About the Divided by Design Series

Greater Cleveland is one of the country’s most segregated metro areas. It is a region characterized by persistent poverty among African Americans, with generations of disadvantaged families essentially “stuck in place.” With few exceptions, there are predominantly black neighborhoods and predominantly white neighborhoods.

This divide has serious impacts for everyone, relating to education, health, taxes, wealth-building, crime, and more. And it didn’t come about by chance. How did we get here and why does it matter? What are people doing about it?

This special series will look at some of the crucial policies and practices that created such a black-white divide in the region—and which continue to perpetuate racial inequities—in an attempt to bring important historical realities to light so that we may choose a different future.