The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

On this date thirteen years ago, the first building was opened on the Rid-All farm site--based in the Lower Kinsman neighborhood in the former Forgotten Triangle. Since then, Rid-All has grown from 1.3 acres to 18 acres, with a thriving campus that includes six hoop houses, two greenhouses, EPA licensed compost facility, a tree nursery, a tilapia fish farm, and more. Rid-All Farm has become a community anchor and beacon of what is possible in the face of food injustice and the fight toward food sovereignty.\r\n\r\nNow, we have a new film that tells this story produced by Seattle\'s Thriving Communities--a national organization that uses film to catalyze community action. Regenerating Communities chronicles the founding and expansion of our very own Rid-All farm, and the special friends and family who came together to defy the odds and create a national model for urban agriculture.

What happens when you accept oppression, division or hate? Everyone suffers, says the Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu. Now 25 years after her father, Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke at The City Club of Cleveland, Rev. Tutu will join us to discuss her efforts in the fight for the rights of women, especially those of color, and others marginalized.\r\n\r\nThe challenges of growing up Black and female in apartheid South Africa have been the foundation of Rev. Tutu\'s life as an activist for human rights. After years spent as a development consultant, educator, and race and gender activist, Rev. Tutu accepted her call to ordained ministry. She currently resides in Atlanta where she is a priest associate at All Saints' Episcopal.\r\n\r\nAs well as speaking and preaching, the Rev. Tutu has established Nozizwe Consulting. Its mission is to bring different groups together to learn from and celebrate their differences and acknowledge their shared humanity. As part of this work, she has led Truth and Reconciliation Workshops for groups dealing with different types of conflict. She is the recipient of four honorary doctorates from universities and colleges in the U.S. and Nigeria.\r\nJoin us at the City Club as Enlightened Solutions Co-Founder ChiChi Nkemere talks with Rev. Tutu on the work it takes to build gender coalitions across racial lines.

Though headlines are dominated by the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, those are just two items on a lengthy United States foreign policy agenda. China\'s interest in Taiwan threatens democracy and U.S. investments there; nascent democracies across Africa need support; economic and political crises in South American nations are creating migration challenges at the U.S. southern border; and trading partners around the world require U.S. attention, and any action on the global climate will require significant leadership from the U.S., as well. Beyond all of that, non-state actors threaten to destabilize the global economy through criminal activity. As President Biden ramps up his re-election campaign, he is faced with an unending list of foreign policy challenges. Though these will likely receive less attention in the campaign than domestic concerns, their importance can\'t be overstated.\r\n\r\nAaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on U.S. foreign policy. Between 1978 and 2003, Miller served at the State Department as a historian, analyst, negotiator, and advisor to Republican and Democratic secretaries of state, where he helped formulate U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israel peace process, most recently as the senior advisor for Arab-Israeli negotiations. Miller is the author of five books and is a global affairs analyst for CNN.

Dennis Shirley believes a perfect storm is upon us and educators are in the middle of it--that identity issues often incite and divide us, but they are actually our way out of the storm. Shirley is a scholar of educational change who helps schools around the world to improve teaching and learning. His research focuses on the frequency of conflict between the ideals of educators and the realities of power and politics.\r\n\r\nIn his third book, co-authored with Andy Hargreaves, The Age of Identity: Who Do Our Kids Think They Are... and How Do We Help Them Belong? is a compelling call to action for educators and families alike.

Cleveland\'s rich history in the arts has been a testament to the city\'s cultural diversity and resilience. From the industrial boom in the late 19th century to the vibrant resurgence in recent decades, the arts have been a cornerstone of Cleveland\'s identity. As one explores the Cleveland cultural DNA, you will find a diverse community where a multitude of artistic influences converge, creating a unique and dynamic cultural landscape. The amalgamation of different traditions, ethnicities, and perspectives has given rise to a thriving arts community that reflects the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration.\r\n\r\nThe mosaic of cultures in Cleveland is particularly evident in the city\'s artistic expressions that showcase and celebrate diverse communities in Cleveland. The vibrant tapestry of Cleveland\'s cultural identity is intricately woven with threads of creativity, innovation, and a celebration of diversity.\r\n\r\nIn discussion about Cleveland\'s Cultural DNA, it\'s important to consider the profound impact of the arts on the city\'s social and political fabric. The arts serve as a catalyst for dialogue, understanding, and shared experiences, bridging gaps and fostering a sense of community. Our conversation will delve into how the arts have not only shaped Cleveland\'s past but continue to be a driving force in shaping its future.

