Events

Levin Event Videos and Podcasts Archive

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Featured Event Videos

Planning schools as public infrastructurePlanning Schools as Public Infrastructure: Linking Universities with Grassroots Education Organizing

This talk focuses on efforts to create a community-driven school facilities master planning process in Philadelphia. Building on decades of organizing and in partnership with parents and advocates across the city, we discuss the role of universities in supporting a movement for educational justice through school facilities planning. Specifically, we talk about the role of the classroom and pedagogy in bringing together researchers and communities in participatory action research (PAR). Drs. Ariel Bierbaum (University of Maryland) and Akira Drake Rodriguez (University of Pennsylvania) have partnered across universities to collaborate in creating curricula that align with and are responsive to on-the-ground community needs for healthy school buildings and transparent school district planning in Philadelphia. Drs. Bierbaum and Rodriguez will discuss their multi-year project on planning for public schools facilities as equitable infrastructure, how their partnered courses provide a new component of PAR, and how their and their students' work support organizing for improved district and city decision-making. Watch Now » and Learn More »

CEPA PodcastResetting the Table: Building an Educational Ecosystem to Fuel Growth in Cleveland's Economy
The Levin College of Public Affiars and Education (Cleveland State University), in partnership with PolicyBridge, is hosting a year-long forum series based on its recent Urban Agenda Resetting the Table. The report explores the core question: why have so many low-income neighborhoods in Cleveland and its first-ring communities not seen a significant improvement in their quality of life and access to economic opportunity given many efforts to address inequality over the years?  Watch Now » and Learn More »

Resilient ForumLevin Forum | Building Resilient Communities through Vacant Land Reuse: Managing Resources to Impact the Health of our Region
The physical and economic health of our Northeast Ohio region is determined by the decisions made by individual yet neighboring communities, and the resources with which they manage. In this Levin Forum, held on April 21, 2022, we explore the work of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and Team NEO while learning strategies in re-purposing vacant and abandoned properties to serve as community assets. Watch Now » and Learn More »

GriffinLevin Morning Briefing | Featuring Blaine A. Griffin, Council President, City of Cleveland, On the Importance of Public Service
On March 23, 2022, the Levin College hosted a Levin Morning Briefing with Ward 6 Councilman and Cleveland City Council President Blaine A. Griffin, featuring a discussion on the importance of public service. Councilman Griffin represents one of Cleveland's most diverse wards, encompassing the East Side neighborhoods of Fairfax, Larchmere, Little Italy, Woodland Hills, and parts of Buckeye-Shaker, University Circle, North Broadway, Slavic Village, and Union-Miles. Prior to serving on council, Councilman Griffin served as the Executive Director of the City of Cleveland’s Community Relation's Board, served as a program officer for the Cuyahoga Department of Justice Affairs, and served as a program director for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland. Councilman Griffin began his community-based service work with the Harvard Community Services Center, where he established a coalition of community residents, activists, and businesses to fight infant mortality and morbidity. Watch Now » and Learn More »

Resetting the tableResetting the Table: Creating and Urban Equity Agenda
After many efforts to address inequality over the years, why have so many low-income neighborhoods in Cleveland and surrounding first-ring communities not seen significant improvement in their quality of life and in access to economic opportunity? PolicyBridge, a Cleveland think tank focused on African American policy issues, recently released a report, “Resetting the Table,” exploring that core question. The Levin College, in partnership with PolicyBridge, is hosting a year-long forum series asking the question: Is it possible to implement cross sector planning that addresses the intersecting social and economic challenges facing Cleveland? The inaugural discussion was held on February 28, 2022. Watch Now » and Learn More »

Economic Inclusion Roundtable: Moving Cleveland Above the Trend: Benchmarking Regional PerformanceEconomic Inclusion Roundtable – Moving Cleveland Above the Trend: Benchmarking Regional Performance
A study by Levin’s Center for Economic Development, Moving Cleveland Above the Trend: Benchmarking Regional Performance, examines mid-sized regional economies that have done well in building an innovative and talent-driven economy, to provide a framework of how the Greater Cleveland region can incorporate similar policies to propel its communities forward. This Economic Inclusion Roundtable offers an exposition of the findings of the report, while examining questions related to public policy implementation, strategies for moving Northeast Ohio’s economic performance above the trend, and the role of inclusion as it contributes to successes in policy and growth. For more information, please visit this event page.

