CHRC's 2016 Great Youth Debate tomorrow, Saturday, January 30th, 10:00am

Looking forward to seeing you at the 2016 Great Youth Debate tomorrow, Saturday, January 30th, 10:00 AM, Cincinnati City Hall, 801 Plum Street, City Council Chambers!

CHRC Presents the 2016 Great Youth Debate, Saturday, January 30, 2016

Looking forward to seeing you at CHRC's 2016 Great Youth Debate, Saturday, January 30th, 10am-2pm.

COA, Aaron Pullins speaking on violence in our communities

"We're not going to accept it," Pullins said. "We're going to continue to try and stay together and put our resources together, and hopefully we can come together as a community and as a city and make some real attempt to reduce violence in our communities."

Aaron Pullins is a community outreach advocate with the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission for police district three. He was just leaving a meeting about reducing gun violence when the shooting took place.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/westwood/man-shot-dead-in-westwood-parking-lot

http://www.wlwt.com/news/police-investigate-fatal-westwood-shooting/37656002

Evanston Town Hall Meeting with Mayor John Craney

A two-hour town hall meeting was held Monday night, January 25, 2016 in the Evanston neighborhood, Cincinnati Police District 2. Cincinnati police kicked off the first of five public meetings to hear from citizens on how to stop violence, reduce crime on city streets and concerns over our city’s youth. Drugs, mental health care and youth engagement were the three most talked about issues.

CHRC Congratulates Mr. Harold D'Souza!

Congratulations to Mr. Harold D’Souza’s appointment to the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking by President Obama.

CHRC were introduced to the D’Souza family in March 2013. Their sons, Bradly and Rohan, were recipients of the CHRC Youth Achievement Awards in 2013.  

https://polarisproject.org/blog/2016/01/19/ohio-white-house-one-familys-story

"Local Legends Lunch & Learn with Carl Westmoreland"

Celebrating Black History Month

Councilmember Yvette Simpson and the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC) will utilize the month of February, also known as Black History Month, to educate the public and celebrate local Black leaders. On Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at Cincinnati City Hall, Room 115 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, we will be hosting a Local Legends Lunch & Learn with Carl Westmoreland. The community is invited to attend this FREE event. Please bring your lunch as we converse with a local Black living legends. 

Immediately following the discussion, the honoree will be presented with a Proclamation from the City in City Council Chambers.

Carl. B. Westmoreland 

For the last four decades, Carl B. Westmoreland has been a leader in urban revitalization and preservation, from the grassroots community level to national and international arenas. In a 1971 newspaper article, he was quoted as saying “I believe in positive fighting within the system,” and this philosophy and dedication to improving communities and education through the preservation of history has led him to make a significant impact on every project he has been involved in since the 1960s. Furthermore, not only has he directly influenced communities himself, he has also served as a pioneer for the larger preservation movement, especially African-American historic preservation.

Westmoreland has lived the last 40 years of his life in Cincinnati, a city he has changed in many ways since he first moved here. In the 1960’s, he focused his attention on the primarily African-American Mount Auburn community, believing that homeownership and engagement were the keys to making the community a better place. In 1967, he and some neighbors formed the Mount Auburn Good Housing Foundation with 7,000 dollars in seed money from a wealthy Cincinnatian. The Foundation began by renovating buildings they believed were most damaging to the community, and quickly became a multimillion dollar operation involved in the renovation of over 2000 homes and businesses and providing technical assistance to other nonprofit housing groups in Cincinnati and nationwide.

Westmoreland’s simultaneous interest in preservation as a part of renovation in the neighborhood garnered him much attention, and in the mid ‘70s he became the first African-American Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This leadership in preservation led him to be involved in a number of groundbreaking events on a national level, including the Savannah Neighborhood Action Conference: Tenants and Landlords, which brought together preservationists from all over the country to explore alternatives to deterioration and displacement in inner city neighborhoods. This type of work eventually brought him a nomination in 1979 for the Rockefeller Foundation Award for Historic Preservation.

His association with the National Trust also gave him international prominence, leading him to travel the world working in diverse countries on preservation issues, even serving at one point as part of a six-person delegation to the People’s Republic of China. Throughout these activities, Westmoreland never lost his dedication to his hometown and he continued his efforts in Cincinnati neighborhoods, heading organizations small and large from Madisonville Housing Services to the Cincinnati Housing Service to the Ohio Preservation Alliance.

