BGNN BLACK HISTORY MONTH FEATURE: Q & A with Shorter Griffin

Shorter Griffin

Thanks to Shorter Griffin for providing answers to questions posed by The BGNN.  All profiles will appear in print in the Feb. 25 Barberton Gazette & Norton News. If you would like to recommend someone to respond to these questions while Black History Month is being recognized, please email [email protected]. 

How do you describe yourself in three sentences?

“I would say that I am very driven and a hard worker. I am reliable as I stick to commitments. I enjoy meeting new people and I have much compassion and respect for other people’s thoughts and ideas.”

 

How long have you lived in Barberton?

“I was born and raised in this beautiful city.”

 

Who was your inspiration to you throughout life?

“I would have to say that my parents were my biggest inspiration. I come from a long line of hard working people.”

 

What involvement do you have in the Barberton Community?

“I love to stay busy. I am involved in several organizations throughout town. (Council President, Kiwanis, Magic City Democrats, YMCA & Salvation Army advisory board to name a few.)”

 

Do you feel Barberton is an inclusive community?

“Yes, I feel Barberton is an inclusive community that has taken steps to promote diversity, equity and community needs. Barberton is a close-knit community with ethnic groups throughout Barberton.”

 

If Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today and came to Barberton, what do you think he would say about the community?

“In today’s world I believe Martin Luther King Jr. would be impressed with the progress we have made.”

 

If you could have dinner with any influential figure from Black history, who would it be and why?

“I would have loved to have dinner with Frederick Douglass. He was the most important leader of the movement for African-American civil rights in the 19th century. It would be so fun to pick his brain.”