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Columbus Communicator JULY 21, 2022
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Serving Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, & Dayton MAYOR AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS BREAK GROUND ON HUDSON
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther joined city and neighborhood leaders today to for-
mally kick off the reconstruction of Hudson Street between I-71 and Cleveland
Avenue. The city’s $19 million infrastructure investment to improve the busy
east-west connector street in Linden was identified by the community as a cata-
lytic project in the One Linden Community Plan.
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VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS ADDRESSES NAACP We’re not going to be able to get these days back, so each one of these days we must, with a sense of urgency, ensure that the American people know their voice and their vote matters,” Harris declared. By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at the NAACP convention in Atlantic City on Monday, July 18, declaring that freedom, liberty, and democracy are on the ballot in the upcoming midterm elections. She im-
NAACP page 2
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plored the large gathering at the Atlantic City Convention Center to make sure that all voices are heard. “We’re not going to be able to get these days back, so each one of these days we must, with a sense of urgency, ensure that the American people know their voice and their vote matters,” Harris declared. “It is their voice. The right to vote is something that the leaders of this organization and its founders knew to be at the core of all of the other rights and freedoms to which we are entitled,” she further implored. “So, we know what we need to do. And, in particular, to protect the freedom to vote and a women’s right to make decisions about her own body, we need people who will defend our rights up
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and down the ballot, from district attorneys to state attorneys general, from local sheriffs to governors.” The vice president received several standing ovations as she spoke of the need to vote. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade association representing 235 African American-owned newspapers and media companies, has teamed with the Transformative Justice Coalition in an effort to register 10 million more Black voters ahead of the midterm and 2024 general elections. As Harris arrived in Atlantic City, Mayor Marty Small greeted her as she descended from Air Force Two. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson spoke to the vice president and railed against politicians and the U.S. Supreme Court for “the erosion of
constitutional freedom, including the right of a woman over her own body.” Harris also decried the sharp increase in mass shootings and gun violence in the United States. “There is no reason for weapons of war on the streets of America,” she asserted. With West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin repeatedly stopping the Biden-Harris administration agenda, Harris called on voters to participate in the U.S. Senate election. “We will not, and the president has been clear, we will not let the filibuster stand in our way of our most essential rights and freedoms,” Harris declared. “I visited Buffalo, New York, to attend the funeral of an 86-year-old grandmother who went to the grocery store after, as she often did, spending the
JULY 21, 2022
day with her husband who was in a nursing home – Mrs. Whitfield.” Harris continued: “I went to Highland Park, Illinois, where there were strollers and lawn chairs scattered up and down a street where there was supposed to be a parade for July 4th. There – as in Uvalde, Texas; as in Greenwood, Indiana, just last night; and in so many communities across our nation – scenes of ordinary life have been turned into war zones by horrific acts of gun violence. “Mass shootings have made America a nation in mourning. And it’s not only the mass shootings. We see it in our communities every day, and it is no less tragic or outrageous.” “Think about it: Black people are 13 percent of America’s population but make up 62 percent of gun homicide victims.
“This issue of the need for reasonable gun safety laws is a real issue when we are talking about the civil right, the right that all communities should have, to live in a place that is safe without weapons of war running those streets.” She concluded that the number of guns manufactured in the country tripled over the last 20 years. “Today we have more guns in our nation than people,” Harris said. “Earlier this month, the president signed the first federal gun safety law in nearly 30 years. And it was an important and necessary step. But we need to do more. We must repeal the liability shield that protects gun manufacturers. And we must renew the assault weapons ban.”
MAYOR from page 1 “The City of Columbus is making a major capital investment to rebuild Hudson Street in Linden to improve transportation for all users, and create better and safer access to jobs, education, transit and other services in the community,” Mayor Ginther said. “The project represents further advancement of the ‘big ideas’ outlined in the One Linden Community Plan that the city, our partners and the Linden community are implementing to revitalize and reinvigorate this proud neighborhood.”
