Christie Bryant Kuhns is a native Cincinnatian. She has led the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ULGSO) as President & CEO since January 2022, serving first in an interim capacity and appointed permanently in July 2022 as the organization’s newest leader. ULGSO is based in Uptown’s Avondale neighborhood, serving residents there and across the region.
ULGSO is committed to driving equity and financial empowerment through advocacy, education and economic development. The League's Mission is to help Black people and historically underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, civil rights and justice.
We asked Kuhns to reflect on what her team has accomplished so far under her leadership, her priorities for the organization’s future, and the importance of the relationship between the ULGSO, Uptown Consortium, Inc. and the Uptown community.
Q: What is the most significant accomplishment the organization has made during your time as its leader?
A: Focusing on the internal staff was the most significant accomplishment in the first year. My philosophy is you shouldn’t have to live in poverty to address it. Eliminating generational poverty is a core part of our mission; we push our corporate partners to have fair wages and benefits. We made improvements that now allow us to lead by example. In keeping with our mission, we increased salaries and benefits, added a 401K and HSA match and permissive PTO across the organization, benchmarking roles not just against other nonprofit agencies but corporations as well. Our mission requires the highest and best talent to make it a reality.
Q: What are the three top priorities for you, and the organization for the rest of 2023 and into 2024?
A: Three priorities we are focusing on are developing innovative solutions to combat generational poverty, continuing to advance advocacy in our community and an internal goal for ULGSO is to continue investing in our workforce while becoming an employer of choice in our region.
Q: The ULGSO is part of Uptown yet serves all of southwestern Ohio. How important is it that the organization is anchored in Uptown given the growth happening here?
A: We are in Uptown, more specifically Avondale, a critical neighborhood for our mission as we work to address issues of poverty for Black and underserved communities. In addition to the residents, Uptown is home to some of our key corporate partners.
Q: What role does Uptown play in the Urban League’s mission to transform generations by promoting personal empowerment and becoming economically self-sufficient?
A: Uptown is home to many of the area’s largest institutions, which represent both employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. I’m thrilled that ULGSO has great relationships with many of them which benefits the people we serve.
Q: What are some programs sponsored by the Urban League that can help those generations you’re trying to reach deal with the changing job market and inflation remaining high?
A: We have a host of workforce development programs designed to provide people with career and financial coaching, and job placement. Another opportunity is our Black Women in Tech program, launching soon, which is a free certification program that allows someone without a degree to participate in a training program and receive Google certifications for various roles.
Q: The Social Justice Center was established in 2020. I heard there was a soft grand opening at the Avondale Town Center this summer. What does it mean for the Center to have a brick-and-mortar office in Avondale now? How will this benefit the community?
A: The Holloman Center symbolizes our unyielding devotion to social justice in historically underserved communities. An impressive $1 million gift by J. Phillip Holloman and his wife Gail, helped us continue our work within a physical space rooted in the community and the belief of continued dedication towards issues like police reform.
Q: You attended UC. You are an attorney and a former state lawmaker. You were the vice president of operations and community relations and chief of staff for the COO at UC Health prior to joining the ULGSO. You’ve seen a lot of transition in the Uptown area living and working here all your life. How has that life experience influenced your commitment to minority business enterprises?
A: My first significant board experiences were the Avondale Community Council and Avondale Development Corporation. Participation in both grounded me in the importance of being resident centered. I learned the importance and value of accomplishments and mistakes. UC Health has a strong dedication to minority business enterprises. I also served on the Board of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce. Together, these experiences have taught me to value the impact a diverse supply chain has not just on the local community, but on the larger enterprise.
Q: What is a piece of career advice you’ve received along the way, and how does that drive you in your current leadership role?
A: The saying, “The cheap comes out expensive,” has been a driving factor in my career. Meaning, be careful cutting corners.
Q: What is your vision for Uptown and the larger community the ULGSO reaches?
A: My vision would be that all residents in Uptown achieve economic self-reliance, social equality and equal access to a fair and impartial justice system.
Connect with Christie Bryant Kuhns via LinkedIn.