Community Forum, Thursday, December 15, 2016, Noon, Black Lives Matter, an update.

Black Lives Matter has been involved across the country when it believes the police have violated the rights of African-American citizens. Locally during the past year, Black Lives Matter Cincinnati has been very active in the aftermath of the shooting death of Samuel Dubose and the murder trial of Ray Tensing, the University of Cincinnati Police officer who shot Dubose. At the next Community Issues Forum, Brian Taylor, a leader and spokesman for Black Lives Matter Cincinnati, will provide an update of the actions and agenda of the organization during 2016. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday December 15th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.    PART II   PART III

Efforts To Reduce Gun Violence In Cincinnati.Thursday December 1, 2016, 12:00 

Gun violence occurs all too often in Cincinnati. In the month of August alone, seven people were shot and killed. At the next Community Issues Forum, The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Mitch Morris, who directs the Phoenix Program for Cincinnati Works, and Ennis Tait, Pastor of the Church of the Living God, will discuss what is currently being done to reduce local gun violence. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday December 1st, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

 

What Happened On November 8TH: Howard Wilkinson, WVXU Political Commentator,Offers Insights About The Election Thursday, November 17, 2016

 Although The Presidential Election dominated the news this fall, many important races occurred at the state and local levels. What are the immediate impacts of the election, and what trends can be discerned? At the next Community Issues Forum, Howard Wilkinson, WVXU Political Commentator, will provide his analysis of what happened on November 8th. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday November 17th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.     Read summary of Howard presentation.

Beyond The Presidential Election:The Forum Features Some State And County Candidates Thursday, October 27, 2016


 The Presidential Election currently dominates national and local attention, but voters will also confront the names of numerous state and county candidates on their ballots this fall. At the next Community Issues Forum, candidates in some of these state and county races will make their case. At present, the candidates include Rep. Denise Driehaus and Jeff Long for Commissioner Denis Deters (invited), candidates for the Hamilton County Commission;  District; Mary Yeager and Brigid Kelly, candidates for the Ohio House 31st District. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday October 27th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

 

The Cincinnati Public Schools And Preschool Levy: A Panel Examines The Pros And Cons Of Ballot Issue 44 Thursday, October 13, 2016



 An important ballot issue before local voters this fall is the Cincinnati Public Schools/ Preschool Promise Levy. This levy would not only fund K through 12 services of Cincinnati Public, but it would provide income to pay for new preschool programs. At the next Community Issues Forum, a panel, including Eve Bolton, a Cincinnati School Board member, Jack Jose, Principal of Gamble Montessori High School, and a COAST representative, will examine the pros and cons and complexities of Issue 44. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday October 13th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

 

The Children’s Services Levy:Speaker- Moira Weir, Director Of Jobs And Family Services  Thursday September 29, 2016

One of the issues that Hamilton County voters will find on their ballot this fall is the Children’s Services Levy. This renewal levy pays for a number of important services for children living in Greater Cincinnati. At the next Community Issues Forum, Moira Weir, Director of Jobs and Family Services for Hamilton County, will discuss the services included in the levy and why they are needed. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday September 29th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street. Video  Part II

Community Issues Forum Kicks Off Its Fall Season:Poverty? There Is Enough?   Thursday September 15, 2016

The Community Issues Forum kicks off its fall season on Thursday September 15th. Launching its 36th year, the Forum picks up where it left off last May with a panel entitled “Poverty? There Is Enough.” Led by Michelle Dillingham, Executive Director of Community Shares, the panel includes Steve Szeghi, Professor of Economics at Wilmington College, Michael Earl Patton, P.E. and Contributing Writer for StreetVibes, and Bill Woods , former Chair of Common Cause/Ohio,and Justin Jeffre, Editor of Streetvibes and it will look at some of the systemic causes of poverty and the growing economic inequality in this country. The Forum previews a longer session by the same name that will occur at the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church  at 6:00 that evening. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday September 15th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

No Forums during the Summer

Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty: What Would It Take To Bring Real Change? May 19, 2016 

Series Wrap Up –  A Panel Overview Followed By Round Table Working Groups May 19, 2016  See Summary by Bill Woods Below

What Would It Take To Seriously Reduce Poverty Series Ends With The Final Community Issues Forums Of The 2015-2016 Season

Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room, 318 East Fourth Street

What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? At the next Community Issues Forum, this series concludes with a wrap SAM_0173up session that will tap your views on reducing poverty. Presenters at the first five Forums will be invited to provide brief highlights of their recommendations, and then attendees will divide into small groups in order to come up with their proposals. This luncheon Forum takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday May19th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Is Equitable Development Possible In Cincinnati’s Neighborhoods? The Roles Of The Private Sector, Government, And Citizens May 5, 2016

