SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS
presented by Union Home Mortgage

Enact Positive Change 

Searching for Solutions presented by Union Home Mortgage offered community engagement opportunities and educational resources for attendees to gain new perspective, reflect on the current state of their communities and commit to making a difference. 

Searching for Solutions locations: St. Clair, Rockwell and Chester 

VIEW SUMMIT MAP

Friday February 18, 2022

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM


Workshop: Alliance of Social Workers in Sports: Emotional Places & Increasingly Virtual Spaces: Guidance from Sport Social Workers on Mental Wealth and Parenting Behaviors in Athletics 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all athletes, including youth sports families. Limited research exists in the context of the pandemic, focused on the experiences of parents within the sports domain. Join experts from the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports as we explore the importance of mental wealth and parenting behaviors in athletics:

  • Dr. Matt Moore, Ph.D. MSW, Immediate Past President of Alliance of Social Workers in Sports 

o  In addition to his role as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at Ball State University, Dr. Matt Moore has also served as a coach of collegiate female athletes. He will share his experiences from a coach's perspective and how coaches must consider athletes, their families, their mental wealth, and the institutions that govern sports in general.

  • Ms. Anita Daniels, MSW, LCSW, LCAS, CCS, President of Alliance of Social Workers in Sports

o  Anita Daniels, a licensed sports social worker, serves current and former professional and collegiate athletes and their families as they address anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, and loss. 

  • Dr. Jerry Reynolds, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW, Vice President of Alliance of Social Workers in Sports

o  Dr. Reynolds has conducted three studies in the past two years which focus on better understanding both the experiences and role of parents in youth sports settings. He will share key findings and recommendations to benefit athletes and their families.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM


Lunch & Learn: Sports Biz Camps: Learning to Love Networking 
Hosted by Sports Biz Camps, this Lunch & Learn will help college students aspiring to work in the sports industry to learn to love networking. An inclusive group of 25 Cleveland area college students will sit down for lunch with fifteen (15) industry professionals who will share their networking how to’s and personal experiences in building their own networks. A panel discussion that addresses the specific challenges gaining access into the industry for underrepresented populations will precede the networking over lunch.

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM


Workshop: Kimberly Morgan: Making a Difference in MY Community 

Do you want to enact positive change in your community? Have you ever felt that what needed to be done was bigger than YOU? Have you ever thought your ideas were not enough to make a difference? Attend this interactive session to better understand how YOU are the missing piece.

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio 

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: WISE Cleveland 

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: YWCA Greater Cleveland

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Reflection Room

 The Reflection Room is a space that will allow attendees to explore the past, present, and future of advocacy and activism in sport. Through a variety of on-site elements, guests will have the opportunity to grow and learn additional ways they can ENACT positive change in their communities.


Upon first entering, the Muhammad Ali Center has created an experience where visitors will be met by the iconic photograph of the original Cleveland Summit, an image that promotes the idea of conversation, understanding, and support among athletes. As they proceed, visitors will see images of present day athletes that seem larger than life. These athletes have used their platforms to advocate for justice while elevating conversations around gender equity, LGBTQIA+ allyship, mental health awareness, racial equity, and so much more. Like Muhammad Ali, these athletes have chosen to use their fame to promote understanding, equity, and justice, often at great personal risk. After learning about these athletes and their experiences, attendees will participate in a creative art experience with the Cleveland Institute of Art as they are encouraged to reflect upon the power of sport and how it has the ability to change lives.


Attendees will be invited to capture a pledge through a photo booth experience that will allow for a keepsake as they commit to action moving forward. It is our hope that guests consider how they are able to support fellow athletes, contemplate how we can learn from one another, and deeply reflect on how each and every one of us can be agents of positive social change.

Saturday February 19, 2022

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM


Workshop: Family Yoga Class with ZENworks Yoga 
This program offers a space for families to learn and practice yoga and mindfulness techniques together to support everyday wellness. Learn accessible breathing, movement, and relaxation practices suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. Participants will gain awareness of the benefits of yoga and mindfulness and have an opportunity to connect with their families in a fun, interactive, and non-competitive setting. Our yoga classes are trauma sensitive and designed to foster connection, empowerment, and belonging.

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM


Lunch & Learn: The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio: Introduction to Coded Language in Sports 

Language and communication can be explicit and implicit; it is a component of culture that is coded with meanings, attitudes, beliefs, and power dynamics. These codes are pervasive and have impacts on relational and structural outcomes. Over time, our language and its meanings become layered and can therefore function in different spaces in different ways and for different purposes. In other words, the meanings of words and their implications change over time. 


In this 90-minute session, you will engage with an introduction to the concept of coded language in sports and examine the definition, history, and implications of coded language. Participants will increase their awareness of the coded language in sports that many of us use in our daily lives and gain practical skills around how to critically assess one’s own language and respond when others use coded language.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM


Workshop: Deborah McFadden: College Funding for Students with Disabilities

Can I really go to college for free if I have a disability? Can I really get paid $10,000 a year if I have a disability? Is it true that I can get everything paid for including tuition, room/board, and books? Join Deborah McFadden, Former United States Commissioner of Disabilities as she talks about SSI and Vocational Rehab and how and when to initiate the process.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM


Workshop: Colors+: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth On and Off the Field

Are you wanting to understand and better support your LGBTQ+ youth? Join Kristen Pepera, LPCC-S from Colors+, as we talk about how you can support your LGBTQ+ youth both on and off the field. We will be discussing pronouns, mental and physical health, how to advocate for your youth, and various supports and resources for you and your youth.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM


Workshop Colors+: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth On and Off the Field 
Are you wanting to understand and better support your LGBTQ+ youth? Join Kristen Pepera, LPCC-S from Colors+, as we talk about how you can support your LGBTQ+ youth both on and off the field. We will be discussing pronouns, mental and physical health, how to advocate for your youth, and various supports and resources for you and your youth.

