The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

According to the American Booksellers Association, more than 600 independent bookstores opened in the U.S. last year, nearly double from the prior year. After years of the rise of big box bookstores and online retailers, our local bookshops offer what AI or Amazon cannot-spaces that connect people, that build community, and rekindle the joy of reading.\r\n\r\nWhile digital and audiobooks have grow...

Created in 2009 as a response to the foreclosure crisis that struck Northeast Ohio, the Cuyahoga Land Bank transforms vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties into community assets that strengthen neighborhoods and expand economic opportunity. It has become a leading model for neighborhood revitalization, and since its founding, the Land Bank has demolished more than 10,000 abandoned and b...

Since the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America have emerged as a defining force in Democratic Party politics. Mayor Mamdani\'s endorsement of three successful DSA candidates in the New York congressional primaries garnered national attention, and other DSA candidates have won a slew of primaries and electoral contests across the country, including a...

In 2019, Sarah Aziza nearly lost her life after being hospitalized for an eating disorder. Along the process of recovery, Aziza begins to uncover her Palestinian roots. Daughter and granddaughter of Gazan refugees, The Hollow Half tells the story of three generations of Palestinian displacement and survival.\r\n\r\nWinner of the 2026 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in Memoir, Aziza pens an innovative re...

At the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Jesse Owens, one of Cleveland\'s most iconic symbols of athletic excellence, brought home four gold medals. His dominance made him a household name far beyond Cleveland, and his success stood as a powerful rebuke to the racist ideals at the time. His story is also one of opportunity. In the face of fierce segregation and racism, dedicated teachers and coaches at E...

Join Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne for the 2026 State of the County address at the Mimi Ohio Theatre in Playhouse Square. The Executive will deliver remarks, as well as sit down in conversation with Randell McShephard, VP of Public Affairs & Chief Talent Officer at RPM, to share key accomplishments, reflect on the progress made together, and outline his vision and priorities for the upco...

Since October 7, Israeli society has undergone a profound transformation. The attacks, the ensuing wars, and the intense international scrutiny have reshaped how Israelis-Jews and Arabs alike-understand their identities, their relationships with one another, and their visions for the country\'s future.\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean to be Israeli today? How has the events of the last three years changed...

Pregnancy and infancy are critical periods in children's development and are also the most economically vulnerable times for families. Rx Kids is a public health initiative addressing this dilemma for families in Michigan with a bold approach: It gives moms $1,500 during pregnancy and $500/month for their baby\'s first six months-no strings attached. Announced in early July, Cleveland has been sel...

Cleveland\'s Shaker Square is not just a place, it\'s a living piece of history. For nearly 100 years, Shaker Square has served as a community anchor and cultural destination. In 2029, it will officially celebrate its 100th birthday, providing a timeline to both honor Shaker Square\'s history and steward it for the future.\r\n\r\nBuilding on insights from a 2019 planning study, Cleveland Neighborh...

The sound of cargo ship horns ringing through the night is a familiar sound for any Clevelander. It\'s also the sound of roughly 13 million tons of cargo moving through the Cleveland Harbor every year. Managing the North Coast traffic is The Port of Cleveland, one of the largest ports on the Great Lakes and the only local government agency whose sole mission is to spur job creation and economic vi...

The future of Cleveland\'s thriving music and arts scene begins with our youth. For decades, studies have shown that high quality music instruction leads to a variety of benefits for young people: greater confidence, self expression, collaboration, leadership, and creativity-to name a few. Our communities benefit, too. Yet, the high costs of instruments and supplies make it challenging for many ta...

In a moment where more people than ever are feeling the weight of "the system," or even losing faith in individual self-determination, how do we reclaim agency within this system?\r\n\r\nIn Liberated Mind: A Guide to Black Clarity, author Dr. Timothy D. Goler examines how inequality becomes embedded not only in institutions but also in perceptions and the internalization of stereotypes. \"For gene...

As Towards Employment celebrates its 50th anniversary, join the City Club and kick off the first annual Dignity of Work forum-a community conversation exploring the future of work, economic mobility, and the partnerships that create pathways to rewarding careers.\r\n\r\nAs Cleveland continues to adapt to changing labor markets and emerging industries, this conversation will offer timely insights i...

