Building a Bridge to Our Future

The community’s ire over the proposed Innerbelt Bridge project has given rise to a variety of issues in my mind over the past several weeks. I realize the important opportunity that building a stunning, landmark bridge presents to our community; one we do well not to miss. Yet, the unwinding firestorm has made me think about bridges with an even more important impact upon our community. Cleveland is more than just “a nice place to visit.” We have a wealth of advantages over cities with an extremely high cost of living, or inflated crime rates. Though smaller than many cities that generally come to mind when one thinks of arts, entertainment and culture, we boast a wealth of each. Yet, our city is often an enigma; not only to outsiders, who wonder why we’d want to live in Cleveland, but often to those inside our city who have no clue of the potential and resources that it has to offer.

Though ethnically rich, and culturally diverse, there is also a great divide that runs through the city, isolating races, cultures, income brackets and levels of educational attainment. Our beloved region bears two very different faces; one that offers great hope and promise for one group, yet seems to be an interminable prison for another group, just miles away. “Last I heard, Cleveland was still pretty segregated,” an associate stated. “It is,” I admitted, and then offered defensively, “But we’ve made great strides and there are several communities that are quite diverse.” Yet, the question made me seriously ponder issues that I usually store in the recesses of my mind. There are still areas of Cleveland that I would never venture into, solely because of the color of my skin. After seven years of living in an “integrated” inner-ring suburb, I still had neighbors who continued to “pretend” that they didn’t see us when we waved hello. While this has long been accepted as a fact of life in Cleveland, it is the type of mentality that is counteractive to our continued growth.

According to an analysis of the 2000 Census Bureau Report, Cleveland was the third-most segregated city in the country. While many people may be content for things to continue this way, the truth of the matter is, such a reputation has a negative impact upon our economic growth. Highly segregated cities tend to be less welcoming to the boom of immigrants that this country has recently experienced. The advent of immigrants can provide an economic boost to the area, an infusion of entrepreneurs, and a bolstered workforce. Additionally, the influx of immigrants tends to blur the color lines, leading to more integrated cities.

Segregated cities are the slowest-growing cities in the nation, as other cities revolving the Great Lakes can testify (Milwaukee, Detroit, St. Louis, and Chicago also made the list). The cost of this slow growth is quite devastating in terms of lost opportunities, brain drain, stagnancy on a social and political level and lost potential. We were reminded of the costs of slow growth, in a recent Plain Dealer article which revealed that if other states continue to substantially outpace our growth, Ohio is in jeopardy of losing representation in Congress, when it is reapportioned in four years.

Related disadvantages for our region include inequities in educational resources. This is of utmost concern for everyone in our region. The Policy Bridge’s Untapped Potential Report reveals the strong connection between lack of education and unemployment, as well as, the drain both have placed on our region. The increasing cost of higher education, coupled with the inordinate number of our citizens, minorities in particular, who lack access to it, is having a direct impact on our region’s spending power, and ability to attract top corporations. The report suggests that by embracing diversity and inclusion we will be more competitive in the world economy.

This obvious conclusion demands that our state, and region, make the equalizing of education for all children, on an elementary, and secondary-level, an immediate priority with an actionable plan. Additionally, wider access to post-secondary education demands increased investment by state and local government, and the corporate community, if we are to meet the needs of the knowledge-based, high-tech jobs that are replacing the manufacturing jobs of yesteryear.

There must also be a change in the thinking and expectations of many in the minority community. A dismal outlook and lower expectations become a self-fulfilling, and self-defeating prophecy for young boys and girls who don’t see a way to better their situation, or who think their best chance for success is becoming a rap star, basketball, or baseball player. While these are valid dreams, building one’s future on the treasures of one’s mind, has a far better opportunity for success. Until parents, teachers, administrators and legislators realize the importance of providing a nurturing and supportive environment for children of every ethnicity, we will continue to lose brilliant minds of the future, with their potential to have a dynamic impact upon our region.

There is a wealth of resources currently available to citizens in our region. Each of us must be resolved to seek out, and take advantage of such resources, to improve our own economic standing, and raise the expectations and possibilities for our children. We must demonstrate our commitment to education to our children, and the community, in both word and deed. Northeast Ohio has a wealth of educational institutions, including several community colleges, like Tri-C, Lakeland and Lorain. Advancing one’s education has been proven to significantly impact lifetime earning ability. Affordable tuition, and generous payment plans make these local institutions the perfect place to begin post-secondary education. Each school partners with larger, state institutions, to provide ongoing education, and advanced degrees.

Our community has an abundance of arts and cultural programs, many of which are free, or have a minimal cost. Several studies have demonstrated the meaningful impact that arts programs have upon children’s ability to learn and succeed. Participation in cultural activities, and arts programs, gives our children an educational advantage, expands our horizons, and gives all of us an important opportunity to learn more about other cultures.

Spreading the wealth in our region begins with increased opportunities for education and integrated communities. By giving such issues priority on our individual and collective agendas, our region will begin bridging the economic gap in a way that can have a lasting impact upon our region’s future.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roxanne Ravenel RoxanneAtCoolCleveland.com (:divend:)