The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

Greater Cleveland is home to a vibrant and diverse community development ecosystem, with all entities aiming for equitable revitalization throughout Cleveland\'s neighborhoods. The social determinants of health, economic development, philanthropy, and the private and public sectors have converged in clear trends in community development--both here in Cleveland, as well as nationwide.\r\n\r\nTania Menesse became President & CEO of CNP in 2020. For over 30 years, CNP has been investing in community revitalization efforts in Greater Cleveland. Under her leadership, the organization has been lauded for its best practices in various facets of nonprofit programming. Before this, she served as the Director of Community Development for the City of Cleveland.

For many Americans, water does not get a second thought after pulling their kitchen tap. Yet, more than 30 million Americans lived in areas where water systems violated safety rules at the beginning of last year. Others simply cannot afford to pay. Add to this, headlining stories exposing injustice in water access, like uranium contamination in the Navajo Nation; or lead-tainted tap water in Flint, Michigan.\r\n\r\nManny Teodoro, journalist and author of Profits of Distrust, sheds light on why many people choose expensive, and environmentally destructive bottled water over regulated tap water. He sees a link between the choices people make about drinking water, and deeper lessons about trust in government and civic life. He also shines a light on the importance of strong infrastructure to combat the vicious cycle of distrust that undermines democracy.\r\n\r\nManny Teodoro has served on numerous panels, state governments, UNICEF/World Health Organization, the American Water Works Association, and dozens of local governments sharing his expertise on public policy, water regulation and management, and addressing citizen distrust in government.

Eric Fingerhut is the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), which represents 146 independent Federations across the continent and aims to protect and enhance the well-being of Jews worldwide. Some of their core priorities include mental health support to Jewish youth; caring for seniors and those with disabilities; and ending antisemitism. Now, as war erupts in Israel and Gaza, Jewish Federations are responding and working with core partners to support victims of terror, rebuild damaged infrastructure, and more.\r\n\r\nPrior to JFNA, Fingerhut served as the President & CEO of Hillel International and led a distinguished career in public service and higher education. Fingerhut served as Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents from early 2007 to 2011, leading Ohio's system of public universities and colleges. From 1997 to 2006, Fingerhut served as an Ohio state senator, and from 1993 to 1994, represented Ohio's 19th congressional district in the U.S. Congress.

We get it. Listening to our legislative branch debate a budget isn\'t the most exciting thing to do. But the municipal budget process here in Cleveland is an essential part of democratic governance, and directly impacts our communities. The budget determines how public funds are allocated to things like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. In the City of Cleveland, our elected officials and the Mayor negotiate a budget of nearly $2 billion dollars every year.\r\n\r\nSo what exactly is the City of Cleveland budget, and what is it not? Join the City Club at the Happy Dog in Gordon Square as City of Cleveland CFO Ahmed Abonamah, Ward 17 Councilman Charles Slife, and William Tarter, Jr. unpack what\'s in the municipal budget, discuss how it\'s drafted, and what you need to know and can do as engaged citizens.

Over the past few years, schools have strived to adapt and shift in response to the ever-changing environment and requirements of a 21st-century classroom. Higher education, in particular, has borne a significant share of these challenges. Students and administrators have grappled with the Herculean task of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health concerns, and political challenges directed at college faculty and curriculum.\r\n\r\nAt the same moment, college and universities in Cleveland have experienced leadership changes. In September 2021, Dr. Laura Bloomberg began her tenure as President of Cleveland State University. Then in 2022, Tri-C selected Michael Baston as its next President. Each president brings a unique approach and perspective to their role.

Food insecurity has skyrocketed in the United States, and hunger has worsened among households in 2022--with one in 8 households struggling with hunger. Rising inflation and spikes in cost of living means more families are left unable to afford basic necessities such as food.\r\n\r\nIt is time to reexamine food deserts, and instead, consider the impacts of food apartheid--a segregationist system that divides those with access to nutritious food, and those who are denied that same access due to systemic injustice.\r\n\r\nThe scarcity of nutritious and affordable food has a tremendous impact on a community in regards to health, culture, and especially education. Comprehensive solutions that address all of these impacts are what is necessary to move forward. And great work is currently underway at local organizations right here in Cleveland.\r\n\r\nJoin the City Club, in partnership with the Saint Luke\'s Foundation, as we hear from experts and community leaders on the importance of food justice and food sovereignty in building stronger neighborhoods.

