Thursday, October 1, 6-8pm, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd.

The political and corporate leadership of Columbus love to brag about our city. They say that Columbus has jobs, a low cost of living, a thriving arts scene, and a socially progressive culture. They proudly point to the revitalization of neighborhoods close to the downtown that are now flush with young professionals and the many Fortune 500 companies that have headquarters here. They tell a compelling story, but this story of Columbus isn’t the whole truth. Many of us live in a different Columbus.

One out of seven kids in our city can’t afford enough food to eat, and twice that number are living in poverty. The cost of food, housing, healthcare, childcare and higher education are rising, and the median income in Columbus is falling. 35% of Columbus households make less than 30k a year. Our schools and neighborhoods are segregated and unequal. Of the 50 largest cities in the U.S., Columbus is bottom-five for social mobility.

On October 1, we will come together as a community and make sure that candidates for the 2015 municipal elections understand that the future of our city and the children and families that live here are at stake.

Join us for a Public Forum and Candidates’ Night that will open up a conversation between candidates and the community about the future of Columbus for young people.

We will focus on four main issues that greatly affect our city and are important to the Ohio Student Association [OSA]:

• Police accountability and establishing a Civilian Review Board

• Raising the minimum wage

• Maintaining democratic control of Columbus City Schools

• Restorative Justice Policies in Columbus City Schools

The following candidates have been confirmed.

City Council: Ibrahima Sow, Dimitrious Stanley, Besa Sharrah, Michael Stinziano, Liz Brown, John Rush, Shannon Hardin, Zach Klein, Jaiza Page

School Board: Gary Baker, Mary Jo Hudson, Tina Pierce, Bernadine Kent, Jim Hunter

Formed in 2012, the Ohio Student Association (OSA) is a statewide organization led by young people working together in an intergenerational movement for racial, social, economic and educational justice. Our leaders are from 13 to 35; we are college students, high school students, graduates, grad students, and non-students. The OSA engages in issue and electoral organizing, nonviolent direct action, advocacy for progressive public policy, and leadership development. We organize young people to build independent political power on campuses and in communities across Ohio.

Contact: October 1 Event Coordinator, Nicole Jackson, <nicoledjackson@gmail.com>