Dr. Toni Shorter Smith works to cultivate and preserve African American history of Columbus' Near East Side. From her positions in numerous creative and prestigious cultural centers to community programming for everyday people Toni seeks to connect community, history and building to memory. Smith recalls local structures built by African Americans that tell the story of progress, economic prosperity, and the rich culture of her childhood community, which is currently under erasure. Her talk explores the importance of neighborhood monuments and their need for protection from gentrification, indifferent development policies, and apathy within and outside of her own community. Dr. Toni Shorter Smith works to cultivate and preserve African American culture of the Near East Side of Columbus. From the Opera Columbus Outreach position where she shepherded commissioned Black opera Vanqui to completion, to the King Arts Complex Development Director position where her grant awards included the largest ever for Summer Camp, Smith’s work often connects her to the grass roots of the community. A native of Columbus, Smith recalls the places and spaces that underpinned the thriving Black community of her childhood that was economically viable and culturally remarkable. Yet many of the built structures that contributed to the safe, vibrant Black community are being or have already been erased. An Adjunct Professor at Columbus State Community College, Smith chairs the James Preston Poindexter Foundation, a non-profit partnering with Ohio History Connection to develop two remaining historic Poindexter Village public housing buildings into a museum and cultural center. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx