Pause, Reflect, and Celebrate at the Chamber's Fifth Third Diversity Leadership Symposium

It’s hard to believe the end of the year is upon us. In just a few short weeks we’ll gather together at Thanksgiving to express our gratitude for one other, for good fortunes, and for breaking bread together.?

Once we get through Thanksgiving, it feels like the year goes into hyperdrive. Holiday parties, end-of-year budgets and wrap-ups, and even a rush of plans to get things ready to launch the new year with energy. Maybe it’s my time in our new Breathe leadership program, or maybe it’s just a level of gratitude for our work together this year, but I’m going to try to deliberately slow things down over the next few weeks. You can’t make time stop, but maybe you can take a little extra time to enjoy being with one another.?

So today, I’m recommending you look for a moment to pause. Maybe just for five minutes. Maybe to just stand up and take a walk around the office or grab a cup of coffee outside. It’s good for you! And, if you lead others, it’s especially important for your team. As I pause to look toward the remainder of the year, I see gatherings and meetings of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to connect, learn, and recharge. There’s a lot of running around, for sure, but if we actively take time to recall why we do it all, I’m willing to bet you’ll find new motivation for all that you do.?

Here at the Chamber, we have one last big event that meets all of the above criteria: our annual Fifth Third Bank Diversity Leadership Symposium. It’s an opportunity to pause, learn, reflect, be challenged, and enjoy each other’s company. This year’s theme is “Growing Together: Cultural Vibrancy & Belonging.” Our keynote speaker is the dynamic Emmy-Award-winning sportscaster MJ Acosta-Ruiz,?the host of NFL Total Access, NFL Network’s signature show. MJ became the solo host of NFL Total Access in September of 2020, and in doing so became the first Afro-Latina to host a show on NFL Network.?Breakout sessions range from an educational bus tour focused on African American history in our region to expanding upon the power of inclusion.?

And if your goal is to connect with the community in a deeper way, you can do that too. We are never short on events here at the Chamber. On Monday we have our?Chamber Advocacy Council: Post-Election Re-cap. Followed by?two Cincy Blend: Coffee & Connections, our casual monthly morning networking mixer – one at the Heritage Bank Center and one at the Taft Museum. And, on December 5th, you’ll have an?opportunity to hear?from Amy Spiller, President of Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky, at our final Monthly Member Briefing.

I hope to see you - energized after your pause - at one or all of these events!

Fifth Third Diversity Leadership Symposium

This year, we're excited to offer a special addition to the Diversity Leadership Symposium: the African American Historical Bus Tour, titled "Let Freedom Ring for Everyone." Led by Dr. Eric Jackson from Northern Kentucky University, this engaging tour takes participants on a journey through Cincinnati’s rich cultural history, emphasizing the importance of understanding our roots to build a sense of belonging.

The tour will visit significant landmarks that tell the powerful story of enslaved Africans who, in pursuit of freedom, traveled north from the segregated South, crossing the Ohio River into Cincinnati—the "Queen City" and a key destination on the Underground Railroad. This migration sparked the first multiethnic, multiracial, and multiclass human rights movement in U.S. history.

Limited Seating: The tour is limited to 110 seats. If you’d like to join, please add it to your registration or cart to secure your spot!

Thank you to our Title Investor, Fifth Third Bank, Presenting Investor, 宝洁 , our Excellence Investors Cincinnati Children's , Duke Energy Corporation , GE航空 ace, 富达 , Medical Mutual , and our Media Partner Cincinnati Business Courier.

CENTER FOR RESEARCH & DATA

Learn more about the Center for Research & Data

Looking at diversity across the Cincinnati region, the story varies depending on whether you examine the city, county, or metropolitan region. The city of Cincinnati itself is 49% white and 51% non-white, while Hamilton County is 63% white and 37% non-white. In the broader metro area, these figures shift to about 77% white and 23% non-white. For context, the U.S. overall is 58% white and 42% non-white, with a larger Hispanic population than the Cincinnati region. Locally, the second largest racial/ethnic group is Black or African American. Notably, despite the metro area being less diverse than the country as a whole, most of the growth over the past decade-plus has been among Asian and Hispanic populations.

REALM FALL 2024 - Metro Bus Expanding

Cincinnati Metro is expanding its year-old MetroNow! Micro-Transit program after exceeding ridership projections. Hear from Khaled Shammout about this program and the next steps with Metro’s first two Bus Rapid Transit routes in the Fall issue of Realm, the journal for Queen City CEOs from Cincinnati Magazine.

GEN Z FOCUS GROUP: STARs

We are looking for participants for our last discussion group to learn more about Gen Z’s perspective on careers and work. We are specifically looking to hear from the perspective of Gen Z (born between 1997-2012) who are skilled through alternate routes (STARs): High school degree, trade certificate/credential, associate’s degree, military. Your voice will help inform a report to inform employers on the unique work contributions and expectations of Gen Z.

?Topics we are seeking your opinion on include:?

· How do you view your work life and career over the next 10-20 years??

· When you were looking for employment, what factors were the most/least important in your decision-making process??

· What benefits, perks, workplace culture, etc. are you looking for from a company??

· How do you feel about the Cincinnati Region? What has made you stay here??

Join us at our last session Tuesday, December 10 from 5:30 -? 7 p.m.Please forward this to your friends and colleagues if they are Gen Z skilled through alternate routes. Parking will be free, and dinner will be provided along with a $25 gift card.

CLIMB AWARDS WINNERS

On November 7th, the Cincinnati Business Courier , in partnership with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and the Minority Business Accelerator , recognized the winners of the 7th annual CLIMB (Cincinnati Lifts Inclusion and Minority Business) Awards at the Renaissance Cincinnati Hotel downtown. The CLIMB Awards celebrate individuals and organizations in the Tri-State region driving strategies to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business community.?

This year's honorees included 84.51? (Trailblazer in Tech), Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired (Transformational Impact), Connetic Ventures (Equitable Growth), Emerge Manufacturing (Commitment to Community), GE航空 (Leading with Purpose), Greater Cincinnati Foundation's All-In Cincinnati (Champions for Change), Lighthouse Youth & Family Services (Light of Hope), and two recipients of the "Everyone Belongs Here" award - Michael Moore of Black Achievers and Qorinah Wardhani, CPA of Asianati.?

?The Cincinnati Regional Chamber's Minority Business Accelerator also recognized several awardees, including Robert Louis Group , Versatex , TRIO TRUCKING INC. , Fifth Third Bank , and MPI Consulting Solutions .

?Read More

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS

Wicktora & Miller

?Are you a Cincinnati Chamber member interested in being featured here? Fill out our Member Spotlight form!

Wicktora & Miller is a silver member of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber and a veteran-owned business. Attorneys Samantha Wicktora & Brien Miller met in 2017, serving on opposing sides in the Courtroom. At the time, Samantha represented the State of Ohio as a prosecuting attorney and Brien was defending a person who stood charged with committing a crime.

The two attorneys continued to cross paths professionally as they expanded their practice areas and professional associations. In 2022, Samantha and Brien decided to leverage their shared values and commitment to client outcomes to create a new law firm that reflects their vision for helping people.

?Samantha and Brien continue to rely on their experience to deliver excellence for people and businesses. Common standards and principles brought this firm together. In all that it does, Wicktora & Miller is client-centered and results-oriented. They value integrity. They value communication. They value the results that come from working hard, in and out of the courtroom. They value family, freedom, and property. They value our communities. They will learn your story. They will understand your “why.” Their mission will be tailored to your desired outcome. The team at Wicktora & Miller can be depended upon to protect your interests with precision and professionalism.

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