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Gov. John Kasich delivered
State of the State address
yesterday in neighboring
Medina County.
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We had
planned to watch online the State of the State speech yesterday but family
exigencies intervened. We did manage to
catch the latter part of it in the car on the way home and what we heard the
Governor saying made us curiouser and curiouser. He sounded so compassionate
and so concerned about education that he might have passed for a Democrat.
Of
course, the measure of an elected official is not what he says but what he
does. We will be watching and reporting on which of the Governor’s promises and
commitments find themselves supported by state dollars and new legislation. But
at this point we will confess that the Governor has surprised us once or twice
already during his term in office.
Meanwhile,
we posted yesterday about tomorrow’s Blueprint Roundtable on chronic social
issues affecting generations of African Americans. This promises to be an
important public conversation that
has as one aim the establishment of a multigenerational dialogue among black
men of all ages, philosophies, and orientations.
The
event runs from 11:30AM to 1:30PM. This event is free and open to the public,
but registration is required. Attendees may register either online
or by calling 216.448.0607.
We will
try to post live from the site, but the Clinic’s Bunts Auditorium is a true
bunker and we may not have internet access even from our trusty hotspot.
The Presidents Council Foundation, BPA Charitable
Foundation, Karamu and more
Also
upcoming this week is the annual meeting of The President’s Council Foundation.
Foundation officers will lay out the organization’s vision for the next three
years, recognize the most recent graduating class of Emerging Entrepreneurs,
and place last year’s successes in context alongside the Foundation’s strategic
plan.
The
program, which is being held at The Club at Key Center, will begin at 6:15PM,
preceded by a 45-minute period of registration, networking and hors d’oeuvres.
If you
plan to attend, you should probably call Erica Penick at 216.771.8702 at
extension 225 tomorrow, since the RSVP deadline was Valentine’s Day.
Black Professional of the Year nominations due this
Friday
The
Black Professionals Association Charitable Foundation annual meeting is coming
up on March 12, at Tri-C’s Jerry Sue Thornton Building, 2500 East 22 Street.
This year’s Black Professional of the Year will be announced during the
meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30PM-7:30PM.
Dr.
Michael Schoop, president of the college’s Metro Campus, will deliver the
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| Dr.Michael Schoop |
keynote address for the meeting. Also on the agenda are the swearing of new
trustees and recognition of the Foundation’s 2013 Class of Scholars.
This
event is free and open to the public but seating is limited. Guests are
required to RSVP by emailing their intentions to info@BPACF.org
with the subject line “Annual Meeting RSVP” or by calling 216.229.7110.
There is
still time to submit your candidate for Black Professional of the Year.
Nominations remain open through this Friday, February 28. The organization has
been working to increase community involvement in the nominating process.
To
submit a BPOY nomination, visit www.BPACF.org
and download the nomination form.
A
Smorgasboard of Civic Revelry on tap this Friday
We don’t
know if people suddenly woke up and realized that Black History Month was about
to end or what, but there is abundant civic merriment scheduled for Friday, the
last day of this year’s Black History Month observance.
We
mentioned yesterday that the NAACP was hosting an open house at its new digs,
7100 Euclid Ave., in midtown. That event, which includes a Black History
observance, runs from 6:30PM-8:30PM.
Only a
few blocks away, another venerable institution, Karamu, is hosting its
first-ever “Mix and Mingle” mixer, featuring live music provided by Kevin
Conwell and the Footprints. We assume but don’t vouch for the group leader
being the Glenville councilman.
We do
know that the cost of admission is $7. And that attendees should bring their
dancing shoes, a willingness to socialize, and their “own spirits”. We think
that makes this a cabaret.
Of
course you know Karamu is at the corner of Quincy Ave. and East 89th
Street, where the revelry will extend from 6PM until 10:30PM.
And the
latest event to come to our attention comes from a sponsoring cast of
thousands. It’s a Cavs-Jazz postgame Black Heritage event inside Bridges at the
Q. We guess that means you have to buy a ticket to the game, which you can do
for as little as $19 here.
The reception will take place on Level 4
and last until 11:30PM. The Unit Band will provide the sounds and there will be
complimentary cocktails.
The cast
of thousands? Add up the membership rolls of the cosponsors, which include the Society of Urban
Professionals, the Cleveland Chapter of the National Association of Black MBAs,
the 100 Black Men of Cleveland, the Women’s Leadership Forum, the
National Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland, the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, the Black Sports Professionals,
the Cleveland State University Black Alumni, the Kent State University Black Alumni, the Men of Morehouse local alumni chapter, and maybe more …
• • •
All of
this activity makes you thing there must be a whole lot of educated and
healthily employed African Americans in Greater Cleveland. It could make you
wonder what they might do collectively as part of some dynamic, progressive,
innovative umbrella organization.
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State Sen.
Nina Turner
is running for
Ohio Secretary
of State |
Or could they have pooled some resources to take concerted action that might have minimized the hollowing out of the neighborhoods where so many of them grew up — Glenville, Mt. Pleasant, Collinwood, Kinsman, etc.?
Could they unite to help one of their own become the first Democrat elected to statewide office EVER?
Now wouldn't that make some Black History in 2014 to celebrate in 2015?
