Browse Interviews

In this 2025 interview, Dominique Kizer reflects on her upbringing in East Cleveland, her graduation from Shaw High School in 2009, and her undergraduate and graduate educational journey culminating at the University of Dayton's doctoral program. Kizer discusses her work teaching urban youth in New Orleans and later returning to East Cleveland City Schools to support students as a linkage coordinator and intervention specialist at Shaw High School. She describes her commitment to advocating for…

In this 2026 interview, Tyisha Blade discusses her lifelong connection to East Cleveland, career in journalism, and efforts to reshape public narratives about the city through media. A graduate of Shaw High School (Class of 2006) and Cleveland State University, Blade reflects on her experiences growing up in East Cleveland, the strong sense of identity associated with Shaw High School, and the enduring connections shared among East Cleveland residents and alumni. She traces her professional…

In this 2026 interview, Monique Davis reflects on her lifelong connection to East Cleveland as a proud Shaw High School graduate and educator committed to serving her alma mater and community. Davis discusses her educational journey, including earning degrees in education and instructional technology. She discusses teaching and mentoring students through innovative technology and computer science instruction within the East Cleveland City School District. Davis highlights the development of Shaw…

In this 2025 interview, Sheila Hunt-Sharpley reflects on growing up in East Cleveland after moving there with her family in 1966. Hunt-Sharpley discusses her experiences in music, theater, and arts education, describing the East Cleveland school system during the 1960s through 1980s as academically and culturally rich, with strong arts programming and community partnerships. She recounts her professional journey, civic engagement, and volunteer leadership as Vice President of the East Cleveland…

In this 2025 interview, Stacy Clark-Warren reflects on her lifelong connection to East Cleveland, where she attended public schools, graduated from Shaw High School in 1981, and later returned to live and serve after spending time elsewhere in the Cleveland area. Clark-Warren discusses her family’s migration history from Alabama and Georgia to Ohio, describing how her parents’ East Cleveland home became an important support center for relatives and friends migrating north in search of…

In this 2025 interview, Paul Hill, Jr. reflects on his early life in Cleveland and decision to move to East Cleveland in the early 1980s to raise his children in a predominantly Black community. He discusses his extensive educational background and his early career in the federal government, where he worked on school desegregation, civil-rights compliance, and racial conflict mediation. Hill describes his long tenure as President and CEO of East End Neighborhood House where he expanded youth,…

In this 2025 interview, entrepreneur Angelina Bell describes her journey in founding Humble Mornings Coffee Company in 2021, which intentionally sources beans from minority women farmers in South America and Africa through transparent and ethical supply chains. Bell reflects on her partnership with the Loiter Organization and its hybrid for-profit/nonprofit model designed to reinvest in local communities, including her participation in the new Maroon Square business incubator opening in East…

In this 2025 joint interview, Mrs. Moore-Harper and Ms. Etheridge reflect on their shared experiences growing up in East Cleveland, graduating from Shaw High School in 2006, and remaining deeply connected to their community as adults. Moore-Harper and Etheridge discuss life, career, and education. They also discuss their long-standing involvement in Donte’s Gift Express, an initiative she has supported since its inception. Both interviewees speak about the formative impact of Shaw High School,…

In this 2025 interview, Ms. Leonna Riley reflects on her upbringing between Euclid and East Cleveland and the deep intergenerational ties that shaped her sense of identity and belonging in East Cleveland. She describes spending much of her childhood with her grandparents, eventually moving into their home in 2022. Riley discusses her education at private schools and University, where she studied and helped lead a student organization focused on natural-hair education and cultural support. She…

In this 2025 interview, Adriennie Hatten discusses her upbringing in East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights, her experience attending East Cleveland Public Schools from kindergarten through graduation, and her identity as a proud Shaw alumni. She describes her academic path through Bowdoin College, Case Western Reserve University, and Cleveland State University, where her doctoral research examined the factors African American adults identify as critical to their high school success in a…

In this 2025 interview, lifelong East Cleveland resident Mike Tucker reflects on his upbringing, education, and experiences. He discusses his years in East Cleveland schools, his time at College, and his varied career as a school resource officer, cook, and entrepreneur. Tucker describes the origins of his flooring business and the influence of his father, a long-standing East Cleveland business owner and community figure. He also details his involvement in the Shaw Reunion Association,…

In this 2025 interview, Pat Cook discusses her upbringing in a close-knit East Cleveland neighborhood, and her deep ties to Shaw High School. She reflects on the thriving Black-owned businesses and community institutions she experienced during her youth, noting how strongly the city’s economic life shaped daily routines. Cook describes her educational path, early entrepreneurship, and her longstanding commitment to library and educational work beginning in the late 1980s. She explains her…

