We are coming up on two years since we launched a period of reflecting, reimagining and recommitting at our center’s tenth anniversary. We are now fully into a major strategic pivot on our quest to promote place-based social transformation. We dedicate this episode to bring our listeners fully up to speed on the next chapter of our mission. To describe the details of our organizational pivot, I am joined by two colleagues who are helping us to bridge from our first decade of work and a third colleague who has recently joined to advance our new focus.Debbie Wilber is our Associate Director at NIMC and a Research Associate at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western. Debbie serves both as our COO and as a leader of some of our project work. She’s been with us for five years.Salin Geevarghese is the principal of his consulting firm SGG Insight and has been a constant collaborator with our center since 2016. He has helped lead our Mixed-Income Strategic Alliance work as well as our consultation with the Washington Housing Conservancy in D.C.Laylah Allen joined us two months ago as our first ever Senior Community Builder on staff. She brings experience in community outreach, strategic partnerships, and youth mental health and wellness. She joined us from the Swetland Center for Environmental Health at Case Western.The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities/NP3: Nurturing People.Place.Power.SGG Insight
This is the fourth episode in the podcast series Moving Toward Healing focused on the incredible work of ThirdSpace Action Lab, a racial equity consulting firm based in Cleveland. The series features six episodes exploring the philosophy, strategies, and achievements of this extremely unique and innovative changemaking powerhouse. In this episode we focus on the Space in ThirdSpace, liberated space that is. And, for the first time ever, we recorded on-site at a guest location. We were joined by three members of the team who lead the space cultivation and hosting in the ThirdSpace Reading Room and the Black Radical Imagination Bookstore.Celia Williamson is the Community manager at the ThirdSpace Reading Room. Born and raised on Cleveland’s East Side, Celia moved to NYC after graduating from the University of Akron. While in NY, Celia worked in various fashion industry settings but spent 9 years at Brooks Brothers as a marketing stylist. A recent return to Cleveland has allowed Celia to join the team at the Reading Room while continuing to grow her interior design practice.Harry Atwell is a native Clevelander, born and raised in Glenville in a multigenerational household by grandparents who moved here from West Virginia in 1950. Harry’s work experience varies across several industries, including graphic design and health care, including 17 years at Cleveland Clinic but he is most proud of the work he did during his two years as Community Manager and caregiver of ThirdSpace Reading Room. He stepped away from his position last year to pursue personal creative passions in residential interior design.Sean Clark is the current Marketing Director for ThirdSpace Action Lab. A Cleveland transplant by way of Brooklyn, NY, and a graduate of Morehouse College, Sean has worked in marketing and advertising for the past 13 years after a brief stint as a union organizer with SEIU. He has worked to craft large-scale digital marketing campaigns for brands such as Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, Hennessey, Amazon, Marriott, and Vevo,ThirdSpace Action LabThirdSpace Photo GalleryChocolate City ClevelandThe National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This is the third episode in the podcast series Moving Toward Healing focused on the incredible work of ThirdSpace Action Lab, a racial equity consulting firm based in Cleveland. The series features six episodes exploring the philosophy, strategies, and achievements of this extremely unique and innovative changemaking powerhouse. ThirdSpace Action Lab was launched five years ago and is based in the historically Black neighborhood of Glenville where they also have a café and bookstore. They describe their purpose as follows: “The future of this country’s neighborhoods depends on our collective efforts to transcend the limitations of the popular imagination.” They like to say, imagine if Parliament Funkadelic and McKinsey Consulting had a love child – that is ThirdSpace Action Lab – and they are poised to turn their call for radical imagination into reality. In this episode we focus on the ThirdSpace approach to antiracist community development. Antiracism was at the core of the founding of ThirdSpace and their first major programming was a series of racial equity and inclusion workshops offered to the community development and nonprofit sector in Cleveland. With a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the ThirdSpace team conducted research and produced a report laying out principles and imperatives of antiracist community development. For this episode, we’re joined by the three members of the ThirdSpace team who lead the Peoples Practice, the hub for the organization’s focus on antiracist community development.Monica Copeland is the Project Director of The People’s Practice at ThirdSpace Action Lab. Prior to working at ThirdSpace, Monica was the MDI Network Director at Inclusiv where she helped provide technical assistance and resources to help strengthen community development credit unions led by communities of color. She has also worked with several other financial empowerment and asset building organizations. She earned a dual B.A. in Sociology and African & African American Studies from Duke University and an M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University.Curtis Minter, Jr. is the Senior Fellow of Community of Practice + Convenings at ThirdSpace