The Columbus Metropolitan Club

Founded in 1976 by 13 visionary women leaders in Columbus, Ohio, the Columbus Metropolitan Club connects people and ideas through community conversation. From its start, CMC has welcomed everyone. Each week, the Columbus Metropolitan Club hosts a public forum discussion on topics that range from business to policy to social services and beyond. The discussions might feature a diverse panel of experts, or may be a 1:1 interview with a high-level community or business leader. Every CMC forum provides its audience with an opportunity to ask questions of the speakers. Whether it's a topic that impacts our local community, has global implications, or both, CMC participants leave our forums better educated, informed, and engaged. We invite you to join our community conversations each week. All CMC forums are recorded live in Columbus, Ohio.

Thriving Minds: Solving Ohio's Mental Health Crisis 05/15/2024

Thriving Minds: Solving Ohio's Mental Health Crisis Ohio’s mental healthcare needs are as acute as they’ve ever been, but Ohioans’ struggle with mental health has also achieved a new and higher level of visibility, thanks to the persistent dedication of mental health advocates. Mental health struggles are touching every part of Ohio’s population: children, adults, employers, and employees, and those of any age wrestling with addiction or thoughts of suicide. Ohio’s leaders in the field have also made clear that mental health issues aren’t merely healthcare issues, they’re workforce development issues: the state’s economy can’t thrive if the mental health needs of its workers and their families aren’t addressed and supported. Tellingly, a state official reported hearing most often from Ohio’s mothers and sheriffs: two groups both dealing daily with the effects of fellow Ohioans struggling with mental health needs. There is clearly hope: national studies show that 3 of 4 people who experience addiction eventually recover, and up to 33% of people living with serious mental illness and 67% of adults with mild to moderate mental illness experience partial to full recovery over time. And Ohio is talking more about mental health than ever before, with the stigma of mental illness slowly evaporating, thanks to a changing public willingness to talk openly about mental illness. Some 70% of companies have also introduced or enhanced their well-being benefits for their employees. Since 1949, May has been observed as Mental Health Awareness Month, so with an expert panel of passionate leaders, we unpack the state of mental health in Ohio with leaders working to create healthier adults, employees, and families. Featuring: Erika Clark Jones, CEO, Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH) LeeAnne Cornyn, Director, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services And Andriel Ugbomeh, CEO, Healing Without Limits Counseling & Consulting The host is Charleta B. Tavares, Chief Executive Officer, PrimaryOne Health The presenting sponsors of CMC’s Optimal Health Series are OhioHealth, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Nationwide Children's Hospital. This forum was sponsored by Cardinal Health. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. It was supported by The Ellis. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on May 15, 2024. Please note this CMC forum contains a conversation about suicide. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health or addiction, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/31222367

State of the State with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine 05/08/2024

Green Is The New Growth: Central Ohio's Sustainable Future 05/01/2024

Green Is The New Growth: Central Ohio's Sustainable Future Imagine what economic growth looks like on a graph and you may picture a line slanting upwards from left to right. Have you ever wondered where the line stops? On a planet – or a region – with finite resources, it has to end somewhere. This realization is helping a very different model of economic growth to gain traction: the circular economy. Circular, or “doughnut,” economies are sustainable and regenerative, where waste from one process becomes fuel for another. It’s a model being popularized by economists like the U.K.’s Kate Raworth, and it’s taking root around the world and in Central Ohio. Central Ohio’s economic activity is expected to result in more residential and industrial waste that will threaten the usable lifespan of the region’s landfill. Growth is putting upward pressure on greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. A circular economy can mitigate many of these consequences by recapturing more and more recyclable materials in new ways, sending them back into the production cycle. Central Ohio has an opportunity to set a national example showcasing the benefits of a circular economy, and key players in our region are working together to bend that growth line back onto itself to form a sustainable circle. With a panel of regional leaders, we unpack the advantages of thinking about economic growth in an entirely new way and learn how key players in Central Ohio are working together to bring sustainable circular growth to the region. Featuring panelists: Scott Barbour, President and Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Drainage Systems Dr. Elena Irwin, Professor of Environmental Economics, The Ohio State University Sustainability Institute Tia Johnson, Owner, Compost Clubhouse And Jeff Snyder, Director of Recycling, Rumpke Waste & Recycling The host is Tres Carter, Director of Creative Engagement, COSI This forum was sponsored by Advanced Drainage Systems, GBQ, The Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Rumpke Waste & Recycling, and SWACO. The forum partners were The COSI Science Festival, The Columbus Dispatch, and The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on May 1, 2024.  /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/31002743