In this 2025 interview, longtime East Cleveland resident Ross Cockfield reflects on his personal history, professional journey, and decades of community involvement in East Cleveland and with the East Cleveland Public Library. He discusses his upbringing in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood and his move to East Cleveland in the early 1970s. Cockfield describes a varied career that included work in utilities and banking, two periods of entrepreneurship in the tech industry, teaching at Bryant &…

In this 2025 interview, Dr. Joy Jordan reflects on her family’s long-standing presence in East Cleveland’s Millionaires’ Row and the multigenerational legacy of Black entrepreneurship, education, and civic engagement rooted in her parents’ work. She describes her childhood connection to the historic property she later repurchased, her father’s dental practice, and the “international house” her family operated for students, community gatherings, and civic organizing. Jordan discusses her 31-year…

In this 2025 interview, Dr. MaryAnn Harris recounts her journey from the Jim Crow South to a distinguished career in education, gerontology, librarianship, and civic leadership in East Cleveland. She describes migrating from Georgia to Cleveland at age eight, overcoming childhood illiteracy, and pursuing higher education at Knoxville College, Wayne State University, Nova Southeastern University, Akron University, and Kent State University. Harris reflects on her extensive professional work as a…

In this 2025 interview, East Cleveland native Mr. Danny Barnes reflects on his upbringing, and his educational experiences in the city’s schools, especially Shaw High School. He discusses the strong sense of community, the presence of Black-owned businesses, and the supportive environment that shaped his adolescence and early adulthood. Barnes recounts the origins of the first All Class Shaw Reunion in 2004, detailing his motivation to reunite former students, strengthen community ties, and…

In this 2025 interview, Bishop Darnell Jennings discusses his upbringing and community environment that shaped his early life. He discusses his family and describes his calling to ministry beginning in childhood, and the mentors who guided his development as a pastor. Jennings explains his dual career in behavioral health and faith leadership. He reflects on the challenges and rewards of pastoring in East Cleveland, including housing decline, community need, and the collaborative work of local…

In this 2025 interview, community organizer Mr. Trevelle Harp discusses his life in East Cleveland. He describes the contrasts between the vibrant community he remembered from childhood and the disinvestment he encountered in his college years. Harp explains his transition from a technical career to community organizing and outlines his work with the Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope, including campaigns addressing vacant properties and partnerships with internal and external organizations. He…

In this 2025 interview, East Cleveland native and civic leader Mr. Donté Gibbs discusses his childhood, family dynamics, and the strong community networks that shaped his early life. He describes his educational experiences in the East Cleveland school system, his time at Case Western Reserve University, and the academic and social challenges that motivated his commitment to community-based work. Gibbs outlines his professional path through youth development, philanthropy, and institutional…

In this 2025 interview, lifelong East Cleveland resident and entrepreneur Mr. Kevin Salters describes his childhood, his family’s move to the city, and the strong sense of community that shaped his youth. He recounts his service in the U.S. Army, his transition into welding, and his eventual shift into property rehabilitation and long-term homeownership in East Cleveland. Salters discusses the development of his rental portfolio, the role of his family in managing properties, and the pride he…

In this 2025 interview, East Cleveland native and Executive Director of the East Cleveland Public Library, Mr. Carlos Latimer, reflects on his childhood in the city during a period of thriving schools, recreational facilities, and dense family-centered neighborhoods. He describes the educational path that included Shaw High School, followed by college and an early career at the Cleveland Public Library, where he gained administrative experience and later pursued a master’s degree in library…

In this 2025 interview, longtime East Cleveland resident Mother Mary Hopper recounts her early life in the Jim Crow South. She describes her experiences with farming, education, church life, and community support in rural South Carolina before moving to Baltimore in the mid-1950s. Hopper explains her eventual relocation to Cleveland in 1958, and her pursuit of higher education and a nursing career while raising children. She details purchasing her East Cleveland home in 1975, and the decades of…

In this 2025 interview, artist, educator, and community advocate Mr. Edward E. Parker discusses his move to Cleveland in the 1960s and the experiences that shaped his parallel work as an artist and entrepreneur. He reflects on purchasing and developing the Edward E. Parker Creative Arts Complex in East Cleveland, detailing the classes offered, his mentorship of young artists, and the evolution of his sculptural work. The interview also explores his travels to Africa, his major artistic themes,…

In this 2025 interview, educator and community advocate Ms. Najae Jackson discusses her lifelong connection to East Cleveland and the experiences that shaped her path as a teacher, civic leader, entrepreneur. She reflects on her K–12 schooling, Morgan State University, and the impact of attending an historically black college. Jackson describes the turning point that led her into urban planning and community development, emphasizing the influence of local mentors and personal experiences.…

In this 2025 interview, piano technician and business owner Mr. Mike Kaplowitz describes the history of Bill Kap Piano Company and his role as its second-generation owner. He discusses the business’s origins, the influence of his father, and the services the shop provides. He also comments on East Cleveland’s economic changes, community institutions, and ongoing revitalization efforts. The interview concludes with his views on public perceptions of the city and the importance of local…