Appointed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Her Excellency Oksana Markarova began her tenure as Ambassador to the U.S. on April 20, 2021. Less than a year later, Russia invaded Ukraine, escalating the ongoing conflict between the two countries and highlighting the importance of the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine. Ambassador Markarova serves an important role in educating the public about the war and the humanitarian crisis it has caused.\r\n\r\nFrom 2015 to 2020 Amb. Markarova served in Ukraine's Ministry of Finance where she headed the country's economic recovery program, oversaw fiscal consolidation, and coordinated International Monetary Fund programs. Markarova also has an acclaimed career in the private sector where she spent 17 years in leadership roles at financial institutions, including with the Western NIS Enterprise Fund.\r\n\r\nA Republican from Cincinnati, Rob Portman served as a United States senator from Ohio from 2011 to 2023, and as the co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus--where he worked across the aisle to build support for the emerging democracy in Eastern Europe. Portman previously spoke about his efforts for support and peace in Ukraine in April 2022 at the City Club.

Described by the Seattle Foundation as the \"next generation of philanthropy,\" Alesha Washington joined as President and CEO in 2022 and leads one of the region's largest community foundations devoted to advocacy, equity, and community organizing.\r\n\r\nIn her new role at the Seattle Foundation, she is building strong philanthropic relationships that are grounded in anti-racism, bridge building, economic equity, and social justice, which she hopes will serve as a national model for how community philanthropy can fully embrace racial equity and make it the center of the philanthropic sector's work.\r\n\r\nAlesha has extensive knowledge of public policy and inclusion and a prolific career in Northeast Ohio's nonprofit sector. She previously served as the program director with the George Gund Foundation. Before that, she spent five years at the Greater Cleveland Partnership, first as the senior director of government advocacy and then as the vice president of government advocacy. A native of Cleveland, Alesha attended Oberlin College and Case Western Reserve University.

From the best-selling author of Go the F**k to Sleep, famously narrated by actor Samuel L. Jackson, Adam Mansbach is back with his latest novel, The Golem of Brooklyn--which is a hilarious and satirical weaving of Jewish folklore and history into a thoroughly modern tale of faith, retribution and healing.\r\n\r\nIn Ashkenazi Jewish folklore, a golem is a clay-like creature formed and brought to life by a rabbi during a time of crisis for the Jewish people. But in Mansbach's book, the golem is accidentally created by a stoned art teacher. After learning about the ongoing antisemitism in America-in this case, through a fictional white supremacist gathering based on the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville-the Golem is ready to protect its people once again. The book is an epic romp through Jewish history and the American present that wrestles with antisemitism and the deepest questions of our humanity.\r\n\r\nAdam Mansbach has authored several other books including Rage Is Back, Angry Black White Boy, and The End of the Jews. He also wrote the screenplay for the Netflix film Barry, based on President Barack Obama's life after graduating from college.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision to overturn a 50-year precedent, ending the practice of Affirmative Action. This decision brought Affirmative Action to the forefront of public discourse during the summer, and it continues to be a prominent topic as educational institutions reopen. While Affirmative Action is commonly associated with university admissions, its roots trace back to 1935, but it gained significant attention in 1961 with John F. Kennedy\'s Executive Order 10925, aimed at advancing racial equality. Since then, it has intermittently made headlines, evolving in public perception.\r\n\r\nAnother critical facet of the college application process that has endured through the years is academic tracking. Academic tracking is a method employed by many secondary schools to categorize students based on their perceived abilities, IQ, or achievement levels. Students are classified into high, middle, or low tracks to provide them with a curriculum and instruction tailored to their unique needs. Proponents of academic tracking argue that it offers an effective solution for accommodating diverse learning abilities within the same classroom. Conversely, critics contend that academic tracking exacerbates disparities, particularly for students below grade level, and creates obstacles for individuals attempting to catch up to their peers.