Pictured are state Senator Sandra Williams (wearing pinkish-red suit), CCDP Chair and Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown(wearing blue suit) , state Representative Bride Rose Sweeney (wearing black with necklace), and activist and CNN Hero Laura Cowan (wearing turban).
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspaper and Black blog, both also at the top in Black digital news in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY MARCH CLEVELAND- 3 PM SPEECHES, MARCH 8 ON OUTSIDE STEPS OF CITY HALL WITH A 4PM MARCH TO PUBLIC SQUARE. INFO TEL AT (216) 659-0473:
CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM, CLEVELAND, Ohio-Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chair Shontel Brown, the first Black woman to hold the post and also a Cuyahoga County council woman, state Rep Bride Rose Sweeney of Cleveland and activist and CNN Hero Laura Cowan will join State Sen Williams of Cleveland as keynote speakers for the fourth annual International Women's Day March Cleveland rally and march on March 8, 2020 beginning with 3pm speeches on the outside steps of Cleveland City Hall and followed by a 4pm march to Public Square.
The event comes as the 2020 presidential election nears with Ohio's primary March 17 and will recognize the achievements of women locally, statewide and internationally.
Several others will speak on the steps of Cleveland City Hall with a special performance by Cuyahoga County Poet Laureate Honey Bell Bey and percussionist drummers Evan Mitchell and Sandy Baxter, who are donated by the Local 4 Cleveland Federation of Musicians to play and march.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein rape scandal, Ohio Sen Nickie Antonio of Lakewood will speak on her bill to end the statute of limitations for rape in Ohio, State Rep Juanita Brent and activist Genevieve Mitchell will speak on the state of affairs of Black women and three men will speak, namely activist Art McKoy of Black on Black Crime Inc, CNN Hero Brandon Chrostowski of Edwin's Restaurant and Billy Sharp of the Greater Cleveland Urban League Guild
Also speaking are Tammy Kennedy, a delegate for former presidential candidate Sen Elizabeth Warren, and activists Chaerima Chungag, who will discuss criminal justice reform, and Ayat Amin, who has a bachelor's degree in physics and will address immigration reform, women in science and the need for more funding for scientific research as it relates to women.
Organizers are head organizer Kathy Wray Coleman of International Women's Day March Cleveland, Women's March Cleveland and Imperial Women Coalition, Black Women's PAC President Elaine Gohlstin, Cuyahoga County Democratic Women's Caucus leader Cindy Demsey, reproductive rights advocate and Cleveland Heights Democratic Club President Mallory McMaster, and activists Alfred Porter Jr and Don Bryant.
A longtime Cleveland activist, Coleman said that "women will take to the streets this month after marching in January for Women's March Cleveland and we mean business, and we demand equality for women across the board."
This year marks the centennial of women's suffrage.
This will be celebrated too, organizers said.
Organizers are pushing women in office at the event and greater Cleveland women elected officials who attend will be recognized
Reproductive rights and civil and voting rights will be front and center, as well as equal pay, jobs, immigration, healthcare, science, education, racism, sexism, criminal justice reform, the LGBTQ community, national, state and local public policy, climate change, and a host of other issues.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspaper and Black blog, both also at the top in Black digital news in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com
