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is challenged in our community. Living wages to that group have multiplier affects throughout <br /> the community. <br /> Pastor Hardie Blake stated, A cooperative uses the word cooperation. We don't have a common <br /> unity community and we don't have poor people participating. There's always going to be a top <br /> down, but when I'm talking about Blakenomics I'm talking about systemic. Capitalism creates <br /> wealth, but it also creates poverty. The system has to change so it doesn't create poverty; instead <br /> of saying, If you build it,we will come. I'm saying if you come, we will build it. If I can't get <br /> you to come and participate at no cost, I'm not going to be able to participate. I'm talking about <br /> poor people, at a cost they can afford. Most of them aren't going to come and listen to this stuff. <br /> Everything everyone is saying has to be a part of it. We have to give the poor people something <br /> to be owners of, and they will be participants. <br /> Marty Wolfson, 7809 Park Ave., stated, One of the problems in traditional development models <br /> is that it leaves out whole communities and particularly communities of concentrated poverty <br /> and black and brown communities. One of the positive aspects of the Blakenomics is that he is <br /> trying to concentrate on the African American community. [Addressing the presenter] I wonder <br /> if you could take a brief minute and share with us some of the ways the Cleveland Model tries to <br /> address this? <br /> Ms. Bonnano replied, Sometimes I'm asked if the cooperatives in Cleveland have quotas or strict <br /> guidelines around who is hired and the answer is no they don't. However, they have a goal to <br /> hire exclusively from the surrounding neighborhoods and accept those that may have traditional <br /> barriers to employment such as low literacy, low skill, re-entry issues and others that keep them <br /> from other job opportunities. Companies have had to deal with trade-offs. For example, we have <br /> a large international refugee population that lots of folks were interested in including in this <br /> program. And so do we want to make opportunities available for that community if it takes away <br /> from the community members that have been there for generations?How do we think about that? <br /> There are decisions that have to be wrestled with. <br /> Marilon Gachaw, 2514 W. Kenwood, stated, I have two (2) questions. First question, is it <br /> possible to receive a copy of the presentation? <br /> Committee Chair Williams-Preston replied it will be posted on the city's website. <br /> Marilon Gachaw asked Kelly Hoggard about the Kennedy Neighborhood Association and asked <br /> to connect. <br /> Gabrielle Robinson, 1012 Riverside, agreed that neighborhood associations are tremendous <br /> community resources. <br /> Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated, City government has a redevelopment commission where a <br /> lot of these decisions about dollars are made and rarely anyone from the public is there. If you <br /> want to track some of these decisions, go and learn more about it. We can get that information to <br /> you through the Clerk's Office as a follow up to this meeting. Knowing the structures of <br /> government that deal with this area is important. On February 14'h at 6:00 p.m. they will be <br /> 7 <br />