Economic Inclusion RoundtableEconomic Inclusion Roundtable: Is There Opportunity in Opportunity Zones?
Opportunity Zones are an economic development tool established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 with the goal of creating long-term investments in impoverished areas. There are 320 designated Opportunity Zones in Ohio. Opportunity Zones provide tax incentives for investors to re-invest unrealized capital gains into funds that invest within the designated Opportunity Zone. US investors currently hold trillions of dollars in unrealized capital gains in stocks and mutual funds alone— a significant untapped resource for economic development. This new source of risk capital can seed new startups, accelerate business expansions, create jobs, increase and improve housing options, and revitalize distressed communities. For more information, please visit this event page.

Census 2020Census 2020: What You Need to Know
Once a decade, America comes together to count every resident in the United States. The decennial census counts our population and households and distributes more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties, and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care, and public policy. This Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Dean’s Forum event focused on the importance of Census 2020 and how it affects Cleveland and the region. 

Cleveland Community Development - A Neighborhood Revitalization ToolboxCity of Cleveland Community Development – A Neighborhood Revitalization Toolbox

The City of Cleveland’s Community Development department is committed to improving the quality of life in the City of Cleveland by strengthening our neighborhoods through successful housing rehabilitation efforts, commercial rehabilitation efforts, new housing construction, homeownership, and community focused human services. The Department’s neighborhood revitalization toolbox is delivered in partnership with community development corporations, housing partners and private development. The presentation will discuss the work of the department currently and several initiatives that are paving the way to a ten-year housing and neighborhood plan. They include equitable development through a re-examination of our tax abatement and land bank policies and a focus on increasing private lending in our revitalizing and middle neighborhoods.

Economic Inclusion Roundtable: Voices from the FieldEconomic Inclusion Roundtable

Growing inequality has emerged as one of the central issues of our time. In Northeast Ohio, individuals may be disconnected from the economy solely because of their race, socioeconomic standing, and other factors. Engaging with and employing all members of our communities fosters an inclusive economy, and attracts diverse types of talent that powers innovation and growth. Inclusive economic growth focuses on diversity as a core driver of that growth. As cities and regions around the nation transition to the next economy, they understand that inclusion is an economic imperative, and that developing new strategies, products, and enterprises for achieving growth through inclusion must be a component of everything they do. Our panel of experts will share their perspectives and the work they are doing to address economic inclusion in our communities. Join us for an engaging discussion that will explore how we can reactivate our core cities and neighborhoods and transform them into vital areas capable of re-engaging their populations into the economy while creating a path for future prosperity.

Economic Inclusion RoundtableClosing the Talent Gap: Aligning Opportunities for a Greater Region

Team NEO’s 2019 Aligning Opportunities report shares that the demand for skilled and educated talent is increasing, while the level of educational attainment in Northeast Ohio falls well short of the need. To close the talent gap, it is imperative to increase the pipeline of credentials awarded in Northeast Ohio. According to the report, the most significant sources of technically skilled talent are educational institutions at the secondary and postsecondary levels. While other sources of talent may also be important, the educational institutions that prepare residents for the workforce comprise, by far, the largest component of a talent supply system. Our forum will examine how we can connect students to quality education, in-demand jobs, and classroom experiences that encourage pursuing higher education; and identify what institutions of higher education need to know about the evolving needs of our region’s employers, so that we may better attract, retain, and grow a workforce with the skills needed to keep our region competitive.


