Keepin' it Cleveland Podcast

What if a public school could create a culture of leadership, accountability, and excellence without charging tuition? In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland , host Isaac Williams sits down with Dr. Luciana Gilmore, founder and CEO of Forward Girls Leadership Academy, to talk about building Cleveland’s first independent public all-girls school. Dr. Gilmore shares her journey from Cleveland public...

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Shay, founder of Be Browed, Etc. and the creator of Ohio’s first accredited permanent makeup school, to unpack the journey from artist to educator, advocate, and business owner. This conversation explores how Shay entered an industry with little formal regulation, recognized a serious gap in training and standards, and too...

Most people think Habitat for Humanity gives houses away. That belief is wrong and it’s hurting the conversation around housing, poverty, and community development. In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, I sit down with John Litten, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland, to break down what Habitat actually does—and why their work is about dignity, ownership, and long-t...

What happens when hip-hop meets community building? In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, we sit down with the founder of Refresh Collective and the artist behind Rust Belt City  a Cleveland-born album 15 years in the making. We talk about the intersection of music, youth mentorship, and neighborhood trust. The album is more than tracks — it’s a reflection of lived experience, lessons learned,...

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, I sit down with Nobles Darby IV.  A father, mentor, and the team chaplain for the Cleveland Browns, Cavs, and Cleveland Charge. Nobles opens up about his personal journey through identity, insecurity, and learning to walk in God's calling. Now serving youth through FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), he shares what it means to live with purpose  an...

Black women  face some of the highest infant mortality and maternal death rates in the country. But one organization is changing the narrative. In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland , host Isaac Williams talks with Jazmine Long, President & CEO of Birthing Beautiful Communities, about building a freestanding birth center led by and for Black women,  the first of its kind in Ohio. This conver...

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland , we sit down with Dr. Michael Baston, President of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)  and a visionary leader reshaping how we think about access to education. From his early dream of becoming President of the United States to now leading one of Ohio’s most important institutions, Dr. Baston shares what fuels his passion, why he believes in student selectio...

In this episode of Keepin' It Cleveland, I sit down with Cecil Lipscomb, President & CEO of the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland. From his upbringing in Richmond, Virginia, to leading one of the most impactful grant-making organizations in Northeast Ohio, Cecil shares a deeply personal and powerful story about family, leadership, and the responsibility of lifting others up. We talk...

In this episode of the Keepin' It  Cleveland Podcast, I sit down with Bryson Hayes, also known as Coach B, Senior Director of Education and Youth Development at the Urban League of Greater Cleveland. Coach B shares his journey from working with the Cleveland Cavaliers to leading life changing initiatives for young men of color through My Brother’s Keeper. Tune in as we discuss the power of me...

What happens to your food scraps after you toss them out? In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Michael Robinson, co-founder of Rust Belt Riders, a Cleveland-based startup turning food waste into thriving soil—and a thriving movement. They unpack the environmental toll of landfills, the science behind composting, and how Rust Belt Riders grew from a $1,500 bik...

This episode of Keepin' It Cleveland features Jason Lockett, Executive Director of Breadwinners Academy. It’s a powerful conversation about financial literacy, turning pain into purpose, and building generational wealth in underserved communities. Jason shares his personal story—from being denied housing due to bad credit to starting a nonprofit that now teaches finance and entrepreneurship t...