The Community's Conversation

Central Ohio's women face unique barriers compared to men in the creation and accumulation of their personal wealth. The cost of the disparity is enormous: the Federal Reserve estimated that closing gender and racial wealth gaps could have increased Ohio's GDP by $67 billion between 2005 and 2019. This week's forum digs into the challenges Central Ohio women face in the creation of personal wealth and the new data and policies needed to close the disparity.

Featuring:

Courtney Falato, Vice President and Program Officer, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Hannah Halbert, Executive Director, Policy Matters Ohio

Kimberly Minor, President and CEO, Women of Color Retail Alliance

Lillian Morales-Laster, Executive Director, Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy (ELLA)

The moderator was Kelley Griesmer, President and CEO, The Women's Fund of Central Ohio.

This forum was sponsored by The Ohio State University and The Ellis.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on August 28, 2024.

The free press and democracy draw strength from each other. When one fails, or is deliberately targeted for destruction, the other is likely to also be a casualty. This week's forum dives into the importance of a free press and the role journalism plays in keeping democracy vigorous.

Featuring:

Rita McNeil Danish, CEO of Signal Ohio

Dr. Kelly Garrett, Director, School of Communication at The Ohio State University

Michael Shearer, Executive Editor of The Columbus Dispatch

The moderator is Rodney Dunigan, Assistant News Director with ABC 6.

The forum partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

It was supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded at The Ellis in Columbus Ohio's historic Italian Village on August 21, 2024.

Get ready for retirement, because it's coming: while not everyone in Central Ohio is ready to clock out for the last time, the region will soon have more residents reaching the age of 65 than starting kindergarten. It's a situation with enormous implications for employers, school districts, healthcare providers, and taxpayers.

The 65+ age group of Franklin County residents is the fastest growing segment of the county's population, increasing over 50% between 2010 and 2022. During that time, the number of kindergartners – the 0-4 age group – grew by just 2.4%. According to a Columbus Dispatch article published earlier this year, the median age nationally is now 39 years old, rising steadily from 37.2 in 2010 and 35.2 in 2000. Ohio's average age is even higher at 39.6 years.

What policy and infrastructure changes are needed now to meet the housing, transit, homecare and healthcare needs of what's rapidly becoming most of us? It's a situation with HUGE implications for employers, school districts, healthcare providers, and taxpayers.

Featuring:

Dr. Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, Director of Research for The Age-Friendly Innovation Center, The Ohio State University College of Social Work

Katie White, Director, The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging

Kalitha Williams, Outreach and Advocacy Manager, AARP Ohio

Chanda Wingo, Director, Franklin County Office on Aging

The moderator is Tasha Booker, Caregiver and Senior Vice President for External Engagement, City Year.

This forum was sponsored by AARP Ohio, The Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and The Isabelle Ridgeway Foundation. The forum partner was King Business Interiors.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. It was supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded at The Ellis in Columbus Ohio's historic Italian Village on August 7, 2024.

Columbus, Ohio has been stacking up impressive accolades for some time. The city is home to some of the country's top attractions, world-class sports, a great restaurant and bar scene, and a growing and diversifying population that's significantly younger than the statewide average.

Recently, Experience Columbus – the destination marketing organization for Columbus – launched a new campaign to bring attention to the great things Columbus has and is. Its "yes, Columbus" campaign has set its sights on sharing the city's greatness with potential visitors and residents and draws on findings from a communitywide perception study from 2023 that showed that while those who know Columbus are positive, familiarity with Ohio's capital city is low outside of Ohio.

What is the new campaign and what will its reach be? What is the Columbus brand? Columbus has long sought to shape a unique identity that's appealing, aspirational, and authentic to who we are and what we want to become. Can we?

Featuring:

Yohannan "Yogi" Terrell, CEO, Warhol & WALL ST., and Director, Columbus Fashion Initiative

Sarah Townes, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Experience Columbus

Stephanie Spicer, President, Luquire

Steve Susi, Senior Director, Brand Strategy, Northwestern Mutual

The moderator is Jennifer Walton, Chief Brand Officer, Sky Nile Consulting

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation.

The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

It was supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded at The Ellis in Columbus Ohio's historic Italian Village on July 31, 2024.

More than 1.5 million Ohioans – over 13% of the state's population – lives in the cities governed by our three July 24 forum panelists. We welcome the current mayors of Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, Ohio for an extraordinary program as these three dynamic leaders discuss the unique challenges and opportunities facing their 21st century cities. We'll hear their strategies for economic growth, urban development, transit, community engagement, and much more. Join us for this rare opportunity to hear firsthand from the mayors shaping the future of Ohio's three largest cities.

Featuring: Andrew Ginther, Mayor, City of Columbus Justin Bibb, Mayor, City of Cleveland And Aftab Pureval, Mayor, City of Cincinnati

The moderator is Yolanda Harris, News Anchor, WBNS-10TV

This forum was sponsored by Bricker Graydon, The Columbus Region, The Ohio Mayors Alliance, and Spectrum. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. It was supported by The Ellis. This forum was recorded at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on July 24, 2024.

Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. was appointed as the 17th president of The Ohio State University by its Board of Trustees last August. He began his tenure at Ohio State on January 1 of this year. As president, Carter leads the state's premier public research university with six campuses in Ohio and a student body of more than 65,000. Carter also served as president of the University of Nebraska System and was the U.S. Naval Academy's longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War. He is a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral with 38 years of service and has logged more than 6,300 flying hours. Carter flew 125 combat missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross with combat distinction for valor and is a recipient of the Bronze Star. CMC is honored to welcome President Carter for this special 1:1 forum as we explore the future of the state's flagship university and the vision of its new leader.

