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.

The Last Line of Defense: Saving Public Education with Meryl Johnson

The battle between public and private education isn't just about "choice"—it's about the future of our democracy. In this powerful episode of The Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Meryl Johnson, a 40-year veteran educator, former State Board of Education member, and Chair of the Cleveland NAACP Education Committee.

With four decades in the classroom and eight years on the front lines of state policy, Meryl pulls back the curtain on the "systemic dismantling" of Ohio's public schools. We discuss:

The School Funding Crisis: Why the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled our funding system unconstitutional four times—and why your zip code still determines your child's future.

The Voucher Myth: A history lesson on how "school choice" evolved from a promise to help low-income families into a billion-dollar subsidy for private institutions.

Christian Nationalism in Schools: The truth about LifeWise and the movement to take children out of core classes for religious indoctrination..

The "Woke" Reality: Why staying "woke" is a positive, necessary act of survival in a climate of book bans and censored history.

As Merle says, uneducated people are easy to control.. This conversation is a call to action for every "Millennial Mover" in Cleveland to protect the last line of defense: our local school boards.

Become a member of the Cleveland NAACP and power the pulse of our city at clevelandnaacp.org

 Cleveland is a city rich in Black history, but are we truly celebrating and owning our culture? In this episode of The Pulse, host Edwin Hubbard Jr. sits down with Leah Hudnall, owner of The Legacy Perspective, to discuss the critical intersection of storytelling, social justice, and civic identity.

Leah shares her journey from Southeast Cleveland to the halls of Howard University, and how personal loss fueled her mission to capture the "salacious, daring, and loving" stories of her elders before they are lost to time. We dive deep into:

• The "Legacy Perspective": Why documenting your family’s journey is a radical act of social justice.
• Cleveland’s Cultural Deficit: A candid critique of why Clevelanders often have to leave the city to have a "good Black time" and how we can demand better.
• Relay Cleveland: A look at Leah's public history campaign chronicling the 50th anniversary of school desegregation in Cleveland and why it matters to every resident today.
• Civic Responsibility: Moving beyond "angry Black woman" tropes to find your unique role in the movement—whether you’re a writer, a lawyer, or a community organizer.

If you’ve ever felt like an outsider in your own city or wondered how to preserve your family's legacy, this conversation is your blueprint.

Become a member of the Cleveland NAACP and power the pulse of our city at clevelandnaacp.org.

The Pulse Podcast | Keeping It 100Featuring: Gregory LockhartChairman, 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland

In this episode, Keeping It 100, we sit down with Gregory Lockhart, Chairman of the 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, for a powerful conversation about mentorship, leadership, and the responsibility of guiding the next generation of Black boys.

This conversation is about showing up, staying consistent, and building futures through action — not just words. Gregory breaks down the organization’s mission, the impact of male mentorship, and why intentional guidance, discipline, and exposure change lives.

We talk about:• Why mentorship is a responsibility, not a favor• How leadership shapes identity and confidence• The importance of presence and consistency• Preparing young Black boys for success• What it really means to “keep it 100”

This episode is a reminder: the future is built by those willing to lead.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

The Pulse Podcast | The Money MindsetFeaturing: Lareese Purnell

This episode jumped the line — because our people need to hear this.

In The Money Mindset, we sit down with Lareese Purnell for a real, unfiltered conversation about what’s happening in the Black community, how our relationship with money has been shaped, and where our mindset needs to shift.

This isn’t about get-rich-quick schemes.It’s about focus, discipline, ownership, and long-term thinking.

Lareese breaks down:• Why our financial conversations need to evolve• How generational habits shape our spending and saving• Where we’ve been misdirected — and how to refocus• What it means to build, not just flex• How mindset determines outcomes

This episode is a call to wake up, level up, and move with intention.

Because wealth isn’t just about money — it’s about thinking differently.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.