Birdtown Coalition Hosts Inaugural Community Event, Uniting Neighbors Around Civic Engagement and Community Connection
Chalk the Block and the Vote brings together roughly 30 residents, local partners, and elected officials in Lakewood's historic Birdtown neighborhood.
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, May 3, 2026 — The Birdtown Coalition hosted its inaugural community event, Chalk the Block and the Vote, on Sunday, May 3 in Lakewood’s historic Birdtown neighborhood. Approximately 30 residents gathered outside Harrison Elementary School — the neighborhood’s designated polling location — to create sidewalk chalk art encouraging civic participation ahead of the May 5 Ohio election.
The event brought together neighbors, local partners, and community leaders for an afternoon of chalk art, conversation, and civic awareness. The League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland provided on-site ballot information for Ward 4 voters. Birdtown Brewing supplied complimentary lemonade for attendees. Ward 4 City Council Representative Matt Bixenstine attended to engage directly with constituents.
“Birdtown has a large renter population and many newer immigrant communities who are still finding their footing in the democratic process. We wanted to bring awareness and encourage more of our neighbors to participate,” said Birdtown Coalition Founder Danielle Kirsh. “The neighborhood has one of the lowest voter turnouts in Lakewood — not just in midterms, but in every election. We want to change that.”
Bixenstine said the event reflected the kind of organizing he values most.
“Community building takes many forms, but one of my favorites is when it occurs organically at the grassroots level,” Bixenstine said in a Facebook post. “I’m proud of the Birdtown Coalition and look forward to seeing what this neighbor-led group accomplishes next.”
The coalition’s decision to anchor the event at Harrison Elementary was intentional. The school sits at the heart of the neighborhood and serves as the voting site for Birdtown residents, making it a natural gathering point for a community focused on building civic participation from the ground up.
Chalk the Block and the Vote marks the first in what the Birdtown Coalition intends to be a series of neighbor-led events focused on mutual aid, civic engagement, and community connection across Birdtown, a nationally registered historic district.
About the Birdtown Coalition
The Birdtown Coalition is a neighbor-led organization serving residents, property owners, and local stakeholders in Lakewood’s historic Birdtown neighborhood, a nationally registered historic district established in 1892. The coalition organizes volunteer-driven initiatives focused on safety, mutual aid, shared resources, and community connection across the neighborhood’s bird-named streets between Madison and Plover avenues. Learn more at birdtowncoalition.substack.com.
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Media Contact
Danielle Kirsh
kirshdanielle@gmail.com