Across the country, communities are increasingly turning to cultural planning to support and grow their creative economies. Whether a city is actively drafting its first vision or beginning to activate it, the process requires constant adaptation, collaboration, and shared learning.\r\n\r\nThis forum explores the practical tradeoffs, constraints, and successes of shaping local culture at every sta...

Democracy works best when citizens are more informed and better understand the institutions that govern them. And advocacy work and movement building become more effective - and successful - when citizens are empowered to become active participants in shaping their communities, and their future.\r\n\r\nYet, the halls of the Ohio Statehouse can seem like an overly complex, insiders network-hard to...

Nationally, 1 in 7 children is abused before their 18th birthday, and there are over 19,000 reports of child abuse and neglect annually in Cuyahoga County alone. To help address these issues, Canopy Child Advocacy Center (CAC) opened its doors in Cuyahoga County in 2018. It was the last urban county in the country to establish a CAC, a national model for helping children and families affected by a...

There was a time when the premise of nanny robots and artificial intelligence raising our children was merely the subject of Steven Spielberg\'s futuristic sci-fi films. The future, it seems, is now.\r\n\r\nAs AI enters nurseries, playrooms, and classrooms, parents are being sold a "smart" childhood at every turn. With mainstream use of artificial intelligence, the power of parent talk and human i...

As we mark the nation\'s 250th birthday, the City Club\'s 2026 Outdoor Summer Series WE THE PEOPLE will dive into topics centering our communities, organizations, and the very people who help our democracy thrive. As one of our nation's oldest democratic public spaces, libraries have become deeply integrated into our communities-meeting a wide variety of social and civic needs. Due to its wide bre...

Ohio has the eighth highest property tax rates in the nation, with some homeowners seeing increases of more than 30% in their property valuations in recent years. Reform efforts have proliferated, from caps on tax increases to reductions in approved levies, and a grassroots movement seeks to make Ohio the first state to abolish property taxes altogether. Yet with public schools and local governmen...

The story of the Ursuline Sisters and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine in Cleveland begins with the city's first bishop. Just three years into his ministry, the Most Rev. Amadeus Rappe recognized that serving Cleveland's rapidly growing community would require support. He reached out to both orders, who answered the call-five Ursuline Sisters arrived to educate the city's children, and a ye...

Part of the City Club\'s 2026 Outdoor Summer Series + America 250 Ohio Series\r\nWomen are at the heart of many of America\'s largest movements. We cannot talk about abolition without Harriet Tubman; voting rights without Susan B. Anthony; or civil rights without Rosa Parks. The American promise of liberty and self-determination was strengthened by generations of women who shaped our communities,...

In Cuyahoga County, more than 1,700 license plate cameras, or Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), take photos of and store license plate data. Proponents have hailed it as the next generation of safety technology, and support installation as part of the effort to crack down on crime, bring justice to victims, and promote public safety. Opponents cite concerns about privacy, data security, and...

Theatre is one of humankind\'s most ancient art forms. For thousands of years, it has helped tell stories, share history, and entertain. It has created spaces where people gather to celebrate, mourn, and better understand the world around them. Today, theatre remains an integral part of our communities. Providing multiple points of access, whether a viewer, actor, or part of the production process...

Every summer since 2016, the City Club has packed up our gong and taken over some of our favorite outdoor public spaces. This year, we are taking over the Playhouse Square Plaza and marking our nation\'s semiquincentennial - or 250th birthday - with the theme WE THE PEOPLE. The series will dive into topics centering our communities, organizations, and the very people who help our democracy thrive....

Team NEO is not a chamber or a think tank. It is the JobsOhio network partner for Northeast Ohio with a mission to retain, expand and attract jobs, businesses, and opportunities in Northeast Ohio. At the helm as Chief Executive Officer is Matt Dolan, who is dedicated to driving economic growth and prosperity across Northeast Ohio. With a career spanning law, business, and government, Matt has a de...