The Hudson roadway will be completely rebuilt, with a new waterline and storm sewers installed. New sidewalk will be built along the north side and a shareduse path added along the south side to support safe mobility and access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Other planned improvements include new traffic signals, streets lights and street trees, and improvements to the east leg of the intersection at I-71 to serve as the gateway to Linden. “The Department of Pub-
lic Service is excited to kick off the construction phase of rebuilding Hudson Street,” said Director Jennifer L. Gallagher. “Our Design and Construction team has spent many, many months completing the detailed planning and design work needed to prepare for construction, and we look forward to delivering a brand new Hudson to Linden that supports safe multimodal travel.” Currently, construction is occurring on Hudson between Cleveland Avenue and McGuffey Road, as
crews install a new 24-inch waterline to replace the existing 100-year-old line. The second phase of construction will occur between McGuffey Road and I-71. Each phase is expected to take approximately one construction season, and the new Hudson Street is projected to be fully open to traffic in summer 2024. Throughout construction, eastbound traffic on Hudson Street will be maintained. Westbound traffic will be detoured to Weber Road. The Department of Public Service has worked
with the Central Ohio Transit Authority to relocate westbound bus stops to Weber Road during construction. The project improvements will enhance safety along the Hudson corridor, which is on the Vision Zero Columbus High Injury Network due to the higher density of fatal, serious injury and/or crashes involving vulnerable road user like pedestrians and bicyclists that occur on it.
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July 21, 2022
Beatty Advances Tubman on the Twenty Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, legislation authored by U.S. Congresswoman and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (OH-03) to provide Americans a public draft of the upcoming twenty dollar note featuring abolitionist Harriet Tubman passed the House as part of a six-bill appropriations minibus. The provision was adopted as an amendment to the bill, H.R. 8294. First announced in 2016, work on the “Tubman Twenty” was paused under the Trump Administration. While the Biden Administration pledged to accelerate the rollout, Americans have still not seen any official designs for the long-promised note. “Six years after Americans celebrated Harriet Tubman’s selection to replace Andrew Jackson on the twenty dollar bill, we are no closer to knowing when we will see the bill or what it will look like,” said Beatty. “After the Trump Ad-
ministration paused work on the redesign, people are rightfully concerned this muchneeded update to our currency may never see the light of day. I’m proud I was able to include language in the appropriations minibus pushing Treasury to release a design. This will move the bill one step closer to circulation.” Beatty continued, “As we work to dismantle systemic racism, replacing slave-owner Andrew Jackson with a heroic Black woman like Harriet Tubman is an easy move. Americans are excited to see this update, and I am hopeful they will soon see the progress the Treasury is making.” Throughout her time in Congress, Beatty has fought to secure a woman on our nation's currency. In June 2015, she introduced the original Woman on the Twenty Act, directing the Secretary of Treasury to create a citizens' panel to recommend a
woman to be placed on a $20 bill. That same year, she spoke from the House floor in support of putting Harriet Tubman on the new $20. In April 2016, Beatty wrote a letter thenTreasury Secretary Jack Lew calling on the Department to fast track the new note and have it in circulation by 2020. In 2017, Beatty wrote then-Secretary Mnuchin, urging him to recommit to the redesign of the twenty-dollar bill featuring Harriet Tubman. In 2019, Beatty led a press conference, joined by a group of more than 30 Members of Congress, on the steps of the U.S. Department of Treasury to demand the change. This Congress, she took her actions a step further, authoring an updated version of the Woman on the Twenty Act to prohibit any new $20s from being printed without an image of Tubman. In July 2021, Beatty sent a letter to Secretary Janet Yellen calling on the U.S. Department of Treasury to provide an updated timeline for the reveal and circulation of all Federal Reserve notes currently undergoing the redesign process.
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BROWN AT SENATE FINANCE HEARING: NEIGHBORHOOD HOMES INVESTMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. – In Case You Missed It: Today, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing titled “The Role of Tax Incentives in Affordable Housing,” U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, highlighted the need to pass legislation that would ensure housing is affordable and available to all. As Chairman of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, ensuring housing affordability is not only a top priority of mine, but it is a moral imperative. Too many people are paying too much to keep a roof over their head,” said Brown. During the hearing, Brown highC
lighted his bipartisan legislation, the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA), which creates a federal tax credit that covers the cost between building or renovating a C / QA Review home in a distressed neighborhood and the price at which it can be sold. The NHIA would also help existing homeowners in these neighborhoods to renovate and stay in their homes. Brown asked Buzz Roberts, President and CEO of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders, how the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act could help address the shortfall in affordable single-family homes and keep homes in the hands of lower-income and aspiring homeowners.
“Neighborhood homes can fill the F gap between what it costs to build RO Account Executive: C. Cecchetti or rehab a home Production in aArtist:struggling T neighborhood and Swhat the local Page 1 of 2 market there can support. Without that, it's just not feasible for private developers or even existing homeowners to improve their homes and by extension, the neighborhoods. The entire neighborhood suffers when these homes are deteriorated because most of these neighborhoods are singlefamily homes, so we can't really fix up those neighborhoods without addressing this problem. Neighborhood homes would allow states to deploy credits in just the right amount to cover that gap,” said Mr. Roberts.