Video Podcast Episodes

October 2022: Beacons of Hope: Part 1
Much attention has been given to a crisis in mental health for adolescents and teens, particularly in the wake of the COVID -19 pandemic. Join Levin College of Public Affairs and Education faculty members Frederick Hampton, PhD, Interim Chair, Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision and Adult Learning, Dakota King-White, PhD Associate Professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator, Dr. Kathryn MacCluskie, PhD, Professor of Counselor Education, and Marian Armstrong, School Counselor at Parma City School District as they discuss the complexities of teen mental health and what is being done to address the crisis. Specifically, the guests will speak about an upcoming mental health and safety summit planned for October 10 from 1 to 6 pm.

October 2022: Beacons of Hope: Part 2
On Monday, October 10, nearly 1,000 high school students from 15 local school districts will gather at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to be trained as Mental Health Ambassador to support peers within their schools. In this two part podcast, Levin College of Public Affairs and Education faculty members Frederick Hampton, PhD, Interim Chair, Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision and Adult Learning Dakota King-White, PhD Associate Professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator, and Marian Armstrong, School Counselor at Parma City School District will discuss this important event and its goals in addressing the mental health crisis in our community. Also appearing in this podcast is special guest Brooke, a senior at Parma City High School who serves her school as a mental health ambassador. Brook will discuss what it means to be a mental health ambassador and how this experience has informed her future.

September 2022: CSU's Community Learning Center Responds to Covid19
In this episode we meet Amanda Yurick, Associate Professor, Special Education at Cleveland State University. The Covid-19  Pandemic has impacted nearly every facet of our everyday lives. We have  seen and felt these effects within our healthcare systems, economy and  workforce, transportation sectors, mental  health needs and services, and certainly the field of education is implicated as well. How we educate our children and youth saw some  dramatic shifts from in-person to remote structures, which left the  inequities that have always existed glaringly apparent  in the light that Covid shed on our uneven access to resources. At  Cleveland State we have help adapt the classroom for local students  through our CLC (Community Learning Center).

April 2022: Economic Impact of Transportation Research Center Inc. on the State of Ohio 
new economic impact study, conducted by Levin’s Center for Economic Development, found that Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC) in East Liberty, Ohio, widely acknowledged as North America’s most comprehensive automotive proving ground and test center, created more than $127 million total in economic output in 2019 and supported over 670 total jobs with almost $36 million in wages and benefits throughout Ohio. Join the CED research team and representatives from TRC and JobsOhio as they discuss the results of the study and what it means for the future of Ohio’s economy. Stick around after this episode of the Levin Podcast for a discussion on “Formula 1” racing in Ohio.

February 2022: Disparities in PPP Lending by Race, Ethnicity and Gender
In this episode, Dr. Iryna Demko, Research Associate at the Center for Economic Development, and Dr. Ana Claudia Sant’Anna, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University, discuss their research about the impact of race and gender on the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan amounts.

They found that nationally minority-, Hispanic-, and female-owned small businesses received smaller PPP loans than their business counterparts of the same size. In addition, interviews with a variety of small businesses in Northeast Ohio showed that businesses receiving smaller loan amounts had more difficulties and less knowledge about the loan application process compared to larger loans recipients.

January 2022: After the Podcast: Dean Roland V. Anglin Continues the Discussion about Middle Neighborhoods and Why They Matter
In this episode, Roland V. Anglin, Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs discusses “Investing in the Middle: A New Approach to Deliver on the Promise of Equitable Neighborhood Development,” a research project supported with a two-year, $250,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as a part of RWJF's "Policies for Action: Research on Housing Policies That Promote Equity" program. The research aims to address equity and health in middle neighborhoods. Dr. Anglin and his team will perform actionable research in the areas of strategic investments and policy innovations that have the potential to increase housing affordability and neighborhood stability.

November 2021: Dean Roland V. Anglin Discusses Middle Neighborhoods and Why They Matter
In this episode, Dr. Roland V. Anglin, Dean and Professor at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs discusses “Investing in the Middle: A New Approach to Deliver on the Promise of Equitable Neighborhood Development,” a research project supported with a two-year, $250,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as a part of RWJF's "Policies for Action: Research on Housing Policies That Promote Equity" program. The research aims to address equity and health in middle neighborhoods.

