The Leaders of Tomorrow Summit, typically held each spring at Kent State University at Tuscarawas, has transitioned to a virtual format for 2021.

Supporting our Asian and Asian American community members is especially needed right now. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have experienced major changes in our lives, we have experienced added stress and/or anxiety, some have lost their job or have had their work hours reduced, we have felt isolation, we have had loved ones who became ill or became ill ourselves, and some of us have lost loved ones to this disease.

Kent State University at Tuscarawas student Jason Keller is doing what he loves—telling stories through photographs. He was recently honored by the Ohio News Media Association with the Best Feature Photo award, capturing the image of a Navy veteran saluting the crowd while riding in a military jeep during a parade in Sugarcreek, Ohio. The photo was judged best out of all entries from weekly newspapers throughout the state for the Osman C. Hooper Weekly Newspaper contest.

To borrow a line from the Broadway musical RENT… “525,600 minutes. How do you measure, measure a year?”

In the next several days, you’re going to see a lot of musicians, actors, venues and arts organizations share the one-year anniversary of their “last performance”. Their “last show”. Maybe their “last paid gig” before the pandemic brought everything to a halt. For the Performing Arts Center, March 10th, 2020 was that last live experience we were able to share with a full audience. This isn’t a milestone anyone wants to celebrate. It’s been a tough year. It’s been a long year. For an industry that exists to create and bring people together, this past year has been a gut punch.