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July 21, 2022
Human Rights Campaign Endorses Jim Obergefell for Ohio House of Representatives
SANDUSKY — Today the Human Rights Campaign PAC (HRC PAC) announced its endorsement of Jim Obergefell for the 89th District seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. HRC PAC is committed to engaging our volunteers, members and supporters to mobilize the thousands of voters in the Sandusky area in support of Obergefell and other pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot.
Human Rights Campaign Interim President Joni Madison released the following statement: “Jim Obergefell’s name is already legendary in the LGBTQ+ community as the man who won marriage equality for everyone in the United States. Many people would be content with such a legacy – but Obergefell is not one to rest on his laurels. In his campaign for the Ohio House of Representatives, he’s standing up once again for those who’ve been marginalized, those who’ve been discriminated against, and those who have been left behind. If he’s elected, the Sandusky area will have someone representing them in Columbus who can be counted on to stand up and do what’s right, and the Human Rights Campaign is proud to support his candidacy.” Jim Obergefell released the following statement: “I sincerely thank the Human Rights Campaign for their endorsement. The work HRC does every
day for the LGBTQ+ community is critical, and I appreciate their belief in and support of my campaign. “I'm running for the Ohio House of Representatives because I believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect, and public servants should work to make life better for their constituents. Everyone deserves to have their voices heard and their rights as human beings protected. I've never backed down from a fight, and now more than ever we need a strong champion for the rights and dignity of all. I'll bring that same heart to the Ohio Statehouse as a state representative.” A native of Sandusky, Obergefell first came to national prominence as the lead plaintiff in Obergefell vs. Hodges, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage for the entire country. He sued the state of Ohio for its refusal to recognize his marriage to his late husband, John, staying the course as the case worked its way through the legal system before finally winding up at the highest court in the nation. His victory in the legal arena was a watershed moment for all LGBTQ+ people in the country as hundreds of thousands of same-sex marriages have been recorded in the seven years since the Supreme Court’s ruling – many of those in states that had previously prohibited marriage equality. An Opponent With An Anti-Equality
Record By contrast, Obergefell’s opponent, State Representative D.J. Swearingen (HD-89) has defined himself as one of the most antiequality legislators in the Ohio House. Swearingen co-sponsored HB 151, legislation that would have banned transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity and even required an invasive “genital verification process” for young people “accused” of being transgender. The editorial page of the Sandusky Register, Swearingen’s hometown newspaper, also took the Republican lawmaker to task for his reckless comments regarding HB 616, Ohio’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” proposal, which would censor classroom discussions regarding sexual orientation or gender identity: State Rep. D.J. Swearingen, RHuron, is one of those lawmakers. In expressing his support for "Don't Say Gay," he failed to show common decency and respect for educators, for people of color and for LGBTQ+ rights. “Every child deserves a quality education," Swearingen told the Register in April. "My colleagues and I cannot sit idly by when radical indoctrination in schools is threatening this fundamental right." But Swearingen, when pressed, couldn't provide any specific examples of radical indoctrination or the names of constituents who approached him with concerns about
City Leaders Announce $5 Million in Funding for Columbus Non-Profits Elevate grant program will enable 48 Columbus nonprofits build capacity [Columbus, OH] – Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, Council President Shannon Hardin and Councilmember Shayla Favor announced the recipients of the city’s $5 million Elevate grant program. A total of 48 nonprofit human service agencies are receiving funds to focus on infant vitality, homelessness and housing stability for immigrants and refugees. “In Columbus, we believe every resident deserves to be stably housed, and we believe that every baby should
reach his or her first birthday and beyond,” said Mayor Ginther. “This funding from the City of Columbus will empower 48 local organizations to change these trajectories for Columbus families.” The grant funding will be used to increase the organizational capacity of human service agencies, to be used in conjunction with their general operating funds. Grant applicants were evaluated based on need and services offered in three impact areas:
·Infant Vitality -ability to address social determinants of health and demonstrated effectiveness in helping all babies -- regardless of race, zip code or family income – celebrate their first birthdays. ·Homelessness -work to reduce the number of individuals and families exp e r i e n c i n g homelessness by improving access to obtain or maintain safe, affordable housing and supportive care ·Housing Stability for Immigrants and Refugees – efforts
to improve the access needed for supportive services for immigrants and refugees With data surrounding infant vitality and homelessness, Mayor Ginther has specifically targeted these areas through his Opportunity Rising equity agenda, the Columbus Housing Strategy and many other citywide initiatives, including partnering with non-profits already working in this space. “As we build back from the COVID pandemic, capacity-
building at local non-profits is a critical step to help partners provide the goods and services our residents deserve,” said Council President Shannon G. Hardin. “I’m excited to support these non-profits so they can better support residents.” This $5 million comes from the federal American Rescue Plan funds allocated to the City of Columbus. To learn more about the Elevate grants, visit https://www.humanservicechamber.org/elevate/.
