The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

Over the last several weeks, reporters and public officials have been comparing the global outbreak of coronavirus to fighting a war. The metaphor conveys a sense of urgency and emergency and, many believe, may help mobilize a national response to the public health crisis gripping the United States. But we\'re not actually in a war, a reality Loung Ung knows all too well. She was five years old when communist revolutionaries known as the Khmer Rouge took control of her home country of Cambodia. Orphaned and separated from her siblings, Ung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans where she was taught to hurt and hate. Her story, captured in the memoir \"First They Killed My Father\" and produced for Netflix by Angelina Jolie, is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality. And it\'s especially powerful today, reminding us of the power of resilience and the human spirit to endure during the darkest times.

The crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic is exposing the harsh reality of America\'s racial, health, and economic disparities. In cities across the United States, black Americans are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionately higher rates than their white counterparts. A combination of environmental, economic, structural, and political factors -- fueled by decades-old housing policies, educational inequities, poverty, and structural racism -- are often cited the main reasons behind the racial gap in COVID-19 deaths. Politicians, lawmakers, and activists alike are pleading with the federal government for race-inclusive data in testing. But is that enough? What other policy recommendations should be considered? And, will this pandemic and the outcry over the disproportionate death rate be a catalyst for real structural change -- or will it serve to only reinforce existing hierarchies? A sociologist and Rubenstein Fellow at The Brookings Institution, Dr. Ray researches the mechanisms that manufacture and maintain racial and social inequality. His work also speaks to ways that inequality may be attenuated through racial uplift activism and social policy.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life across the globe, profoundly affecting supply chains, healthcare, and the economy. The pandemic has also disrupted democracy and governance at a time where liberal democracy was under threat from a worldwide rise in authoritarianism. Some authoritarian leaders have overreached beyond some form of lockdown in response to the outbreak, censoring media, canceling elections, and shutting down investigations. How do we balance the need for increased governmental authority and the preservation of vital civil liberties? What will the restrictions on people\'s movements mean for the future of protest? Can democracy survive the coronavirus? Yascha Mounk, Ph.D. is a political scientist known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy.

In Our Common Future, released in 1987, sustainable development is defined as development that \"meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.\" According to NASA, we can no longer avoid climate change. The best possible option is to prepare future generations for the implications of decades of unbridled emissions into the Earth\'s atmosphere. As such, responding to climate change involves two approaches: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation involves \"reducing and stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere\" and adaptation, \"adapting to the climate change already in the pipeline.\" What does that mean for Cleveland\'s future, and, how do the city\'s youngest citizens make sure these plans of action are a reality? Join us for a virtual youth forum panel discussion on the plans and programs in place to help future generations combat and adapt to climate change.

On April 3, Advance Publications announced the layoffs of 22 Plain Dealer reporters, citing the ongoing financial challenges of producing a daily newspaper. Four days later, on April 7, 10 of the remaining 14 reporters were told they would be reassigned to only cover stories in the region\'s outlying counties: Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, and Portage. On April 10, they asked to be laid off. The move was met with outrage from the community which has seen the number of journalists decrease for years. But Cleveland is not unique -- it\'s a trend that is evident in many cities as newspapers struggle to find their place in an increasingly digital world.\r\nWhat do these changes mean for the future of the free press, in Cleveland and around the country? What efforts are being employed to fill the void created when a newspaper scales back or closes? What are we losing -- as a country and a democracy -- as the number of journalists continue to dwindle? Join us for a conversation with NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik on the intersection of journalism, free speech, an educated citizenry, and democracy.\r\n

Loretta J. Mester took office on June 1, 2014, as the 11th president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Join us for a virtual forum as President Mester speaks with Dan Moulthrop and shares the national Federal Reserve Bank\'s response to the coronavirus outbreak, her economic outlook, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland\'s continued work in the community during the crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed life as we know it. Statewide \"shelter-in-place\" orders, the closing of schools and nonessential businesses, and limiting social interactions with family and friends may be vital to preserving our physical health, but are likely taking a toll on our mental health. Dr. Lisa Damour will address the psychological science key to understanding how stress and anxiety operate in adults and children, both under everyday conditions and at times of heightened concern and disruption. Recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association for her work on stress and anxiety, she is the author of two New York Times best selling parenting books, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls. Join us to learn more about how adults can keep stress and anxiety from reaching toxic levels; the most reliable strategies for managing chronic and persistent stress; and how to cultivate emotional resilience in children and adolescents under COVID-19.

During the past couple of weeks, Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have signed a number of orders to curb the spread of coronavirus, including a "stay-at-home\" order that took effect at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23. The orders, while integral to preventing the spread of the coronavirus, have impacted the state\'s economy and social services. Mayor Frank Jackson will provide updates on how the city of Cleveland is responding to the crisis and the measures taken to keep residents safe.

Passing both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the CARES Act is the largest stimulus package out of Capitol Hill ever, providing more than $2 trillion in economic relief to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its components include stimulus payments to individuals, expanded unemployment coverage, student loan changes, different retirement account rules, and more. The six groups impacted the most include individuals, small businesses, big corporations, hospitals and public health, the federal safety net, state and local governments, and education. Join Amy Hanauer, Executive Director, Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, and Robert Raben, President and Founder, The Raben Group as we discuss the details of the bill, who benefits and who was left out, and whether or not the country will suffer any long-term consequences from the bailout.

During the past couple of weeks, Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have signed a number of orders to curb the spread of coronavirus, including a "stay-at-home\" order that took effect at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23. The orders, while integral to preventing the spread of the coronavirus, have impacted the state\'s economy and social services. Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish will provide updates on how Cuyahoga County is responding to the crisis, including the critical need for personal protective equipment (PPEs) and a call out to the medical community (dentists/veterinarians) for help and information on the measures being taken at the County jail, the Department of Children and Family Services, and others.