Dear Editor:

I am writing to you because recently, the University of Cincinnati has decided to spend money and effort to replace residence hall bathroom signs to specify for “biological” men and women as a result of an Ohio bill being passed. This has caused a lot of uproar in students, especially because UC is home to so many LGBT+ students. I myself have friends in my major who are transgender and nonbinary, and this will be directly affecting them.

After emailing the president of the University, he sent out a mass email to the student body saying that the University will be getting rid of all traces of DEI in classes, social media, scholarships and more. This new statement is terrifying for the diverse student body who attend this institution. Although it is because of the current Trump Administration’s new regulations, but the University of Cincinnati was the FIRST in this region to begin this as soon as possible, marking themselves (sic) as the precedent in showing their students do not matter.

I think speaking on this issue would be important to help get the word out about how everything that is happening in our government right now is directly affecting places like our colleges, making our homes here feel unsafe and making the students that pay thousands of dollars every year feel like they do not matter to this institution at all. 

Hailey Smith
Interior Design
College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning
University of Cincinnati

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Contributed

University of Cincinnati President Neville G. Pinto released the following letter to media, staff and students, following the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs that also apply to universities and other educational institutions that accept federal funding:

Dear UC Community,

I write to you today to share some challenging truths about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at the University of Cincinnati. As you are no doubt aware, the federal government has effectively outlawed DEI programs and practices within government entities, including public universities nationwide.

If you haven’t already, please take the time to read President Trump’s Executive Order 14173 from January 21 as well as the February 14 “Dear Colleague” letter from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which calls for the elimination of DEI in higher education.

Taken together, these federal actions are sweeping in their scope, categorical in their conclusions and pressing in their timing. The OCR letter specifically states that we must comply with these new rules by February 28, after which OCR will begin holding noncompliant universities accountable.

In response to these mandates, Provost Kristi Nelson and I spent this week informing our deans and vice presidents of the initial steps we must take to ensure compliance. We also met with Faculty Senate Cabinet to inform them of the implications of these developments. Our message to them — and to you — is this: Given the extent to which our university, like most educational institutions, relies on federal funding to deliver and sustain our core mission, it is untenable to operate as if noncompliance with these directives is an effective option. In addition, Ohio’s 136th General Assembly is in the process of fast-tracking Senate Bill 1, which, in its current form, reinforces federal DEI prohibitions.

Given this new landscape, Ohio public and federally supported institutions like ours have little choice but to follow the laws that govern us. Meanwhile, we will continue to work through our state and federal Government Relations channels to encourage legislators to support policies that honor the mission of public higher education, which is so essential for the development of citizens for our democracy.

What does all of this mean for UC as of today?

Our leaders have begun evaluating jobs and duties related to DEI and examining our DEI programming, initiatives and projects to bring all areas into compliance. In addition, we have begun removing references to DEI principles across university websites, social media and collateral materials. This will be a heavy lift, and I am thankful for our university leaders and their teams who grasp what is at stake in this moment. We must approach this process with the thoughtfulness and thoroughness that such complex comprehensive endeavors entail, while always keeping the well-being of the people most affected at the heart of our efforts.

I recognize that these decisions are weighty, and these actions are a departure from decades of established practice within academic communities. I also continue to ask for your patience and understanding as we do the hard work that will be required to unwind many years of DEI efforts under an extremely compressed timeline.

We are committed to meet both our compliance obligations and our mission to provide a supportive learning and working environment where all are welcome, safe and free to be successful. Indeed, there remain many unanswered questions, and we are working diligently to arrive at answers. As we move forward, we will share updates as information becomes available.

Sincerely,
Neville G Pinto

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By Shelana Martin, Program Director

What is Breakthrough Cincinnati?

Breakthrough Cincinnati is a tuition-free summer and year-round program committed to energizing underrepresented students to enter college with confidence while inspiring the next generation of educators. Our summer program engages middle-school (rising 6th- 9th grade) students for 5 weeks, while monthly year-round academic enrichment, tutoring, and community events engage our scholars outside of the summer program.  Breakthrough Cincinnati exists to support education, equity, and economic change in our community.

This fun program is filled with new experiences, a supportive community, and academic enrichment for students. Breakthrough Cincinnati 2025 summer will run from June 30th – August 1st at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Country Day School.  Transportation, food, and all supplies are all included. 

What types of students are we looking for?