Action Lab. He previously launched Talented Xth Consulting and served as Operations Director of The Well CDC in Akron, OH. He has more than a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector and supporting coalition building.Karis Tzeng is the Senior Fellow for Content + Research at ThirdSpace Action Lab. She has worked in community development for 10 years, including most recently as Vice President of Planning for MidTown Cleveland, where she led neighborhood planning and place building efforts in the MidTown and AsiaTown neighborhoods. She has a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies from the University of Pennsylvania and Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan.ThirdSpace Action LabThe People’s PracticeToward a New Paradigm in Antiracism Community Development: High-Level Research FindingsThe National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This is the second episode in the podcast series Moving Toward Healing focused on the incredible work of ThirdSpace Action Lab, a racial equity consulting firm based in Cleveland. The series features six episodes exploring the philosophy, strategies, and achievements of this extremely unique and innovative changemaking powerhouse. ThirdSpace Action Lab was launched five years ago and is based in the historically Black neighborhood of Glenville where they also have a café and bookstore. They describe their purpose as follows: “The future of this country’s neighborhoods depends on our collective efforts to transcend the limitations of the popular imagination.” They like to say, imagine if Parliament Funkadelic and McKinsey Consulting had a love child – that is ThirdSpace Action Lab – and they are poised to turn their call for radical imagination into reality. In this episode we explore the ThirdSpace approach to community collaboration and we hear from four dynamic young leaders brimming with passion for the creative social impact they are engaged in every day. At ThirdSpace, they are bringing to life modes of collaboration that are boldly authentic and empowering for community members.Dr. Sherrae Mack currently serves as a Senior Consultant with ThirdSpace Action Lab, drawing on her experience in areas of racial equity, anti-oppression, community engagement, intergenerational change, and community branding. She has a Ph.D. in African American and African Studies and a graduate certification in Urban Education from Michigan State University. Her B.A. is from Tennessee State University in Speech Communications.Dr. Chavone Nash serves as the Project Director of the Partnership for Equitable + Resilient Communities with ThirdSpace Action Lab and also leads the Cleveland Freedom Dreams Coalition, which focuses on Housing, Civic Infrastructure, Equitable Democracy Building and Economic Development. She obtained her Doctorate in Education in Organizational Leadership and Policy at the University of Dayton and she holds a Master's in Urban Studies and Development from University of Akron and a Bachelor's in Political Science from Alabama A&M University. Tristen Hall is a Senior Consultant for Digital Media & Storytelling at ThirdSpace Action Lab. Tristen is currently a 4th year PhD candidate at Miami University in Ohio where her research explores how the social networks of students of color impact their attitudes on community and coalition building. Tristen has a Masters in Higher Education and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati.Evan Green is a Senior Consultant with ThirdSpace Action Lab deploying his experience from a career in higher education, with work focused on intercultural programming and fostering inclusive environments. Evan earned a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, specializing in Black Theology and Black Church Studies.ThirdSpace Action LabThe National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode launches a new podcast series Moving Toward Healing focused on the incredible work of ThirdSpace Action Lab, a racial equity consulting firm based in Cleveland. The series features six episodes exploring the philosophy, strategies, and achievements of this extremely unique and innovative changemaking powerhouse. ThirdSpace Action Lab was launched five years ago and is based in the historically Black neighborhood of Glenville where they also have a café and bookstore. They describe their purpose as follows: “The future of this country’s neighborhoods depends on our collective efforts to transcend the limitations of the popular imagination.” They like to say, imagine if Parliament Funkadelic and McKinsey Consulting had a love child – that is ThirdSpace Action Lab – and they are poised to turn their call for radical imagination into reality. We kick off this series with the two change warriors who kicked off the ThirdSpace journey. Evelyn Burnett is a co-founder and CEO of ThirdSpace Action Lab and Third Space Café. Her previous roles included Vice President for Economic Opportunity at Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Associate Director for Program Strategies at Living Cities, and Project Director in the City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability. Evelyn holds a BA in Business and Organizational Communications and Public Relations and a master’s degree in Public Administration from The University of Akron.Mordecai Cargill is a co-founder and Creative Director of ThirdSpace Action Lab and Third Space Café. Prior to launching ThirdSpace, he served as the Director of Strategy, Research and Impact at Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. Mordecai earned his BA in African American Studies from Yale University, with a concentration on Black Culture in the 20th Century.ThirdSpace Action LabThe National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode, recorded in early Fall 2024, completes