Cuyahoga County is facing a housing crisis, and this episode of Cleveland Pulse breaks down what that really means for Cleveland families, renters, homeowners, and neighborhoods. Host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Anthony Scott, Esq., Director of Housing and Community Development for Cuyahoga County, for a grounded conversation about housing access, vacant lots, affordability, code enforcement, and the real barriers keeping people from safe, dignified housing. 

Anthony shares how a lack of resources sits at the center of the crisis, from the shortage of available housing to the difficulty of repairing older homes that families have lived in for generations. He also explains why vacant properties, demolitions, and rising development costs continue to shape Cleveland’s housing landscape. 

The conversation also explores “zombie titles” and heirs property issues, showing how unclear ownership can keep families from accessing assistance or preserving generational assets. Anthony breaks down the county’s role in housing, including HUD funding, CDBG dollars, HOME funds, down payment assistance, and the hard choices local government has to make when there is never enough funding to meet the full need. 

Later in the episode, Anthony discusses the push for a new housing fund and a broader vision for “workforce housing” for residents who earn too much for some programs but still struggle to afford stable housing. He outlines four key priorities: development, down payment assistance, repair and rehab, and emergency rental assistance. 

This is a must-listen conversation for anyone who cares about Cleveland community advocacy, economic equity in Ohio, Cleveland civic engagement, and the future of Black leadership in Cleveland. If you want real talk about housing policy, neighborhood stability, and what practical solutions could look like in Cuyahoga County, this episode delivers.

Mental health is still one of the hardest conversations in our community, especially for Black men. In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with licensed counselor Eric King for a real, honest conversation about depression, stigma, faith, therapy, and what healing can actually look like.

Eric King shares his personal journey into counseling, including how his own experience with depression shaped his work helping men navigate emotional health, identity, and growth. Together, Edwin and Eric unpack why so many men are taught to suppress pain, why therapy still feels taboo, how faith and counseling can coexist, and what signs tell you it may be time to seek help. They also discuss youth mental health, how to find the right therapist, what to expect in counseling, why access to care still falls short, and what a healthier community response could look like. 

This episode is for the doers: the people trying to hold together family, purpose, faith, and responsibility while still making room for their own healing. If you’ve ever said “I’m good” when you weren’t, this conversation is for you.

Why listen:

•  Eric King explains why many Black men “soldier through” depression instead of naming it 
•  The episode tackles the tension between faith and therapy without dismissing either one 
•  You’ll hear practical guidance on finding a therapist, setting expectations, and recognizing when it’s time to get help 
•  The conversation also looks at youth mental health, access gaps, and the kind of community care we need more of 

#ClevelandPulse #MentalHealth #BlackMenMentalHealth #ClevelandCommunityAdvocacy #CivilRightsPodcast #ClevelandCivicEngagement #BlackLeadershipCleveland #EconomicEquityOhio #PowerInThePulse

What does real violence prevention look like in Cleveland right now?

In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Myesha Watkins, Administrator of the Cuyahoga County Office of Violence Prevention and former executive director of Cleveland Peacemakers, for a grounded conversation about gun violence, public safety, and what it takes to build safer communities across Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

Myesha shares how her lived experience, social work background, and years in community violence intervention shaped her approach to this work. Together, she and Edwin dig into the realities behind gun violence in Cleveland, including how conflict, trauma, underinvestment, and access to firearms all intersect. They also talk about why violence prevention must be treated as a public health issue, why safe gun storage matters, and why families need to start age-appropriate conversations with children as early as possible.

The episode also highlights local solutions already happening in our region, from family gun safety education classes through the Cuyahoga County Office of Violence Prevention and Cuyahoga County Board of Health to community organizations doing on-the-ground intervention work. Myesha makes the case that Cleveland doesn’t need more talk without coordination. It needs partnerships, trusted messengers, practical resources, and real investment in the neighborhoods most impacted by violence.

This conversation is for Clevelanders who care about community advocacy, public safety, youth opportunity, and building a city where families can live without fear. If you’re interested in Cleveland civic engagement, Black leadership in Cleveland, and practical strategies for safer neighborhoods, this episode belongs in your queue.

What happens when the system gets it wrong — and a man still finds a way to rebuild, love, and thrive?

In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Charles “Sweet Man” Jackson, an exoneree who spent 27 years, 6 months, and 20 days incarcerated for crimes he says he did not commit. What follows is a powerful conversation about wrongful conviction, faith, survival, exoneration, and what it means to come home and build a meaningful life after the unimaginable.

