The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

This is the inaugural forum in The Kathryn J. Lincoln Series, a new annual series being presented in partnership with Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.\r\n\r\nFor the last several years, LAND studio, in collaboration with the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation (NCWDC), has attempted to pin down an elusive solution that connects the city to its lakefront. Announced in 2023, the North Coast master plan was developed after numerous workshops, public forums, and community input. This summer, the project secured $960,000 from the Department of Transportation\'s BUILD program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\r\n\r\nNow, the project has wrapped the planning phase and is firmly entering the next era-it\'s time to do the work. Looking at peer cities that are further along in their own waterfront projects, what best practices can we learn, how were they successful, and how can we all prepare to get the job done?

Can Artificial Intelligence, or AI, make us all better off? Currently, experts anticipate shifts across various industries and occupations. They believe it is time to prepare workers, institutions, and ecosystems for the impact of AI on jobs.\r\n\r\nTiffany Hsieh is director of innovation programs in the Incubation practice at JFFLabs. She is responsible for strategy and operations for the launch of the Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work-which convenes stakeholders across sectors to shape the national dialogue on AI and the future of work and learning. Leading with discovery, design, and action, the Center ensures AI accelerates access to quality jobs by shaping policy, practice, and investment in innovative solutions.\r\n\r\nJoin us at the City Club as we gather for the fifth annual Deborah Vesy Systems Change Champion Award forum, in partnership with the Deaconess Foundation, to discuss the evolution of AI, the promise of its use in workforce development, and its implications for the future of work.

Dr. Warren G. Morgan will deliver his annual State of the Schools address at a pivotal time for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The district is looking to improve on strong academic gains from last year, while also addressing the enrollment declines of recent decades and expanding opportunities for better student experiences across all schools.

For many Americans, Public Media is the home of NPR, PBS, and is synonymous with the likes of Mr. Rogers, Elmo, and Ken Burns documentaries. It is also a crucial resource for local journalism, discourse, and even emergency alerts. In July 2025, the Rescissions Act of 2025 was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump, cutting all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting-which will close its doors in January 2026. The hardest hit are smaller market, rural, and tribal stations, some of which are seeing the loss of public safety grants intended to support disaster-prone regions of the nation. What are the impacts of these cuts? And what efforts are underway to support the most at-risk public media organizations?

Join Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne for the 2025 State of the County address at the Atrium Ballroom at the Huntington Convention Center in downtown Cleveland. The Executive will share key accomplishments, reflect on the progress made together, and outline his vision and priorities for the upcoming year.

Throughout history, young people have driven America's major social and political movements, and today is no different. From campus protests to debates over political expression, student activism remains a loud voice. Yet, efforts to silence these voices are also mounting.\r\n\r\nThat's why it has never been more critical to protect and foster youth leadership. A 2022 CIRCLE survey by Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that while 62% of young Americans say their political views are an important part of their identity, only 33% of those aged 18-21 feel well-qualified to participate in politics.\r\n\r\nAt the City Club's Youth Forum Council inaugural forum of the 2025-2026 school year, Youth Activism: How Students Can Create Change, we aim to equip students with knowledge and tools to take action on issues that matter to them. We will explore the significance of youth activism, share resources to amplify student voices, and discuss how educators and parents can support this work.

Celebrating 50 years in 2025, the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland has remained the leading nonprofit that empowers Northeast Ohio's LGBTQ community through advocacy, education, collaboration, and celebration. In fact, it is one of the first established LGBTQ centers in the nation.\r\n\r\nLeading the way is Phyllis Seven Harris, who has played a strong role as an advocate in Cleveland\'s LGBTQ+ community and has nearly two decades of leadership experience in Northeast Ohio. Her steady, strategic leadership comes at an unprecedented time when legislative policies and cultural shifts have impacted critical issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.

There is a tension in our region between those who view our future as constrained by resource scarcity and those who see ours as a region of plenty. Last year, Baiju Shah, President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, pointed this out in an essay for Crain\'s, \"For too long,\" he wrote, \"our region has approached major opportunities in an \'either-or\' framing, with concern and caution. Focus on the lakefront or the riverfront? Develop new housing downtown, in neighborhoods, or suburbs? Grow research or businesses?\"\r\n\r\nPerhaps the time has come for an abundance mindset. Some national thinkers would certainly agree.\r\n\r\nBaiju Shah, chief executive of the region\'s chamber of commerce, speaks about his vision for how a mindset change might make possible the future many in Greater Cleveland hope for. He\'ll discuss the region\'s growth and how business and civic leaders can work together to unlock the region's full potential.

The national debate over the state of free speech continues to intensify. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah and the subsequent suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel over remarks regarding Kirk\'s death, recent events have reinforced a deep divide among Americans.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, there has been a continued decline in support for free speech, particularly among all students, and students of every political persuasion show a deep unwillingness to encounter controversial ideas. Meanwhile, Kimmel\'s suspension has drawn attention to the government\'s growing pressure on the media and private companies, and raises questions about what constitutes direct interference with First Amendment rights.\r\n\r\nIs free speech under attack? Or is the public\'s definition shifting? And what can we take stock of from current events, as well as long-term trends in this nation and our ability to exercise our First Amendment rights?

These days, becoming an entrepreneur seems riskier than ever. The market is fast-paced and increasingly advanced technology has changed the game. Today\'s entrepreneurial market is certainly not the same as those of past generations. What can we learn from those who know what it takes to build success, scale up, and improve our communities?\r\n\r\nKumar Arora is an entrepreneur, investor, and consultant behind many startups and brands you probably heard of: ILTHY(R), FutureLAND, Cleveland Cavaliers, and numerous Fortune 500 companies. His parent company Arora Ventures provides resources, investment, and consulting services to assist early-stage to mid-sized businesses. Consistently pushing the envelope on design and innovation, much of his work centers on the idea of creating novel products, teams, and scaling brands. His concentration lies in a variety of industries including consumer brands, entertainment, packaged goods, product development, marketing, & design.