In 1993, Westmoreland received the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award from the National Trust. They honored him, among other things, for his dedication to both revitalizing and preserving inner city neighborhoods and fostering awareness of urban issues, poverty, and race relations, subjects he examined and re-examined throughout his career. It was Westmoreland’s understanding of these issues and his interest in African-American history that spurred him to his next big project – the creation of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Westmoreland became deeply involved in the founding and development of the Center, which opened its doors in 2004 and has since become a major draw for visitors in Cincinnati. He serves as senior advisor at the Center and curator for its main exhibit, the Slave Pen. The Slave Pen, found in a barn in the small town of Germantown, Kentucky, came to Westmoreland’s attention in 1998. He immediately felt a connection and spent four years researching its history and the history and lifestyle of the surrounding community,12 miles west of Maysville, Kentucky, before dismantling the Pen and reassembling it at the Center. Westmoreland’s time and effort paid off in a deep understanding of the complex history of the internal slave trade, which is now interpreted through the Center for over 450,000 visitors a year who can walk through the jail and experience first-hand the emotions that four wood walls can conjure up and learn about the struggles embedded in this country’s history.

Today, Westmoreland remains a large presence at the Center and continues to research the history of African-Americans in the United States. His vast experience with complicated issues of neighborhood politics, race relations, preservation and revitalization makes him one of the most valuable resources and leaders in historic preservation in the country, and he continues to inspire young preservationists of all races to this day.

(Source: www.livable.org)

DATE CHANGE FOR 2016 Great Youth Debate Due to Expected Winter Storm

Due to the expected winter weather on Saturday, January 23rd, the 2016 Great Youth Debate has been MOVED to the following week, Saturday, January 30th.

Should you have any questions, please call Mr. Dorron Hunter at 513-352-3237. 

Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter.

2015 Cincinnati Crime Report Released

ICYMI: "The Cincinnati Police Department released their crime statistics for 2015. A large increase in gun violence was seen in Westwood, and citywide Cincinnati saw 492 shooting incidents in 2015, up from 383 in 2014."

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/infographic-2015-cincinnati-crime-report

Cincinnati Neighborhood Summit, Save the Date

Save the Date! The 2016 Cincinnati Neighborhood Summit will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at the Cintas Center. The Kick-off Dinner will be the evening before on Friday, March 11, 2016.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cincysummit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cincinnati-Neighborhood-Summit

CHRC Staff are proud to serve on the planning committee.

Christina Brown, Community Outreach Engagement Coordinator featured in MLK Day Celebration

CHRC's Christina Brown, Community Outreach Engagement Coordinator, recognized as a young leader for civil rights.

https://lnkd.in/djagAm7

CHRC's Executive Director, Dr. Ericka King-Betts and family participated in the MLK Celebrations held on Monday, January 18th, 2016

Dr. Ericka King-Betts, Executive Director, CHRC and family braved the cold temperatures to participate in Cincinnati's Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.     https://lnkd.in/dS7nqBF

"Rethink Racism" Dialogue & Workshop

Thank you to everyone who came out to support last night's conversation "Rethinking Racism". This event was full to capacity. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working with our diverse community to rethink racism.

CHRC, Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center partner for "Rethink Racism" Dialogue & Workshop

Thank you Soapbox Media for helping us spread the word on our upcoming "Rethink Racism" Dialogue & Workshop.

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/forgood/010516-Rethinking-Racism.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=CHRC%2c+Intercommunity+Justice+and+Peace+Center+partner+for+%22Rethinking+Racism%22&utm_content=%7bEmail_Address%7d&utm_campaign=Staying+loud+and+proud+about+King+Records+legacy

Loud and Proud: King Records comes back to life

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/features/010516-loud-proud-king-records-comes-back-to-life.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Loud+and+Proud%3a+King+Records+comes+back+to+life&utm_content=%7bEmail_Address%7d&utm_campaign=Staying+loud+and+proud+about+King+Records+legacy

Youth preparing for the 2016 Great Youth Debate to be held

Saturday, January 23, 2016

10:00 am- 2:00 pm

Cincinnati City Hall Council Chambers

Debate Theme:

“‪#‎What‬’s Trending in the World 2016”

Prizes and Trophies Awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams

Contact Person:

Dorron Hunter, CHRC’s Community Outreach Advocate Phone: (513) 721-0595

This event is FREE and Open to the Public.