What would a truly inclusive economy look like? Imagine it--a community where everyone can put their gifts and talents to work and build their dreams. Despite the rhetoric about the American Dream, for many in our community, real, tangible obstacles stand in the way of access to economic opportunity. There are stakes here for the whole community. After all, every entrepreneur who finds success creates jobs and opportunities for others.\r\n\r\nAfter he built CLE Consulting, into a thriving business and tax advisory firm, LaRese Purnell has devoted himself to teaching the tools of entrepreneurship and wealth building throughout Cleveland. As a the Huntington Entrepreneur in Residence at Cuyahoga Community College, Purnell has conducted workshops for hundreds of aspiring small business owners and entrepreneurs. And in his role at CLE Consulting, he and his colleagues have provided guidance to countless business owners on the path to growth.\r\n\r\nAs part of our Building Success series with Huntington Bank, Tri-C President Dr. Michael Baston with talk with LaRese Purnell about pathways to true economic inclusion and opportunity.

Greater Cleveland is home to a vibrant and diverse community development ecosystem, with all entities aiming for equitable revitalization throughout Cleveland\'s neighborhoods. The social determinants of health, economic development, philanthropy, and the private and public sectors have converged in clear trends in community development--both here in Cleveland, as well as nationwide.\r\n\r\nTania Menesse became President & CEO of CNP in 2020. For over 30 years, CNP has been investing in community revitalization efforts in Greater Cleveland. Under her leadership, the organization has been lauded for its best practices in various facets of nonprofit programming. Before this, she served as the Director of Community Development for the City of Cleveland.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, it sent the issue of legalizing abortion back to the states. After the court's decision, Ohio enacted a near-total ban on abortion--which remained legal for a little over two months until a Hamilton County judge placed the law on hold due to a lawsuit from the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. Currently, abortion is legal in Ohio before 22 weeks of pregnancy. With Issue 1, abortion proponents hope to enshrine the right to abortion in the state's constitution.\r\n\r\nIf passed, Issue 1 would allow a patient to "make and carry out one's own reproductive decisions, including decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, and continuing pregnancy." It would still allow the state to restrict abortion after fetal viability, except when "necessary to protect the pregnant patient's life or health. Opponents to Issue 1 argue the amendment would increase access to abortions, remove parental rights, allow gender affirming care for minors.

Black philanthropy is ever present, vibrant, and is deeper than just charitable acts of kindness or dollars. In 2019, The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland (TSOPCLE) vividly displayed the power of African American philanthropy, and centered Cleveland's Black community in a national conversation on humanity, giving back, and transformational change. Ever since, Cleveland has been Celebrating Those Who Give Black and challenging the narrative of Black Cleveland as beneficiaries of philanthropy versus benefactors.\r\n\r\nThe movement catalyzed by TSOPCLE, inspired the establishment of the Cleveland Black Equity and Humanity Fund to support and facilitate investment in causes and issues that promote and support Black-led social and economic change throughout northeast Ohio. How can the intersection of humanity, equity, and giving black help further bolster equitable outcomes and opportunities for Cleveland's Black community?\r\n\r\nJoin us for a conversation with Cleveland\'s Mayor Justin Bibb and Connie Hill-Johnson, Board Chairperson of The Cleveland Foundation. This forum is presented by the Cleveland Black Equity and Humanity Fund powered by The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland.

The war in Ukraine is the kind of crisis that clarifies the importance of things that might otherwise be taken for granted: The ability of a sovereign nation to determine its own future, or that a rules-based international order is something that benefits all nations. The war has also made exceptionally clear the interdependence of economies and societies around the world. While Ukrainians suffered missile strikes and indiscriminate attacks, within days of the onset of Russian aggression, nations reliant on Ukrainian food production felt those supply chains contract. Similarly, nations reliant on Russian oil began to question the viability and wisdom of those trade relationships.\r\n\r\nThroughout this last year, the United States Department of State has been the Biden administration\'s primary resource to lead Western democracies in providing military and humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman has been key to those efforts, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month in Kyiv.\r\n\r\nAs we approach one year since the beginning of Russia\'s war on Ukraine, we invite you to join us for a conversation with Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman about the work of the State Department and the stakes for the American people and for the project of democracy.