“One Voice. One Vision.” Youngstown business owner starts community organization
Community members gathered in March at the Eastside Library to attend the first meeting of a newly-formed, community-led organization focused on making Youngstown’s Eastside better.
Ra’Cole Taltoan is the founder of Rockbrook Business Services, an accounting firm in Youngstown.
“We help businesses get started,” she said. “One of our specialties is nonprofit formation, and we do a lot of community work at the same time, because that’s just me.”
Taltoan also started the Eastside Business Association to strengthen business owners and residents living on the Eastside of Youngstown.
“I felt like the Eastside was left out of decisions made within the rest of the city, I thought maybe if more people come together from the east side, maybe they’ll listen,” Taltoan said. “That’s how I came up with the Eastside Business Association. One Eastside. One Voice. One Vision.”
Taltoan said there was standing room only at the first meeting which began at 11 a.m. in the library on Early Road.
“We had almost 70 people show up that day. That made me feel like my community is behind me, and this mission and that I see some I see some progress for our future here on the Eastside, so it just gave me more hope that I’m not trying to fight this fight alone. There are people behind me and willing to support me,” Taltoan said.
Up next, Taltoan will be hosting classes on financial literacy and civics for everyday residents.
“Our biggest goal for the remainder of the year is voter education and youth engagement,” Taltoan said. “I’m putting the team together for the business association. We do need money to get started and get our website going for promotional items. If people would like to support us in that way, they can send donations to our fiscal agent, Thrive Mahoney Valley, so they can send their proceeds over to them, and they will make sure that we receive said funds.”
