CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland is continuing to improve the quality of life for the Black community in Cleveland.
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The city launched its Commission on Black Women & Girls on Feb. 8 in response to a report from a Bloomberg City Lab study published in 2020 that stated, “Cleveland was last for Black women’s educational and overall outcomes.”
Cleveland City Council passed legislation in 2022 to create the commission with the help of Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones, Mayor Justin Bibb and other council members.
Two years later, Bibb swore in 10 members leaving four vacancies open that they plan to fill soon. The commission will have a total of 14 members, including:
- One Black woman representing the faith community.
- One Black woman representing corporate Cleveland.
- One Black woman representing higher education.
- One Black woman who is an MD within one of the hospital systems.
- One Black woman representing social services.
- One Black woman representing labor.
- One Black woman representing education (primary, secondary and/or preschool)
- One Black woman representing grassroots organizations in Cleveland.
- Two Black women in college
- Two Black students representing ages 11-17
- One Black woman from the Mayor’s Office
- One Black woman to represent Cleveland City Council
Its mission is to address systematic issues in social, health and economic equality among Black women and girls in Cleveland. City leaders said racism and sexism are the main reasons why Black women’s livability is suffering in Cleveland.
“This is the reminisce of being in a system that disregards Black people that disregards women,“ said Howse-Jones.
Councilwoman Howse-Jones said she is appreciative that they are in a time and a place where they have leadership that is not ignoring the problem but really trying to dig in and solve what has been a generational problem.
“I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. And I can tell you it is attributed to my work. However, it just didn't happen overnight, your talking about years and years of years of internal stress that has been placed on me as a person and as a black woman that is now manifested into high blood pressure. There are things that I can do to change that trajectory for other Black woman, so they will not have to be in this position based on their environment,” said Howse-Jones.
Local business owner Kayla Dial said she hopes the commission will help bring more black-owned businesses to Cleveland, and they would be able to come together and support each other.
“Being a black woman entrepreneur is something that we praise, when it should just be the normal, “said Dial.
Dial owns KafeLA in Cleveland’s St. Clair-Superior neighborhood; she said she provides healthy options and a Los Angeles vibe to the area she once lived and worked in, which you don’t see in low-income communities.
“We need this here; there's nowhere for you to get coffee in the area besides the gas stations. There’s nowhere for you to get a smoothie or even a fresh cup of fruit,” said Dial.
The inaugural commission will spend the first quarter of the year proposing solutions for better healthcare, education, jobs, entrepreneurship and housing for Black women.
“I’m really looking forward to our chair Kathryn Hall and our inaugural commission for Black women and girls coming together to come up with a vision for Cleveland that myself and my colleagues on city council and the Mayor can get behind and invest in. So that we can create this environment that can be vibrant for black women in Cleveland, said “ Howse-Jones.