Applications are now open for students currently in 5th – 6th grades!

The deadline for New Student Applications is March 14th, 2025.

Breakthrough Cincinnati invites rising 5th & 6th graders to apply for our program.  We encourage students who ascribe to at least two of the following identities to apply: First Generation College Bound, Single Parent Household, Low-Income, Person of Color, English Language Learner.

Visit our website at www.breakthroughcincinnati.org or email us at applystudent@breakthroughcincinnati.org.

Feature Image: BTC students at Cincinnati Zoo in 2022. Photo provided

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Contributed

A partnership between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), Central State University in Ohio (CSU) and local mental health agencies has been formed to address the growing mental health needs of K-12 students in the region.  

The new initiative, the Cincinnati Mental Health, Education, and Successful Urban Relationship Expansion in the Schools (MEASURES) program, will work to expand the behavioral health workforce and create inclusive, supportive environments for students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The MEASURES program — funded by a three-year, $3.75 million grant from the Department of Education — aims to address critical gaps in the mental health and educational landscape by providing tuition stipends for UC graduate students majoring in school and mental health counseling, school psychology and social work. UC partnered with CSU to create a pipeline for CSU students to address the diversification of the school-based behavioral health workforce.   

Training students in these disciplines, program administrators say, is crucial to supporting students in high-need schools, especially those in diverse communities within CPS, where there is an increasing demand for mental health services. 

“The need for mental health services in our schools is at an all-time high, and we must ensure we have a workforce capable of meeting the unique challenges facing students today,” says the grant’s co-author Amanda La Guardia, an associate professor in UC’s School of Human Services.  

“This is a strategic approach to preparing future professionals who will be equipped to create culturally inclusive, identity-safe environments in our schools, fostering the mental well-being of all students,” says Dana Harley, co-author and UC professor of social work.     

The program will focus on four key goals: 

1. Recruitment and support: Identify, recruit, select and financially support 45 students (9 per year) from diverse backgrounds to enter the MEASURES program. Students will focus on school counseling, school-based mental health counseling, school psychology and school social work disciplines, addressing the critical shortage of school-based mental health providers in K-12 education. 
2. Career education: Provide local education agencies with mental health career education, particularly for high-need K-12 secondary populations, encouraging students to explore careers in behavioral health. 
3. Inclusive practices: Prepare mental health providers to use evidence-based methods to implement inclusive practices and create culturally and linguistically responsive, identity-safe environments for students. 
4. Strengthening partnerships: Foster a stronger multidisciplinary collaboration between the partners to cultivate a diverse mental health workforce that reflects the needs of students in urban schools. 

“Through this collaboration, the MEASURES program is set to make a lasting impact on both the mental health field and K-12 education, ensuring a future generation of mental health providers who are not only skilled but also dedicated to promoting equity and inclusivity in schools,” says La Guardia. 

Feature Image: Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels

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Contributed

University of Cincinnati (UC) Women’s Basketball team generously volunteered their time at Queen City Book Bank’s (QCBB) Book Giveaway Day in November, where they made a special connection with Stacey Jones’ middle school class from Gamble Montessori High School. The players helped them select books, read with them, made bookmarks, and invited them to attend one of their games.

In early December, QCBB’s mascot, Wiggles, joined the students at a Cincinnati Bearcats Women’s Basketball game. The students saw an amazing win and even had a locker room visit with the players after the game and private autograph event! Following the game, UC coaching staff asked QCBB to set up a surprise holiday celebration with the players and class at the book bank.

On December 16th, the entire women’s team, along with UC staff and head coach Katrina Merriweather, gathered at QCBB to spend a fun-filled day with this lucky group of students. The players read to the class, enjoyed tasty treats, and had a blast playing games together. The day wrapped up with each student choosing three books from QCBB and receiving tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo’s Festival of Lights, generously donated by HCM Wealth Advisors & CPAs. As a final surprise, the students were also given some amazing UC merchandise from the team.

Queen City Book Bank CEO Michelle Otten Guenther expressed, “This partnership between the players and students is truly something special! A big thank you to the UC Women’s Basketball staff, players, and the exceptional Stacey Jones for making this incredible experience happen. It’s been such a joy to be part of creating this connection and to see the smiles on both the students’ and players’ faces when they meet. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time they get together. It’s a wonderful way to start the holiday season for everyone involved!”

