Western Reserve (OH) Chapter Links, Incorporated, 30th Anniversary Program 2017

NATIONAL TRENDS AND SERVICES FACET has a vision to eliminate disparities by reducing barriers to services through advocacy, education, and service. The programs serve as a catalyst for change promoting individual and community empowerment. 11. Literature to Life © , a collaboration with the

12. Voter Registration, a voter registration drive at area colleges and universities which delivered an increase of registered voters to the electoral process. 13. “ Conversations with…” a speaker’s series addressing cultural, educational, health and social issues. Past speakers include Dr. Adrienne Lash Jones, Associate Professor of African American Studies; Fatoumata Batta Burkinso Faso, West Africa; Dr. Jacqueline Jordan Irvine, Emory University; Dr. Ronald Ferguson, Harvard University; Dr. Linda Bradley, Cleveland Clinic; Dr. Deborah Plummer Bussey, DL Plummer and Associates; Dr. Margaret Musoke Bukenya, Mother Support Initiative, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa; and Audrey Staton, Head of School, Warner Girls Leadership Academy, Cleveland, OH.

New York American Place Theatre to bring their Literature to Life adaptation to Cleveland Metropolitan School educators, parents and students. The Western Reserve (OH) Chapter’s collaborations included Toni Morrison’s bestseller, The Bluest Eye, featuring Tanya Little of Los Angeles; Claude Brown’s Manchild in the Promised Land, featuring Jo- seph Edward; and Richard Wright’s, Black Boy featuring Wynn Handman. During the three years of this collaboration, these week-long residency programs were presented to over 12,137 community members, administrators, teachers and students in the Cleveland Metro- politan School District, East Cleveland School District, Regina High School, Lake Ridge Academy, and the Warrensville Heights School District.

SERVICES TO YOUTH FACET is an integrated approach to preparing young people to succeed in the 21st century workforce. The primary goals of this facet are to promote early literacy; implement local mentoring programs from kindergarten through college; close the academic achievement gaps from kindergarten through college; introduce and support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and career readiness; implement college readiness programs; increase high school and college graduation rates; award college scholarships and build educational endowments; and, to promote and support HBCUs. 14. Triumph House Project was a program that 16. Project LEAD: High Expectations was a national Links program the Western Reserve

provided executive coaching and strategic planning sessions with the agency’s Executive Director and staff; and partnered with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to contribute more than 150 toys and educational games enabling mothers to have gifts to give their children for the holidays. Triumph House is a center for homeless women and children at Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority. 15. Color Me Learning was an innovative literacy pilot program of oral readings, storytelling, games, video and audio tapes, book parties, and book fairs, targeted at teen mothers and their children from the YWCA’s Project Redirection Program.

(OH) Chapter delivered locally to promote values clarification and positive self-esteem among Cleveland City middle-school children. 17. Women’s Shelter Project, a $14,000 refurbish- ing project at the Cleveland Center for Domes- tic Violence and support of the Jones Home, a shelter for battered women and families. 18. Making Health a Habit Grant Project, a multifaceted health and wellness grant project administered in East Cleveland, funded by The Cleveland Foundation from Forest City Hospital Funds.

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