How Immigrants Revitalize Communities 04/24/2024

Pathways to Prosperity: Breaking the Poverty Cycle in Central Ohio 04/17/2024

Pathways to Prosperity: Breaking the Poverty Cycle in Central Ohio What are the chronic factors that are keeping so many Columbus families – more than one in ten – locked in a multi-generational cycle of poverty, and what new resources are needed to help these families break free of the poverty cycle once and for all? Central Ohio is a rapidly growing, vibrant community, generating the lion’s share of Ohio’s overall economic vitality. Yet despite its affluence and prosperity, Columbus is experiencing growing inequality between our neighbors with resources and those who are struggling. Franklin County’s poverty rate is higher than the statewide average, with 14.3% of county residents living in poverty in 2021, versus 13.4% across Ohio. From 2000 and 2020, over half (55%) of the net population growth in Columbus was comprised of people living below 200% percent of the poverty line. Columbus is among the least-promising places in the nation for low-income children to climb the financial ladder. Personal savings rates have also hit a new low for many families: 68% of Americans are worried about being able to afford living expenses for just one month if they lost their primary income source, and 57% of adults are unable to afford a $1,000 emergency. We're joined by a panel of passionate experts to better understand the multi-generational cycle of poverty in Central Ohio, and the critical resources, initiatives, and programs that can help our Columbus neighbors escape the poverty cycle forever. Featuring panelists: Tony Collins, CEO & President, YMCA of Central Ohio Lawrence Funderburke, Founder, President, and Certified Financial Planner, Funderburke Institute of Financial Empowerment Stephanie Hightower, President and CEO, The Columbus Urban League And Karen Mozenter, CEO, Jewish Family Services The moderator is Tonisha Johnson, Emmy Award-Winning Multimedia Journalist and Anchor, Spectrum News 1 This forum was sponsored by Kroger. It was supported by The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on April 17, 2024.  /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/30828888

From Solitude to Solidarity: Healing Ohio's Loneliness Epidemic 04/10/2024

From Solitude to Solidarity: Healing Ohio's Loneliness Epidemic Optimal Health Series Human beings are wired for social connections, but when those connections are few, our health pays the price. The U.S. is suffering from a loneliness epidemic, and the toll it takes on our health is both enormous and measurable. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness and isolation a “public health emergency,” saying loneliness can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The Surgeon General’s startling advisory found that poor social connections can raise the risk of heart disease by 29%, increase the risk of stroke by 32%, and increase the risk of developing dementia in older adults by 50%. There is hope: leaders across Ohio are working to combat loneliness, to re-establish connections lost during the pandemic, and create new resources to reduce social isolation. This thought-provoking panel discussion tackles the loneliness epidemic in Ohio and its profound health and societal implications, including actionable strategies to build socially connected communities that can thrive, enjoy better health outcomes, and develop resilience in the face of loneliness. Featuring panelists: Dr. Amy Acton, Private Practice, Preventive Medicine, and Former Director, Ohio Department of Health Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, On Our Sleeves Associate Clinical Director, Nationwide Children's Hospital Susan DiMickele, CEO, National Church Residences Dr. Megan Schabbing, Medical Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services, OhioHealth The host is Tracie McCambridge, Director of Art & Resilience, The Wexner Center for the Arts The presenting sponsors of CMC’s Optimal Health Series are The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and OhioHealth. This forum was sponsored by The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation and by National Church Residences. It was supported by The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on April 10, 2024. Please note this CMC forum contains a conversation about suicide. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health or addiction, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/30686818

