What if a public school could create a culture of leadership, accountability, and excellence without charging tuition?

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Dr. Luciana Gilmore, founder and CEO of Forward Girls Leadership Academy, to talk about building Cleveland’s first independent public all-girls school.

Dr. Gilmore shares her journey from Cleveland public schools to earning her PhD in ethical leadership, and how a vision over ten years in the making led her to create a school designed to change trajectories for inner-city girls. This conversation dives into social-emotional learning, project-based leadership, culture over compliance, and why private-school results should not be limited to private-school tuition.

We discuss the challenges of launching a new school, fighting for funding, hiring mission-aligned staff, and building a culture where girls are treated as leaders, not just students. Dr. Gilmore also explains how Forward aims to partner with families, eliminate barriers, and eventually expand its model across the country.

This episode is about more than education. It’s about opportunity, equity, leadership, and legacy.

🎙 Hosted by Isaac Williams
🎬 Produced by Color Beyond

Learn more about Forward Girls Leadership Academy:
👉 https://www.forwardgirlsleadership.com

New episodes of Keepin’ It Cleveland drop every Tuesday at 5 p.m., highlighting the leaders and changemakers shaping our city.

If you care about the future of education in Cleveland, this conversation is worth your time.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at impact@colorbeyond.com

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, host Isaac Williams sits down with Shay, founder of Be Browed, Etc. and the creator of Ohio’s first accredited permanent makeup school, to unpack the journey from artist to educator, advocate, and business owner.

This conversation explores how Shay entered an industry with little formal regulation, recognized a serious gap in training and standards, and took on the challenge of building a legitimate, accredited path for others to follow. We talk about the realities of entrepreneurship, what it means to turn experience into infrastructure, and how one pivotal moment helped validate her vision and move the business forward.

This episode is part of the return of Keepin’ It Cleveland, highlighting entrepreneurs, creatives, and community builders who are shaping the future of our city by doing the hard, often unseen work.

🎙 Hosted by Isaac Williams
🎬 Produced by Color Beyond

Learn more about Color Beyond and podcast production services here:
👉 https://www.colorbeyond.com
If you’re a business owner, creative, or founder thinking about how to grow beyond just offering a service, this episode will give you real perspective on what that next level can look like.

Subscribe for new episodes dropping every other Tuesday, and share this with someone who’s building something meaningful.

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Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at impact@colorbeyond.com

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.

Most people think Habitat for Humanity gives houses away.
That belief is wrong and it’s hurting the conversation around housing, poverty, and community development.
In this episode of Keepin’ It Cleveland, I sit down with John Litten, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland, to break down what Habitat actually does—and why their work is about dignity, ownership, and long-term impact, not handouts.

We talk about:
• Why Habitat homes are not free and what families must do to earn them
• How 0% interest mortgages work and why they matter
• The lasting effects of redlining in Cleveland
• How building and rehabbing homes can reduce crime and increase neighborhood value
• Why John calls Habitat’s work “first-chance housing,” not second chances
• What real community investment looks like beyond charity

This conversation is about more than housing.
It’s about correcting false narratives, restoring opportunity, and rebuilding communities the right way—slowly, sustainably, and with accountability.
If you care about Cleveland, housing equity, or how nonprofits can create real systemic change, this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping Cleveland
👉 Share this episode with someone who still thinks Habitat gives houses away
👉 Leave a review if conversations like this matter to you

Follow us at:

Instagram: Keepin' It Cleveland

Keepin' It Cleveland Youtube

Keepin' it Cleveland is Produced by Color Beyond
To nominate a community leader or changemaker for the Keepin’ It Cleveland podcast, or for podcast and video production inquiries, email us at impact@colorbeyond.com

Visit www.colorbeyond.com to learn more about our work.