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By Diana Lara, UC Health

UC researchers’ tiny tech tool makes emergency resuscitation easier for all.

Every second counts in critical moments when someone stops breathing. Yet, the life-saving tools available in places like football fields, restaurants, or even the battlefield are often rudimentary.

That could soon change thanks to a groundbreaking innovation from researchers and clinicians at the University of Cincinnati (UC).

After years of meticulous development, Justin Benoit, MD, Jason McMullan, MD, and Ephraim Gutmark, PhD, have launched Rescue Ventilation Solutions (RVS), a startup aimed at revolutionizing emergency resuscitation.

RVS’s product, nicknamed “Spiritus,” is a novel technology that has been in development since 2017 and is designed to attach to any standard bag-valve mask used when someone stops breathing, such as during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Using a bag-valve mask without a means to measure critical variables—such as the amount of air being delivered, the rate of breaths, and the pressure exerted—can be perilous.

As Benoit explains, “It’s like flying a plane with no gauges. How someone uses a bag-valve mask determines how much oxygen is in the blood, the pH of the blood, and the circulation to the heart muscle itself—all of which can determine life or death.”

RVS’s tiny, two-inch device, weighing less than 100 grams, promises to bring the precision of a ventilator to the palm of a bystander or first responder.

While highly effective, traditional mechanical ventilators are cumbersome andexpensive, weighingin at around30+ pounds and costing thousands of dollars. They are not practical in most emergency situations outside of a hospital. When someone stops breathing in a supermarket aisle, on a sports field, or in a school, the tools at hand are usually limited to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or a bag-valve mask.

The Spiritus device is inexpensive, portable, disposable, and, above all, accessible, unlike bulky ventilators, typically confined to hospital settings due to their size and weight.

The urgency of RVS’s mission becomes clear when you consider the stakes.

In 2023, during the first quarter of the Jan. 2 football game in Cincinnati, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old, tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, taking him to the ground. Hamlin stood up after the tackle and took two steps but then collapsed to the turf and immediately went into cardiac arrest. McMullen was on the field and began administering CPR using a bag-valve mask.Hamlin’s heartbeat was revived on the field before being taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The delicate nature of the lungs adds to the complexity. Delivering too much air can result in air entering the stomach instead of the lungs, or worse, it could cause a lung to rupture—a potentially fatal outcome, as the lungs are a delicate, complicated living tissue. 

With the intellectual property (IP) license now granted by the UC Office of Technology Transfer, located within the 1819 Innovation Hub, RVS is moving forward with the final development of its minimum viable product (MVP), a critical step before presenting it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. This regulatory milestone is essential for the commercialization of the device, and RVS is actively seeking an investor to accelerate the process.

Beyond civilian use, RVS’s potential has drawn interest from the U.S. military, particularly the Air Force, given the University of Cincinnati’s long-standing connections in trauma research.

“You can imagine how the military isn’t going to carry a transport ventilator onto the battlefield,” Benoit remarks.

Feature Image: Co-founder Jason McMullan presents Spiritus technology. UC Health photo

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By Julia Mace, UC Foundation

    Benya Coleman, A&S ’26, and Silas Curry, CECH ’27, say that without the support of the Marian Spencer Scholars Program, they would not be enrolled at the University of Cincinnati.

     Minutes away on the UC Health campus, nurse practitioners, therapists, nutritionists and social workers at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute improve the lives of patients with ALS and provide multidisciplinary personalized care.

    What these students and patients have in common is they were supported by donors to Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati. The University of Cincinnati Foundation’s fundraising campaign for UC and UC Health officially ended in June, having raised $2.19 billion in overall donor support.

    The campaign was launched publicly in 2019 in conjunction with the university’s Bicentennial year.

Scholarships transform lives: Campaign donors provided paths to student success by creating 793 new scholarship and fellowship funds during the life of Next, Now. This includes the Marian Spencer Scholars, a program that provides 10 Cincinnati Public School graduates a year with full UC tuition, room and board, and additional resources and experiences. The program is in its third year, and there are currently 30 Spencer Scholars.

    “I would not have been in college without the scholarship,” Coleman says. “I’m able to become a doctor, which is my dream career. I am beyond thankful, and I hope in the future I can do something like this for someone else.”

     During the campaign, the university received the largest donation to scholarships in its 200-plus-year history from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman, MBA ’63. Hoffman’s $56 million estate gift created the Hoffman Honors Scholars program across three undergraduate colleges and will also provide support for UC student-athletes. The inaugural cohort of 12 Hoffman Honors Scholars will begin in the 2024-2025 academic year.

