A community-based art project that seeks to connect communities through pulling up a chair and sharing stories of positivity about Strong Women of Toledo.

Artwork by Becca Schroder

Story from Octavia Griswold

This is the story of Octavia (Tae) Griswold, a proud player for the Toledo Reign’s Women’s football team. She believes that football is not just a man’s world, but a woman’s world also. 

Featured in the bottom left is a photograph of the 1970’s women’s and men’s football team The Toledo Troopers. Titled, “The Most Winningest Team in Professional Football History”, this team won seven consecutive national championships and often beat out their opponents by large margins, setting a strong tone for woman’s football history.

From the Troopers came Mitchi Collette who trained Tae since her second year of football and remains an important figure in her life. They are represented above the photograph. 

Tae and her teammate can be seen running down the path. Tae has a lot of pride for her team and believes that football isn’t just a man’s world, but a woman’s world as well. She explains that it “doesn’t matter if you’re the only girl out there with the guys, you have to put your best foot forward. Just do it because you know in your heart you can do it!” 

 

The portrait on the left represents Tae’s confidence, looking back on her past as a women’s football player and admiring the path she has taken.

She is then seen taking a step forward into the unknown as she continues to pave her own life path as a strong woman and woman football player. She encourages other women to show their strength and follow their own paths. 

“You can always pave your own road, because you are the strongest woman in the world out there.”

- Becca Schroder, Artist

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