Going There: Getting Real About Race

In 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by police in a Cleveland park. Since then, Cleveland has joined a list of several cities that have gained national attention following the killings of young black men, many unarmed, by police.

Those killings, the rise of movements like Black Lives Matter and the Alt-Right, and the current election cycle have brought attention to the racial divides that many believe still exist in this country. What can be done to help improve racial tensions?

On Tuesday, October 18 at 7 p.m. ET, we're heading to Cleveland to tackle that question with honest dialogue and moving performances. In collaboration with member station 90.3 WCPN ideastream, we'll moderate a discussion with the community that lives at the heart of these issues.

In the weeks leading up to this event, 90.3 WCPN ideastream has led a robust social media conversation using the hashtag #OwningRace. Catch up with the tweets below and make sure to join in on the night of the event.

Featured Social Media Guests

Chad Bilyeu, @ChaddieBistro, writer, photographer, and boss at Bullsh*t Night Records (@ABSNFC), is a native Clevelander who has adopted Amsterdam as his current home.

Darlene N. English, @DarleneNEnglish, is a writer, blogger and fair housing advocate in Cleveland, Ohio, serving as Director of Education & Outreach for the Housing Research & Advocacy Center.

Jose C. Feliciano, @J2inCle, Member of the board of directors of the Hispanic Roundtable and a Commissioner with the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs. President of the Cleveland Club Toastmasters #351. Public Transit Advocate.

Rachelle Smith, @rachology216, is a Cleveland-native & agent for social change. As a member of the Cleveland NAACP and Collaborative for a Safe, Fair & Just Cleveland, she is an active community participant in the local police reform process. Rachelle is a Law and Leadership Scholar at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and plans to use her career to confront inequality across race, class, and gender in her hometown.

Featured Panelists

Brad Whitehead, President, Fund for Our Economic Future.

Nina Turner, Fmr. Ohio State Senator; Co-chair, Ohio Task Force on Community-Police Relations.

Julia Shearson, Ex. Dir., Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Wesley Bright, CEO Akron Honey Company.

Donna Walker-Brown, Chair, Inner City Republican Movement.

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