RON SCOTT JR.

WHEELING – Ron Scott Jr. has seen much change for the better in the Wheeling community during the past eight years, but there’s always room for improvement.

Scott, director of Cultural Diversity & Community Outreach for the Wheeling YWCA since 2017, said he has witnessed the “community become much more understanding and willing to experience the truest forms of cultural expression.”

“We have always had the Italian Fest and things like the Lebanese or Grecian Fest,” he said. “They have become events that blend social and cultural significance. I am now seeing that happen with things like a Juneteenth Celebration and a National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. As an agency we are making the turn from tolerance being the goal, to understanding being the standard.”

He noted the current political climate has made his work and position “very difficult.”

“I recall when our governor made his initial speech/statement on DEI, I felt as if he read my job description out loud and banned it,” Scott said. “Luckily, once the fear mongering began to die down and folks began to settle into their lives and communities, true West Virginians stood up and decided that they would not be pigeonholed or led by half-cocked rhetoric.

“Boogeymen like ‘Woke’, ‘CRT’ and now ‘DEI’ have no place in actual adult life. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t hurt and disappointed at first, but over time I have become much more determined to prove that we are an educated, informed, welcoming and compassionate population in my home state.”

Meanwhile, the YWCA continues to be a special place with special programming.

“The Y is special because it seems to have always been fighting on the right side of history,” Scott said. “Whether it’s the fighting of violence against women or the creation of the Blue Triangle, the YWCA seems to always have the best interest of the community and the family at heart. My program is unique because in an area that so severely lacks diversity, it is important to have a program that helps the instruction of different cultures and individuals feel comfortable and non-threatening.”

Scott said the “YWCA has been a safety net, a charging station and a haven for women and families for decades.”

“Most of the programming and supports are based in safety and shelter, so that is why they often go unnoticed or are little known,” he added.

Scott hopes the growth of his program means that it is “invisible.”

“I only imagine my program growing to a point where it becomes invisible. For example, we know there is a group of individuals who make sure that on the Fourth of July there will be fireworks, recognition and celebrations,” he said. “Most of us have no idea who they are or all the work it takes. There is a group of folks who make sure that when they are booking and organizing the acts or performances at the WesBanco Arena and Capitol Theatre – that it reflects the demographic of the Ohio Valley so that no particular groups feel unseen, unnoticed, or insignificant. There are individuals and agencies that do the difficult work of making our community feel and look like one. I want that for the future of the CDCO.”

Scott said he had no history with the YWCA before working there.

“My only real memory was an arts camp I attended as a youngster,” he said. “A good friend told me about the job vacancy and gave me a description. I was intrigued. After my first interview, I knew it was a place I wanted to work.”

Some of the outreach events Scott has organized or helped organize over the years have included the YWCA Mini Con, Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month, Hip Hop: A Black Tie Affair, MLK Project on Racism Essay, Short Film & Song Contest, Ohio Valley MLK Celebration, Human Library, Ohio Valley Festival for Filmmakers of Color, Men of Change, Ohio Valley African American Students Association, Wheeling Arts & Cultural Commission, Show of Hands, YWCA Wheeling HBCU Trip/Tour, Culturally Specific Escape Rooms and the Ohio Valley Redhead Festival.

“I am available to facilitate discussions or do training for individuals, agencies, schools or civic organizations that focus on topics of cultural sensitivity, cultural competency, and culture building,” he said.