Weekly News from LMM
Kicking Off Fair Housing Month
The conception of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry in 1969 was sparked by the important civil rights work being done throughout the 1960s. The timeline leading up to LMM's founding in the '60s included historic legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The change in the air was palpable, and the founding of LMM in 1969 filled a gap that was needed in Northeast Ohio at the time to address discrimination and fight for justice.

Each April marks Fair Housing Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness around fair housing rights, increasing efforts to end housing discrimination and highlighting some of the challenges we still face as a nation in doing so.

Throughout the month of April, LMM is excited to share more on how the agency continues to build on the work we've done over the past 53 years as we highlight actions we are currently taking in ending housing discrimination and ending homelessness. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date!
Save the Date: Annual Charles R. See Forum on Reentry
The 2022 Charles R. See Forum on Reentry will feature Ms. Susan Burton, the founder of Los Angeles-based A New Way of Life (ANWOL). ANWOL works to break the cycle of incarceration by providing housing, case management, employment, legal services, leadership development and community organization on behalf of, and along with people who struggle to rebuild their lives after incarceration. Ms. Burton is an advocate, activist, and author of Becoming Ms. Burton where she shares her own experiences with addiction, incarceration, and trauma. 

The Charles R. See Forum on Reentry, will take place on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 11:30AM at the City Club of Cleveland. The forum honors See’s 44 years at LMM by bringing attention to current issues in the field of criminal justice. Tickets will go on sale soon. The forum will also be broadcast starting at 12:00PM on www.cityclub.org and WKSU 89.7.
Becoming Ms. Burton Book Club
There's still time to join LMM’s Advocacy Department for a series of discussions on the book Becoming Ms. Burton. The memoir, which was authored by the Annual Charles R. See Forum on Reentry's keynote speaker, Ms. Susan Burton, is a story of redemption and overcoming the odds. After the loss of her 5-year old son, addiction took hold of Ms. Burton sending her on a decades-long journey of incarceration and recidivism.

After six separate stints in prison, Ms. Burton found sobriety and started her own nonprofit, A New Way of Life, aimed at helping other women break the cycle of incarceration. Through this work, Ms. Burton also began to advocate to reform the system's failures that led to mass incarceration of African Americans, overcrowding in the state’s prisons, and the inability for those stuck in the cycle to truly get back on their feet.  

LMM's Becoming Ms. Burton Book Club will meet in person and/or virtually on:

  • April 26 at 12:00PM
  • May 3 at 12:00PM

You can RSVP here and books can be purchased here (select LMM as your organization of choice using Amazon Smile so our agency receives a small percentage of your purchase at no cost to you) or at a local bookseller.

Questions? Email LMM’s Community Engagement Coordinator, Gloria Craig, at gcraig@lutheranmetro.org.  
#CLEReentryWeek2022
Reentry Week 2022 is right around the corner! LMM will be leading and taking part in multiple activities throughout the last week of April to improve reentry outcomes and raise awareness of the importance of successful reentry. Outside of the Charles R. See Forum on Reentry, hosted on Friday, April 29, LMM will be involved with:

  • The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland's Twitter Storm on Monday, April 25th at 12:00 PM, which will draw attention to the collateral sanctions facing returning citizens and share information about available resources to reduce these barriers. 
  • A screening of the film Apart on April 25th at 5:00 PM, hosted at LMM, in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry.
  • LMM’s Workforce Development Department will attend the Reentry Week Job and Resource Fair at Oriana House on April 28th at 10:00 AM, offering a great opportunity to connect individuals with LMM’s Culinary Training Program. 
  • The first-ever People's Reentry Assembly, a half-day program on Saturday, April 30th at 10:00 AM that will elevate the stories and experiences of those with past criminal justice involvement, feature remarks from advocates that have advanced legislation to reduce housing-related collateral sanctions, and discuss a path forward in Northeast Ohio. 

Check out the full list of Reentry Week activities here.
Join the YWCA to Stand Against Racism
The YWCA of Greater Cleveland's Stand Against Racism Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership.

The virtual challenge began this Monday, but you can still register here.
Mayor Bibb's State of the City
Mayor Justin Bibb will be delivering his first annual State of the City address on April 13 at 7:00 PM at the Maltz Center. During his address, Mayor Bibb will highlight his first 100 days in office and his vision for the city.

To learn more and to register for this free event, click here.
Happy National Volunteer Month!
National Volunteer Month, which is dedicated to recognizing the importance of volunteering and honoring the significant impact volunteers make by donating their time and talents.

At LMM, we're lucky to have volunteers across many of our different programs, allowing us to build capacity and better serve individuals who are in need. Thank you, volunteers!