During the life of the Next, Now campaign, 37,287 unique donors contributed to scholarship funds at UC.

Hoffman estate supports UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute ALS patients.

    The Hoffman estate also gave $13.5 million that will revolutionize research and patient care related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

    This gift will impact nearly 200 patients in the Tri-State region each year. Since the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute opened its standalone outpatient facility in 2019, clinicians have provided care for more than 80,000 patients across 1,800 United States zip codes.

    “ALS care at UC continues to grow in scope of care and research opportunities,” says Robert Neel, MD ’00, a specialist in ALS and autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and director of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic. “The Hoffman gift has opened new research doors already, and we have recently hired our dietician and counselor to help with care. Both are scheduling patients. I have never been so excited to be in this field.”

     Evolving student and patient spaces: UC’s campus has transformed since the Next, Now launch. The College of Allied Health Sciences, Carl H. Lindner College of Business and College of Law have new student-focused spaces and buildings. The list of new facilities includes Clifton Court Hall, the university’s largest classroom building, serving the College of Arts and Sciences.

    Donors also supported new facilities, patient care initiatives and research at UC Health, Greater Cincinnati’s academic health care system. Philanthropic investments allowed for the construction of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s new outpatient facility as well as renovation of the inpatient Neuroscience ICU and construction of a new state-of-the-art emergency department at UC Medical Center.

     The new University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Blood Cancer Healing Center, also powered by philanthropy, hosts 30 inpatient beds, outpatient clinics, 24-hour symptom support, infusion therapies, stem cell and cellular therapies and 40-plus clinical trials.

     Faculty research and scholarly innovation: Through the campaign, donors invested in research, innovation and the work of UC faculty members. This includes creating 33 new chairs and professorships to recruit and retain faculty excellence; 29 of these positions were endowed.

    Other gifts expanded new lines of research into areas like cancer treatment. A collaboration between BSI Engineering and the nonprofit GIVEHOPE created a pilot grant program for research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. These pilot research grants, awarded annually to investigators studying the causes, disease path and treatment for pancreatic cancer, are now a key pipeline for early-stage research that can lead to national funding and clinical trials.

    This philanthropic partnership has made it possible for nine faculty researchers to launch 18 new studies into the causes and treatments of cancer.

     A new era for UC Athletics: Donors propelled UC Athletics forward at the start of the campaign by funding renovations at Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena. The Day One Ready campaign supported UC’s more than 450 student-athletes as part of the university’s move to the Big 12.

    UC Athletics celebrated the largest gift in its history from Larry and Rhonda Sheakley, spearheading the multimillion-dollar Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center. This facility will feature a 120-yard field, nutrition station, weight room and sports medicine offices, among other amenities. It will be the permanent, all-weather home for UC football to train year-round, and a versatile practice facility for other UC sports.

    The upgraded men’s and women’s basketball team facilities at Fifth Third Arena, including locker room enhancements, were funded entirely by donors.

     The generosity of Bearcat supporters established student-wellness initiatives involving access to mental health services and additional registered dieticians.

     Donors supporting the Women’s Excellence Fund immediately impacted female student-athletes by increasing each team’s nutrition budget, recovery tools, special equipment and facilities.

    Additional campaign facts:

• 165,378 donors gave to the campaign.
• Donors were from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 49 countries.
• 92.3% of gifts were under $1,000.

    The Foundation’s previous campaign, Proudly Cincinnati, raised $1.1 billion by its June 30, 2013, close.

    Neville G. Pinto, President, University of Cincinnati, said: “Our Bearcat family of donors and alumni has made a vast impact by supporting our students through scholarships, soaring new spaces, and life-altering opportunities for our student-athletes. This benevolent partnership has positioned us as we embark on the next 200 years of UC greatness.”

    O. Richard Bundy, III, President, University of Cincinnati Foundation: “Our donors have demonstrated a commitment to excellence, ensuring that no one has to leave Cincinnati to receive the best possible education or world-class health care. Their generosity has allowed us to break through to the next level in academics, athletics, research, technology, innovation and culture.”

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By Michael Miller

Public Information Officer

University of Cincinnati

As Cincinnati mourns the passing of Major League Baseball great Pete Rose, many fans are paying tribute to the all-time hits leader by placing flowers, baseball memorabilia and candles at his bronze statue outside Great American Ball Park.