"Rethinking Racism" dialogue and workshop, Thursday, January 14, 2016

Nationwide, communities are galvanizing and demanding institutions to address racism. In this spirit, the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC) and Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center are partnering to challenge organizations and individuals to make a commitment to addressing and ending racism, with an initiative entitled, "Rethinking Racism."

The kick off event for this collaborative will be an open space dialogue and workshop taking place Thursday, January 14, 2016, 6:30-8:30pm at Father Rivers Hall, St. Joseph Parish, 745 Ezzard Charles Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Attendees will have the opportunity to address their perceptions of modern day racism and participate in action based strategizing. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP online at www.ijpccincinnati.org or over the phone at 513.579.8547.

You Can Help Empower The Lives of Today's Youth

Please join us at Woodward Career and Technical High School Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 12:00pm.

You’ll Be Proud You Did!

CHRC's 8th Annual Great Youth Debate will take place on Saturday, January 23, 2016, 10:00am - 2:00pm in the Cincinnati City Hal Council Chambers

This year's debate theme is "‪#‎What‬'s Trending in the World 2016". This event is FREE and open to the public.

Children are the future of Cincinnati's collaborative agreement

CHRC's Community Outreach Advocate, Steve Sherman, was present at today's meeting with the Mayor focusing on our youth future.

http://wvxu.org/post/focus-kids-future-collaborative-agreement#stream/0

You Can Help Empower The Lives of Today's Youth

Please join us at Woodward Career and Technical High School Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 12:00pm

You’ll Be Proud You Did!

Kin Killin' Kin Exhibit in conjunction with Youth Think Tank Forum

Please consider attending, sending youth or spreading the word to area youth! CHRC is a proud Community Partner.

Admission: Free. RSVP’s are requested. 


To RSVP call (513) 241-1322 or email qcfeducation@gmail.com

Chief Isaac, Mayor Cranley Plan Community Meetings on Violent Crime

Sessions will solicit input, consider possible remedies to shootings

CINCINNATI – Police Chief Eliot Isaac, City Manager Harry Black and Mayor John Cranley will hold a series of community meetings in the New Year to discuss the uptick in shootings and solicit input from citizens about the issue. Reducing shootings and violent crime is one of Mayor Cranley’s top priorities for 2016.

“Although Cincinnati is faring well compared to the crime rates in other large cities, the number of shootings and violent crimes are still unacceptably high,” Mayor Cranley said. “Our citizens deserve a safe city where they can live, work and raise a family.”

Mayor Cranley praised the selection of Eliot Issac as Cincinnati’s next police chief. Although born in Nebraska, Isaac has spent most of his life in Cincinnati and is a strong supporter of the Collaborative Agreement to foster trust between police and the community, the mayor added.

“We’re proud to have one of our own, raised in Cincinnati, to take the helm of the Police Department,” Mayor Cranley said. “I know Chief Isaac is committed to reducing the shootings and violence in our shared community.”

The meetings will kick off Jan. 5 with a community policing roundtable involving major stakeholders in the city. It will be followed by a series of five public meetings, one in each of Cincinnati’s police districts.

Meeting Schedule

•Community Policing Roundtable: 10 a.m. to noon on Jan. 5, Community Action Agency, 1740 Langdon Farm Road in Bond Hill

•District 1 meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, Over-the-Rhine Recreation Center, 1715 Republic St.

•District 2 meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, Evanston Recreation Center, 3204 Woodburn Ave.

•District 3 meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, Westwood Town Hall, 3017 Harrison Ave.

•District 4 meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 8, Bond Hill Community Center, 1501 Elizabeth Place

•District 5 meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 22, College Hill Community Center, 5545 Belmont Ave.

This is what gun violence looks like.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/01/02/what-gun-violence-looks-like/77581258/

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration: Monday, January 18, 2016

MLK Day 2016 Video Released. We hope to see you on 1/18/16 for the day's events. The 2016 theme is #MLKWeCantWait.

Signed into law on May 2, 1975, Senate Bill 18 declared the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the state of Ohio.  The first proposal for a statewide holiday honoring Dr. King came from the Cincinnati Human Relations Committee, and numerous area legislators were instrumental in the bill’s passage. 

Among them were the late state Senator William R. Bowen; State Representatives James W. Rankin, William L. Mallory and James T. Luken; and Warren Pate, then of the Ohio AFL-CIO.  The first community observance of the holiday was planned by the staff and officers of the YWCA.  The Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition, founded in 1978, has planned the annual commemorative programs for over 30 years.