It’s Time to Close the Gender Wage Gap in Columbus 04/03/2024

It’s Time to Close the Gender Wage Gap in Columbus Mary Lazarus Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund Celebrating Women in Society The gender pay gap is unfair, inequitable, and even illegal – paying women less than men for the same work has been against the law in the US since 1963. And yet, based on today’s full-time, year-round wage gap, women entering the workforce stand to lose $398,160 over the course of a 40-year career. This “lifetime wage gap” exists across the country: in every state, women’s career losses based on today’s wage gap would amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars—and in 12 states women’s career losses would amount to more than half a million dollars. If progress continues at the same glacial rate as it has since 1960, it will take some 30 more years for women workers to reach pay equity with men. The average Asian American and Native Pacific Islander (AANPI) worker would need until April 3 – the day of our forum – to make as much money as their male counterparts had earned by the end of the previous year. Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women working full-time, year-round are paid just 92 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men. The wage gap within the Asian American community is often overlooked, and it’s far from monolithic. For example, Chinese women earn 83 cents to a white male’s dollar, Indian women earn $1.07, Bhutanese women earn 52 cents, and Nepalese women earn just 48 cents for every dollar earned by white men. Recognizing these disparities is the first step toward achieving true pay equity for Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian women. What’s being done to close the gender wage gap in Central Ohio for all women? Among other initiatives – The Columbus Commitment – a voluntary, employer-led pledge dedicated to closing the wage gap and fostering pay equity – has now been signed by over 400 Columbus-area employers to help spotlight equitable pay practices. With an expert panel, CMC dives into why the gender pay gap has been a persistent feature of the US economy for generations, the importance of a nuanced approach to addressing pay disparities, what it will take to close the gender pay gap in Central Ohio once and for all. Featuring panelists: Barb Smoot, President & CEO, Women for Economic and Leadership Development First Lady Shannon Ginther, Chair, Columbus Women’s Commission Dr. Joyce Chen, Professor of Economics, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University The host is Tanya Salyers, Director of Advocacy, YWCA Columbus Columbus City Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla makes opening remarks. This forum was sponsored by The Mary Lazarus Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund Celebrating Women in Society, Crane Group, Event Marketing Strategies, The Ohio State University, and The Columbus Women's Commission. It was supported by The Ellis. The forum partner was The Women's Fund of Central Ohio. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on April 3, 2024. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/30439313

Shaping Columbus: Influencers and the Power of Community Narratives 03/27/2024

The Future of Healthcare 03/20/2024

Columbus’ $8 Billion Transit Investment: Can LinkUS Build a Better Commute? 03/06/2024

Columbus’ $8 Billion Transit Investment: Can LinkUS Build a Better Commute? Next November, Columbus voters may be asked to approve a 0.5% sales tax increase to generate $6 billion of the estimated $8 billion cost the massive long-term transit improvement project known as LinkUS. LinkUS promises to better connect parts of Columbus though significant transit improvements that include new bus rapid transit (BRT) lines and infrastructure improvements for pedestrians that include new trails and sidewalks. BRT is a mass transit alternative that can deliver some of the amenities associated with light rail – dedicated lanes, easy boarding at stations, fast and frequent service – without the higher cost and longer construction time of rail projects. Three new LinkUS transit corridors are now on the horizon – a West Broad Corridor from Prairie Township to Downtown Columbus, an East Main Corridor from Downtown to past Reynoldsburg close to Etna, and a Northwest Corridor from downtown Columbus along Highway 315 to Bethel Road on a route that includes The Ohio State University and major employers. If voters approve, work would begin on the West Broad Corridor as early as 2025, and it could be operational as soon as 2028. Will Columbus voters see the value of investing in these corridors to finally give Columbus commuters new mobility options that could serve as models for the entire region? Featuring introductory remarks by Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor, City of Columbus With panelists: Shannon Hardin, President, Columbus City Council William Murdock, Executive Director, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Stevie Pasamonte, Chair, Transit Columbus Monica Tellez-Fowler, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, COTA The host is Curtis Jackson, Evening Anchor, Spectrum News 1 The sponsors of this forum were COTA, The Robert Weiler Company, and HNTB. This forum was supported by The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on March 6, 2024. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/30226343

State of Downtown: Downtown's Next Big Transformation 02/28/2024

State of Downtown: Downtown's Next Big Transformation Developing a Dynamic Downtown Series Is Columbus ready for its next big transformation? The past two decades have brought transformative change to Downtown Columbus, including a reimagined riverfront, one-of-a-kind cultural attractions and experiences, and new retail and housing offerings. A modern downtown will demand even more to thrive. The Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan aims not only to add structures, but to create a more inclusive and connected experience that hopes to attract 40,000 residents and 120,000 workers by the year 2040. Marc Conte, Executive Director of the Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement Districts presents his annual “State of Downtown” report, plus panelists Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and Edwards Companies President and CEO Jeff Edwards discuss the work already underway and what’s yet to come, including a new way to enhance connectivity in the core of our city: the Capital Line, a new multi-mile loop connecting downtown’s key cultural attractions that will be exclusive to pedestrian and bike traffic. Featuring: Marc Conte, Executive Director, Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement Districts (opening remarks) Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor, City of Columbus, Ohio Jeff Edwards, Chairman, CEO, & President, Installed Building Products and Edwards Companies The host is Stacia Naquin, News Anchor, ABC 6, Fox 28 Columbus The presenting sponsor of CMC’s "Developing a Dynamic Downtown Series" is The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South, with series sponsor Thompson Hine. The sponsors of this forum were Huntington, Schneider Downs, The Edwards Companies, The Robert Weiler Company, Installed Building Products, AECOM, Marker Construction, and COSI. This forum was supported by The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on February 28, 2024. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/30116463