Charles “Sweet Man” Jackson shares how his case moved forward through the Ohio Innocence Project, how withheld records and witness issues helped unravel the conviction, and why he chose to stay the course until he was fully exonerated. But this episode is about more than the injustice. It is also about restoration. Charles talks about marriage, family, entrepreneurship, writing his book, and building a future rooted in peace instead of bitterness.

You’ll also hear about his new chapter as a business owner with Sweet Rice Classic Custards in Euclid, his advice for the next generation, and why keeping good people around you matters. This is a Cleveland story about endurance, accountability, community, and the human cost of a system that too often asks questions too late.

If you care about Cleveland community advocacy, civil rights, justice reform, second chances, reentry, and Black leadership in Cleveland, this is a conversation worth hearing. It is honest, human, and rooted in the belief that people are bigger than the labels placed on them.

What does it take to build a school from the ground up in Cleveland? In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Dr. Luciana Gilmore. She is an educator, entrepreneur, community advocate, and founder of Ford Girls Leadership Academy. Edwin and Dr GIlmore sit for a powerful conversation about purpose, faith, and creating equitable opportunities for Black girls in Cleveland.

Dr. Luciana Gilmore shares her journey from more than 25 years in education to becoming a full-time entrepreneur, completing her doctorate, and turning a long-held vision into a real school set to open in August 2026. She also reflects on the inspiration behind Brown Boy Joy, the importance of positive self-image, and why Cleveland needs greater access to high-quality, affordable educational spaces for girls.

This episode explores what it means to lead with conviction, build something bigger than yourself, and create pathways for the next generation. If you care about Cleveland community advocacy, economic equity in Ohio, Black leadership in Cleveland, civil rights, education access, and civic engagement, this conversation delivers both inspiration and a real call to action.

You’ll hear:

Dr. Gilmore’s roots in CMSD and her path into education
The leap from principal to entrepreneur
How Brown Boy Joy grew into a national story
Why Ford Girls Leadership Academy matters for Cleveland families
The vision for mentoring, family partnership, and student leadership
How the community can support through mentorship, donations, and advocacy

This is a conversation for the doers—people who believe Cleveland’s future gets stronger when we invest in young Black leaders now.

In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Dayja Smith, Cleveland entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of Coco’s Crown, for a real conversation about Black beauty, hair identity, entrepreneurship, and creating access where it does not already exist.

Dayja Smith shares how growing up in Cleveland shaped her hustle, how her background in science helped her build a natural hair care brand, and why healthy products made for us still matter. From launching Coco’s Crown to leading through consulting, coworking, and community impact, Dayja Smith breaks down what it means to be a multifaceted Black millennial professional in Northeast Ohio.

This episode also goes deeper than business. Edwin and Dayja talk about the emotional and cultural meaning of Black hair, how identity and confidence are tied to self-expression, and why conversations around the CROWN Act, colorism, and acceptance still matter in Cleveland and beyond. They also explore how organizations like the Urban League help build opportunity for the next generation.

If you care about Cleveland community advocacy, economic equity in Ohio, Black leadership in Cleveland, and practical conversations around identity, ownership, and community, this episode is for you.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Dayja Smith’s Cleveland roots and entrepreneurial journey 
•  The story behind Coco’s Crown and why she created it 
•  Why Black hair is more than style—it is identity, culture, and confidence 
•  Reflections on the CROWN Act and access in professional spaces 
•  Honest conversation about colorism, “good hair,” and Black self-image 
•  Why pouring into the next generation matters 
•  How Dayja Smith is building community through leadership and service 

Listen now and tap into a conversation centered on Cleveland civic engagement, Black identity, and the power of building something for us, by us.

What does it really take to bridge the gap between generations in Cleveland?

In this episode of Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Kayla Lowery, a Cleveland native, Bowie State University graduate, and emerging voice in civic engagement, for a grounded conversation on youth leadership, Black identity, HBCU culture, and why coming back home matters.

Kayla shares how her early exposure to community work, family history, and the justice system shaped her understanding of civic responsibility. From learning what the NAACP actually does on a college campus to seeing how advocacy can influence policy, this episode offers a clear look at how young Black leaders are building power with purpose. 

The conversation also explores the value of HBCUs as spaces where Black students can grow, lead, and find real community; the importance of trusted information in a world driven by algorithms; and what it means to educate, sustain, and stay connected to the people around you. Kayla’s perspective is thoughtful, practical, and deeply rooted in Cleveland. 

This episode is for the doers. For Black Clevelanders, community builders, young professionals, educators, and anyone asking how we move from conversation to action.

