The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

Black Americans have spent centuries working to convince others of their humanity and right to live. And yet, these last few weeks have taken a particularly devastating toll on the Black community. Deaths from COVID-19, a disease that has disproportionately killed people of color because of chronic inequalities in our healthcare and economic systems, surpassed 100,000. Breonna Taylor and George Floyd became the latest names added to an extensive list of Black individuals who died in the hands of police. And many of the protests following these murders were met with a militarized police presence and further police brutality.\r\n\r\nThe limited access to coping resources during this period of excessive stress is endangering Black lives even further. Black people are over seven times more likely to live in areas with limited access to mental health care. There is a dire shortage of Black mental health providers, and Black Americans are 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress.\r\n\r\nBlack mental health matters. In a community where discussion of mental health is already largely taboo and stigmatized, it is dire that we address mental health needs and provide resources and practices for surviving through this triggering time.

Launched in 2018, The Bail Project is on a mission to combat mass incarceration. By using a National Revolving Bail Fund, its community-based teams work with local partners to bring free bail assistance to thousands of people each year, reducing the human suffering caused by unaffordable cash bail, restoring the presumption of innocence, and building on the work of grassroots movements for decarceration. Join the City Club for a virtual forum this Friday with Robin Steinberg, Founder and CEO of the Bail Project.

Councilman Basheer Jones was elected to represent Ward 7 in November 2017, becoming the city's first Muslim council representative. He represents an area which includes the historic Hough district, as well as the St. Clair-Superior, Midtown, and AsiaTown neighborhoods. During his tenure, Councilman Jones led the charge for Cleveland to recognize Indigenous People's Day and called for reforms at the Cuyahoga County Jail. Most recently, he was one of the sponsors of a new resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in Cleveland.

Days of protest, the likes of which we haven\'t seen in decades, happened in cities, towns, and suburbs across the country. In Cleveland, a peaceful protest turned violent. Police, in an attempt to disperse demonstrators, sent flash grenades, canisters of tear gas, pepper balls, and wooden bullets into the crowd. The events of the last two weeks: the murder, the protests that followed, the violence that followed the protests, both in Cleveland and around the country, are all part of a historical pattern. And, they represent a culmination of all the consequences of the failures of government and the political and economic establishments to resolve those crises. What happens now? Are we, as a city, ready to finally confront racism? Can there be true change when it comes to dismantling our racist structures?

On Wednesday, June 3, Cleveland City Council passed a new piece of legislation to declare racism a public health crisis in the City of Cleveland. The legislation--sponsored by Councilmen Blaine Griffin, Basheer Jones, and Kerry McCormack--means that the city formally recognizes racism as a crisis that damages public health through discrimination. One year ago, Milwaukee, Wisconsin was believed to be the first city to declare racism a public health crisis.\r\n\r\nSimilar pieces of legislation are being presented in cities and states across the country. In Ohio, two identical resolutions will be introduced by the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus--one for the Ohio House and one for the Senate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, whenever a declaration of a public health crisis is made, systems need to be put in place to remediate the health crisis. What does that mean for Cleveland? How can we ensure that actual action is taken?\r\n\r\nCouncilman Blaine Griffin represents Ward 6, encompassing the East Side neighborhoods of Fairfax, Larchmere, Little Italy, Woodland Hills, and parts of Buckeye-Shaker, University Circle, North Broadway, Slavic Village, and Union-Miles. He is chairman of council\'s Health & Human Services Committee and sits on four other committees. Prior to serving on council, Councilman Griffin was Executive Director of the city\'s Community Relation\'s Board, which works to improve cross-culture relations throughout the city and oversees police/community relations and youth initiatives.\r\n\r\nJoins us for a conversation with Councilman Griffin about the resolution and a range of other issues.

After sheltering in place for nearly two months, Ohioans -- and Ohio\'s economy -- are beginning to emerge and prepare for a new reality. The public health and economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus has had dramatic and far-reaching implications. In response, Republicans and Democrats have proposed dozens of bills covering everything from paid family leave to the sales tax that people pay on personal protective equipment to increasing COVID-19 testing and tracing. But the pandemic has cost Ohio\'s government about $1 billion in lost revenue, resulting in Governor DeWine\'s announcement of $775 million in budget cuts over the next two months. As Ohio lawmakers return to work for the first time since March 25, what policy responses will be prioritized?

On April 20, Governor Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health extended its order to keep schools closed for the rest of the school year in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This followed an initial three-week spring break that extended into April. These announcements exposed the harsh reality of the region\'s digital divide

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life across the globe, profoundly affecting supply chains, healthcare, and the economy. It\'s also exposed the harsh realities of racial, ethnic, economic, political, and health disparities the effects of which many countries have tried to minimize or ignore for decades.\r\nNow, as the pandemic slows before a probable second wave, global leaders and governments are weighing options and contemplating decisions that will define history and shape the world for years to come. What kind of world can we expect post-crisis? Will authoritarian regimes thrive or fail? What will become of the many conflicts in the Middle East? Perhaps, more importantly, what kind of world should we envision and work towards?\r\nDr. Marshall and Dr. Hazburn serve on the Editorial Committee of Middle East Report, a quarterly publication that, since 1971, has provided critical, alternative reporting and analysis on the Middle East and American foreign policy. The forthcoming issue of the Middle East Report offers new visions and prescriptions for a progressive American foreign policy. They are joined by Milena Sterio, J.D., and moderator Tony Ganzer.

President Dwight Eisenhower established the first Law Day in 1958 to mark the nation\'s commitment to the rule of law. The 2020 Law Day theme, Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100, celebrates the ratification of the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote. But, despite the 19th amendment, gaining the right to vote did not also grant equal access to voting. It was true decades ago when women of color where not able to vote in the Jim Crow South. And it\'s true today where rollbacks to early voting, voter purges, and strict voter photo ID laws often prevent minority communities and other politically vulnerable populations from voting. The coronavirus pandemic is amplifying these issues as the country ponders how and when to conduct an election during a public health crisis. Virginia Kase is CEO of the League of Women Voters, an organization founded by leaders of the women's suffrage movement and dedicated to engaging in advocacy, legislation, litigation and organizing efforts centered around issues of voting rights and democracy reform.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed our societal fault lines and shined a bright light on both the strengths and the weaknesses of our economy and our institutions. While there is currently much discussion about reopening our economy, a true economic recovery has to look beyond the summer of 2020 and envision what we want our economy and community to look like in 2025 and beyond.\r\n\r\nThe pandemic has highlighted much of what we do well, and what we can build on. But Cleveland can only hope to thrive again if we use this crisis as a wake up call to stop looking past systemic issues that are hindering our growth and progress.\r\n\r\nCan we continue to tolerate the digital divide? Can we continue to tolerate the skills gap in our workforce? Can we continue to tolerate healthcare inequities? Or can we confront and solve these systemic problems and position Cleveland for a strong, sustainable, and inclusive economy?