The most enduring feature of U.S. history is the presence of Native Americans, yet most histories focus on Europeans and their descendants. A 2018 study by Reclaiming Native Truth found that nearly half of Americans believed what they were taught in schools about Native Americans was inaccurate; and 72 percent thought it was necessary to make significant changes to curriculum on Native American history.\r\n\r\nNow, this long practice of ignoring Indigenous history is changing. Awarded the 2023 National Book Award in Nonfiction, Blackhawk\'s The Rediscovery of America expertly interweaves five centuries of Native and non-Native histories, and is part of the next generation of scholarship that we have all been waiting for.\r\n\r\nBlackhawk is an enrolled member of the Te-Moak tribe of the Western Shoshone and the Howard R. Lamar Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University. Prior to this, he spent 10 years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. A graduate of McGill University, he holds graduate degrees in History from UCLA and the University of Washington and is the author of Violence over the Land: Indians and Empires in the Early American West (Harvard, 2006).

As we head into the November election, tax policy is undoubtedly a top issue for many voters. K-12 schools, higher education, local governments, libraries, and more all rely on taxation to raise adequate revenue to provide public services. Tax policy has also been used as a tool to attract jobs, spur economic growth, and promote entrepreneurship. But what are we actually seeing in Ohio and across the nation?\r\n\r\nIn 2017, the Trump Administration signed into law what many cite as the biggest tax overhaul since the Tax Reform Act of 1986. And just this year, Republican lawmakers introduced legislation in Ohio that would eliminate Ohio\'s income tax and repeal the Commercial Activities Tax by 2030. While such legislation is unlikely to pass in Ohio, it opens up the debate for what constitutes effective and equitable taxation.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is Ohio\'s third-largest public school system, serving more than 36,000 students. It\'s home to state champion athletic and robotic programs; the nation\'s fourth Say Yes to Education district; and several innovative community partnerships in both the public and private sectors. At the same time, it is also staring down a $110 million budget shortfall by 2027--in part due to the loss of COVID-era funds and increasing expenses.\r\n\r\nThis November, Cleveland voters will decide on a proposed school levy that would raise $52 million for CMSD schools annually. The money raised by the new tax would be dedicated to operating costs, like paying teachers, buying new books, and more. In addition, CSMD is asking for a 35-year extension on an existing bond issue. For CMSD leadership, the stakes are high in an era where family budgets are tight and rising property values complicate the issue.

If there ever were a time for James Zogby to revisit the City Club, it would be now. The last time we heard from him was in 2011 when he spoke about his latest book Arab Voices: What They Are Saying to Us and Why it Matters, which outlined America\'s problematic relationship with the Arab world, and why that relationship has remained persistently difficult. Now, James Zogby joins us once again to reflect on where we are today.\r\n\r\nJames Zogby co-founded the Arab American Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based organization which serves as the political and policy research arm of the Arab American community, in 1985 and continues to serve as its president. He is Director of Zogby Research Services, a firm that has conducted groundbreaking surveys across the Middle East. For the past 3 decades, he has served in leadership roles in the Democratic National Committee. He currently serves as Chair of the DNC Ethnic Council, and from 2000 to 2017, he served on the DNC\'s Executive Committee.

County Executive Chris Ronayne delivers his second State of the County address at the newly renovated Atrium Ballroom at the Huntington Convention Center in downtown Cleveland. Executive Ronayne reflects on the County\'s achievements, address our challenges, and outline a vision for the future.

As the legal battles over redistricting in the state drag on, Ohioans will have an opportunity to vote this November on an amendment that aims to put an end to gerrymandering. What does that mean for Ohioans? The citizen-led constitutional amendment put forth by Citizens Not Politicians seeks to replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission with an independent body selected directly by citizens. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has voiced opposition to the amendment, but acknowledged the need for a new political mapmaking system.\r\n\r\nJoin the City Club for a Happy Dog \"Happy Hour\" as we take on redistricting. Dr. Kareem Crayton with the Brennan Center and Retired Chief Justice Maureen O\'Connor will weigh in on the current state of redistricting in the state and outline the goals of the upcoming amendment on the November ballot. Moderated by Signal Cleveland\'s Government Reporter Nick Castele.

