Ohio Supreme Court Justice Yvette McGee Brown will address the question "Who's Got Next? Planting, Reaping and Harvesting African-American Leadership" at Cleveland State University's 15th Annual Urban Community Forum on Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Presented by CSU's Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, the forum is open to the community to share views, concerns and information about the current and future state of African-American leadership in Cleveland, in Ohio and the nation.

The Forum will be held at CSU's Cole Center for Continuing Education, 3100 Chester Avenue. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required by March 18 online at www.csuohio.edu/offices/odama or by calling 216.687.9394.

Justice Brown is the first African-American female justice on the Ohio Supreme Court, for which she took office on January 1, 2011. Chosen by former Governor Ted Strickland to run as lieutenant governor in the 2010 election, Brown was a judge on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas and is the founding president of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

The Urban Community Forum will bring both adults and youth together to engage with speakers, panelists and each other in workshops throughout the day. The agenda includes:

• Opening session with H. Danny Young, Jr., principal of Shaker Heights Middle School - strategies for developing leadership among youth. Young has 18 years as a basketball coach and is head coach of the Shaker Heights Men's Basketball Team.
• Teen leadership workshop and panel discussion - facilitated by Timothy Roberts, founder and executive director of The BRICK Program, and motivational speaker Evette Jackson Clark
• Community leaders panel discussion: how to sustain current leadership and identify and nurture future African-American leaders - moderated by Jacqueline Gillon, director of community organization at Neighborhood Leadership Institute. Panelists include:
• Pernel Jones, Jr., member of Cuyahoga County Council
• Charita Crockrom, former principal of John F. Kennedy and Collinwood high schools
• Dr. Cortrell Kinney, biomedical researcher, Cleveland Clinic and managing partner, Hyland William LLC (education consultant)
• Rev. Courtney Jenkins, pastor of Euclid Avenue Congregational Church
• Amir Idris, 6th grader at Upper Elementary School in South Euclid/Lyndhurst – lunchtime presentation on the promise of African-American leadership
• Intergenerational workshop/dialogue - facilitated by Dr. Charleyse Pratt, director of CSU Learning Communities Partnerships and Programs. Participants will leave with tools and resources for building and sustaining African-American leadership across generations.

About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for engaged learning. With an enrollment of more than 17,000 students, eight colleges and approximately 200 academic programs, CSU was again chosen for 2011 as one of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report.

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