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner:  Colors+

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Girls with Sole

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Northeast Ohio Women's Sports Alliance 

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Youth Challenge

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Reflection Room 

The Reflection Room is a space that will allow attendees to explore the past, present, and future of advocacy and activism in sport. Through a variety of on-site elements, guests will have the opportunity to grow and learn additional ways they can ENACT positive change in their communities.

 

Upon first entering, the Muhammad Ali Center has created an experience where visitors will be met by the iconic photograph of the original Cleveland Summit, an image that promotes the idea of conversation, understanding, and support among athletes. As they proceed, visitors will see images of present day athletes that seem larger than life. These athletes have used their platforms to advocate for justice while elevating conversations around gender equity, LGBTQIA+ allyship, mental health awareness, racial equity, and so much more. Like Muhammad Ali, these athletes have chosen to use their fame to promote understanding, equity, and justice, often at great personal risk. After learning about these athletes and their experiences, attendees will participate in a creative art experience with the Cleveland Institute of Art as they are encouraged to reflect upon the power of sport and how it has the ability to change lives.


Attendees will be invited to capture a pledge through a photo booth experience that will allow for a keepsake as they commit to action moving forward. It is our hope that guests consider how they are able to support fellow athletes, contemplate how we can learn from one another, and deeply reflect on how each and every one of us can be agents of positive social change.

Sunday February 20, 2022

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM


Lunch & Learn: YWCA Greater Cleveland: Promoting Racial and Gender Equity in Sports
 For as long as organized sports have taken center stage in American culture, racial and gender inequality have been intricately woven into the fabric of the major sports associations. This long and intrusive history, as well as more recent efforts to address and correct these inequalities has caused backlash, division, and sparked meaningful conversations at every level. From Little League baseball to the NBA, coaches, parents, and athletes are confronting historical and current issues of inequality, and coming up with action steps towards a more equitable future. 

Join YWCA Greater Cleveland for a Lunch & Learn session on how to address issues of racism, discrimination, and inequity in the moment, and implement proven DE&I strategies to achieve more equitable sports programs across Northeast Ohio. Aimed at assisting coaches, staff, parents, and athletic directors, this session will discuss issues such as gender and resource inequality, racism, Native American imagery, and athlete activism. Participants will walk away with tools and skills on how to handle difficult dialogues in the locker room, strategies for establishing policies around gender inclusivity, and dialogue tips on how to erase offensive native imagery from their programs for a more inclusive future. 

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM


Workshop: Positive Coaching Alliance: The Coaches Role in Proactively Supporting Positive Mental Health 

For many young athletes, sports are an escape from the stresses of every-day life. Unfortunately many sport environments can cause added stress and anxiety due to extreme performance expectations. As coaches, we have a responsibility to not only develop our players as athletes, but also support them as people. The national and international research is clear. Positive is powerful! This workshop is highly engaging and dialogue based. It will develop increased self-awareness and provide all attending coaches with tips, tools and resources to help you elevate your focus on talent development while supporting the mental health and wellness of your athletes.

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM


Workshop: Adaptive Sports Ohio: Everyone Should Play 
Everyone should have a chance to play sports. Often, communities are unaware how to fully include individuals with disabilities in their community-based and interscholastic programs. Unfortunately, as a result, they are routinely left on the sidelines and not eligible to participate in health and wellness activities like their able-bodied peers. Adaptive Sports Ohio was established to ensure that individuals with physical and visual disabilities have a chance to play, and utilize sport to elevate ability and empower futures. This workshop will give attendees the opportunity to learn about adaptive sports, what programs are available in the community, and how they can make their programs inclusive. On or off the playing field, Adaptive Sports Ohio’s knowledge, education, and experience allow us to serve as advocates for inclusion. Join us as we have a conversation to ensure that everyone can play.

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM


Baldwin Wallace University Center for Coaching Excellence

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Positive Coaching Alliance 

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM


Community Corner: Stonewall Sports - Cleveland 

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Reflection Room 

The Reflection Room is a space that will allow attendees to explore the past, present, and future of advocacy and activism in sport. Through a variety of on-site elements, guests will have the opportunity to grow and learn additional ways they can ENACT positive change in their communities.

 

Upon first entering, the Muhammad Ali Center has created an experience where visitors will be met by the iconic photograph of the original Cleveland Summit, an image that promotes the idea of conversation, understanding, and support among athletes. As they proceed, visitors will see images of present day athletes that seem larger than life. These athletes have used their platforms to advocate for justice while elevating conversations around gender equity, LGBTQIA+ allyship, mental health awareness, racial equity, and so much more. Like Muhammad Ali, these athletes have chosen to use their fame to promote understanding, equity, and justice, often at great personal risk. After learning about these athletes and their experiences, attendees will participate in a creative art experience with the Cleveland Institute of Art as they are encouraged to reflect upon the power of sport and how it has the ability to change lives.

 

Attendees will be invited to capture a pledge through a photo booth experience that will allow for a keepsake as they commit to action moving forward. It is our hope that guests consider how they are able to support fellow athletes, contemplate how we can learn from one another, and deeply reflect on how each and every one of us can be agents of positive social change.

*All activities are subject to change.

cleveland-power-of-sport-summit-group-activity