High Stakes: How Legal Weed Will Reshape Ohio 02/21/2024

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin on America's Future 02/15/2024

Understanding the New Landscape of Childcare 02/14/2024

Understanding the New Landscape of Childcare Just how broken are the economics of childcare? It’s no secret they're preventing Ohio’s childcare providers from meeting the current demand for their services from employers, parents, and families. A stunning recent report from Action for Children, The Child Care Provider Survey, uncovered critical issues facing child care providers in central Ohio, including concerns about staffing, capacity, and tuition increases. More than half of providers reported that their monthly revenue does not cover expenses. With the ending of pandemic-era support funding, recent findings by Action for Children emphasize the need for sustained, flexible investment in central Ohio’s childcare centers and Family Child Care programs. This mixed picture produces a domino effect – not enough staff limits enrollment, which reduces revenue and causes tuition to rise – an unstable reckoning that shortchanges families, employers, and communities. This CMC forum unpacks the deeply set factors causing central Ohio’s childcare providers to struggle. We’ll look at how the region can chart a path to a more equitable and sustainable future for the childcare that’s ideal for children, parents, and employers together. Featuring: Eric Karolak, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Action for Children Kara Wente, Director, Department of Children and Youth, State of Ohio Aslyne Rodriguez, Director of Government Affairs, COTA Carol Haynes, Executive Director, Kiddie Academy The host is Cierra Johnson, Anchor and Reporter, NBC4 This forum was sponsored by PNC Bank, The Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and Columbus State Community College. It was supported by The Ellis. The presenting sponsor of the livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on February 14, 2024. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/29876118

Addicted to the Game: Did Ohioans Win or Lose by Legalizing Sports Betting? 02/07/2024

Is Public Art a Public Good? 01/31/2024

Prescription for Change: Solving Ohio's Healthcare Worker Shortage 01/24/2024

Creating the City Beautiful 01/17/2024

What Would It Take to End Homelessness in Columbus? 01/10/2024

What Would It Take to End Homelessness in Columbus? What if Columbus committed to becoming the largest US city to completely eliminate homelessness? How much would it cost? What specifically would we do with the money? As Columbus works to hone a distinctive identity that differentiates it from other American cities, could its unique quality be that no one in Ohio’s capital city lacked a place to call home? We’ll soon know more about the current scope of homelessness in our neighborhoods: every year, a “Point-in-Time Count” of Columbus’ homeless population occurs on a single day in January. The next count will be held on January 25, 2024. In January 2023, Community Shelter Board’s (CSB) count revealed the single largest increase and an all-time high in the number of people experiencing homelessness at a single point in time in Columbus and Franklin County. That count revealed an overall 22% increase of those who were experiencing homelessness in our community, and that 71% of the people were Black or African American (compared to being 29% of the general population). According to the CSB, this inequality is the result of discriminatory “redlining” lending practices, restrictive covenants, structural racism, classism, and gender injustice. Predictions by a national research firm, Focus Strategies, show the housing availability crisis Columbus is experiencing locally will drive a decline in program outcomes and increase entries into homelessness, with those earning 30% or less of the area’s median income being the most vulnerable population. With an expert panel we dive into homelessness in Columbus and ask the big question: what it would take to end homelessness in Central Ohio once and for all? Featuring Shannon Isom, President & CEO, Community Shelter Board, Sheli Mathias, Director, The Open Shelter, Bob Weiler, Chairman of the Board, The Robert Weiler Company, and Letha Pugh, Co-Founder, Bake Me Happy, with host Ann Bischoff, CEO, Star House. This forum was sponsored by The American Electric Power Foundation, Bath & Body Works, The Ohio State University, and The Community Shelter Board. The forum was supported by The Ellis and by The Columbus Dispatch. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on January 10, 2024. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/29386113

