Democrat and Chronicle

Local businesses enhancing quality of life in Rochester

By Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle,

14 hours ago

This year, Rochester was named ninth in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of the nation's most liveable cities due to its quality of life. But what does it mean to have a good quality of life?

The National Library of Medicine describes the quality of life (QoL) as the positive or negative well-being of an individual or a population. Many things are considered when determining the QoL of an individual or a population. Some of these things include:

Personal health (mental, physical, financial)
Relationships
Education status
Work environment
Physical surroundings
A sense of security and safety

Despite the City of Rochester's decent QoL collectively, each resident has a different experience depending on the listed factors.

How do you improve the quality of life of a community?

Many city governments seek to improve the community through urban planning, sustainability, and development. The Downtown Revitalization Initiative is an example of a city-led project meant to rehabilitate historic buildings and make Rochester more accessible. Over the years, local grassroots organizations and businesses have also begun offering mutual aid and other community-based programs.

This ongoing series will highlight individuals and organizations whose work contributes to the quality of life in Rochester:

Continuing a family legacy

In a part of the old post office building on Cumberland Street, Panther Graphics was started by Rochester native Daryll “Tony” Jackson in 1993. Jackson began his printing career as a teenager by working at printing shops until he started his own venture. With 31 employees and a determination to keep the business city-focused, the company began working with local businesses. Jackson led Panther Graphics until his retirement in 2022, passing the legacy to his daughter, Tae’lor Jackson, in the same month.

Helping musicians build their careers

In April 2022, local musicians gathered over a pan of chocolate chip banana muffins to discuss the future of their careers. After sharing challenges and successes, the group received feedback from the community and was inspired to create a grassroots organization supporting local musicians.

”How do we start to build music and reinforce music as a sustainable career path, and re-emphasizing the value that music can bring to our community,” Collaborative Director Ray Mahar asked. The collaborative hopes to address issues musicians often face while trying to build a sustainable career.

Supporting artists and making art accessible

Since 1977, the non-profit organization Rochester Contemporary Arts Center (RoCo) has been creating dialogue and building community through contemporary art. Each summer, the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) hosts its highly anticipated 6x6 exhibition, bringing together a diverse collection of thousands of original artworks.

With 6x6, RoCo continues to make art more accessible to the community. With submissions from over 2,000 artists globally, 6x6 is an opportunity for creatives and collectors to begin their art journey.

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