it, or concerns about how history is taught in schools as it relates to race. [“Stop Lying About Teachers,” Sandusky Register Editorial Board, 5/18/22]
HRC’s Commitment to Ohio Equality Voters, including the 2 million in Ohio, are a voting bloc of demographically and geographically diverse Americans who are united by the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality. Equality Voters are younger, more racially diverse, and more female than the general electorate, they recognize and trust the HRC brand, and they are more likely to identify with issue-specific organizations than candidates or political parties. Across the country, HRC PAC works every day to elect pro-equality leaders who support policies that will support the rights and lives of LGBTQ+ people. During the 2020 election cycle, HRC staff on the ground recruited 5,800 individual volunteers nationwide who completed 28,500 hours of voter contact in more than 2,650 volunteer events. HRC engaged in robust digital and online GOTV efforts, including sending over 2.7 million person-to-person text messages, a massive increase from 2018 when approximately 500,000 texts were sent. HRC sent over 2.5 million mail pieces, had over 930,000 phone conversations with voters, and engaged more than 200,000 voters through HRC’s voter dashboard at hrc.org/vote.
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July 21, 2022
COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM LAUNCHES NEW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO INCREASE MINORITY REPRESESNTATION IN THE ZOO FIELD
Powell, OH – The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, along with The Wilds, Zoombezi Bay, and Safari Golf Club, announced the establishment of the RISE Scholarship program. The goal of this new program is to increase diversity representation in the zoo field. According to a study by Zippia, 74.1 percent of zoo keepers are White. Comparatively, 16.3 percent are Hispanic or Latino and 4.0 percent are Black. There are other disparities in the zoo field such as gender identity/expression, and low-income.
The RISE scholarship program provides internship experiences from business to biology to students from a variety of backgrounds - including racial/ethnic groups, gender, and lowincome/underserved populations who are underrepresented in our industry. “We are excited to launch this new program right here in central Ohio. These internships will provide valuable exposure, and we hope spark interest in careers in animal care, conservation education, and related fields. Students will have the opportunity to learn from and work with our talented staff. The end-goal is to inspire these students to join the zoological profession and better reflect the communities we serve,” said Tom Schmid, President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. When most people think of zoo jobs, they picture a veterinarian or
keeper. But it does take a village of people in various roles to keep the daily operations going of a zoo, conservation center, waterpark, and golf course. There are a multitude of career paths at all zoos and aquariums such as guest services, IT, finance, nutrition, security, operations, fundraising, community relations and education, horticultural, and much more. The goal is to remove financial barriers that may be caused by unpaid internships. This program also furthers the Zoo’s strategic goal to recruit more underserved and underrepresented candidates into our organization. “To create access you have to identify barriers and then remove those barriers to create opportunities that are equitable. Our family of parks are for everyone and educational opportunities should be no exception,” said Carman Wirtz, Senior Vice President of Human
Resources. Wirtz adds that applications will be reviewed by the Board of Directors DEIAB committee. Starting this fall, there will be 15 individual scholarships available dedicated to various positions across the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, The Wilds, Zoombezi Bay and Safari Golf Club. Each recipient will receive a $5,000 scholarship* to offset expenses or be paid hourly up to $5,000 through the scholarship fund. Students must commit to 12 weeks in animal care internship positions or 240 hours of work in other non-animal areas from September through December. Students must be 18 years of age and complete the application by August 12, 2022. Scholarship information, application and internship descriptions can be found on our RISE Scholarship page. *Non animal care internships will be paid biweekly via payroll
Large-scale models will be on display Aug. 16 through Oct. 31 COLUMBUS—Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) will welcome three large-scale models of dinosaurs to its Main Library starting next month. This interactive exhibit (on view Aug. 16 through Oct. 31) is free and open to all, inviting customers of all ages
to come face-to-face with a lifesized Stegosaurus, Megalosaurus and Triceratops. Special staff-led programs and customer-led activities will accompany the exhibit, and CML staff will have dinosaur books available for customers to check out. Models provided by Billings Productions, Inc.