Why this episode matters:

•  It speaks directly to Cleveland civic engagement through a generational lens. 
•  It highlights how young leaders connect civil rights, community advocacy, and personal responsibility. 
•  It reinforces the role of education, culture, and community in building long-term power. 

Listen in for a conversation about Cleveland community advocacy, Black leadership in Cleveland, economic equity in Ohio, and how the next generation is shaping the future right now.

Cleveland is a city of legacy, but too many of our families are forced to rebuild from scratch every generation. In this power-packed session of the Cleveland Pulse Podcast, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with East Cleveland’s own Warren Lambertson Jr. to dismantle the myths surrounding life insurance and financial planning.

For the "Millennial Mover" in their 30s, life insurance isn't just about a death benefit—it’s about living benefits. We explore how Clevelanders can use permanent policies as tax-advantaged assets to buy homes, start businesses, and fund educations right here in our neighborhoods. Warren shares the raw, personal story of losing his father at 42 to colon cancer and how a single "checked box" on a blue-collar job application changed his entire life’s trajectory.

Why this matters for Cleveland: Economic equity in Ohio begins with financial literacy. We discuss the historical impact of figures like Cirillo McSween, the first African American financial advisor at a major firm and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s treasurer, who used insurance to fund the Civil Rights Movement. Whether you are navigating the gig economy or establishing your career in Cuyahoga County, understanding the difference between "renting" (term) and "owning" (permanent) your coverage is the key to neighborhood stability and Black leadership in Cleveland.

Key Topics Covered:

• The reality of "Geriatric Millennial" planning.
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• How your health—not your money—buys your insurance.
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• The link between the CROWN Act, family trusts, and workplace freedom.
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• Breaking the "Selfish Monster" mindset to leave an asset, not a bill.
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What happens when the "pulse" of a community meets the rigid, often violent structures of the legal system? In this episode of The Cleveland Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Ayesha Bell Hardaway, a distinguished Law Professor at Case Western Reserve University and a relentless advocate for social justice. Together, they pull back the curtain on the "prison-industrial complex", a system Professor Hardaway argues is simply "slavery with another name".

Professor Hardaway shares her journey from a law student at Case Western during a time when Black civil rights experts were rare to becoming a full professor specializing in the Black experience in America, policing, and community safety. We dive into her early, pioneering research on reparations, written long before it became a mainstream conversation—and why she was initially encouraged not to write on the topic.

This conversation is a wake-up call for Clevelanders and all Black Americans. We discuss the disproportionate impact of racism on our families and why the current carceral system says more about the "ugly side of our own humanity" on the outside than those on the inside. Professor Hardaway also breaks down the dangers of "Andy’s Law" in Ohio and why removing higher education and contact visits from high-security inmates is a recipe for disaster rather than safety.

Finally, we discuss the urgent mission to secure the physical freedom of Keith Lamar, a Clevelander who has been on death row for over 30 years following the 1993 Lucasville prison uprising, a case Professor Hardaway is fighting to resolve before his January 2027 death date.

Why this matters to Cleveland: Our city is better when our brilliant minds are at home, not behind bars. From the deindustrialization of rural Ohio to the "trap" of valuing material goods over our own lives, this episode is about reclaiming our power and protecting our neighbors.

Cleveland isn’t just where we live...it’s where we build, and Councilman Richard Starr is here to show us the blueprint. 

Host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Ward 5’s own Richard A. Starr to dismantle the myth that the White House holds more sway over your daily life than City Hall. If you’ve ever wondered why your street hasn’t been paved, why a dilapidated building is still standing on your block, or where the millions in city resources actually go, this conversation is for you. 

Councilman Starr, a "mighty scarab" and East Tech graduate who rose from the Boys and Girls Club to the halls of government, pulls back the curtain on the three branches of local government and how they dictate the quality of life for Black Clevelanders. From securing $300 million for neighborhood development to launching home repair grants with no income restrictions, Starr proves that when we participate, we win. 

In this episode, we dig into:

The Power of the Purse: Why Council members are the true "lawmakers" of Cleveland and how they set the city budget. 

Neighborhood Deliverables: The reality behind demolishing 88 nuisance properties and resurfacing major arteries like Carnegie and E. 79th. 

The Census Crisis: How a gap of only 3,200 people cost Cleveland two city council seats and vital federal funding. 

Economic Equity: The details on new job creation starting at $23/hr and the push for food cooperatives to end food deserts. 


This isn’t just politics. It's about the economic equity and civic engagement required to move Ward 5 and the entire city of Cleveland, Ohio forward. Whether you are a millennial homeowner or a young leader ready to intern, it’s time to stop making excuses and start leveraging the local officials who work for you.