I feel like just getting warmed up in many ways.
What inspires you to do good in our community?
Part of it is how I was raised and part of it is just a sheer, burning desire to improve cities like Youngstown and Cleveland which helped build this country and gave families like mine great opportunity. I’m not married. I have no kids. I have no brothers or sisters. And none of my family has ever lived where I do. I am 100% focused on doing this work and doing it well until they cremate me, turn me into a brick and use me as a paver for some park trail one day.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering in our community?
It just gives me energy. Some folks have families. Some folks have hobbies. I like long community planning meetings about housing plans, planting trees or going to see a punk rock show in a struggling neighborhoods fighting like hell to survive. To each their own.
What song best describes you or is the soundtrack to your life?
Anything by Oh Sees, Kal Marks, WHORES, Pile, The Jesus Lizard, Bad Brains, Meat Wave, IDLES, Primus, MC5, Joy Division, Jay Reatard, or early Devo and Butthole Surfers will do.
What is your best accomplishment/experience in life?
I think going back and finishing my Master’s degree at YSU after 10 years off due to life and work. When I graduated, I was able to share that moment with my grandparents who both passed away a few years later. It also set me up for my PhD work at Cleveland State which is a big life goal.
Who is your role model and Why?
I don’t really have a single role model. I admire anyone who is a decent, civic-minded, open-minded person and strives for excellence in whatever their passion is in life. Complacency is worst human trait in my book. You get one life and you won the cosmic lottery in being born right now. If you have privilege to fully appreciate what a gift that actually is, then get busy living.
If there was one person that you would like to meet, past or present and why?
Myself at age 14. I’d tell myself to quit football and join cross country; save your money; change your oil; start wearing black shirts with everything; and join the Peace or AmeriCorps after college. Other than that, Henry Rollins or Norm Chomsky seem like fun and interesting chats.
A favorite quote that you live by?
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
