Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland City Council has selected Triad Research Group as the external group to lead and determine recommendations for its upcoming redistricting process, Council President Blaine Griffin announced via a press release Thursday to

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader.

City council will lose two council seats, dropping it from 17 members to 15, Griffin said.

The redistricting process has proved to be controversial in the past as council members at issue were forced to run against council colleagues.

"Two of our primary goals are to have natural boundaries and to keep neighborhoods together," said Griffin, councilman for Ward 6, which includes Fairfax, Larchmere, Little Italy, Woodland Hills, and parts of Buckeye-Shaker, University Circle, North Broadway, Slavic Village and Union-Miles."Community involvement will also play a key role in redistricting. We are eager to begin the work now to allow us time to get this right – and deliver maps that accurately reflect the needs of Cleveland's diverse neighborhoods."

Cleveland reached a population peak of 914,000 in 1950. But by the 1960s the economy had slowed, and residents fled to the suburbs. Crosstown bussing and the now defunct schools desegregation case of the 1980s and 1990s furthered White flight to suburbia.

The 2020 Census reveals a current city population of roughly 362,000, down by some 10,000 since 2010.

Currently the 17-member city council consists of eight Whites, one Hispanic and eight Blacks who represent wards on the majority Black city's largely Black east side with community activists concerned that Black leadership in the city dwindles each time redistricting takes place.

The Triad team is led by Bob Dykes, a long-time data analyst and statistician. He will be joined by Dr. Mark Salling, a  demographer and former Cleveland State University Professor of Urban Affairs as well as Kent Whitley, an urban planner, political consultant, and organizer.

Dykes has nearly 40 years of research and consulting experience and previously served as Council's redistricting consultant on three occasions, first in 1981 when the council was reduced  from 33 to 21 , and later dropped from 21 to 19, and in 2013 it dropped from 19 members to 17 after the election that year.

City Council must drop two seats  by 2025 as a result of population loss reported in the 2020 Census, from the current 17 seats, Griffin said.

Cleveland voters, in 2008, approved  a charter amendment that calls for the number of wards to be determined by population and mandates that wards be odd-numbered, comprising approximately 25,000 people, and not exceed a maximum of 25 wards or a minimum of 11 wards.

The City Charter mandates that City Council complete a redistricting process based on the results of the Decennial Census, but due to delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, data needed by states and local governments for redistricting from the 2020 Census was not available until August 2021, Griffin said. This delay, he said, prevented the city council from undertaking the redistricting process in 2020 – which would have impacted the 2021 municipal elections.

City Council leadership is now engaging in the process to ensure potential candidates and residents are aware of the boundaries well before the 2025 municipal elections.

Over the summer, Triad Research Group will meet with council members to discuss neighborhoods and natural boundaries. Triad will also conduct research, including but not limited to reviewing Census track reviews and compiling and analyzing GIS data to help draw boundaries.

Potential redistricting maps will then be shared with community members in advance of council  taking a vote on the  proposed map. Additional details about the community involvement process and opportunities for resident feedback will be shared in the near future, Griffin said, and a council vote on the issue is expected by the end of the 2024 calendar year.

The filing deadline for potential candidates for 2025 city council elections is June 11, 2025 and the primary election for wards with more than two candidates is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025. The  general election for mayor and city council seats is scheduled for Nov 4, 2025.

Mayor Justin Bibb, the city's fourth Black mayor and its second youngest, has already announced that he will seek reelection to a second four-year term in 2025.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (11-OH)

Staff article: Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

Washington, D.C. –  Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) have introduced the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act (H.R.8469) in an effort to establish a program at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to promote the cybersecurity field to underrepresented and disadvantaged communities.

The proposed legislation requires CISA, a federal government agency, to expand existing education and outreach activities and promote cybersecurity careers to a diverse audience. It  was introduced with 32 other cosponsors.

