2022 Community Conversations
Raising Our Voices
Join United Way of Greater Cleveland for a virtual five-month long series of Community Conversations that provide a forum for information and dialogue on issues affecting members of our community. Our goal is to raise awareness and support of programs and initiatives that provide equitable opportunities for all members of our community.
The 2022 series builds upon our 2021 Consent Decree Series by addressing key issues and concerns raised by community members during the 2021 series that have impacted the Greater Cleveland area. These areas include guaranteeing equitable access to high quality education and health and mental health services, addressing systemic racism in the community, and ensuring community voices and needs are heard through voting and civic engagement.
This virtual series is free and open to the public.
Upcoming Session:
September 22, 2022 l 6:00 - 7:15pm
Voting Rights, Redistricting, Local and National Legislation, and Impact on Voter Turnout
Panelists will discuss Ohio’s new general assembly and congressional redistricting process first implemented in 2021, after voters approved two constitutional amendments implementing redistricting processes in November 2015 and May 2018. Discussion will also focus on lawsuits following the redistricting process, the impact of Ohio’s new district maps in Northeast Ohio on fair and equitable representation, especially for majority-minority communities, and ways proposed voter laws at the state and federal level will impact redistricting, voter registration, and voter access such as Ohio HB 294 and federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 and For the People Act of 2021.
Previous Sessions
February 9, 2022
Our February conversation focused on the continued impact the ongoing pandemic is having on the education of children in Northeast Ohio. As new COVID-19 variants emerge, urban and rural communities still face challenges in providing adequate, accessible, and appropriate learning opportunities for students and their families.
Our panel of education experts discussed the challenges with remote learning, social isolation, hybrids, family stress, and workforce shortages that continue to impact children’s educational outcomes.
Moderator:
Jenny Hamel, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
Panelists:
Jennifer Felker, Superintendent, Geauga & Lake Educational Service Centers
Eric Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Shari Obrenski, President, Cleveland Teachers Union
Andrea Pollock, Director, Chagrin Falls Park Community Center, Family and Community Services, Inc.
Thea Wilson, Ed.D., Vice President for Children and Families, Step Forward
March 31, 2022
Ohio legislators have introduced bills aimed at banning the teaching of critical race theory and divisive concepts focused on nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex, within primary, secondary, and higher education, state agencies, and political sub-divisions.
Our panelists discussed the potential implications of these bills within their own organizations and the communities they serve and the intended impact of these bills in the education and non-profit sectors.
Moderator:
Rick Jackson, Senior Host & Producer, WVIZ PBS & WCPN NPR
Panelists:
John Corlett, President & Executive Director, Center for Community Solutions
Blaine Griffin, Ward 6 Councilman & Council President, Cleveland City Council
Ayesha Bell Hardaway, Associate Professor of Law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Meryl Johnson, District 11, Ohio State Board of Education
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the mental health and well-being of communities across the country, including Ohio. Moreover, the pandemic exposed the preexisting disparities in access to behavioral health care services, especially with the expansion of telehealth regulations both at the federal and state levels.
Our panel of local experts discussed COVID’s impact on community mental health, service delivery opportunities and barriers, and long-term programmatic and policy strategies at the local and state levels to adequately address the ongoing behavioral health needs of members of our community.
Thank You to our Signature Sponsor
