Summary
- The Commission on Black Women and Girls discussed the need for additional resources and operational support to strengthen the work of the commission. Members gave updates on the subcommittees’ work and are seeking support from the George Gund Foundation. The commission discussed whether funding support should be for one full-time staff member or multiple part-time staff members. Commission members also stressed the importance of conducting an inventory of current responsibilities and developing a stronger communication strategy for the commission.
- Guest Andrew Hackett-Bey provided insight on the criminal justice system for Black and brown women and shared insights from work he has done. Commission members continued conversations on how they can best support incarcerated women.
- Lita-Marie Wills from the commission’s Healthcare Committee provided an update on its progress to develop ”The State of Black Women and Girls in Cleveland,” a report examining key health and social indicators affecting Black women and girls in the city. The committee is seeking input from the commission on content and completing the brief by the end of the year to establish an annual report.
Follow-up questions
- How will the commission use the information gathered from the listening sessions to shape future initiatives and reports?
- How will the commission utilize the support from the community to help with programming?
- Will the commission have any interest in creating policies that protect Black and brown women and girls?
Commission discusses staffing and support for mission
The call to order and roll call occurred at 5:05 p.m.
Commission members present:
- Stephanie Howse-Jones (remote)
- Taneisha Fair
- Eugenia Cash
- Anne Nelson
- Anastasia Sakairoun
- Shameka Jones-Taylor
- Lita-Marie Wills
- Sydney Evans (remote)
Guests:
- Andrew Hackett-Bey, A.H.B. Professional Coaching
- Shanelle Simmons, representing PCs for People and a nonprofit focused on leadership for women and girls
- Alana Belle, Black Feminist Future
- Myself, Mikayla Coleman, a fellow with the George Gund Foundation and a Cleveland Documenter [Editor’s note: Coleman attended the meeting as a Documenter and did not have prior knowledge that a George Gund Foundation funding opportunity would be discussed at this meeting, nor does she have involvement with the foundation’s funding decisions.]
Commission members gave subcommittee reports.
Economic Development committee
No updates at this time, as no one was there to present from this subcommittee.
Education committee talking with youth about employee opportunities
Commission Member Howse-Jones, a Cleveland City Council member, reported that the committee is developing a tool to support local communities engaging with the commission and the city. Howse-Jones said that they wanted to test this idea, but there have been challenges related to securing resources.
The committee hosted a special screening of the documentary “Belonging Beyond Brown,” followed by a discussion on Black students’ educational experiences before and after integration, including the impact of removing Black educators from educational systems. Howse-Jones emphasized the importance of community engagement and creating educational experiences that center Black youth.
The committee is planning an August engagement session with youth who were not selected for summer employment opportunities. The session will focus on understanding youth experiences, exploring alternative engagement opportunities and gathering recommendations. The goal is to identify additional ways to support older youth and explore how communities can better engage young people who do not receive summer employment opportunities.
Howse-Jones discussed a panel discussion on Black women in leadership that she participated in as well as the commission’s invitation to submit a grant proposal to the George Gund Foundation. Howse-Jones highlighted the need for continued programming, board development and staff support. Howse-Jones also raised the question of whether the commission should hire a full-time or part-time staff member to support its work. (Signal Cleveland receives support from the George Gund Foundation.)
Commission Member Wills said that Commission Member Cash could help conduct an inventory of current staff responsibilities to better understand workload demands before determining staffing needs. Wills emphasized the importance of considering flexibility for evening meetings and daytime responsibilities.
Commission Member Nelson suggested exploring the option of hiring two part-time staff members to provide access to specialized skill sets across multiple roles. Cash shared the needs of the commission and said, “We really would appreciate that assistance and support because the commission is really important.”
During public comment, participants noted that full-time employment could better support economic stability and address underemployment concerns affecting Black women.
Howse-Jones asked me to speak on the work of the George Gund Foundation from my perspective as a fellow. I talked about the potential philanthropic support and the foundation’s interest in exploring ways to invest in organizations and initiatives that advance outcomes for Black and brown communities.
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Healthcare committee working on report
Wills, the head of the Cleveland Division of Health Equity and Social Justice in the Department of Public Health, shared updates on a proposed report titled “The State of Black Women and Girls in Cleveland,” which would examine current health and social issues impacting Black women and girls. The report is intended to provide updated health statistics, highlight priority concerns identified through efforts such as Project Noir, identify existing initiatives and resources and potentially serve as an annual report tracking issues affecting Black women and girls in Cleveland.
The committee discussed the importance of including social determinants of health, including economic stability, education and other factors that influence health outcomes.
The Healthcare Committee members requested collaboration from other commission committees to provide input and review sections related to their areas of expertise. The goal is to create a comprehensive resource that combines data, community experiences and information about available resources and initiatives.
Justice/Civil Rights committee
Commission Member Fair shared that the committee’s current priority areas include domestic violence, housing and the SAVE Act. Fair noted that additional meetings will be scheduled to continue developing these focus areas.
Research committee looking into potential partnership
Howse-Jones discussed a potential partnership with Sisters of Economic Action, which is exploring an Ohio State Bar Foundation grant opportunity focused on a workplace restorative initiative. The proposed effort would support Black women experiencing workplace challenges, including job termination, by providing access to HR expertise, legal support and professional coaching. Sisters of Economic Action may present additional information to the commission at a future meeting regarding possible collaboration opportunities.
Membership and Recruitment committee interested in youth commissioners
The commission discussed reopening applications for youth commissioners and expanding youth representation within the commission. Howse-Jones highlighted a potential youth commissioner candidate, a 14- to 15-year-old Black girl who demonstrated interest in becoming involved and representing youth perspectives.
Public hearings/listening sessions committee
This committee works closely with the research committee.
Commission Member Sakairoun shared that they are continuing work to finalize transcripts from previous listening sessions. Sakairoun noted that delays occurred due to the size of the audio and video files, requiring additional processing.
During the discussion, guest Andrew Hackett-Bey from A.H.B. Professional Coaching asked whether the committee’s work included support for incarcerated women and reentry efforts. Hackett-Bey highlighted challenges faced by incarcerated Black and Latina women, saying they don’t get enough programming and support. He discussed the importance of providing support beyond traditional programs, including communication skills, professional development and tools for successful transitions back into the community. Hackett-Bey said that A.H.B. not only empowers individuals but also gives them the tools they need. He expressed interest in exploring ways his organization could support the commission’s work. Howse-Jones noted that future commission initiatives should consider the needs of incarcerated women and girls across all committees, including education, economic development and community support.
Nelson asked what factors are driving the incarceration rates among women and about the community’s interest in this work. Hackett-Bey said much of his work focuses on understanding the root causes behind these rates through community engagement projects.
Upcoming presentation on the Girlhood Initiative
Wills said Brittney Smith from Positively Empowering and Restoring Ladies’ Self-Esteem (PEARLS) will present the Girlhood Initiative at the August commission meeting. The initiative focuses on improving safety and support for youth through three key areas: advocating for youth-related emergency calls involving harassment to receive timely responses, increasing participation in youth-serving organizations like Safe Place Cleveland, and creating safer, more engaging routes for youth through community-based safety strategies.
Public comments
Alana Belle said she serves as the senior manager of membership with Black Feminist Future and expressed her support for the commission’s mission and work. She highlighted her organization’s increased focus on local engagement, including expanding its work and recruitment efforts in Cleveland.
Cash invited Belle to give a future presentation to the commission about the organization’s work and initiatives.
These notes are by Documenter Mikayla Coleman.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcleveland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
