In April, Cleveland City Council and Mayor Frank G. Jackson welcomed the 2008 LeadDIVERSITY class to City Hall for their 9th Session – “A Tale of Two Races: Diversity on American Leadership Today”.  The full day of events included speeches from many of the Council Members and Cleveland leaders as well as a tour of Cleveland’s Ward 17.

     The group met at the Cleveland City Council Chambers in the morning for a welcome and introduction by Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Council President Martin J. Sweeney and Clerk of Council Patricia J. Britt.  After hearing about the City of Cleveland’s Diversity Efforts from Debra Talley, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Equal Opportunity, the group boarded a bus to take a tour of Ward 17 hosted by Councilman Matt Zone.  The tour highlighted the LGBT Center, Gordon Square Arts District, Capitol Theater and the various new construction and housing projects in the Ward.

     The group reconvened in the afternoon to participate in a panel discussion held in the City Hall Rotunda titled “A Tale of Two Races: Diversity on American Leadership Today”.   The panel will be moderated by the Chief of Government Affairs, Valarie J. McCall and will include Council Members Nina Turner, Ward 1; Sabra Pierce Scott, Ward 8; Joe Cimperman, Ward 13; and Joe Santiago, Ward 14.

     LeadDIVERSITY is a program presented by The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio that links emerging leaders with experienced civic leaders who have been positive forces of change.  These leaders spend a year together in twelve sessions exploring the concept of diversity leadership.  The program is one of many projects of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, whose mission is to eliminate bias, bigotry and racism through education, conflict management and advocacy.  The organization promotes understanding and respect through facilitated conversations on the issues of race, ethnicity and culture in our communities and with their leaders.  The Center uses youth programming and work in the classroom, through interfaith dialogues and by promoting diversity and addressing institutional bias in the workplace.

     Businesses who have representatives taking part in this program are: El Barrio/WSEM; Dress for Success Cleveland; Greater Cleveland Regional Transit; Giffen & Kaminski, LLC; Friends of Cleveland School of Arts; Migun; Summa Health System; AmTrust Bank; National City Bank; Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP; Employment & Family Services; Forest City Enterprises; Cleveland Indians; Neighborhood Centers Association; Energizer; NASA; Thompson Hine LLP; Socius Executive Search; Women’s Community Foundation; Girl Scout of Lake Erie Council; Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio; American Greetings Corporation; Slavic Village Development; Progressive Insurance; Team NEO; Garden Valley Neighborhood House; Littler Mendelson; Greater Cleveland Education Development; Cuyahoga County Board of Health; Fifth Third Bank; Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum; Key Bank; and YWCA of Cleveland.