our 10th Anniversary podcast series focused on revisiting some of our favorite reports from our first decade. In this episode, we took a lookback at our very first podcast episode which focused on the Future of Mixed-Income Policy and Practice, in which we introduced our edited volume What Works to Promote Inclusive and Equitable Mixed-Income Communities. My guest for that episode was the Research Director at our center, Dr. Amy Khare. Amy has been on leave from our center working on a book and she returned for this lookback episode with me. As a bonus, we also discuss a preview of her recently completed book manuscriptPoverty, Power and Profit: How Chicago’s Public Housing Reforms Reproduced Racial Inequality.Amy’s career has combined social work, community development and racial justice. She was formally trained as a social worker at the University of Kansas and has her Ph.D. in social welfare from the University of Chicago. She has had professional roles working for community development corporations, real estate development agencies, social service agencies, policy institutes and university research centers. Amy has been a colleague and friend for almost 20 years and has done so much to shape our work at the National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities.Prioritizing Inclusion and Equity in the Next Generation of Mixed-Income CommunitiesWhat Works to Promote Inclusive, Equitable Mixed-Income CommunitiesThe National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our 10th Anniversary podcast series focused on revisiting some of our favorite reports from our first decade. In this episode, our guest host Salin Geevarghese revisits our Promising Practices in Inclusive Social Dynamics report which spotlights exemplary efforts to build inclusive communities across lines of income, race and ethnicity. The lead authors of the paper are Joni Hirsh and Mark Joseph. In this episode, Salin talks with two deeply experienced mixed-income community builders who have been part of the exemplary transformation initiatives we spotlighted in the paper. Ashlei Hurst is the Director of Community Life at Mercy Housing California, which a major development partner in the HOPE SF initiative in San Francisco. Mercy Housing is leading a multi-phase mixed-income transformation of the Sunnydale public housing community. Julio Rigores is the Tenant Engagement System Manager at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. TCHC has been co-leading the multi-phase transformation of the Regent Park social housing development. Promising Practices in Inclusive Social Dynamics Paper Regent Park, Toronto HOPE SF, San Francisco The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities SGG Insight
For the final episode in our podcast series on grassroots community leadership we are joined once again by Mayor Michael R. White, the visionary and driving force behind the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland. Mayor White launched our series in Episode 22 with an overview of NLDP and in this episode he reflects on lessons learned and shares some of his aspirations for the future of the program. Mayor White served the City of Cleveland for three terms from 1990 to 2002. He is currently the Senior Policy Advisor at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and Program Director for NLDP. Prior to serving as Mayor, he held elected office as an Ohio State Senator and as a Cleveland City Councilman. Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this episode, we go behind the scenes to talk with the team of coaches who are a vital part of the secret sauce of the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program here in Cleveland. Every NLDP participant is assigned a personal coach. Participants meet regularly with their coach for mentoring and self-reflection and are encouraged to keep up the coaching relationship after they graduate from the program. The current lead coach is Pam Turos and her fellow coaches are Joe Black, Audra Jones and Ian Heisey. Pam Turos oversees communications and marketing at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. Before joining the Foundation, Pam was a communications consultant working with a variety of nonprofit clients. She has also held social service roles that include Director of Social Work, Bereavement Coordinator, and ICU/ER Case Manager. Joseph Black is the Senior Program Officer for Place-Based Community and Economic Development at The Cleveland Foundation, overseeing neighborhood investments and Racial Equity and Racial Justice Initiatives. Joseph is also the driving force behind the "Reverse Ride Along," an innovative community engagement training program that has successfully empowered and educated over 500 law enforcement and medical professionals, aiming to redefine community/police relations and elevate public safety standards. Audra Jones is the founder and CEO of Krystal Klear Communications, L.L.C., a full-service communications design firm. She is also the Co-Owner and COO of Pulmonary Apps, L.L.C. and has over 10 years serving in the healthcare industry. Ian Heisey is an Audience Support Coordinator at Ideastream Public Media, the Cleveland affiliate of NPR and PBS. Ian spent the majority of his career at Jefferson-Puritas West Park CDC as Mediation Coordinator and later Director of Community Engagement. He worked for two years as Coordinator for Project Peacemakers, an ecumenical peace and justice non-profit in Winnipeg, Canada. Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we are shining the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. In this episode we talk with three community leaders who share a passion for community gardening and healthy eating. Veronica Walton is the Executive Director for Food Depot to Health, a non-profit established in 2018 that supports cohorts of growers to participate in urban agriculture as a resource to community businesses. Over a 30-year period, she has managed over 450 farmer’s markets and participated in hundreds of food-related health fairs and presentations to positively impact health outcomes for youth and adults in communities across our region. Erika Ervin-Acy is founder and CEO of “We Are Unique TV, LLC” and the nonprofit Gardening in the District. Gardening in the District teaches neighborhood residents that growing fruits and vegetables helps to set the foundation for self-sustainability and healthy living. Mikki Smith is the Executive Director of the Little Africa Food Collaborative, which educates the community about nutrition and sustainable food systems. She has certifications as a Master Rain Gardener and Master Aquaponics Instructor and is an active member of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, the National Black Food Justice Alliance, and the Black Farmers Conference. Veronica’s full bio Erika’s full bio Mikki’s full bio Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we are shining the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. In this episode we talk with three community leaders who share a passion for developing programs to build skills among youth and adults. Steph Mukenyi Wahome has been a Program Manager for City Year in Detroit and helped start a Charter school in Washington D.C. She is currently the Regional Cleveland Coordinator for Scenarios USA and a professor at Cuyahoga Community College. Mary Kauffman describes herself as an artistic, bohemian-techy and promotes connections to resources and programming through the innovative use of technology. One of her projects is TechBOOM, a community-based program that provides technology instruction through an entertaining gaming format. Jonathan Steirer is passionate about housing, equitable neighborhood development, transit access, and facilitating relationships between community members. He is involved with the Cleveland Global Shapers, Big Brothers Big Sisters and is a block club leader. Steph’s full bio Mary’s full bio Jonathan’s full bio Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we are shining the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. In this episode we talk with three community leaders who share a passion for promoting health and wellness. Quiana Howard has transitioned her career over the past decade from nail technician to Cardiovascular Health Equity Scientist. While pursuing her doctorate in nursing at Case Western Reserve University, Quiana also works full-time and leads community health clinics offering free cardiovascular risk screenings for low-income Cleveland residents. In 2016, Becca Britton founded Neighborhood Pets Outreach and Resource Center, a community-based non-profit focused on supporting low-income pet owners. Neighborhood Pets uses a dynamic intuitive model based on relationship and trust-building within the community. Sarah Murphy is a proud alumna and now one of the leaders of Edna House, a nonprofit that ensures access to safe, supportive substance abuse recovery programming and longer-term residential housing. She has a lead role at The Edna House Residence and Education Center. Quiana’s full bio Becca’s full bio Sarah’s full bio Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we are shining the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. Each of the leaders we will talk to are graduates of the innovative Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland. Today we will be talking with three community leaders whose passion is helping youth and families to thrive: Letitia Lopez, Dennis Knowles, and Tonya Perkins Stoudemire. Letitia Lopez is now the Executive Director of the Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center which is dedicated to transforming lives by preserving, educating and promoting Latino heritage through the teaching and practice of the visual, performing and literary arts. Dennis Knowles founded The Fishing Foundation in 2010 which aims to enrich youth’s lives through fishing by offering training and education on casting, water safety and conservation in a safe and secure environment with nurturing adults. Tonya Perkins Stoudemire founded Bessie’s Place in 2012, a facility that provides affordable housing for young women aging out of foster care and offers them a safe haven and life skills for leadership and career development. Letitia’s full bio Dennis’s full bio Tonya’s full bio Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode continues our podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we are shining the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. Each of the leaders we will talk to are graduates of the innovative Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland. Today we will be talking with three community leaders whose passion is cultivating connections and partnerships among community members: Bridgette Smith-Jackson, Diana Sette and Josh Jones Forbes. Bridgette Smith-Jackson has spent much of her career at Vesta Corporation developing resident services for the families of Rainbow Terrace Apartments and the neighboring community. She is committed to working with families to address challenges and eliminate barriers by fostering community partnerships and developing non-traditional collaborations with existing organizations. Diana Sette has extensive experience in social and environmental justice work, from working with a radical political puppet troupe and numerous direct action projects focused on supporting communities, especially youth, and climate justice. She co-founded the Possibilitarian Garden, a community garden that has served as a resource incorporating educational workshops, art and culture events, ecological agriculture, and anti-racist activism. Josh Jones Forbes works as Director of Communications at Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, the nonprofit provider of affordable housing and community development services for Cleveland's Cudell, Detroit Shoreway, and Edgewater communities. Josh is also passionate about LGBTQ+ activism, racial justice, public transit, environmental sustainability, arts, and personal wellness, and he is the founder of a community-based fitness studio. Bridgette’s full bio Diana’s full bio Josh’s full bio Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