Is equitable development possible in Cincinnati’s neighborhoods? At the next Community Issues Forum, Jennifer Summers, Executive Director of Peaslee Neighborhood Center, Jenn Ahrens, Sophia Cunningham, and Alicia Ferguson will lead a discussion on how citizens have come together to influence new development projects and their potential impacts on the quality of life for residents in Over-the-Rhine. This luncheon Forum presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday May 5th, Peaslee Neighborhood Center, 215 East 14th Street (Over-the-Rhine).

 

What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? Thursday, April 7, 2016

Summary by Bill Woods
Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty? The Role Of Affordable Housing.

Part V of this series will focus on the role that a lack of affordable housing plays in keeping families and individuals in poverty. At the next Community Issues Forum, Elizabeth Brown, the recently retired Executive Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), and John Schrider, Senior Attorney/Director, the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, will address this critical factor.

Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty: What Would It Take To Bring Real Change? (Part IV),  Speakers- Kristen Barker, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Union Coop Initiative. April 14, 2016


 What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? At the next
Community Issues Forum, a panel will focus on current innovative initiatives to create new jobs in Cincinnati’s neighborhoods. Speakers will include Allen Woods, Director of Operations for MORTAR, and Kristen Barker, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Union Coop Initiative    Video Part II   

 

“Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty? Part III of a Series,”Speaker – Ross Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact, The United Way.   March 24, 2016   

What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? At the next Community Issues Forum, Ross Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact, the United Way, will address this question from his vantage point as one of the leaders of a new initiative to reduce child poverty in Greater Cincinnati. This luncheon Forum presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday March 24th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty: What Would It Take To Bring Real Change? (Part II),  Speaker-Josh Spring, Executive Director, The Homeless Coalition, March 10, 2016

What Would It Take To Seriously Reduce Poverty? Summary by Bill Woods

What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? At the next Community Issues Forum, Josh Spring, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, will address this question from his vantage point as the leader of an organization that emerged in the 1980s to assist shelters and human services to collaborate in serving the growing number of homeless individuals and families in Cincinnati. This luncheon Forum presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday March 10th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

 

Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty: What Would It Take To Bring Real Change? (Part I),  Speaker-Gwen Robinson, Exec. Dir. Community Action Agency February 25, 2016

 Are We Really Serious About Addressing Poverty?  Summary by Bill Woods

What would it take to bring about a significant reduction in poverty in Greater Cincinnati? At the next Community Issues Forum, Gwen Robinson, Executive Director of the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Community Action Agency, will address this question from her vantage point as the longtime leader of an organization that emerged in the 1960s as a key agency in Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” This luncheon Forum presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday February 25th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street  Video Part II 

Focusing  On The Local Scene – Black Lives Matter Cincinnati  Responds To Incidents  Of Injustice In Greater Cincinnati.  February 11, 2016


In reaction to fatal police shootings of African-Americans, thousands of young people across the country have participated in protests, vigils, and rallies under the banner of Black Lives Matter. A local group, Black Lives Matter Cincinnati, has been active since 2014. At the next Community Issues Forum, Brian Taylor, a leader and spokesman for Black Lives Matter Cincinnati, will discuss how this group has evolved and responded to local incidents such as the police shooting of Samuel Dubose. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday February 11th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Making Preschool Promise A Reality-Preschool Promise-Advocates Discuss Next Steps For 2016,Thursday January 28, 2016, 12:00 Noon

Cincinnati Preschool Promise is an initiative with the goal of making quality preschool available for every local child. Buttressed by research and examples that show how a rich  preschool experience provides a foundation for success, CPSP-organizers are at the stage of implementing a plan to make their dream a local reality. At the next Community Issues Forum, Preschool Promise community representatives will talk about next steps and respond to questions. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday January 28th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room, 318 East Fourth Street.  Video Part II

Issues Confronting Cincinnati City Government In 2016: Vice Mayor David Mann Reflects On The City’s Priorities. Thursday January 14, 2016,

 Thursday January 14, 2016, 12:00 Noon,
Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room, 318 East Fourth Street


 What are the important issues confronting City Council in 2016 and beyond? At the first Forum of 2016, David Mann, Cincinnati’s Vice Mayor, will address this question as well as assessing how he sees government’s role in future developments and plans for the city. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday January 14th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

 David Mann’s Year End Message