“Living in small city like Dayton allows you to be innovative.”
London Coe, the owner of Peace on 5th a “compassionate commerce” store in Dayton.
According to Coe, she sees opportunity in the economic conditions of the greater Dayton area.
“We live in a community that isn’t expensive to live here, you can live very well here with a decent amount of money or you can live decent here without a lot of money,” Coe said.
Coe said she took advantage of that opportunity in 2011 when she opened Peace on 5th.
According to Coe, everything sold in her store is cruelty free, eco-friendly and produced without slave labor. Peace on 5th aims to abolish human trafficking by expanding the conversation about human trafficking and partnering with at risk communities.
According to Coe, contributing to and investing in your city is what builds it.
“There is a pleasure when we think about a city like New York or Chicago and I see that a lot of times with younger people where they think that there is so much to do, but there is so much to do because there are people that are there that are building their city in a way that doesn’t happen in Dayton.”
Coe believes that choosing to be quiet and failing to be innovative is a lost opportunity.
In 2013, Coe participated in a TEDx talk. The title of her talk was “Date Your City.”
In the talk, Coe talked about how she looked for a solution to solve modern-day slavery, which led to her opening Peace on 5th.
According to Coe, innovation occurs when you get out and explore your city and when you become a part of your city.
Coe, a former Sinclair student, credits Sinclair Community College for introducing the notion of “being about community and being in love with it.” Coe quotes founder David A. Sinclair, “Find the need and endeavor to meet it.”
Coe expresses that complaining and couch surfing is counterproductive to innovation.
“Sitting on your sofa doesn’t help and complaining doesn’t help, no one knows where your sofa is and everyone is sick of your complaining.”
She believes that the city should be about community, because community involvement is what impacts schools and other systems that help fully realize the potential of cities.
“My city needs better schools, better schools don’t come from parents getting involved they come the community getting involved,” she said.
Coe believes Dayton has the potential to have a global impact. To her, part of innovation may include being more involved in pressing human rights matters. Coe also desires for the city to be accommodating to refugees.
“My city needs a place where you can go as an African refugee and buy clothes.”
Peace on 5th became Coe’s solution to buying clothes that don’t involve slave labor. Her store is located on Fifth Street in Dayton.
Ebony Stroud
Advertising Representative