Community Forum
First Unitarian Community Forums examine our place in our many communities: family, neighborhood, region and the world. We address issues that are personal as well as global, secular as well as spiritual. We invite all members of the greater
Susan Alcorn and Wayne Jennings, Co-Chairs
Community Forums
Discussions That Matter
All Are Welcome!
Sundays: 9:30 am-10:45 am
Child Care Provided for Preschool Children
January 15
Beyond Martin Luther King:
The Challenge of Change
What does the future hold, given the local economy, the effects of racism and the growing gap between the rich and the poor? Can Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) help?
Rev. Leah Lewis, Associate Minister, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church and Associate Organizer for GCC.
January 22
The Occupy Movement:
A Quiet Rebellion?
What effect is the Occupy Cleveland movement having? Income inequality, jobs, foreclosures, and the growing influence of corporations are issues. Moderator: Greg Coleridge, Director, NEO Friends Service Committee. Panelists: Derek Dissell and Rebecka Hawkins, Occupy Cleveland participants.
January 29
The Hydro-fracking Controversy
Should a moratorium be enacted? Five million acres of rural Eastern Ohio are at stake for hydro-fracking gas and oil reserves. What’s the economic impact? Does Ohio have sufficient environmental regulations? Moderator: David Zeng, Chair, Department of Civil Engineering, CWRU. Panelists: Vanessa Pesec, President, Network for Oil and Gas Accountability; Senator Michael Skindell, (Lakewood); and Iryna Lendel, Assistant Director, Center for Economic Development, CSU College of Urban Affairs.
February 5
Navigating State Government:
What’s Next?
What are the effects of the current state policies and budget cuts for local governments, schools, and health care programs? What policies and legislation can bring us closer to compromise? Armond Budish, Minority Leader, Ohio House of Representatives and Representative, 8th District.
February 12: Breakfast Discussions
at 9:30 am. All Are Invited!
February 19
Different Approaches to Alzheimer’s:
An Inside View
Genetics, early diagnosis, biomarkers—are these factors in helping to diagnose or prevent Alzheimers? After many years of research, are there genuine breakthroughs or is it mostly false hope? Peter Whitehouse, M.D. Ph.D., internationally known geriatric neurologist and CWRU Professor of Psychiatry.
February 26
Empowering Art and Culture in Greater Cleveland: New Directions
What do Cuyahoga Art and Culture (CAC) and the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) do for our economy, education, and quality of life? How can we grow these assets for the future? Karen Gahl-Mills, Executive Director, CAC and Tom Schorgl, President and CEO, CPAC.
March 4
Looking Back—Looking Forward:
The New County Council
From budgeting, ethics, and transparency to economic development, the eleven district councilpersons have enacted significant legislation and policy decisions. What are their current challenges? C. Ellen Connelly, President, Cuyahoga County Council.
March 11: Breakfast Discussions
at 9:30 am. All Are Invited!
March 18
Revitalizing-Rebuilding Neighborhoods:
What Works?
Over the past 20 years, Neighborhood Progress Incorporated (NPI) has supported over $800 million in urban projects. Unique market districts, urban farms, school support, foreclosure prevention—which ones help revitalization the most in NPI’s 9 targeted Cleveland neighborhoods? Joel Ratner: President and CEO, NPI.
March 25
Middle East Countries in Transition:
Shifts in Power
Political, economic, and social changes are emerging in many authoritarian Middle Eastern countries. Is democracy possible in Tunisia, Egypt or Libya? Will monarchies continue in other countries? What should our policy be in countries with complex, turbulent, political realities? Peter Moore, Director, Northeast Ohio University Consortium for Middle East Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science, CWRU.
April 1
The State of the Universe:
A Cosmological Update
What strange and dark substances fill the cosmos today? What do we know about dark matter or dark energy? Are we changing our views of the past history and evolution of the universe, or our own galaxy? Evalyn Gates, Executive Director and CEO, Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
April 8: Easter Service at 11:00 am
April 15
From There To Here:
Local Immigrants in Transition
The US attracts thousands of immigrants annually, including undocumented workers. What services are provided to local persons seeking residency and citizenship? How does the system work for “legal” immigrants and for those whose status is less clear? Kim Adams, Director, Cleveland Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
April 22
Sustainability and Energy:
A Long Term Approach
Can sustainability help our economy without compromising our lifestyle? What are our first priorities for energy and sustainability? Does interdisciplinary work, “sustainability circles” or peer based learning play a role? Roger Saillant, Executive Director, Fowler Center for Sustainable Value, Weatherhead School of Management, CWRU.