Who controls the money controls the vision — and for too long, Black-led organizations have had to bend their visions to fit funding structures that were never built with them in mind. This Freedom Lecture brings together Brianna Rogers and Treye Johnson to explore how personal history, proximity to community, and genuine accountability can reshape funding portfolios to nourish Black-led work rather than constrain it. This is a conversation for practitioners, philanthropists, and anyone who has ever watched a brilliant community vision get diluted by the terms of a grant. Plant Money. Fund Freedom.

When the Great Migration began in the early 20th century, there were very few fully established intercity bus lines. In 1930, through the consolidation of more than 100 different bus lines, the Greyhound Corporation began offering a different kind of experience for millions of passengers every year, many of whom were leaving the South to establish new lives in northern cities, such as Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago, and cities in the West.

The work of historian Robert Edwards focuses on the architecture of the Great Migration--the spaces, built environments, and vehicles essential to the experience of the journey north and west. In recent years, Edwards acquired and is restoring a vintage 1947 Greyhound Bus, destined to become an interactive museum experience.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, we welcome Edwards to the City Club to offer his unique and compelling perspective on this integral part of our shared history and the journey that shaped our community.

Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down and breathe. Join us for a free community yoga session at the Reading Room — no experience necessary, just show up.

This year’s festival theme is "Language as Liberation," named for the newly published book of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison's academic lectures and honoring the Ohio native's venerable legacy in American literature and culture.

Throughout the festival, we will explore the liberatory potentialities in writing new and different forms of poetry, building literary community, sharing creative work across social and cultural lines, and incorporating the themes and ethics of Toni Morrison's biography and art into our own.

This festival is sponsored by Mac's Backs Books. along with annual support from The Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The George Gund Foundation, and the people of Cuyahoga County through a pulic grant by Cuyahoga Aats and Culture. Partners include Loganberry Books, Hexagon Books, ThirdSpace Reading Room, Clevo Books, The Wandering Lantern, Reading Room CLE, and Visible Voice Books as well as Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, Cleveland Arts Prize, CSU Poetry Center, One Mic Open, Poetry Unplugged, and Con Tú.

Reconnect with the communal joy and strategic genius of Black leisure at the Card Party Cabaret. In partnership with the Presidents' Council, we’re hosting an evening of Spades, Whist, Tonk, and Dominoes—the games that have served as the heartbeat of our social capital for generations. Pull up for a night of healthy competition and organic networking, where we celebrate the culture of the table and the bonds that keep our professional and personal communities thriving.

In April, we’re diving into The Secret World of Maggie Grey — a dark academia fantasy set in a hidden magical HBCU where vampires, witches, and sirens walk the same campus halls.

When Maggie discovers her family’s secrets are real, she’s pulled into a world shaped by power, lineage, and danger — and forced to confront who she really is.

Come ready to discuss secrets, power, hidden worlds, and the tension between who you’ve been told you are and who you’re becoming.As always, book club picks are 10% off online and in store. 

The Northeast Ohio Faith Community and the Alzheimer’s Association invite you to attend the Fourth Annual Purple Sunday, a free program that raises awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementia.

This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.

Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.

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Session 1
April 18 - Beloved

You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room

Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.

Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.

The BLK-Queer Collective is creating an intentional space for queer and trans BIPOC to connect, be themselves, and celebrate life together at the Reading Room. Come as you are, no RSVP needed..

This group’s mission is to create a safe, affirming, and joyful space where queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color can show up as their full selves, build community, and make new memories together. We’re all about healing, representation, and celebrating our lives and stories through conversation, support, and shared experiences.

All BIPOC fam are welcome—come as you are, bring a friend, and tap into a community that sees you, honors you, and holds space for you. 🖤🌈

The Alzheimer's Association Cleveland Area Chapter is hosting a free event for caregivers and their loved ones. We will celebrate caregivers by providing lunch, family portraits, caregiver testimonials and information about free community resources.

We're sitting at the table with the Alzheimer's Association for a program covering the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, risk factors, and what care actually looks like across generations. The elders in our community deserve this knowledge, and so do we.

Young Latino Network invites neighbors from all around Cleveland to join them for an evening of food and civic power.🍛💪🏽✨

This event is designed to support our comunidad with the tools needed to navigate local government and make an impact in our community.

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Invitamos a nuestros vecinos de toda Cleveland a unirse a nosotros para una noche de comida y poder cívico.🍛💪🏽✨

Este evento está diseñado para apoyar a nuestra comunidad con las herramientas necesarias para interactuar con el gobierno local y tener un impacto en nuestra comunidad.

📅DATE/FECHA: March 26, 2026
🕕TIME/HORA: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍LOCATION/UBICACIÓN: West Cleveland (Details will be shared upon registration)
🍽 FREE DINNER/CENA GRATIS (Please Register in the Link in Bio)

Join us for our March Book Discussion of Break the Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué.

Together, we’ll explore how generational trauma impacts our communities and how healing can become a source of resilience, power, and collective transformation.

Healing is an essential part of our ability to walk hand in hand on the road to liberation. It starts here.

Recreation and play are vital for the healthy development and well-being of children. Yet disparities in neighborhood resources and the criminalization of everyday youth behavior often deny children — particularly Black youth — the freedom to play safely and openly.

Drawing from his experience as a former city recreation supervisor and his research in recreation and youth development, Dr. Pinckney will explore how communities can protect childhood, expand equitable play opportunities, and ensure all youth can thrive.

This event is part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival, co-sponsored by the Schubert Center for Child Studies and the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities.

Refreshments will be served.

Registration Link

RSVP to attend: https://case.edu/schubertcenter/node/3072

Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down and breathe. Join us for a free community yoga session at the Reading Room — no experience necessary, just show up.

This course is a “deep dive” into the 11 novels of the Lorain native and Nobel Prize-winning author that provides participants four weeks of preparation for each session due to the dense nature and intricate artistry of Morrison’s prose.

Explore the work of a local hero and one of the greatest writers of all time as a uniquely illuminating version of the American narrative, beginning in the 1680s with a mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child.

-----

Session 1
March 21 - A Mercy
April 18 - Beloved

You can purchase your Morrison books at a discount for this class this link: Toni Morrisson Collection – ThirdSpace Reading Room

Reader series classes are designed to help you gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you more knowledgeable on a single text or author’s body of work.

Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. You can read the books ahead of time, read them as the class progresses, or read them after the class has concluded. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a masterclass or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.