University Circle is Cleveland's center of arts, culture, wellness, and education with a growing population and world-renowned institutions. It has the potential to help fuel Cleveland's economic future, but such questions remain as "Who has access to this district?" "How well known are we, really?" and "Is The Circle staying relevant in a changing world?"\r\n\r\nIn 2023, Kate Borders was named President of University Circle Inc. She is a nationally recognized leader in urban development and place management who brings more than 20 years of experience to the University Circle neighborhood. She began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the Executive Director of East Town Association, then assumed the role as the first CEO of the newly formed Downtown Fresno Partnership. Prior to joining UCI, she was the President & CEO of the Downtown Tempe Authority in Tempe, Arizona.\r\n\r\nJoin the City Club for an open, honest discussion with University Circle President Kate Borders about the hard work and community effort needed to shape the success of The Circle, and Cleveland.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) vigilantly enforces federal civil rights laws in schools and other recipients of Department of Education federal funding throughout the nation-resolving case investigations, publishing policy resources, and providing school and community technical assistance. In a recent report, OCR reported the highest volume of civil rights complaints in its history, receiving 19,201 complaints in 2023. And it shows no signs of slowing. Already in 2024, OCR has seen a 26% increase in complaints compared to this time last year. Rising partisan tensions, the Israel-Hamas war, and attacks on LGBTQ+ rights are some of the issues rising to the forefront--particularly in colleges and universities. Along with increasing caseloads, there have been persistent calls for increased funding for OCR from more than 90 civil rights groups. What work is being done to ensure all students have equal access to education?\r\n\r\nCatherine E. Lhamon is the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. She was nominated by President Barack Obama in June 2013, and was unanimously confirmed by Senate in August 2013. Until January 2021, she chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, to which President Obama appointed her in 2016, and served as Legal Affairs Secretary to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

What if all Clevelanders were guaranteed a job? And that job offered a salary suitable enough to provide for their families? As it turns out, the idea of a jobs guarantee gained momentum in the 1940s with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Second Bill of Rights. Now, the City of Cleveland will become the first city in the nation to launch a $21 million Universal Basic Employment (UBE) pilot program. Put simply, it will provide 100 participants with a job guarantee of $50,000 for three years. It plans to launch in 2026.\r\n\r\nAs the second poorest major city in America, Cleveland is looking to reduce poverty and the need for public assistance by guaranteeing a well-paid job. As opposed to the more popular \"Universal Basic Income\" - made popular by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang - UBE works directly with employers to subsidize existing, or new wages for its employees.\r\n\r\nJoin the City Club as we hear from Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones, Devin H. Cotten with Universal Basic Employment & Opportunity, and Ken Surratt with the United Way of Greater Cleveland on what exactly UBE is - and is not - and what we can expect to learn from Cleveland\'s UBE pilot program.

Freshwater is one of Earth\'s most precious resources. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), our Earth\'s freshwater habitats-lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and aquifers-house an incredible proportion of the world's biodiversity. More than 10% of all known animals and about 50% of all known fish species call our freshwater habitats home. But how do our Great Lakes stack up when looking at global trends in freshwater systems?\r\n\r\nAs the world's leading conservation organization, the WWF works in nearly 100 countries to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth. This includes safeguarding the world's freshwater resources and landscapes to support biodiversity and human livelihoods.\r\n\r\nAs global lead scientist for freshwater, Jeff Opperman works across the WWF network and with external partners to direct research that can strengthen conservation strategies and integrate science into freshwater programs and projects. Opperman has written for a number of publications, including the New York Times, and is currently a regular contributor to Forbes.