Dr. Anglin and his team will perform actionable research in the areas of strategic investments and policy innovations that have the potential to increase housing affordability and neighborhood stability.

*According to urban practitioner and scholar Alan Mallach: “Middle neighborhoods are neighborhoods that have retained a respectable measure of both their physical and social fabric, are not or not yet areas of highly concentrated poverty or hyper vacancy, and where stabilization and gradual improvement remain realistic strategies.”

April 2021: Christin Farmer Discusses Infant Mortality Research and Intervention 
In this episode, Christin Farmer, Senior Fellow at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs and Founder of Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC), discusses “Survive and Thrive,” a research project aimed to reduce infant and maternal mortality in African-American communities throughout Greater Cleveland and the state of Ohio. The project was awarded $1 million from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and is conducted in partnership with the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, the Cleveland Clinic, and BBC, a nonprofit organization that has achieved an infant survival rate of 99.2% among participating African-American clients. Learn More: www.birthingbeautiful.org 

April 2021: Dr. Merissa Piazza Discusses Research Project Aimed to Investigate Institutionalized Racism and Support Minority Entrepreneurship
In this episode, Dr. Merissa C. Piazza, Program Manager for Levin’s Center for Economic Development, discusses a new research project that has been funded through the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s “Knowledge Challenge” program. Dr. Piazza shares that as part of this effort, the research team will investigate institutionalized racism and discrimination, while developing processes and recommendations for supporting minority entrepreneurship to advance economic growth in the Greater Cleveland region. The Center for Economic Development has served as a designated US Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center since 1985.

March 2021: Dr. Robert A. Simons Examines Impact of “EZfare” on Quality of Life of Low-Income Transit Riders
In this episode, Dr. Robert (Roby) A. Simons, Professor and Department Chair at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, discusses his preliminary research findings on “EZfare,” an automated no-touch transit payment system that has recently been implemented by public transit authorities throughout Ohio. Funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) Program, the three-year research study looks at the effect of EZfare on the quality of life of transit riders and the potential role of contactless EZfare smart cards in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

June 2020: Levin Podcast: Smart Cities Part 2 - Dr. Nicholas Zingale and Dr. Sasa Drezgic
Nicholas Zingale, Associate Professor in Public Administration at Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, and Dr. Sasa Drezgic, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Rijeka (Croatia) in Croatia are featured in this Levin podcast.

April 2020: Levin Podcast: Smart Cities Part 1 - Dr. Nicholas Zingale and Dr. Sasa Drezgic
Nicholas Zingale, Associate Professor in Public Administration at Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, and Dr. Sasa Drezgic, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Rijeka (Croatia) in Croatia are featured in this Levin podcast.

November 2019: Dr. Merissa Piazza
In this episode of The Levin Podcast Series, we interview Dr. Merissa Piazza, Program Manager at the Center of Economic Development at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs. She discusses her new research on "co-working" and how Cleveland entrepreneurs can benefit from "co-working" spaces.

September 2019: Dr. Ronnie Dunn
In this episode of The Levin Podcast Series, we interview Dr. Ronnie Dunn, Interim Chief Diversity Officer at Cleveland State, and Associate Professor at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs. Dr. Dunn discusses how he has changed racial bias in policing.

August 2019: Dr. Beth Nagy
In this episode of The Levin Podcast Series, we interview Dr. Beth Nagy, Assistant Lecturer of Planning Practice. She explains her career path from planning to lecturer.

July 2019: Rob Ziol
In this episode of The Levin Podcast Series, we interview Rob Ziol, Director, Center for Public & Nonprofit Management. He explains how his center is helping link our students to the community, and helping shape the future leaders of Cleveland.

May/June 2019: Dr. Roland V. Anglin, Kristen Blazek, and Erykah Betterson
This Levin podcast features Dr. Kristen Blazek, Academic Advisor, Dr. Roland V. Anglin, Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Dean and Professor, and Erykah Betterson, Levin Environmental Studies and Urban Studies/Regional Planning student.