Blue Chip Economic Forecast 01/03/2024

Re-Attaching Historic Neighborhoods to Downtown Columbus 12/13/2023

Re-Attaching Historic Neighborhoods to Downtown Columbus Developing a Dynamic Downtown Series; Harrison Smith Legacy in Civic Engagement - Recognizing Excellence in Downtown Development; The Downtown Commission's Annual "Smithy" Awards What freeways divided in Columbus, Ohio, freeway caps are attempting to heal — and leaders hope the next few caps will continue positive momentum in revitalizing Downtown. I-71 and I-70 severed Columbus’ Brewery District and German Village from the heart of downtown in the early 1960s. Now, just as Downtown Columbus’ South Side experiences a reawakening, a massive project is underway to reconnect two of the area’s most historic neighborhoods — German Village and the Brewery District — to the heart of the city. Columbus has done it successfully before. Years ago, I-670 bulldozed a 200-foot-wide corridor through the city’s historic core, separating the Short North and Downtown. In 2004, the “Cap at Union Station” effectively reconnected the Short North back to Downtown with wide sidewalks and restaurants built over the highway below, setting the stage for the neighborhood’s spectacular revitalization. Next up: German Village and the Brewery District will be rejoined to downtown by three new freeway caps, one each on Third, Fourth, and High Streets. The High Street cap will feature park space on either side of the roadway, with the Third Street cap wide enough to accommodate retail spaces and restaurants like its Short North cousin. It could be the cherry on top of massive investments in recent years to bring the Brewery District back to its former glory — and even more recent efforts to bring Downtown’s south edge back to life with everything from a new county office to renovated commercial and residential spaces to popular restaurants and cafes. Join us as we explore Columbus’s massive – not to mention risky and expensive – efforts to rejoin and reconnect its historic neighborhoods together again. Featuring panelists: Bhakti Bania, CEO, BBCO Design Chris Hermann, Principal, MKSK Thomas Slack, Administrator, Capital Programs, Ohio Department of Transportation Benjamin Perryman, Endangered Properties Fund Director, Columbus Landmarks Foundation Chris Hune, Immediate Past President, German Village Society The host is Mark Ferenchik, Columbus Neighborhoods/Urban Issues Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch. CMC’s “Developing a Dynamic Downtown” series is presented by The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South and sponsored by Thompson Hine. This forum was sponsored by The Harrison Smith Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund - Recognizing Excellence in Downtown Development, Smith and Hale, The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and MKSK. The forum was supported by The Ellis and by The Columbus Dispatch. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on December 13, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/29044868

Reimagining A Style Giant 12/06/2023

Is Snob Zoning America's New Redlining? 11/29/2023

Is Snob Zoning America's New Redlining? Author Richard Kahlenberg’s new book offers an indictment of America’s housing policy by revealing the social engineering underlying our segregation by economic class, the social and political fallout that result, and what we can do about it. His new book, Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don’t See, published in 2023 by PublicAffairs, closely examines America’s “new redlining,” restrictive single-family zoning that carefully controls what types of housing can be built and where. While ostensibly created to maintain good qualities in neighborhoods, single-family zoning has instead been used to steadily inflate property values and is greatly exacerbating America’s deepening housing crisis and economic inequality. Kahlenberg’s new book shows that housing choice has been socially engineered to the benefit of the affluent, and that the most restrictive zoning is often found in politically liberal cities where racial views are progressive. We unpack the nationwide implications of single-family zoning and zoom in on Columbus for an exploration of how exclusive zoning in Central Ohio is shutting thousands out from the benefits of home ownership. Featuring Richard D. Kahlenberg, Non-Resident Scholar, Center on Education and Workforce, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Senior Fellow, Progressive Policy Institute, Professorial Lecturer, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, George Washington University, and Author, Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don’t See; Shayla Favor, Member, Columbus City Council; Tehani Mesa-Morales, SHRM-CP, Families Flourish Program Graduate, and Human Resources Generalist, ViaQuest, Inc.; and moderator Amy Klaben. President & CEO, Families Flourish. This forum was sponsored by Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation, The Robert Weiler Company, and Homeport. It was supported by The Ellis. The forum livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. It was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on November 29, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28460750

