The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County have struggled for decades with myriad challenges that have impeded economic empowerment and growth. Although Cleveland's leading business, philanthropic, governmental, and civic leaders and organizations have each invested mightily in various initiatives to address these challenges, improved quality of life outcomes have not been realized for too many local citizens. The Urban Agenda is an unprecedented collective of many leading organizations committing to work together to define, enhance and track economic opportunities, with a keen focus on poverty reduction, increasing average household incomes, and closing wealth gaps.

Ten years ago, leaders at the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC) began to recognize the emergence of a new mainstream economy-powered by U.S. Latino consumers, entrepreneurs, and workers-which was making an outsized contribution to the nation's economic growth. Yet, this positive growth they were seeing in the data was not reflected in a larger, inaccurate narrative about Latino contributions. Instead, the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes often manifested into harmful laws and policies, negatively impacting Latino businesses and communities. Together with the Latino Data Collaborative Think Tank, LDC began to ask, \"What if American Latinos were all recognized as valued, patriotic Americans in all facets of American life?\"\r\n\r\nAna Valdez is the President and CEO of The Latino Donor Collaborative. She is an American marketing, media, research, and political expert and thought leader with 30 years of experience in business, media, and the corporate world. Valdez recognizes the urgency of producing reputable data and statistics that showcase the invaluable contributions of American Latinos to the U.S. economy, business, entertainment, development, and the overall U.S. GDP. In 2023, LDC's outreach has touched over 250,000 C-level executives and sparked discussions with more than 2 million individuals.\r\n\r\nIn a moment when fearful rhetoric and a barrage of deficit narratives attempt to drive the conversation on Latino excellence, join the City Club as Ana Valdez outlines what we can learn from the data and research, and how we can accurately reflect the identity of Latinos in America and their contributions to the nation that benefit all of us.

There are few others with as much experience covering the Supreme Court, Department of Justice, and Homeland Security than Pete Williams. He served as an NBC News Correspondent in Washington, DC for 29 years, and last year was named the inaugural Journalist in Residence at John Carroll University. The late Tim Russert, longtime host of NBC's Meet the Press and namesake of John Carroll University\'s Russert Department of Communication, inspired Williams to engage with John Carroll.\r\n\r\nBefore joining NBC News, Williams was an aide in the US Senate and House of Representatives. In 1986 he joined the staff of then-Congressman Dick Cheney as press secretary and legislative assistant. In 1989, when Cheney became Secretary of Defense, Williams was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.

Sally Ride became a household name after she became the first American woman to blast off into space. But as Sally journeyed among the stars, she kept a nearly three-decade relationship with author and tennis player Tam O'Shaughnessy a secret.\r\n\r\nOn Saturday, April 5th, the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) will screen SALLY, a chronicle of Sally Ride\'s challenges as a pioneering woman in STEM, and the sacrifices made during her years together with her life partner. For the first time, SALLY tells the whole story of this complicated and iconic astronaut. From National Geographic Documentary Films, SALLY is directed by Emmy(R) Award-winning filmmaker Cristina Costantini.\r\n\r\nYet, this film also comes at a fragile time in America\'s political climate, where once again the LGBTQ+ community is caught in the crosshairs. Add to this, an anti-DEI movement that many believe will threaten to set back decades of progress for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Are we destined to confront the same challenges as Sally did in the 1980s?

This upcoming year will undoubtedly bring substantial change to Cleveland\'s political landscape. A population decline in Cleveland spurred a redraw of ward maps, which were approved by Cleveland City Council in February, but not without controversy. Now there\'s a new 15-ward playing field, and two open seats following the announcement from long-time Council members Jenny Spencer and Kerry McCormack that they will not run for reelection. New candidates are already jumping into the race.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, in the Mayor\'s office, the Bibb administration is working to ensure a second term come this November\'s election. What opportunities and challenges can Clevelanders expect from the City\'s new political landscape? Join us at the Happy Dog in Gordon Square for a reporter\'s roundtable, providing insight and analysis on Cleveland\'s new political ground.