Workforce diversity is essential to a strong, secure, shining nation that can protect us from a range of threats now and into the future," said Rep. Brown, a Black Warrensville Hts. Democrat whose 11th congressional district includes the largely Black city of Cleveland. "I am proud to introduce this legislation with Congresswoman Stevens and look forward to building further support in Congress."

Computer security, cybersecurity, digital security or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attacks by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, theft of, or damage to hardware, software, or data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.

The field is significant due to the expanded reliance on computer systems, the Internet, and wireless network standards such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It is also significant due to the growth of smart devices, including smartphones, televisions, and the various devices that constitute the Internet of things (IoT).

According to one estimate, there are currently over 400,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions in the United States, with these jobs taking 21% longer to fill than other tech positions. The problem has been recognized by the Biden-Harris Administration, which last year announced a National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy. The Aspen Institute estimates that only 9% of cybersecurity workers are Black, only 4% are Hispanic, only 1% are Native American, and only 24% are women.

"In order to ensure the security of our cyber infrastructure we need to have the best workforce possible and that means employing Americans of all backgrounds," said Rep. Haley Stevens. "That's why I am proud to co-lead the Cybersecurity Workforce Act with Rep. Shontel Brown, which would empower CISA to increase recruitment of cybersecurity professionals from underrepresented communities. Connecting Americans with good jobs that also protect our security interests is a win for everyone."

Counted among the bill's original cosponsors are House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-02), and former Assistant Leader Congressman James Clyburn (SC-06).

CISA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is the operational lead for federal cybersecurity and the national coordinator for critical infrastructure and resilience.

The Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act

• Establishes new diversity program at CISA: 180 days after enactment the Director of CISA shall establish a program to promote the cybersecurity field to diverse communities.
  
  Program shall be established within CISA's Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program.

  • CISA shall conduct outreach to promote awareness of cybersecurity employment to educators, unions, chambers of commerce, workforce development officers, schools, and other institutions.
  • Cybersecurity is necessary for the public and private sector and is also a well-paying field. According to the Department of Labor, The median annual wage for Information Security Analysts is $120,360.

  • Program Scope: The new program created by the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act is tasked with promoting the cybersecurity field to disadvantaged communities, older individuals, racial and ethic minorities, women, people with disabilities, geographically diverse communities, socioeconomically diverse communities, individuals from nontraditional educational paths, veterans and individuals who were formerly incarcerated
• Authorization of Appropriations and Reporting
• The Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act authorizes $20 million annually to the Department of Homeland Security through 2030 to carry out the program. The legislation requires CISA to report to Congress annually on the efficacy of the program
  • Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Presidential nominees President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump

Staff article:

CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM-ATLANTA, Georgia-President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have accepted an invitation from CNN to debate on June 27, 2024, a historically early showdown that CNN says will set the tone for the final months of the 2024 campaign. The presidential election is Nov 5 as the two nominees, Biden a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican, fight to the end.

The debate will be held at CNN's Atlanta studios with no audience present — an anomaly in debates between presidential candidates.

Republicans have for months been piling the pressure on Biden to debate Trump after the president offered non-committal answers on whether the face-offs would take place. But according to CNN, several sources say that the debate had actually been in the works for weeks, as the campaigns separately came to the conclusion that debates over the summer would benefit both their candidates and American voters

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

By Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio- Led by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs series on Wednesday night in Boston to the Boston Celtics 113-98 in Game 5 of the best of seven series, bringing an end to their 2023-2024 season.

Cavs stars Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen remained injured and unable to play Wednesday as did Caris LeVert, the team's star player off the bench. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley carried the Cavs throughout the series. All of them are Black, and so is coach Bickerstaff.

The series final was 4-1 with the Cavs unable to mount a comeback from a Game 4 loss last week against the No 1 seed.

The Celtics will now face the winner of the series between the Knicks and the Pacers, which New York leads 3-2. Game 6 will be played Friday in Indiana.

Cavs stars Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen remained injured and unable to play Wednesday as did Caris LeVert, the team's star player off the bench

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.