Conquering Lung Cancer 11/15/2023

Conquering Lung Cancer An Optimal Health Series Forum It’s the leading cause of cancer death in the United States – and it’s treatable: lung cancer kills some 127,000 people annually in the U.S., but it’s not a hopeless disease, and in fact, can often be treated if detected early. While treatments continue to improve with breakthrough “targeted” therapies, it’s early detection that could prevent enormous numbers of lung cancer deaths. But screening rates for lung cancers remain significantly lower than for other cancers, and according to a new Stanford Medicine study, they’re disproportionally failing minority populations, including African Americans. What’s the key to beating lung cancer in the U.S. and around the world? What are the racial disparities in lung cancer detection and treatment, and how can these disparities be addressed? For Lung Cancer Awareness and National Smoking Cessation Month, we welcome two Ohio-based global leaders in lung cancer research to unpack the causes, examine groundbreaking detection strategies for – and new targeted treatments of – America’s number one cancer killer. Featuring David P. Carbone, MD, PhD, Barbara J. Bonner Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Director, James Thoracic Center, and Co-Leader, Translational Therapeutics Program, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center; Jasleen Pannu, MMBS, Director of Interventional Pulmonary Translational Research at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; with moderator Cierra Johnson, Anchor and Reporter, WCMH NBC4. CMC's Optimal Health Series is presented by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital. This forum was sponsored by AstraZeneca, CareSource, and Cardinal Health. The forum livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. It was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on November 15, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28460726

Unpacking the 2023 Election 11/08/2023

Millennial Voices in Ohio Politics 10/30/2023

Millennial Voices in Ohio Politics If it looks like Millennials are everywhere, they are. In fact, Millennials are now America’s largest generation, surpassing the vaunted Baby Boomer generation as far back as 2019 in terms of sheer size, and the gap widens every year. If you know anyone between roughly the ages of 27 and 42 today, you know a Millennial, defined as anyone born generally between 1981 and 1996. With so many Millennials, you might expect to find more in the halls of power as elected officials, but Baby Boomers have been hard to convince to step down or retire to make way for younger leaders, a fact not lost on many voters. As reported in August by Axios Columbus, Baby Boomers between make up about half of Congressional representatives, even though Boomers now are just 21% of the American population, and the ratio for Ohio’s federal lawmakers is even more lopsided in favor of Boomers. But there are Millennial lawmakers to be found in Ohio’s State House, and we’re joined by a panel of State House representatives to hear what’s on their minds and how politics – and the country – might change once the Baby Boomers step off America’s political stage. Featuring Representative Dontavius Jarrells, 1st District, Ohio House of Representatives, Representative Thomas Hall, 45th District, Ohio House of Representatives, Representative Latyna Humphrey, 2nd District, Ohio House of Representatives, and Representative Nick Santucci, 64th District, Ohio House of Representatives, with host Anna Staver, Host, All Sides with Anna Staver, WOSU Public Media. This forum was sponsored by CivicPoint and WOSU Public Media. The forum partner was The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus. It was supported by The Ellis. The forum livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. It was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on November 1, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28460561

Whose Rights Win? Gun Violence, Preemption, and Home Rule in Ohio 10/25/2023

Whose Rights Win? Gun Violence, Preemption, and Home Rule in Ohio In Ohio, cities that have attempted to enact their own gun control regulations have run up against a brick wall where municipal “home rule” – and their governing authority – ends abruptly. Ohio’s legislature and courts have blocked cities’ local efforts at gun control, citing the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. Should Ohio cities have the right to take up gun control measures to reduce shootings and address other issues when the State and others see such measures as conflicting with the U.S. Constitution’s right to bear arms? Municipal home rule has been around in Ohio a long time – since 1912 – when 58% of the state’s voters approved giving cities greater self-control by adding a “home rule” article to the state’s Constitution. It stated: ‘[M]unicipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police, sanitary and other similar regulations, as are not in conflict with general laws.” The Ohio State Constitution, Article XVIII, Section 3 (1912) But new revisions championed by the State legislature in 2019 and 2022 to Ohio’s Revised Code began to chip away at home rule. The revisions restricted Ohio cities from enacting their own gun control laws – essentially a ban on bans. The revisions have shackled Ohio cities from acting to tackle endemic gun violence. The justification? The U.S. Constitution – plus Ohio’s own – spells out gun rights that cities can’t pre-empt. The public clearly wants action to curb gun violence: polling data by The Columbus Dispatch shows Ohioans on both sides of the political spectrum overwhelmingly want at least limited statewide gun control measures. What happens next? If gun control advocates can’t overcome Ohio’s “home rule” barrier and reduce gun violence through local ordinances, will they try for a new statewide constitutional amendment? Did the defeat of a plan to make it harder to amend Ohio’s constitution open the door more widely for new citizen-led statewide gun control efforts? With an expert panel, we ask: in Ohio’s battle over municipal home rule, who gets to decide? Featuring Zach Klein, Columbus City Attorney, David Tryon, Director of Litigation, The Buckeye Institute, and Thell Robinson III, Founder and CEO, Halt Violence, and Amelia Robinson, Opinion and Community Engagement Editor, The Columbus Dispatch, with Clare Roth, Managing Editor, The Ohio Newsroom. This forum was sponsored by The Ohio Mayors Alliance and Bricker Graydon LLP. The forum partner was The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus, with support from The Ellis. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded on October 25, 2023 before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28397579