Featuring:

Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., President, The Ohio State University

The host is Matt Barnes, NBC4 Anchor

This forum was sponsored by The Joseph & Carol Newcomb-Alutto Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund Focusing on Higher Education, The Ohio State University, Huntington, United Way of Central Ohio, Columbus Business First, Moody Nolan, and NBC4 WCMH TV.

The presenting sponsor of CMC's livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

It was supported by Vue Columbus.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at Vue Columbus in Columbus, Ohio's historic Brewery District on July 17, 2024.

A proposed major overhaul of Columbus' 70-year-old zoning code will bring big changes to Columbus. If passed, the new code will dramatically reshape parts of the city by unlocking current density and height restrictions, allow more mixed-use developments, and much more. Proponents argue a zoning code overhaul is critical to help Columbus fix its worsening housing crisis, while opponents worry that the proposal could bring about a loss of control over new development in established neighborhoods, or even the loss of historic buildings. The proposed overhaul could allow for 88,000 new housing units along key city corridors, impacting 12,300 parcels. The proposal is currently in a 60-day public review period, with Columbus City Council's final vote on the proposed changes coming this summer. Draft plans would allow much taller buildings and denser housing along major streets including Broad Street, High Street, and Cleveland Avenue, plus an elimination of parking requirements. While some welcome the increased housing options, others are concerned about potential changes to neighborhood character. With a panel bringing multiple voices to the table, we unpack the way this summer's proposed zoning overhaul could reshape Columbus.

Featuring:

Rob Dorans, President Pro Tem, Columbus City Council

Leah Evans, President & CEO, Homeport

Dr. Rebecca Kemper, CEO, Columbus Landmarks

Kathy Green, Vice-Chair and Zoning Committee Chair, Columbus Southside Area Commission

The moderator is Mark Ferenchik, News Director, WOSU Public Media.

This forum was sponsored by Crane Group.

The presenting sponsor of CMC's livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

It was supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on July 10, 2024.

The state of charitable giving has a profound impact on hundreds of nonprofit organizations throughout Central Ohio, ranging from mighty arts, healthcare, and higher education institutions to local civic clubs and direct service providers. Trends in giving affect all of them — from the decline of giving among "everyday households," increasing dependence on high-net-worth donors, trends in corporate giving, and the rise of donor advised funds, this dynamic sector represents more than 12% of Ohio's workforce – about as many as are employed in manufacturing. Following the June 25 release of Giving USA's annual report, we host a landmark conversation diving into the state and future of charitable giving.

Featuring:

Erika Gable, President, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Ohio Chapter

Rachel Lustig, CEO, Lutheran Social Services

Dr. Una Osili, Associate Dean for Research and International Programs, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, who also provides opening remarks.

The host is Laura MacDonald, Principal & Founder, Benefactor Group

Opening remarks by Dan Sharpe, Vice President for Community Research and Grants Management, The Columbus Foundation.

The presenting sponsor was The Columbus Foundation.

This forum was also sponsored by The Hodge Group. The forum partner was AFP Central Ohio.

It was supported by The Ellis.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on June 26, 2024.

Healthy nonprofit organizations are critical to any community. They address unmet needs, enrich our cultural life, and build social capital. With a panel of passionate leaders and advocates, we unpack the state of Central Ohio nonprofits at one of CMC's most popular forums of the year.

The panelists are:

Suzan Bradford, Executive Director, The Lincoln Theater

Gabrielle Fields, Executive Director, Franklinton Farms

Matthew Goldstein, CEO, Besa

Kristen Rost, Vice President, Nationwide Foundation

The moderator is Dan Sharpe, Vice President for Community Research and Grants Management, The Columbus Foundation.

The presenting sponsor was Nationwide.

This forum was also sponsored by Benefactor Group, Besa, Carlile Patchen & Murphy, Columbia Gas of Ohio, Cramer & Associates, G2G Consulting, Installed Building Products, and The New Directions Career Center.

It was supported by Vue Columbus.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at Vue Columbus in Columbus, Ohio's historic Brewery District on June 12, 2024.

As our country heads into a pivotal 2024 election, we unpack the creation and the legacy of one of the most significant legislative achievements in American history, the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The 60-year-old Civil Right Act – bold, imperfect at creation, and controversial – demanded a fundamental fairness in American life that today remains an unfinished task.

In June 1963, President John Kennedy urged Congress to enact a comprehensive civil rights bill, driven by widespread resistance to desegregation and the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Following Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon Johnson championed the bill, ultimately securing its passage the following year, despite intense resistance that included a 54-day filibuster by opponents.

At the bill's signing on July 2, 1964, President Johnson was joined by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights crusaders. The Civil Rights Act barred unequal voter registration requirements, banned discrimination on the basis of "race, color, religion, or national origin" in places of public accommodation, in public education and in federally-assisted programs, banned discrimination based on "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin" in hiring, and expanded the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act was a watershed moment in American history. It effectively ended the era of notorious "Jim Crow" laws, previously upheld by the Supreme Court, which permitted racial segregation under the pretext of "separate but equal." Since 1964, Congress has expanded the Civil Rights Act to strengthen the protection of essential civil liberties.

With an expert panel, we pay respects to the vision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and take stock of the state of – and threats to – civil liberties in today's America.

Featuring:

Janet E. Jackson, Former President & CEO, The United Way of Central Ohio, Former City Attorney for the City of Columbus, Former Franklin County Municipal Court Judge

Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Associate Professor, Department of History, The Ohio State University

Jen Miller, Executive Director, The League of Women Voters of Ohio

The panel moderator is W. Kay Wilson, Associate Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Mahogany Magazine

This forum was sponsored by Homeport, The Robert Weiler Company, and Steptoe & Johnson. The forum partner was The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus. It was supported by The Ellis.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on June 5, 2024.