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2002The Cincinnatus Association lays the foundation for the “Greater Cincinnati Commitment”, by forming a team to explore the expression and attitudes surrounding racism in the region.

 

2003-2004The Cincinnatus membership formally approves the collaborative mission to construct programs and initiatives aimed at dismantling racism, prejudice and stereotypes of all forms throughout the Cincinnati region. A series of discussions, conversations and Cincinnatus-sponsored panels follows, culminating in the Cincinnatus draft of a diversity pledge. On September 14, 2004, the Cincinnatus Association approves The Greater Cincinnati Commitment, thereby initiating a movement to eradicate institutional racism in the region.

 

2005-2006Individual signatures are gathered from 108 Cincinnatus members and 42 others. Four organizations sign the Commitment, including BRIDGES for a Just Community (formerly NCCJ), Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) and Citizens for Civic Renewal. Community discussions and forums on race-based inequities in Hamilton County continue, specifically in the areas of housing and the justice system.

A revised mission and vision statement for the Community Inclusion Panel emerges. It states the goal “To unite the community across racial, ethnic, economic and religious boundaries toward the end that systemic racism has ceased to exist”

 

2007-2008The Community Inclusion Panel focuses on creating “a group of strategic partners dedicated to reducing race and class-based socio-economic inequities…to the point where there are no statistically significant differences”. CIP representatives meet with community councils, Cincinnati government officials and other organizations to request endorsement of the Greater Cincinnati Commitment. The Panel also recognizes that the Commitment must expand to address moving our community beyond negative stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination of all kinds.

This growing group of committed organizations is formally named the Greater Cincinnati Commitment Alliance, (GCCA), the group establishes contact with the Birmingham Pledge Foundation and invites its representatives to Cincinnati.

On November 11, 2008 a press conference at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center kicks-off a two- day Cincinnati/Birmingham Summit, with discussion panels between the GCCA and Birmingham Pledge representatives. These discussions culminate with an agreement to form a strategic partnership to exchange best practices in support of each other’s work and to explore the possibility of expanding the relationship to other “communities of conscience”. In December 2008, the City Councils of both Cincinnati and Forest Park endorse the GCC

 

2009The GCCA is now composed of 34 organizations, 18 of which have assigned resources to the working committees of the Alliance. There is an on-going drive to add other organizations and communities to embrace the Commitment and join the Alliance. In February 2009, Agenda 360 approves the GCC as a priority initiative in its plan for Livable Communities and consequently signs the pledge.

At the time of this writing, The GCCA is proud to have more than one thousand individually signers of the Commitment and continues to pursue opportunities to have every person in the region become the personal embodiment of The Greater Cincinnati Commitment.