Imagine a Northeast Ohio where all people have quality jobs and careers with thriving employers. This is the vision of Greater Cleveland Works, the workforce development board of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Workforce development boards are a crucial part of the workforce system-liaisons between federal and local governments that distribute public dollars to support job seekers and employers.\r\n\r\nYet, their work is opaque and misunderstood at best. They are more than job matchmakers-they are engines of opportunity and innovation, ensuring businesses have the skilled workers they need and communities have pathways to prosperity.\r\n\r\nWith new leadership, a new nonprofit structure, a new strategy, and a new brand, Greater Cleveland Works is reinventing its role - and wants you to better understand its work and the possibilities for collaboration.\r\n\r\nJoin Greater Cleveland Works CEO Michelle Rose as we dive into the critical role of this organization, the potential impact of federal funding instability, and why now-more than ever-we must advocate for the resources that build careers, strengthen industries, and future-proof our economy.

For over a century, the Cleveland Foundation and Kresge Foundation have worked to improve the lives of residents and champion equity in Cleveland, Detroit and beyond. Building on their legacies, both organizations are innovating for the future and reshaping the field of place-based philanthropy. The Cleveland Foundation has embarked on a new chapter with its historic move to MidTown/Hough and is focused on growing our region, investing in vibrant neighborhoods and connecting people to prosperity. The Kresge Foundation has expanded its long-standing efforts to increase opportunity across American cities, with a deep focus on its hometown of Detroit.\r\n\r\nThis is a bold new era as legacy institutions like the Cleveland and Kresge foundations are thinking about the next 100 years of place-based philanthropy - including how they leverage their purpose and power to advance critical work that will lead to transformational change and more equitable communities.\r\n\r\nCleveland Foundation President and CEO Lillian Kuri and Kresge Foundation President and CEO Rip Rapson will be joined by moderator Mark Joseph, PhD, the Leona Bevis/Marguerite Haynam Professor in Community Development at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.\r\n\r\nRapson will also discuss his recently published book "Drawn to Challenge: Stories of Leadership in the Public Interest (with doodles)." These stories show his unique approach to tackling the challenges of cities and the society at large.

As the national business and economic landscape rapidly shifts, Citizens CEO Bruce Van Saun will spend March crisscrossing the country to meet with dozens of public and private sector leaders to guide and listen. Many Americans are on edge, or may not be well-prepared for change. How can Cleveland businesses and communities lead with confidence amidst uncertainty, and emerge stronger and more resilient?\r\n\r\nNew data and findings from local business owners and Citizens' operations right here in Cleveland have shed light on the state of business in the region. This includes workforce development challenges and opportunities, prospects for near-term growth, and embracing technological transformation - from A.I. to cloud computing. Now, it\'s time to unpack what it means to invest in the future, and Cleveland\'s business economy.\r\n\r\nBruce Van Saun joined Citizens in October 2013 after serving as Group Finance Director at the Royal Bank of Scotland and as an executive director on the RBS Board from 2009 to 2013. Join us at the City Club as Bruce discusses the vital role of the American banking system in driving economic growth; and shares insights on how Cleveland businesses and communities can thrive in tumultuous times.

In this engaging discussion, Kevin Clayton, Chief Impact and Equity Officer at the Cleveland Cavaliers, Erica Merritt of Equius Group, and Mark Swain Fox, CEO of the Diversity Center, dive deep into the current landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. They explore the implications of recent political actions on DEI initiatives, stressing the need for genuine commitment over tokenism. The guests illustrate how imaginative thinking can drive strategic change and reflect on the increasing diversity within society, showcasing hope for a more inclusive future.

For more than two decades, The City Club of Cleveland has hosted the annual High School Debate Championship.\r\n\r\nEvery year, the top two area high school debaters square off in a classic \"Lincoln-Douglas\" style debate at a Friday forum. This allows the debaters to compete-not only for the judges and audience in the room-but also for our radio and television audiences.\r\n\r\nThe finalists will debate the topic Resolved: The development of Artificial General Intelligence is immoral.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of BakerHostetler, we are honored to support this annual tradition in memory of Patrick Jordan--a lawyer, fierce protector of democracy and free speech, and a championship debater himself. You can learn more about the life and legacy of Pat Jordan at the 2022 High School Debate Championship here, or read the transcript here.