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Past events and photos

Events & Photos

Town halls, Empowering Changemakers and the moments in between.

Photo gallery · 1,624 photos

EYEJ in pictures

1,624 photos

Signature event · 2022 Silver Anthem Award winner

Empowering Changemakers

EYEJ's yearly Empowering Changemakers event brings youth, community leaders and supporters together for intergenerational conversations, with high school and college students moderating panels alongside leaders from across the country.

  • 2021 (June 4, virtual): hundreds of attendees, almost 1 million impressions, and scholarships for high school graduates in EYEJ programs. The event went on to win a 2022 Silver Anthem Award.
  • 2022 · "Bridging the Gap" (October 27, live and virtual): panelists explored barriers to entrepreneurship, talent mobility, mental health and education, and raised support for EYEJ programs.
Empowering Changemakers 2021 event graphicEmpowering Changemakers 2021 event graphic

2021 speakers and youth moderators

  • Mané Bailey
  • Frank Austin
  • Michelle Thomas
  • Boyah Farah
  • Cameron Drayton
  • Anushka Khanna
  • Kendall Smith
  • Seth DeValve
  • Christopher Bailey
  • Gene Cobb
  • Nadya Okamoto
  • Dr. Kiesha Taylor
  • Hannah Stoudemire
  • Maranda Priah
  • Lexi Treyah
  • Anjali Patel
  • Alexander John
  • CaRonn
  • Tony Hart
  • Richa Kuklani
  • Carrington Hughes
  • David S. Rose
  • Edward G. Young III
  • Brittney Moffatt
  • Javon'e A. W.
  • Kiara Aguillon
  • Michael Daniels
  • Mai Moore
  • Jaime Muth
  • Katie Ross
  • Niah Johnson
  • Diamond Bottoson
  • Arnav Khanna
  • Taymiyyah Mack

Videos

Mai Moore, Founder, on EYEJ

Seth DeValve on EYEJ

Youth-led civic events

EYEJ Town Halls

  • August 28, 2020 · Digital Divide Town HallYouth shared research on internet access during virtual school with city, school and nonprofit leaders. 216 people attended.
  • August 20, 2021 · #ChangemakersVote: End the Digital Divide through the Power of VotingYouth interviewed seven Cleveland mayoral candidates, with Cleveland Votes, Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates and the League of Women Voters. 105 attended. Details below.
  • April 24, 2022 · Youth Town Hall at Case Western Reserve UniversityYouth interviewed congressional candidates in person and online, with support from The George Gund Foundation.
2021 Town Hall banner2021 Town Hall candidates2021 Town Hall flyer2021 Town Hall save the date

EYEJ town halls are nonpartisan civic education. EYEJ does not endorse or oppose any candidate or party.

#ChangemakersVote 2021 · Past event

End the Digital Divide through the Power of Voting!

Date and time20 August 2021, 4PM EDT
LocationOnline Event
EYEJ virtual town hall

Summary

The EYEJ Youth Council is back with their well-known yearly Town Hall, which has led to EYEJ being the trusted voice of Cleveland for youth voice and is known to demonstrate the urgency in core areas impacting Cleveland youth.

This year, sponsored by The George Gund Foundation and in collaboration with the EYEJ Millennial Task Force, the 2021 Town Hall will be showcasing a diverse set of young people united together to continue the message in the sense of urgency of closing the Digital Divide combined with voting power.

As we prepare to vote this November for a new Mayor of Cleveland, we must end the Digital Divide in Cleveland and empower our young advocates for change. We can do this by voting, yet voter turnout is a problem. In 2020, the voter turnout in Cleveland decreased by more than 20% with only 53% of eligible voters registered to vote.

The EYEJ Town Hall is designed to hear from the youth about their viewpoints on voting and hear from the mayoral candidates on how they will change it once elected.

Watch the recording

Candidates interviewed

Justin BibbJustin BibbChief Strategy Officer, Urbanova, and Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Ross DiBelloRoss DiBelloAttorney, and Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Basheer JonesBasheer JonesCouncilman – Ward 7, and Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Kevin KelleyKevin KelleyPresident, Cleveland City Council, and Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Dennis KucinichDennis KucinichFormer U.S. Congressman, Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Zach ReedZach ReedFormer Councilman – Ward 2, Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website
Sandra WilliamsSandra WilliamsOhio State Senator – 21st District, Cleveland Mayoral CandidateExternal candidate website

Speakers

Sriram SatyavoluSriram SatyavoluModerator
James CarterJames CarterYouth Speaker
Carrington HughesCarrington HughesYouth Speaker
Mallory WilksMallory WilksYouth Speaker
Diamond BottosonDiamond BottosonEYEJ & Youth Council Intro
Chinemerem OnyeukwuChinemerem OnyeukwuNortheast Ohio Voter Advocates
Devontá DickeyDevontá DickeyCleveland Votes
Penny JeffreyPenny JeffreyLeague of Women Voters