September 28, 2023
The Urban League Of Greater Southwestern Ohio Unveils The Holloman Center For Social Justice
The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio —with support from the Holloman Family Foundation and in collaboration with Fifth Third Bank —unveils the Holloman Center for Social Justice in Avondale Town Center to bridge the gap between the Greater Cincinnati community and local law enforcement.
The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ULGSO) proudly unveiled the Holloman Center for Social Justice (CSJ) in Avondale Town Center, following an inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony presented by Fifth Third. The ceremony included local dignitaries and public officials like Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, former ULGSO presidents Eddie Keon and Donna Jones Baker, YWCA Cincinnati’s Rickell Howard Smith, who is also the inaugural executive director for CSJ, and members of the Avondale community.
Kala Gibson, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer of Fifth Third remarked, “Our support for the Holloman Center for Social Justice reflects our unwavering dedication to creating a more just and equitable society for all. We want to ensure that social justice remains at the heart of a better future for the communities we serve.”
An impressive $1 million gift from Black philanthropists J. Phillip Holloman and his wife Gail underpinned the new 10,000-square-foot facility and was bolstered by support from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Senior Director of Community Relations at Cincinnati Children’s, Monica J. Mitchell, expressed her enthusiasm, noting, “The Hollomon Center for Social Justice support[s] youth development, community programs, and diversity and social initiatives that are closely tied to physical and mental health outcomes in children and families.”
Christie Kuhns, ULGSO President and CEO, acknowledged, “The generous contribution from Black philanthropists Phillip and Gail Holloman fast-tracked our equity efforts. The Holloman Center symbolizes our unyielding devotion to social justice in historically underserved communities.”
The social justice center’s theme, From Protest to Policy Change, speaks to the Center’s goal of catalyzing collaborative police reform in Southwestern Ohio. The Center will focus on three key areas: policy change, community engagement, and police department transparency.
Led by Managing Director Gabriel M. Fletcher, the Center’s team will actively engage in policy advocacy, data collection and reporting, community education, and organizing to advance racial equity and social justice in the region. The Center will also host various programs and events focused on health equity, voting rights, and youth engagement.