Ward 1
Councilwoman Nina Turner is working hard to make an impact as the first woman ever elected to serve Ward 1 in the southeastern corner of Cleveland by assisting Ward 1 residents in reaching their full potential. She is committed to advocating on behalf of the disenfranchised as well as extending her support for those striving to fully achieve their goals and live the American dream.
Councilwoman Turner has spearheaded many efforts to make Cleveland and Ward 1 a safer and more stable place to live. A major accomplishment was the re-establishment of a Community Development Corporation in Ward 1 to replace Amistad, which went out of business early in 2005. Councilwoman Turner developed an unprecedented partnership with Harvard Community Services Center to
bring a development corporation back to the ward. She also secured $300.000 in (GO) Bonds to reconstruct Miles Heights Playground, which is expected to have a ribbon cutting in the Spring of 2008.
Councilwoman Turner has been a frontrunner in Council’s campaign to make our neighborhoods a safer and more family-friendly place to live. Earlier this year, Councilwoman Turner led the charge to change the curfew law, mandating younger children be supervised or off city streets by 9:30 pm. She is also working on exploring the need and validity of parental responsibility legislation.
Councilwoman Turner works diligently throughout Greater Cleveland in education and public policy. As an active member of various community and civic organizations and believes she has a responsibility to give back to the community that has given so much to her. The Councilwoman also teaches African American History, U.S. History, and Urban Studies at Cuyahoga Community College; has written articles for various publications on issues of importance to the Black community; and is currently developing a problem-based learning module entitled “Cleveland Apartheid: Legal Means to Maintaining Housing Segregation”.
Before joining City Council, Councilwoman Turner was a Legislative Aide to former State Senator Rhine McLin, the Executive Assistant for Legislative Affairs in the Administration of former Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White, and the Director of Government Affairs for the Cleveland Municipal School District.
Councilwoman Turner completed her Associates Degree at Cuyahoga Community College and her Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees in history at Cleveland State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Urban Studies/Public Administration at the Cleveland State University, Levin College of Urban Affairs.
Councilwoman Turner is a native Clevelander and product of the Cleveland Public Schools. She is married to Jeffery Turner Sr. Their son is a student at James Ford Rhodes High School and High Tech Academy at Cuyahoga Community College.