By Aria Janel

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -Tons of  protesters stood outside of Max Hayes High School.

They were hoping to get the attention of President Biden on his way inside to speak about the economy.

Most of the protesters were there asking Biden to do something pertaining to reproductive rights,and the overturning of Roe V. and the overturning of Roe v Wade.

“It’s my body its my choice, I don’t understand why people are trying to take that right away from us,” said Alysa Cooper. “It’s very important, if we don’t have rights to our own body what do we have rights to?”

But not all protesters shared her cry, one man held signs fighting for the legalization of marijuana, while another held a sign asking why the U.S. was sending so much money helping the fight in Ukraine.

One woman chanted for reproductive rights, but also charged President Biden to speak about issues pertaining to Cleveland specifically.

“The black community wants to hear from him on gun violence, black people are being killed in a disproportional fashion and black women are being raped and murdered,” said Kathy Wray Coleman, head organizer of Women's March Cleveland. “Our constitutional rights are being compromised, and the only issue is the economy”.

Protesters stayed outside of the high school until President Biden arrived.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE 19 ACTION NEWS WEBSITE FOR THIS STORY AND VIDEO

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

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio- Following a weekend of protests, including a July 4 protest at Public Square on downtown Cleveland, Ohio, hundreds of women and their supporters, led by Women's March Cleveland and its head organizer, Kathy Wray Coleman, rallied outside of the Cuyahoga County Administration Building in downtown Cleveland on Tues, July 5.

After several of the protesters spoke at the county council meeting, the group marched through the city streets, eventually stopping on the steps of Cleveland City Hall before returning to the county administration building.

Tuesday's event was a continuation of  rallies hosted by Women's March Cleveland since Fri, June 24 when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision overturning Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that made abortion legal nationwide. Activists rallied last week in front of the county administration building but the regular meeting was abruptly canceled so they vowed to return on Tuesday and did so in strong force surrounded by a heavy police presence.

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish joined the protesters and the media outside before the 5pm county council meeting began and pledged his support. His support follows that of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and County Prosecutor Mike O'Malley, who promised not to prosecute women over the heartbeat bill, a state law that took effect in Ohio after Roe v Wade was overturned and that makes abortion after six-weeks of pregnancy illegal in the state.

Budish called the overturning of Roe v Wade "scary" and told the protesters and the media that he would be introducing a proposal to county council in coming weeks that will include the following points

• Benefits to county employees allowing them access to reproductive health care services, including abortion care. This benefit would assist with transportation, lodging, and related costs. The County would provide this benefit with the utmost focus on protecting the privacy of employees.
• Financial grants to local and state organizations providing similar health care services to residents, allowing them to access services as needed.
• Financial grants to support local organizations that provide education regarding reproductive health care options, which include abortion care. These organizations may need additional support to supply these vital education services due to a potential increase in demand.
• Reproductive health initiatives, including a nondiscrimination ordinance that prohibits discrimination, termination, or other loss of public accommodation because of a reproductive health decision.

Activists said that the public officials who represent them on city and county council should aggressively take on Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican seeking reelection who has vowed to do everything in his power to outlaw abortion in Ohio.

Among other slogans, the marchers chanted "hey hey ho ho Mike DeWine has got to go" on the steps of City Hall. Alysa Cooper, a Cleveland activist, joined Coleman, a seasoned organizer, in leading the crowd of protesters.

While the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v Wade in a Jackson Mississippi case dubbed Jackson vs Mississippi Health Organization as to a state law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, it also noted that state legislatures across the country would have authority to regulate and readily outlaw abortion in respective states.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

By Kathy Wray Coleman, associate publisher,editor-in-cheif

WASHINGTON, D. C. - President Joe Biden will speak ay Max Hayes High Schhol on Cleveland's west side on Wed. July 6, 2022 to deliver remarks on his economic agenda and his strategy of “building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out,” the White House said in a press release on Friday.

It is the president's sixth visit to Ohio since taking office. More details about the trip will be released in upcoming days. The president's last visit to Cleveland was last May at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) where he discussed the economy.

His upcoming visit comes as America's economy is in a dither due to a still existing pandemic and during upheaval following the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that made abortion legal nationwide, that decsison, per such court ruling, now left up to the respective state legislatures that craft state laws.

In office since 2021 after he defeated then president Donald Trump in a heated election in 2020, Biden, a Democrat, is a former vice president under former president Barack Obama, the nation's first Black president.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, associate publisher, editor. Coleman is a seasoned Black Cleveland journalist who trained at the Call and Post Newspaper for 17 years and an experienced investigative and political reporter. She is the most read independent journalist in Ohio per Alexa.com

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.