Facing Hate, Finding Hope: America's LGBTQ+ Community Under Attack 10/18/2023

Facing Hate, Finding Hope: America's LGBTQ+ Community Under Attack The lives of LGBTQ+ Americans are under greater threat in 2023 than at any point in the country’s recent past. This summer, the Human Rights Campaign declared a “state of emergency” for LGBTQ+ people in America. The rights of parents to make gender-confirming decisions for their children, of drag artists to perform and for venues to host drag performances, and bans on school employees from discussing gender and sexuality with students are under currently attack through proposed legislation. Simultaneously, the flames of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment are being fanned by calls for violence by far-right hate groups. Some Ohio lawmakers are also going on the offensive, recently introducing HB 245, which could charge drag performers with a felony if a juvenile is in attendance of a drag performance or the performance is considered “obscene." How can anti-LGBTQ+ legislation co-exist with U.S. constitutional rights? Could passage of a Federal Equality Act explicitly prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ+ people serve to protect lives and rights of the LGBTQ+ community? Our panelists are: Khris Goins, President and Founder, Black Transmen of Ohio J. Bennett Guess, Executive Director, ACLU of Ohio Amanda Erickson, Director of Education & Outreach, Kaleidoscope Youth Center Chris Equizi, Creator and Performer of Virginia West, and Show Director for District West Our host is Ronald Murray, Associate Director of Health Advocacy, Equitas Health This forum was sponsored by The Lynn Greer Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund, which celebrates inclusion and equity for the LGBTQ+ community, The United Way of Central Ohio, and Huckleberry House. It was supported by The Ellis. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and by The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio’s historic Italian Village on October 18, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28334309

Gen Z Girls Lead the Way 10/11/2023

Gen Z Girls Lead the Way What’s on the minds of Central Ohio’s Gen Z girls, and where will they take America? Generation Z – the Zoomers – were born after 1996. The oldest of this rising generation has just graduated from college, and the youngest are now entering their teenage years, having been born just as Barack Obama entered the White House. Their formative years have been shaped by a global pandemic and the tumult of a divided America. Studies have shown that Gen Z embraces strong values rooted in a passion for racial justice, a deep concern for the planet and environmental sustainability, and as consumers, favor access as much as (or more than) ownership. Zoomers are digital natives, the first generation to grow up from their earliest childhoods with an ever-present Internet and portable digital technology. They’re the fastest-growing segment of the Amercian electorate and the most racially-diverse,with a non-Hispanic white majority of just 52%. CMC turns its stage over to Central Ohio Gen Z girls for an unfiltered look at how at this rising generation sees the world, themselves, and the future. The speakers are: Frankie Madosky, Miss Columbus Teen USA 2023 Lillian Corpening-Morgan, Co-Chair, Black Girl Think Tank, and Honors Senior, Pickerington North High School Mercy Cala Avila, Undergraduate Student, International Business & Chinese, The Ohio State University Olivia Graham, High School Student-Athlete, Womanist & Advocate for Representation, Columbus School for Girls, The host is Camille Seals, Head of School, Columbus School for Girls. This forum featured opening remarks by Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, Founder and CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX), and closing remarks by Kennedy Watkins, recipient of the highest honor in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. This forum was sponsored by The Mary Lazarus Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund Celebrating Women in Society, Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX), The Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland, Battelle, and the YWCA Columbus. It was supported by The Ellis. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on October 11, 2023. /episode/index/show/cbusmetroclub/id/28267259

A New Era for Columbus Art Museums 10/04/2023

The Columbus Metropolitan Club

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