Advocacy News from LMM
#StopAsianHate
Hate crimes against people of Asian descent increased by 150% in 2020. This devastating trend became a national tragedy following the deaths of eight individuals in Atlanta, six of whom were of Asian descent. LMM stands against hate, and in solidarity with our Asian brothers and sisters.

On Sunday, March 28 at 1pm, there will be a rally and a march through Cleveland’s AsiaTown to honor the victims and speak out against the resurgence of anti-Asian violence and racism. To learn more about the event click here.
The Sisters of Charity Health System’s A Place for Me Steering Committee has selected Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) to operate the first drop in center for youth experiencing housing instability in Greater Cleveland.
 
LMM was recommended by the Drop-In Center Core Planning Team, which includes various youth serving organizations in Northeast Ohio, as well as young people with lived experience and subject matter expertise. The team developed a set of values they felt were critical to the purpose of the drop-in center: youth leadership and partnership, racial and LGBTQ equity, hospitality, highly relational service model, and low-barrier approach.
 
LMM’s mission and holistic programmatic approach were deemed in alignment with these core values. In the proposal submitted, the committee noted that LMM’s proposed approach for operationalizing the core values were key factors in the selection process. Other important criteria included capacity for innovation, collaboration, and implementation of strategies to authentically share power with young people. 
 
The drop-in center will meet the immediate and basic needs of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 experiencing housing instability. The drop-in center will also serve as an access point to housing resources and other services to support the social, emotional and physical well-being of youth. Drop-in centers are essential elements of a systemic approach to prevent and end youth homelessness.
 
LMM is honored and energized by the opportunity to provide services in a respectful manner that honors the dignity of every young person.  
Welcome, Dionne!
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry is very excited to welcome Dionne Dowdy as the “Compassion Over Cages” Campaign Coordinator. Dionne comes to LMM from Youngstown, Ohio where she serves as the executive director of United Returning Citizens, a nonprofit that serves formerly incarcerated individuals as well as the larger community which has been affected by mass incarceration. As the Compassion Over Cages Campaign Coordinator, Dionne will lead a statewide effort to ensure that in future times of crisis, the health and safety of incarcerated individuals is prioritized by our state’s leaders. This effort is in partnership with the Ohio Transformation Fund and JustLeadershipUSA.
Federal Eviction Moratorium Expires Wednesday 
Earlier this month Congress passed a $1.9 trillion-dollar COVID relief package. The relief bill provides nearly $50 billion for housing and shelter, with $27 billion allocated to rental assistance to help renters remain housed and landlords, financially whole. Unfortunately, this relief package did not extend the eviction moratorium which, without immediate action by Congress or the Centers for Disease Control, will expire on March 31, 2021. Earlier this month LMM signed onto a letter to President Joe Biden led by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition asking that the moratorium be extended. 
Take Your Shot
Ohioans over 16 years of age are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. LMM is grateful to MetroHealth for vaccinating many LMM staff partners and residents of LMM’s emergency shelters. We urge all qualified individuals to get the COVID-19 vaccine. You can learn more about where to get vaccinated, and get many of your vaccine questions answered at Ohio’s Get the Shot website. Need help with transportation to a vaccination site? United Way’s 2-1-1 (https://www.211oh.org/) may be able to help.  
LMM’s Enduring Partnership With John Carroll University 
Last week, LMM’s Director of Advocacy Margie Glick participated in a panel discussion Diving Deeper: Strengthening Advocacy, Dialogue, and Structural Analysis Skills through Summer Internships at the Gulf-South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement in Higher Education. Margie shared her appreciation for John Carroll University’s Summer in the City program and gratitude for the support the students provide over the 10-week internship. Alongside Margie on the panel was Erin Kiley, an LMM Advocacy Department 2019 summer intern. Through Erin’s summer research about the causes of “return to shelter” she helped advance LMM’s advocacy work aimed at ending Source of Income discrimination.  
Greater Cleveland LGBTQ Research Project
The Greater Cleveland LGBTQ Asset Map project is looking for your feedback! The research is intended to gain a better understanding of the assets, strengths, and needs of the LGBTQ+ community in Cleveland. Participants can access the anonymous survey online here: http://bit.ly/3sD8rDN