Cleveland Foundation 2020 Annual Meeting Presented by KeyBank moves online, expands to encompass a week of virtual community convenings

John Thornton and Karen Rundlet to deliver Robert D. Gries Keynote Lecture

Release Date: 8.6.2020

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Foundation announced today that its 2020 Annual Meeting Presented by KeyBank will move online this year, with virtual and free community events scheduled throughout the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4. The slate of programming will be capped off when John Thornton, founder of The Texas Tribune and co-founder of the American Journalism Project, delivers the Robert D. Gries Keynote Lecture in partnership with Karen Rundlet, director for journalism, Knight Foundation on Friday, Sept. 4, at a virtual forum presented by The City Club of Cleveland.

Postponed from its original date in early May due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional single-day, in-person event was broadened this year to incorporate a week of free virtual events for the community. Cleveland Foundation President and CEO Ronn Richard will give his annual State of the Community address on Tuesday, Sept. 1, followed by at least ten simultaneous live interactive breakout sessions featuring the latest developments and insights from front-line partners, with topics ranging from the state of education during COVID-19 and digital equity to environmental justice and exciting neighborhood collaborations.

Cleveland Foundation Annual Meeting Week Presented by KeyBank: 2020 Community Vision Schedule of Events (Full details and registration available at ClevelandFoundation.org/AnnualMeeting)

Monday, Aug. 31: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Philanthropy Ohio: Uniting Communities Through Change

• Dale Anglin, program director for youth, health & human services, Cleveland Foundation
• Mike Parks, president, The Dayton Foundation
• Chanda Smith Baker, senior vice president of impact, The Minneapolis Foundation
• Moderator: Deborah Aubert Thomas, president & CEO, Philanthropy Ohio

Tuesday, Sept. 1: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Cleveland Foundation Annual Meeting presented by KeyBank: 2020 Community Vision

• State of the Community: Ronn Richard, president & CEO, Cleveland Foundation
• Choose Your Own Live Interactive Breakout Session (alphabetical order)
  • Closing the Digital Divide
  • A Complete Count in 2020
  • COVID-19: An Opportunity to Reshape Education
  • The Galvanizing Power of the Written Word
  • Leadership Now
  • Lead-free in the CLE
  • Ohio’s Clean Energy Future
  • Pandemic Response and Recovery
  • The Power of Unexpected Neighborhood Partnerships
  • Understanding Systemic Racism

Wednesday, Sept. 2: Noon – 1 p.m.

Learn from a Leader: Taking Your Vision into Action with ioby & Neighbor Up

• Xinyan Cui, project leader, Asiatown Sweethearts
• Malaz Elgemiabby & Angelo Trivosonno, project leaders, Lakeview Terrace Food & Basic Needs Outreach
• Julian Khan, project leader, Juneteenth on Buckeye & Freedom Walk
• Moderator: Dawn Arrington, Cleveland action strategist, ioby
• Moderator: Erika Brown, community network manager, special projects & training, Neighbor Up

Thursday, Sept. 3: Time TBD

Take Note! Become a Cleveland Documenter with City Bureau

• Lawrence Caswell, field coordinator, Cleveland Documenters
• Darryl Holliday, co-founder & News Lab director, City Bureau
• Lila Mills, communications manager, Neighborhood Connections

Friday, Sept. 4: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Robert D. Gries Virtual Keynote Lecture at The City Club of Cleveland: The State of Local Journalism

• Karen Rundlet, director for journalism, Knight Foundation
• John Thornton, venture capitalist; founder, The Texas Tribune; co-founder, American Journalism Project
• Moderator: Dan Moulthrop, CEO, The City Club of Cleveland

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