Keepin' it Cleveland Podcast

What if a public school could create a culture of leadership, accountability, and excellence without charging tuition?

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Dr. Luciana Gilmore, founder and CEO of Forward Girls Leadership Academy, to talk about building Cleveland’s first independent public all-girls school.

Dr. Gilmore shares her journey from Cleveland public schools to earning her PhD in ethical leadership, and how a vision over ten years in the making led her to create a school designed to change trajectories for inner-city girls. This conversation dives into social-emotional learning, project-based leadership, culture over compliance, and why private-school results should not be limited to private-school tuition.

We discuss the challenges of launching a new school, fighting for funding, hiring mission-aligned staff, and building a culture where girls are treated as leaders, not just students. Dr. Gilmore also explains how Forward aims to partner with families, eliminate barriers, and eventually expand its model across the country.

This episode is about more than education. It’s about opportunity, equity, leadership, and legacy.

🎙 Hosted by Isaac Williams
🎬 Produced by Color Beyond

Learn more about Forward Girls Leadership Academy:
👉 https://www.forwardgirlsleadership.com

New episodes of Keepin’ It Cleveland drop every Tuesday at 5 p.m., highlighting the leaders and changemakers shaping our city.

If you care about the future of education in Cleveland, this conversation is worth your time.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Shay, founder of Be Browed, Etc. and the creator of Ohio’s first accredited permanent makeup school, to unpack the journey from artist to educator, advocate, and business owner.

This conversation explores how Shay entered an industry with little formal regulation, recognized a serious gap in training and standards, and took on the challenge of building a legitimate, accredited path for others to follow. We talk about the realities of entrepreneurship, what it means to turn experience into infrastructure, and how one pivotal moment helped validate her vision and move the business forward.

This episode is part of the return of Keepin’ It Cleveland, highlighting entrepreneurs, creatives, and community builders who are shaping the future of our city by doing the hard, often unseen work.

🎙 Hosted by Isaac Williams
🎬 Produced by Color Beyond

Learn more about Color Beyond and podcast production services here:
👉 https://www.colorbeyond.com
If you’re a business owner, creative, or founder thinking about how to grow beyond just offering a service, this episode will give you real perspective on what that next level can look like.

Subscribe for new episodes dropping every other Tuesday, and share this with someone who’s building something meaningful.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

Most people think Habitat for Humanity gives houses away.
That belief is wrong and it’s hurting the conversation around housing, poverty, and community development.
In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, I sit down with John Litten, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland, to break down what Habitat actually does—and why their work is about dignity, ownership, and long-term impact, not handouts.

We talk about:
• Why Habitat homes are not free and what families must do to earn them
• How 0% interest mortgages work and why they matter
• The lasting effects of redlining in Cleveland
• How building and rehabbing homes can reduce crime and increase neighborhood value
• Why John calls Habitat’s work “first-chance housing,” not second chances
• What real community investment looks like beyond charity

This conversation is about more than housing.
It’s about correcting false narratives, restoring opportunity, and rebuilding communities the right way—slowly, sustainably, and with accountability.
If you care about Cleveland, housing equity, or how nonprofits can create real systemic change, this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping Cleveland
👉 Share this episode with someone who still thinks Habitat gives houses away
👉 Leave a review if conversations like this matter to you

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

What happens when hip-hop meets community building?
In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, we sit down with the founder of Refresh Collective and the artist behind Rust Belt City  a Cleveland-born album 15 years in the making.

We talk about the intersection of music, youth mentorship, and neighborhood trust. The album is more than tracks — it’s a reflection of lived experience, lessons learned, and the power of storytelling as a way to build bridges.
From Glenville porches to local classrooms, this episode is a tribute to the city, its culture, and the currency of trust that holds it all together.


 Produced by Color Beyond
 Nominate a guest or inquire: [email protected] | www.colorbeyond.com

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, I sit down with Nobles Darby IV.  A father, mentor, and the team chaplain for the Cleveland Browns, Cavs, and Cleveland Charge.

Nobles opens up about his personal journey through identity, insecurity, and learning to walk in God's calling. Now serving youth through FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), he shares what it means to live with purpose  and how to show up for others with humility and strength.

This is a raw and reflective conversation about legacy, manhood, and faith in action.

Produced by Color Beyond
Nominate a changemaker or inquire about production: [email protected]
Learn more: www.colorbeyond.com

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

Black women  face some of the highest infant mortality and maternal death rates in the country. But one organization is changing the narrative.

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams talks with Jazmine Long, President & CEO of Birthing Beautiful Communities, about building a freestanding birth center led by and for Black women,  the first of its kind in Ohio.

This conversation explores the deep roots of racial disparity in healthcare, the importance of community based care, and the unapologetic leadership it takes to build something that outlives you.

This isn’t just birth work. It’s legacy work.

Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

Follow us at:

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, we sit down with Dr. Michael Baston, President of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)  and a visionary leader reshaping how we think about access to education.

From his early dream of becoming President of the United States to now leading one of Ohio’s most important institutions, Dr. Baston shares what fuels his passion, why he believes in student selection over institutional prestige, and what it means to build a legacy that outlives the title.

We talk about the challenges facing higher education, the importance of equity in opportunity, and the power of being deeply connected to your city.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of Keepin' It Cleveland, I sit down with Cecil Lipscomb, President & CEO of the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland. From his upbringing in Richmond, Virginia, to leading one of the most impactful grant-making organizations in Northeast Ohio, Cecil shares a deeply personal and powerful story about family, leadership, and the responsibility of lifting others up.

We talk about what it means to "polish the diamonds" in our communities, how exposure can change a child's life, and why he transitioned from corporate America to community impact. We also break down the myths about nonprofits and grant money, and what it truly takes to build something that lasts.

If you care about community transformation, youth empowerment, and building generational impact, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe for more stories of impact from Cleveland’s most inspiring leaders.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of the Keepin' It  Cleveland Podcast, I sit down with Bryson Hayes, also known as Coach B, Senior Director of Education and Youth Development at the Urban League of Greater Cleveland. Coach B shares his journey from working with the Cleveland Cavaliers to leading life changing initiatives for young men of color through My Brother’s Keeper. Tune in as we discuss the power of mentorship, expanding horizons beyond a six-block radius, and how true impact is about building community and legacy.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

What happens to your food scraps after you toss them out? In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Michael Robinson, co-founder of Rust Belt Riders, a Cleveland-based startup turning food waste into thriving soil—and a thriving movement.

They unpack the environmental toll of landfills, the science behind composting, and how Rust Belt Riders grew from a $1,500 bike-powered idea into a city-shaping force for sustainability. You’ll hear about methane, microbes, and the powerful potential of community-led climate solutions.

Whether you're climate-conscious, curious about composting, or just love hearing from people building something with purpose, this episode is for you.

🌱 Learn how trash is becoming triumph — one banana peel at a time.

🎙️ Keepin’ It Cleveland is hosted by Isaac Williams, founder of @colorbeyond a creative storytelling agency based in Cleveland, Ohio.

🔗 Learn more:
Composting Services: rustbeltriders.com
Living Soil Products: tilthsoil.com

Interesting in hiring us visit www.colorbeyond.com 

#KeepinItCleveland #RustBeltRiders #ClimateAction #Composting #FoodWaste #Cleveland #Sustainability

Follow us at:

Instagram: Keepin' It Cleveland

Keepin' It Cleveland Youtube

Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at [email protected]

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.