Dinosaurs Coming to Main Library-Columbus
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African American History
Early Life Natalie Maria Cole was born on February 6, 1950, to vocal legend Nat King Cole and jazz singer Maria Cole in Los Angeles, California. Growing up with talented and renowned parents, Cole was raised in an environment that nurtured her natural musical ability. At the age of 6, she recorded "I'm Good Will, Your Christmas Spirit" with her father, and by age 11, the young songstress had begun performing in the community. Cole's world suddenly changed when she was 15 years old: In February 1965, her father died of cancer. The tragedy put a strain on Cole's relationship with her mother. Later that same year, her mother moved the family to Massachusetts, where Cole attended Northfield Mount Hermon High School. Although a career in music would be an obvious choice for Cole, she set her sights on something different: Following high school, she enrolled at the Univer-
sity of Massachusetts Amherst, where she majored in child psychology. She briefly transferred to the University of Southern California, where she pledged the Upsilon Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Her time at USC was short-lived, however, as she soon transferred back to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she earned a bachelor's degree in 1972. Music Career Cole, who had begun performing again over a summer break in Amherst, at a venue called "The Pub," met the writing and producing team of Chuck Jackson and
African American Icon: Natalie Cole
Marvin Yancy in 1975. The duo helped Cole land a deal with Capitol Records and, later that year, create the album Inseparable. With hit songs such as "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," the album exploded onto the music scene, earning the young starlet her first two Grammy Awards—for best new artist and best female R&B performance. Cole's career took flight, and throughout the 1970s, she turned out four gold and two platinum records. Her third — and first platinum — album, Unpredictable (1977), donned yet another No. 1 R&B hit: "I've Got Love on My Mind."
In 1979, Cole was awarded her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, both signifying and solidifying her prowess as a performer. Cole hit a lull in her career in the early 1980s due to her struggle with drug addiction, subsequently parting ways with Capitol Records. She began recording again after a stint in rehab in 1983, and was back on the charts with a megahit by the mid-'80s: "Pink Cadillac." In 1991, Cole released the career-defining album for which she is best known, Unforgettable... with Love. Her debut album with Elektra Records, Unforgettable pays tribute to her father, featuring many beautiful renditions of standards previously recorded by Nat King
Cole. The album's breakout single, "Unforgettable," features a track dubbed over a previous Nat King Cole recording, as to create the
sound of a father-daughter duet. The album sold more than 7 million copies and garnered several honors, including the coveted Grammy for album of the year. The '90s saw Cole release many other popular albums, including Snowfall on the Sahara and The Magic of Christmas (both released in 1999), an album of holiday standards recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. Cole also launched her acting career before the end of the decade, appearing on television series of the time. In 2001, Cole starred as herself
in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story, a TV-movie adaptation of her 2000 autobiography, Angel on my Shoulder. The book has been described as an exposé of the private struggle that accompanied Cole's rise to fame. Also in 2000, Elektra released Natalie Cole: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, an album highlighting the singer's career. Cole's 2008 release, Still Unforgettable, was well-received, winning the singer yet another Grammy, this time for best traditional pop vocal album.
Addiction Struggle The death of her father greatly affected Cole, which was obvious through her songwriting and trib-
July 21, 2022
utes. In her 2000 autobiography, Angel on my Shoulder, Cole ex-
posed her depression and heavy drug use throughout her career. She overcame her addiction after checking into rehab in 1983.
Personal Life In 1976 — not long after Inseparable was released — Cole married producer Marvin Yancy. An ordained Baptist minister, Yancy reintroduced religion to Cole, who became a devout Baptist during their union. The couple welcomed their son, Robert Adam Yancy, into the world in 1977 (Robert died 20 months after his mother at age 39), before divorcing in 1980. Cole remarried in 1989, to record producer Andre Fisher. The couple divorced in 1995. She wed her third husband, Bishop Kenneth Dupree, in 2001. The marriage was short-lived, however, ending in 2005.
Death In 2008, Cole was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a disease of the liver. Because of the strain hepatitis C takes on your body, Cole's kidneys began to fail. She was lucky enough to receive a kidney transplant in 2009 at USC. Cole died from congestive heart failure on December 31, 2015 in Los Angeles. She was 65. Her family released a statement saying, "It is with heavy hearts that we bring to you all the news of our Mother and sister's passing. Natalie fought
a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived...with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever." Cole leaves behind a legacy as one of the most celebrated and iconic women in R&B.