Category: Uncategorized

Lauren Sogor, Vice President

This year, ACS turns 20! We’re celebrating with a game of “20 Questions,” featuring our amazing ACS team!

Gender and racial pay gap significantly impacts women’s financial outcomes, with women of color earning substantially less than white men in the U.S. Collaborate Cleveland, alongside the Northeast Ohio Workers Center, formed The Cleveland Pay Equity Alliance to tackle these issues locally, promoting policy interventions such as pay transparency legislation and salary history bans, which have shown to reduce pay gaps effectively.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their dynamic, all-female, minority-owned firm, Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) co-founders Lori McClung and Scarlett Bouder have launched an inspiring new initiative: the ACS Fund for Women & Girls, aimed at empowering young women and girls in Cleveland and Ohio, especially those from low-income backgrounds and communities of color. This fund will provide critical support in accessing reproductive services, building public service careers, and affording higher education.

With ACS’s national reach and expertise, the fund, housed at the Cleveland Foundation, is set to fuel transformative change. The fund’s $20,000 initial investment marks just the beginning, with a bold goal of raising $200,000 by the end of 2024. McClung and Bouder’s vision, inspired by the resilience and creativity of young women and girls, promises to create lasting impact and a brighter future for all. For more details or to contribute, visit the Cleveland Foundation donations page. Read more about the Fund and learn how to donate here!

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) has hosted the Bold on Early Educator Compensation Learning Community, a gathering of leaders in seven states who are pursuing bold, innovative compensation strategies. The answers? POLICY to support increased WAGES/BENEFITS and COMMUNITY ORGANIZING to build capacity of providers and community members to ADVOCATE for those policies! Read the article here!

The shift from public to “choose your own adventure” education is accelerating, driven by the availability of public funds for alternative schooling options, such as vouchers, online learning and education savings accounts. The article Public Funding, Private Education from the New York Times shows how this trend has been fueled in no small part by the pandemic, political support for “parental rights,” and teacher burnout, leading to the rise of unregulated microschools and “permissionless education.” While these programs offer flexibility and personalized education, they raise concerns about accountability, quality control, and equitable access to educational resources. 

This year, ACS turns 20! We’re celebrating with a game of “20 Questions,” featuring some of the people who’ve inspired us the most during our two decades in business.

Featured Guest: June 2024

Debbie Neale, Owner, Neale & Associates

Why we love Debbie:
Debbie Neale is a groundbreaking, no-nonsense leader who gets things done – including being the one of the first female corporate lobbyist in the insurance, chemical, and plastics industries, leading the charge in Ohio to increase national attention and investment in Alzheimer’s Disease research, and serving as the Mayor of Lakeline Village for 15 years.

Debbie’s featured answers:
What made you choose your career path?
It wasn’t easy in the 1970s, but I had an affinity for politics, luck and coincidence

Most recent thing that made you smile?
The Borowitz Report, by Andy Borowitz (Simon & Schuster, 2004)

See Debbie’s answers to all our 20th Anniversary “20 Questions” here!

ACS is thrilled to announce the promotion of Lauren Sogor to Vice President, along with the addition of Allison Marker as our new Senior Strategist and Amber Hill as Executive Administrator. As a leading female- and minority-owned consultancy firm, ACS is dedicated to driving positive change across various sectors nationwide.

With their wealth of experience and passion for advocacy, communication, and strategy development, Sogor, Marker, and Hill are set to make a significant impact on our mission of fostering a healthier, safer, and more just world. Read more here in ACS’ latest press release!

 

 

 

 

 

This year, ACS turns 20! We’re celebrating with a game of “20 Questions,” featuring some of the people who’ve inspired us the most during our two decades in business.

Featured Guest: May 2024

 

Dr. Gene Harris, Retired Superintendent, Columbus Public Schools

Why we love Gene:
We admire Dr. Harris for many reasons – especially because of her ability to create systems change. She delivered concrete, powerful results for students in Columbus Public Schools during her long career as an administrator, which included 13 years as superintendent, overcoming apathy, naysayers and downright resistance. She’s a powerhouse, but also a compassionate and caring human being who definitely has changed her corner of the world for the better.

Gene’s featured answers:
Something you’ve done in your work that you’re most proud of?
One was the implementation of full-day kindergarten, even without state funding,
and the other was the building program that renovated or built 40 buildings.

Country you’d live in if not this one?
Ghana. It’s very inviting to African Americans.

See Gene’s answers to all our 20th Anniversary “20 Questions” here!

Check out this insightful article from the Ohio Capital Journal on how Ohio lawmakers balance motherhood and legislative duties. The piece delves into the unique challenges faced by mother lawmakers, from childcare costs to public scrutiny, and highlights the significant role of family in their political journeys. Featuring stories of legislators like Rep. Rachel Baker and Rep. Allison Russo, it also discusses legislative efforts such as House Bill 114 aimed at supporting parents in politics. Read more about the complex reality of being a mother in politics.