Press Release: Imperial Women Coalition, African American Museum, Audacity Of Hope to host County Prosecutor Candidate's Debate, Jan 5, Lil Africa

By Kathy Wray Coleman, Editor

(www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com) and (www.clevelandurbannews.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio-The Imperial Women Coalition, The Audacity of H.O.P.E Foundation, and Cleveland Urban News.Com, in cooperation with The Cleveland African American Museum and other community organizations, will host “The First Ever Inner City Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Candidate's Debate" for the community and the candidates on Thurs., Jan. 5, 2012 from 5:30 pm.- 8:00 p.m. at Lil' Africa Party Center, 6816 Superior Ave. in Cleveland, 44103.

Candidates for the office are Attorney Subodh Chandra, Police Officer Stephanie Hall, Cleveland Ward 13 Councilman Kevin Kelley, Retired Judge Timothy McGinty, Attorney James J. McDonnell, and Attorney Robert Triozzi.

Contacts for the debate are Audacity of Hope Foundation Founder Griot Y-Von at 216-355-3374, Cleveland African-American Museum Executive Director Frances Caldwell at 216-421-0929, and Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher and Editor of Cleveland Urban News.Com and the leader of the Imperial Women Coalition at 216-932-3114.

Participation by candidates Chandra, Hall and Triozzi has been confirmed and the other invited candidates for the county's most powerful office of county prosecutor are expected to attend also.

Some sponsoring and participating organizations include: Cleveland Urban News.Com (www.clevelandurbannews.com), The Imperial Women Coalition, The Cleveland African-American Museum, Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, Occupy Cleveland, Occupy the Hood, Occupy the Dream, Members of Black on Black Crime Inc. and The Carl Stokes Brigade, Peace in the Hood, Enlightened Jewels, Spirit of Sankofa Center for Women, The Social Justice Committee of Greater Cleveland, The Urban Justice Society, The Underground Railroad Society, Stop Targeting Ohio's Poor, People For The Imperial Act, The Spot Youth Organization, Organize Ohio, Govabuse.Org, The Women's Federation, The Oppressed People's Nation, The Family Connection Center, The People's Forum, The Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, The Committee To Bring Home Jamela and Jamyla, Cleveland Jobs With Justice, Ohio Family Rights, The National Organization For Parental Equality, The Joaquin Hicks Real People's Movement, Bailout The People Movement, The People's Fight Back Center, Revolution Books, The Lucasville Uprising Freedom Network, Cleveland F.I.S.T., Cleveland City Council Members, The Northeast Ohio's Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, Divine Mind Grind Inc., The Committee For The Bronaugh Sisters, The Cleveland Chapter of the New Black Panther Party, and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com). (Note: The sponsor list is expanding and will be increased by the next press statement before the debate)

Candidates will be asked to respond to questions from the audience during the forum, after an hour long debate with questions from a community-oriented panel. The community panel for the debate includes: Cleveland Ward 8 Councilman Jeff Johnson, E. Cleveland City Councilman Nate Martin and Cleveland Jobs With Justice Executive Director Debbie Kline. Others on the panel are Community Activist and Black on Black Crime Inc. Founder Art McKoy, Community Activist, Carl Stokes Brigade and Imperial Women Member Ada Averyhart, 100 Black Men Member and Criminal Defense Attorney Michael Nelson Sr., and Cleveland Ward 6 Precinct Committeeman John A. Boyd.

Community Activist Khalid Samad will open with prayer, followed by a brief overview on the court system and the role of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor under state law by Community Activists David and Marva Patterson.

Councilman Dow will introduce the candidates and the panelists at the onset of the debate and Community Activist Jean Whitte will do the closing prayer when the forum concludes.

The organizations hosting the event say thank you in advance to the organizations, elected officials, grassroots leaders and other community affiliates that understand the importance of the role of the Black, grassroots and other communities in ensuring the election of a Cuyahoga County prosecutor that will respect the constitutional and statutory rights of all people and that has the temperament and credentials for the job.

Reach Kathy Wray Coleman by email at kathy@kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, and by telephone at 216-932-3114.