University of Cincinnati grad and sculptor Tom Tsuchiya designed the sculpture to capture Charlie Hustle’s signature headfirst slide into home plate. He consulted with Rose while working on the scale model in his studio. A lifelong Reds fan, Tsuchiya said the pressure was on.

“He told me, ‘This better be good,’” Tsuchiya said.

Tsuchiya remembers the day the Cincinnati Reds unveiled the artwork on a scorching hot day in 2017.

“Pete had a big smile. He loved it. He gave it a big thumbs up,” Tsuchiya said.

Long after the dedication ceremony, Rose returned to the sculpture to spend time with the masterpiece of art and engineering. The sculpture features a cantilever design to suspend Rose in midair.

Tsuchiya took the return visit as the ultimate compliment.

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By Angela Koenig

University of Cincinnati

Christopher Johnson became the first Black, deaf assistant dean at the University of Cincinnati in May 2024 — a first for the institution and a rarity in academia.

“People need to see that UC is employing deaf and neurodivergent leaders in prominent positions,” says Johnson, assistant dean of inclusive excellence at UC’s College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS).

Johnson is spearheading an inclusive excellence strategic plan for CCPS, one of the largest co-op employer programs in the world. The university is widely known as the inventor in 1906 of co-op employer programs and more recently reported that in the 2023-24 academic year, more than 8,300 students earned an estimated $88.8 million collectively through paid co-op experiences — up 18% from the last reported data.

To build on UC’s outstanding record, Johnson says he will focus on bringing disability awareness into the classroom and disability justice into the co-op program, enabling students to become problem solvers in a world that often centers around the able-bodied.

His philosophy: “If you don’t have the answer, you find the answer by overcoming fear and including marginalized identities at the table, not on the side.” 

According to national data, 2% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing, and among people aged 25 to 64, an estimated .4% of Black deaf people have completed a doctoral degree, medical degree, or juror doctor degree combined. The number is gradually improving but remains low, especially when considering the 53% national employment rate among the Deaf population.

Johnson, who was born deaf in rural Georgia, had much to overcome, as shared in an interview with UC News.

What was your early life like?

Christopher Johnson: Being culturally and linguistically deprived growing up in the South was a life-changing experience for me and my family. Being the first deaf person in my family to receive multiple degrees has pushed me to go above and beyond to raise the standard of academic excellence and sense of belonging, not only for deaf and hard-of-hearing students but also for [American Sign Language] students who passionately bridge gaps between mainstream and deaf communities.

How did you find your way to higher education?

Johnson: I was born deaf with no adequate resources or access to ASL or a community — what we usually call a “third space” — to properly equip me to become a leader in higher education. I grew up in a loving and supportive household where my parents raised the bar by constantly motivating me to read five or more books each summer. The resilience and persistent advocacy for my rights and access to education were the stepping stones that paved the way for my opportunity to break the cycle of Black deaf individuals being entrapped in the school-to-prison pipeline. To be Black and deaf in higher education is not interchangeable; it is addressing two separate experiences simultaneously.

What attracted you to the University of Cincinnati?

Johnson: What drew me to the role of assistant dean of inclusive excellence was the realization of how transformative cooperative education can be, through a deaf lens. Initially, I didn’t fully grasp its significance, but through research and applicable experience, I’ve come to appreciate co-op’s profound impact on students’ experiential learning, academic excellence and the promotion of intellectual diversity in the classroom. This effort allows us to generate the problem solvers of tomorrow.

What message do you have for the university-wide population?

Johnson: Disability justice and inclusive excellence frameworks are essential to dismantling exclusionary practices in each of our decision-making processes. As Jesse Jackson said, “The problem is that the hearing world does not listen.” My hope is that this article inspires able-bodied individuals to break the barriers that have silenced the deaf community for centuries and to ensure that their voices are heard and valued in decision making, creating an inclusive and equitable university environment for all.

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By Russell Hairston

Executive Director

Avondale Development Corporation

and

Robyn Judge

Senior Vice President

Community Impact Territory Manager

Fifth Third Bank.