This episode launches a new podcast series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. In this series, we will shine the spotlight on local everyday community leaders. Each of the leaders we will talk to are graduates of the innovative Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland. In this episode, to kick off the series, I’m joined by Mayor Michael R. White, who served the City of Cleveland for three terms from 1990 to 2002, and is the visionary and driving force behind NLDP. Mayor White is currently the Senior Policy Advisor at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and Program Director for NLDP. Prior to serving as Mayor, he held elected office as an Ohio State Senator and as Cleveland City Councilman. There is no more passionate advocate for cultivating the community change power of everyday home-grown leaders here in Cleveland than Michael White. Neighborhood Leadership Development Program The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
Where to next in the quest for urban equity and inclusion? This episode returns to focus on our journey as an impact research center. In November 2023, the National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities celebrated our 10th anniversary and kicked off a year of reflection, recommitment, and reimagining. In this episode I am joined by three of our longtime collaborators who are working closely with us to help shape our plans for our next decade. Dr. Alyssa Nickell is a Senior Research Associate with our center based in Chicago, Salin Geevarghese is Principal of the consulting firm SGG Insight based in the DC area, and Frankie Blackburn co-leads the community network-building firm Trusted Space Partners, based in North Carolina. We have an energizing conversation about what we’ve learned from our first decade of research and consulting and what pivots we’d like to make as we head into our second decade. The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities SGG Insight Trusted Space Partners Episode 15: Spotlight on the National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities
In this episode we conclude our special series focused on Urban Strategies, Inc., a national non-profit that exemplifies the quest for urban equity and inclusion. Urban Strategies works with more than 30,000 low- to moderate-income families in 31 communities across 24 major metropolitan areas. We welcome Esther Shin, President and CEO of USI, back to the podcast, and invite her to share her list of housing and social policies that are counterproductive in the quest to help marginalized households on their quest for economic mobility. She describes several problematic policies and indicates the changes that USI would recommend to provide better incentives and support and achieve greater impact. Urban Strategies Inc.
We continue our special series focused on Urban Strategies, Inc., a national non-profit that exemplifies the quest for urban equity and inclusion. Urban Strategies works with more than 30,000 low- to moderate-income families in 31 communities across 24 major metropolitan areas. In this episode, we talk about the importance of not only aiming to increase incomes for marginalized households but to also promote wealth creation. I talk with Donovan Duncan, the Executive Vice President of Urban Strategies, and Kristie Stutler, the Vice President of Policy and Influence at USI. We discuss how USI defines “wealth,” what it means to center wealth-building in place-based initiatives, and implications for systems change and measuring results. Urban Strategies Inc.
We continue our special series focused on Urban Strategies, Inc., a national non-profit that exemplifies the quest for urban equity and inclusion. Urban Strategies works with more than 30,000 low- to moderate-income families in 31 communities across 24 major metropolitan areas. In this episode, we talk about promoting housing and economic justice, the Urban Strategies way. I talk with Alicia Walter, Regional Vice President at USI and Ta’Londa Holland, Senior Director of Operations of Policy and Influence for USI. We delve deeply into USI’s experience leveraging place-based redevelopment initiatives as a platform to change families’ lives and advance broader systems change. Urban Strategies Inc.
We continue our special series focused on Urban Strategies, Inc., a national non-profit that exemplifies the quest for urban equity and inclusion. Urban Strategies works with more than 30,000 low- to moderate-income families in 31 communities across 24 major metropolitan areas. In this episode I talk with Richard Baron, board chair of USI, Michael Bowen, USI board member, and Esther Shin, President and CEO of USI. We discuss the enhancements and re-release of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule by the Biden Administration and its promise and limitations. We consider housing as a platform for building household wealth and changing the trajectories of neighborhoods. Urban Strategies Inc. Revised Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule Katherine O’Regan and Ken Zimmerman. 2020. HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule: A Contribution and Challenge to Equity Planning for Mixed Income Communities Envisioning Home Documentary