According to a 2020 article, Cleveland sits at the very bottom of a list that Bloomberg calls the best metropolitan cities in the US for black women. Alexandria Boone said she wasn’t surprised by the news at all.
“I have watched young black women leave this city in droves and until Bloomberg brought it to everyone’s attention, people weren’t really thinking about it,” said Boone.
For 20 years and counting Boone's foundation, The Women of Color Foundation equips black women with leadership and development skills.
Two years after that article's release, Boone said she’s excited to learn that Cleveland’s City Council has its sights set on a similar mission
“We know what the problem is,” said Boone. “What we have to do is hit the ground running and figure out how do we make a systemic change that is sustainable and how do we get it done in a timely fashion.”
On Monday, Cleveland City Council introduced ordinance 373 which creates a Commission on Black Women and Girls. The ordinance was introduced by Councilwoman Stephanie Howse who co-sponsored the legislation.
Howse said the commission will advocate for programs and funding that supports black women and girls.
“How can we partner in this way creating this commission with the intent of not just look at the issue but bringing together recommendations and policies that will set black women and girls up to thrive in Cleveland,” Howse said.
The group will consist of several individuals ranging from faith-based leaders and doctors to college and Cleveland students.
It will be a while before the council votes on the ordinance, but Howse and Boone said it is well overdue.
“It’s about time that someone paid attention,” said Howse. “Black women and girls have been marginalized.”
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