“This city, the people here, they’re all about show and prove. Cleveland isn’t a place where you can get away with just talking about how great you are…. You have to show people what you’re about. There’s definitely a vibe of hospitality, warmth, and kindness in Cleveland… But mixed in with all of that, there is an unmistakable grit.” - Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians Left Fielder
This is a big week for Cleveland. Tonight the Cleveland Guardians face off against the New York Yankees in the 2024 American League Championship Series! Watch the Grand Slam!
It’s also another week of big events at CSU|LAW.
Please join us Wednesday, October 16, 12 noon for a conversation with Former U.S. Senator Rob Portman for our inaugural Richard W. Pogue Leadership Conversation. See this link for details: Conversation with Former U.S. Senator Rob Portman: Richard Pogue Leadership Conversation Series
In 2010 then Congressman Rob Portman and I were the respective Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate. Congressman Portman won the election, and Senator Portman and I will discuss that election campaign and the need for bipartisanship, civility, and open and inclusive dialogue not only in American politics but in society at large.
Please also join us every evening this week for the third annual All Rise: A Festival of Film & Law co-sponsored by CSU Law and the CSU School of Film & Media Arts. Focusing on the intersection of film and law, our film festival presents a diverse selection of films, ranging from documentary to narrative. All events are free and open to the public. Watch the Festival trailer here.
- Today, Monday, October 14, 5pm (before the Guardians/Yankees game), we will screen a selection of short films, including an Academy Award winning short, Two Distant Strangers. Our special guest is George Elias Stephanopoulos, who has served as media attorney or producer on all the films included in the showcase.
- Tuesday, October 15, 5pm, we will screen Kemba in the CSU Law Moot Court Room. Special thanks to 2L Lila Robinson for securing this film for us. Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich and Wrongful Conviction Clinic Director Laura Greig will participate in the program. The film follows criminal justice reform advocate Kemba Smith, a woman charged as a co-conspirator in her college boyfriend's drug-trafficking crimes and sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison. Kemba Smith will join us for a conversation after the film. This is a great opportunity for those interested in films based on true stories, adaptations, and criminal justice reform.
- Wednesday, October 16, 5pm we will screen My Cousin Vinny in the School of Film & Media Arts screening room, hosted by the Student Filmmakers Club. No panel, just a fun evening fueled with popcorn, candy, and a true classic.
- Thursday, October 17, 4pm is a collaboration with Weston Ideation Lab. Show Her the Money,a documentary featuring female investors who invest in diverse women entrepreneurs with innovations that will change the world. Followed by a panel and reception. Special thanks to Visiting Professor Debbie Hoffman for coordinating this event.
- Friday, October 18, 5pm is our closing night. We will screen As We Speak, which explores the growing weaponization of rap lyrics in the United States criminal justice system and abroad - revealing how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades. The lead producer of the film, Sam Widdoes will join us for a discussion after the film, lead by Gabriel Tolliver, filmmaker, writer and FMA faculty.
Go Guardians!
Have a great day and a great week.
The views and opinions expressed in my Monday Morning Message are solely my own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the law school or the university.
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages
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My best,
Lee
Lee Fisher
Dean, Cleveland State University College of Law
Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law
Chair, American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Section on Leadership
1801 Euclid Avenue, LB 138 |Cleveland, Ohio 44115 -2214
216-386-8688 | lee.fishernull@csuohio.nulledu