Cincinnati has seen remarkable progress and innovation in recent years. At the same time, the heart of many of our neighborhoods is at risk. Large-scale investment can lead to intentional and unintentional displacement of low-income residents who have helped build and shape the city for decades. Ensuring legacy residents are part of a neighborhood’s growth is possible, but it takes organizations stepping out in a visionary way to understand what residents seek, aspire to, and embrace before making plans to address what is missing. It requires communication, collaboration, and co-design of related community plans and neighborhood programming.

Too many communities have endured years of wealth extraction and income disparities due to racial inequities and a lack of basic services like grocery stores and pharmacies. In turn, these structural inequities create an influence vacuum where residents feel socially, economically, and politically isolated and abandoned by the decision makers and institutions that can impact the community’s direction. Structural inequities also lead to disassociation and apathy, which may be viewed as non-commitment to growth opportunities. 

Strategic, resident-driven partnerships in the community have the power to repair these structural inequities. 

Over two years ago, Avondale Development Corporation was selected by Fifth Third Bank and Enterprise Community Partners to participate in the Empowering Black Futures Neighborhood Program, created to advance economic mobility in disinvested communities. Our economic mobility plan in Avondale centers on erasing structural inequities. 

Organizing resident-driven endeavors like ours with multiple stakeholders can be daunting, but this collaborative process is critical to the future success of communities. There’s almost always going to be limited funding for community-based nonprofits, regardless of location. Yet, in the most underinvested places, relationship building is simultaneously the most difficult and most essential factor driving meaningful and lasting change. 

Nonprofits, business owners, and institutions of all types must ground their transformative work in the strengths and desires of the area’s most important stakeholders—its residents—through active listening. Stakeholders will always have some divergent perspectives, but this tension can sometimes force meaningful progress that is critical to successful outcomes. This listening and community engagement process can overcome barriers and aggravators, like underfunded programs, costly environmental obsolescence, distrust of the collaborative process, and leadership voids, to build an aligned community-driven plan that reflects the shared goals of all stakeholders. 

While municipal funding and creative leadership are key, public-private partnerships are essential for bridging funding, capacity, and skills gaps. Avondale is fortunate to have the benefit of anchor institutions that support community development work in many different capacities.  It has become essential that nonprofit organizations within greater Cincinnati or cities across the country have this access to high levels of expertise, resources, capacity building, and partnership to grow communities.

A lack of anchor institutions, however, should not deter any neighborhoods from seeking resident-led transformation. Collective public, private, and nonprofit partnerships require a shared understanding of community challenges and a willingness to participate in creative solutions. Local public schools, community councils, places of worship, business owners, public safety officials, recreation centers, and libraries, in addition to peer nonprofits, are potential stakeholders in the process and together bring the same strengths as anchor institutions. In Avondale, the city of Cincinnati, Uptown Consortium, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Avondale Community Council, and other essential partners have been vital to the success of Empowering Black Futures and other programs and initiatives.

Once partners are in place, there’s often a tendency to focus too narrowly on how to shape the neighborhood’s future. Instead, look at an issue from multiple angles, add new stakeholders, or simply start with what you have. A one-year program grant may be enough to start and produce results that impact an important residential need or draw resources, but, a two- to five-year program that mobilize resources and investments to create high-opportunity neighborhoods is a winning strategy to address the goal of stronger, more resilient communities.

With Avondale’s transformational change, significant partnerships were secured after the neighborhood created its resident-driven plan in 2020. Then, many major funders, like Fifth Third, arrived or were brought in to implement a sustainable, measurable plan focused on investing in affordable housing, supporting small businesses, and improving quality of life. With the foundation of the community plan and buy-in from stakeholders in place, we elevated our partnership with Artworks to create a youth mural depicting Avondale’s historic figures, expanded the ROOTS Ambassadors trauma healing program through our partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and provided funding to Avondale homeowners for essential repairs, while investing in affordable housing development to promote equity and ownership through our partnerships with Kaiser Development and Kingsley + Co.

In Avondale, our economic mobility plan is helping drive forward the programs and investments aligned with the community’s successful Quality of Life plan. As a result, we’re attracting new partners, interested investors, and innovative design specialists, both local and national, who want to be a part of the neighborhood’s resident-led transformation, too. 

One of the hardest challenges to overcome when building partnerships is identifying and centering shared goals. Without a common vision, it is easy for partnerships to stray from their original neighborhood-based intentions. Through Avondale’s success, neighborhoods across Cincinnati and the country can build sustainable, resilient communities by harnessing resident-driven partnerships and essential collaboration. 

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