Public Comment

Cleveland has declared racism as a public health crisis and it calls for supportive strategies and implementation steps to prevent systemic racism and address the mounting racial disparities that continue to impact Black and Brown Families. The misunderstanding of Black girls and women has lead to educational, societal, and judicial disparities which are continuously overshadowed by analyzing the negative outcomes experienced by Black Boys. As disparities highly impact black boys, black girls experience 7x more out of school suspensions, black women in Ohio are more likely to experience discrimination in health care, and black women are 2.2 more likely to die for pregnancy related causes. Ignoring the negative outcomes experienced by women due to causes stemming from racial inequity require solutions. Therefore initiating a Black Women & Girls Commission will initiate the first step in provision of strategy implementation to shift the trajectory for Black women and girls in Cleveland, Ohio.

Councilmembers, Thank you for your service to our city and all its neighborhoods. As a resident, I was thrilled last year to see the vote in support of the Black Women and Girls Commission. This is long overdue. With 52% of our residents identifying as female and 48% as Black we need to focus our public attention, time and resources on Black Women. By focusing on the needs of Black Women we will lift up our entire city. This is why the time is now to empanel this commission with 12 Black Women and Girls to identify the needs and move this work forward.

Cleveland has been identified as one of the worst cities for the safety and health of Black women and girls in the nation. The Bibb administration has failed to keep its promise made a year ago to empanel members to give these citizens a voice and allow for meaningful progress to address the needs of Black women and girls in this city. These women are my colleagues and my students, and their success and flourishing are essential to success and flourishing of this area.

It is time to empanel the official Cleveland Commission on Black Women and Girls. The City of Cleveland rankings for Black women and youth are on or near the bottom nationally across multiple categories including - health, economic, resources, social capital and environmental. Project Noir highlighted those disparities in its own survey of Black women working and/or running businesses in or near the city. These issues have been broadly discussed. What city can boast with pride about anything, given these low rankings? Please show the women voters of this region that there is a sense of urgency in authentically addressing and resolving the challenges faced by this unique group of residents, civic leaders, professionals, business owners, philanthropists, activists, students, parents, caregivers, citizens and taxpayers. Don't let inaction perpetuate the gross disparities outlined in past local and national studies about the quality of life and experiences of Black women and girls in this region.

Dear City Council, Thank you for your hard work. I am writing you to ask you to impanel the members of the Cleveland Commission on Black Women and Girls. It has been almost one full year since the Bibb Administration and Cleveland City Council promised not only to pass The Cleveland Commission on Black Women and Girls (Ordinance No. 373-2022), but to give voice to Black Women through empower empanelled members aiming to change the liveability metrics for Black Women in Cleveland. As the recent report - Project Noir - demonstrated, Black women experience grave inequities in healthcare, workplaces, education, and other institutions are arenas of life. It is critical that we impanel members on this Commission to examine and address these inequities, so that Cleveland can become a city where all Black women and girls can thrive. Thank you. Katie Clonan-Roy

This commission was authorized a year ago and yet has empaneled no members. This administration is behaving the same way toward woman that previous ones have. Decisions about and for women continue to be made by those that are not. The outcomes for women in cleveland is the worst for any city in the country. We must fix this at the city and county level. Seat and empower the committee now!

In this day and age of thinking out of the box, it’s disappointing not to see more creative solutions to the needs of the residents of the Euclid Beach Trailer Park. I do not understand why this plan did not include a study of similar projects that have successfully addressed the housing needs of communities with similar economic challenges in the USA, Canada and worldwide. It seems obvious that the area is rich in diversity, natural resources, and open spaces that could serve all.

Thank you for considering the Medicare for All Resolution. City Council is considering helping to pay off medical debt of thousands of residents at this time. This is a great step, and fortunate that there is funding available from ARPA. In normal times, people are left on their own to figure out whether to pay for housing, food and medical care. This is not just an issue with seniors, it is everybody. We need universal healthcare, and it is possible, but more importantly it is humane. I am asking that all members of City Council support the non-binding resolution and stand up for the health and well being of all citizens in Cleveland.

It goes for anyone that steals money it is wrong an watch out for black mailers too me I have a badge that I won as a lawsuit for a real reason blaming me for something that is not true.

I can't believe you are even addressing this matter. Seriously,with all the other issues in Cleveland your concerned about the flavor of cigarettes that will be available in surrounding cities. So hurt the little ma and pa stores in Cleveland. You should be ashamed to even mention this with all that is going on in Cleveland.