Celebrating Black Achievement and Community Heroes in Cleveland

In honor of Black Philanthropy Month, The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland (TSOPCLE) will celebrate by unveiling the 2021 Celebrate Those Who Give Black™ exhibition on Saturday, August 28 at 5 p.m. This year’s ceremony is an invitation-only in-person event at the Louis Stokes Wing of Cleveland Public Library located at 525 Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland. The event will be also hosted virtually online. Registration is required for online viewers.

This year’s ceremony honorees include a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion who calls philanthropy “love in action” and a teen who turned his negative into a positive for the city of Cleveland.

“We are excited to recognize individuals in our community who do the work of giving back, day in and day out. Most of them don’t even refer to themselves as philanthropists. Their spirit of giving is rooted in family, in community and our shared humanity,” said Connie Hill-Johnson, The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland executive steering committee member.

The exhibition, permanently housed at the library, is refreshed every two years. It honors individuals throughout the Greater Cleveland area who demonstrate the power and soul of Black philanthropy in all its dimensions. The inductees were chosen from over 50 nominations submitted by the community in five categories.

Nomination Categories

Emerging Philanthropist (Individual or family): This category recognizes an outstanding individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity (time, talent and/or treasure) and volunteer leadership to one or more Cleveland area organizations, issues, or communities.

Hidden Philanthropist: This category recognizes the unsung hero in our community. Their individual contribution of time, talent and treasure is the engine behind many grassroots organizations, churches, or communities.

Outstanding Youth Philanthropist: This category recognizes service by an outstanding individual (18 or younger), youth group or youth-generated project that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering and/or leadership.

Outstanding Young Adult Philanthropist: This category recognizes service by an outstanding individual (19-40 years old), youth group our youth-generated project that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering, and/or leadership.

Legacy Philanthropist: This category recognizes the cumulative philanthropic efforts of an individual or family during a period of at least 20 years of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support or contribution (volunteer participation or leadership involvement) demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles in the community.

Sponsored in part by the United Black Fund and The Cleveland Foundation, TSOPCLE strives to educate and inform the greater community about Cleveland’s rich history of African American charitable giving, while also creating a vehicle of philanthropy that galvanizes and empowers communities of color. For more information on how to support Celebrate Those Who Give Black™, visit tsopcle.com.