Talk:Dwight Tillery

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BIOGRAPHY OF DWIGHT TILLERY, Esq.

Dwight Tillery grew up in Cincinnati where he was educated in its public schools and graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He received his Juris Doctor of Laws from the University of Michigan Law School. Dwight is a licensed attorney in the state of Ohio and is also licensed to practice before the Federal District Court, the Six Circuit Appellate Court, and the United States Supreme Court.

Dwight has held numerous distinguished professional positions throughout his career. Mr. Tillery served as Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Cincinnati, Assistant Executive Vice President and first African American to serve as Associate Legal Counsel at the University of Cincinnati and Adjunct Assistant Professor Law and Adjunct Assistant Professor African American Studies where he created and taught the first Critical Race Theory Course—The Law and Black People; Assistant Attorney General; Assistant Professor at Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, First African American popularly elected Mayor of Cincinnati and Councilmember.

In 1991, Mr. Tillery joined the law firm of Waite, Schneider, Bayless, and Chesley. Mr. Tillery served as Vice Chair of the Ohio State Personnel Board of Review appointed by Governor Ted Strickland and reappointed by Governor Kasich. (2009 – 2021)

The establishment of the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati was initiated by Mr. Tillery in 1974 and was one of its co-founders. This organization is active today. Dwight was elected twice as Vice President of the National Bar Association and was a founding member of The National Bar Association Foundation during the early eighties.

In 1991, Mr. Tillery stunned the City of Cincinnati by becoming the first African American popularly elected Mayor of Cincinnati. As Mayor, he created the Mayor’s Commission on Children, Reshaping Youth Priorities (anti violence initiative targeting youth) the first of its kind by the Health Department; Mayor Tillery was a frequent speaker at public schools; he played a key role in establishing a venture capital fund of eleven million for African American businesses (this fund allowed the start of Blue-Chip Broadcasting Company), and assisted in establishing a mentoring program for minority businesses. It was Mayor Tillery who made possible for the first-time appointments of minorities to the Gas & Electric Co. and Cincinnati Bell boards. He was featured in Ebony magazine, USA Today and national news because of his election.

As a member of Cincinnati City Council, he sponsored many pieces of legislation that benefited the poor and minorities. He authored legislation that created a surrogate-parenting program entitled “It Takes a Village.” It was Mayor Tillery who founded the GrassRoots Leadership Academy, which trained hundreds of low to moderate-income citizens how to be leaders in their communities. Mr. Tillery was deeply disturbed that Avondale (a predominate Black Community) did not have a neighborhood grocery store and persuaded city council to provide the resources to a group of Avondale ministers interested in revitalizing the Avondale Town Center.

Mr. Tillery, as a member of Cincinnati City Council provided legislation for the following: the first funding for the building of the Urban League office, funding for the establishment of the African American Chamber of Commerce, renovation of the Cincinnati Colored Women’s Club, provided two million dollars for the Citizens Committee on Youth. Mayor Tillery was responsible for the street naming of the Honorable Fred Shuttleworth, city park named in the honorable of Theodore M. Berry and the naming of the Frank H. Harris, state-of-the-art Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) facility was brought online. This facility reasserted Cincinnati as the forefront of water treatment technology.

In two thousand and four, Mr. Dwight Tillery Founded the Center for Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati whose mission is “to lead the efforts in eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in Greater Cincinnati through Advocacy, Education, and Community Outreach.” Dr. King recognized the discrimination in health and stated: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.” The Center was supported by the major hospitals in greater Cincinnati as well as Cincinnati City Council with an annual budget between one million and two million dollars. The Center was awarded many grants from national organizations and companies. He has received many national and local awards for his courage and vision regarding this matter. As the result of the pandemic, Mr. Tillery was ahead of his time as there was no independent community based non-profit organizations like the health Gap which championed Dr. King’s call to addressing the poor health of Black Americans at the community level in America. Mr. Tillery was met with much microaggressions in his effort to establish the health Gap from some in the media, healthcare organizations and government. The Center is in its eightieth-year operation.

Awards and Honors § Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Cincinnati State Technical College

§ National Purpose Prize Fellow for the work addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. He was one of forty-six persons selected nationally out of 1600 nominees for his social innovation in addressing Health Disparities

§ The University of Cincinnati School of Medicine Department of Public Health established The Dwight Tillery Fellowship Program Fund to honor his work and create stipends for MPH students interested in public and community health as it relates to vulnerable populations.

§ USA today featured The Center for Closing the Health Gap in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to racial and ethnic disparities.

§ Appointed by Governor Celeste of Ohio to Martin Luther King Commission § Appointed by Governor of Ohio to the State Financing Commission § Appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky the highest honor, the Kentucky Colonel Award § Cincinnati Chapter of The National Action Network Equity & Social Justice Award § Cincinnati Christ Hospital “Beacon of Light” Award § Cincinnati Urban League “Glorifying the Lions” Award § Commemorative Tree Planting in Honor of Mayorship, Gifu, Japan § Dr. Luther Lemon Community Award § Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Keep the Dream Alive Award” § Five Star Community Sweetheart Award for Service to Community Partnerships § Georgia E. Beasley Legacy Award, University of Cincinnati § Grand Marshall, Black Family Reunion 2011 § Women’s Alliance Community GEM Award § Legends Ball Award, I Hear Music in the Air § Men of Metro Honorary Service Fraternity, University of Cincinnati § Molina Health Hero Award § Ohio Civil Rights Dream Award § Ohio Governor’s 1992 Entrepreneur Leadership Award § Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Service Fraternity § The Award of Excellence from the University of Cincinnati § The Citizens’ Committee on Youth Outstanding Commitment to Public Service Award § The Health Hero Award from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health § The Leadership Excellence Award from the Governor of Ohio § The NAACP’s Theodore M. Berry Award § The National Bar Association highest award, Gertrude E. Rush § The National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Award for Wellness and Health § Top Ladies of Distinction § Who’s Who Among Black Americans

Board, Commission and Community Service

§ Board Member of the Cobb Institute/National Medical Association § Ohio State Personnel Board of Review Member and Vice Chair Appointed by Governor Ted Strickland and reappointed by Governor Kasich. (2009-2021) § Appointed by State Director for Department of Health, Obesity Prevention Round Table · Appointment by Governor Celeste to MLK Commission 1991-1993 · Appointment Ohio Minority Financing Commission (site construction and procurement contracts) · Attended Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government · Attended White House Briefing on SALT - October 5, 1979 (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks with USA and Russia) · Cincinnati Board of Health, Vice Chair · Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, Vice Chair § Co-Founder of The Black Agenda of Cincinnati whose mission is to improve the lives of Black Cincinnatians · Founder Cincinnati African American Political Caucus § Governor’s Advisory’s Health Coverage Reform Board · Greater Cincinnati Film Commission · Invited to welcoming Ceremony for Nelson Mandela · Keynote Speaker Black American Law Student

Association Annual Banquet at Harvard University

· Mayors Commission on Children § National Bar Association, elected Vice President two terms · Office of the Consumer’s Counsel Board April 23, 1992 · Radio One, talk show host, “The Calling.” · The Tillery Report, commentary, WCIN · University of Cincinnati African American Living Legend · Zoological Society of Cincinnati Board Member Infoadd75 (talk) 20:37, 1 June 2023 (UTC)