This Class is being offered as a Virtual Class Only.

Learn about the Shocking Subject of “Eugenics”!

Voices haunt the pages of every book. ‘War Against the Weak’ speaks for the never-born, for those whose questions have never been heard—for those who never existed.  Only after the truth about Nazi extermination became known did the American eugenics movement fade.   We are pleased to have Author, Historian and Human Rights Journalist Edwin Black return to EmpowerU. 

Throughout the first six decades of the twentieth century, hundreds of thousands of Americans and untold numbers of others were not permitted to continue their families by reproducing. Selected because of their ancestry, national origin, race, or religion, they were forcibly sterilized, wrongly committed to mental institutions where they died in great numbers, prohibited from marrying, and sometimes even unmarried by state bureaucrats. In America, this battle to wipe out whole ethnic groups was fought not by armies with guns nor by hate sects at the margins. Rather, this pernicious, white-gloved war was prosecuted by esteemed professors, elite universities, wealthy industrialists, and government officials colluding in a racist, pseudoscientific movement called eugenics. The purpose: create a superior Nordic race. War Against the Weak is the gripping chronicle documenting how American corporate philanthropies launched a national campaign of ethnic cleansing in the United States, helped found and fund the Nazi eugenics of Hitler and Mengele — and then created the modern movement of “human genetics.” Some 60,000 Americans were sterilized under laws in 27 states.

Speaker Bio:

Edwin Black is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling international investigative author of 200 award-winning editions in 20 languages in 190 countries, as well as scores of newspaper and magazine articles in the leading publications of the United States, Europe and Israel. With more than 2.2 million books in print, his work focuses on human rights, genocide and hate, corporate criminality and corruption, governmental misconduct, academic fraud, philanthropy abuse, oil addiction, alternative energy and historical investigation. Editors have submitted Black’s work thirteen times for Pulitzer Prize nomination, and in recent years he has been the recipient of a series of top editorial awards. He has also contributed to a number of anthologies worldwide. He hosts the weekly Edwin Black Show. Black’s eleven award-winning bestselling books are IBM and the Holocaust (2001 and 2012), Financing the Flames (2013), British Petroleum and the Redline Agreement (2011), The Farhud (2010), Nazi Nexus (2009), The Plan (2008), Internal Combustion (2006), Banking on Baghdad (2004), War Against the Weak (2003 and 2012), The Transfer Agreement (1984 and 2009), and a 1999 novel, Format C:.

Cleveland Abbe, a world leader in Meteorology and how the first weather forecasts were developed, and much more.

Learn About the Early Days of Modern Meteorology

The talk describes Cleveland Abbe’s legacy and how he became a world leader in the transition to modern Meteorology.   The story will start with Abbe’s early years, and the challenges of his academic development, and how he became the second Director of the Cincinnati Observatory. (Cleveland Abbe shown in picture below).

Starting in Cincinnati with the first daily weather forecast published in the US in 1869, he soon left for Washington, where he acted as Chief Scientist at what would become the National Weather Service.  In a remarkable career that spanned 46 years, he mentored generations of scientists responsible for modern meteorology.

The presentation will also focus on his work in Cincinnati, including how the first weather forecasts were developed, the agreement with the city to provide accurate time, charting the Observatory’s move to Mount Lookout and his contributions towards the development and implementation of international time zones.  Brian Crosby, your instructor will speak about Cleveland Abbe from 7:30-8:30 PM.

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In November, Ohioans will decide whether to enshrine extreme anti-parent abortion measures into the Ohio Constitution. Rachel Citak, attorney and President of Cincinnati Right to Life, will join us to discuss the constitutional issues related to how this amendment will exclude parents, shield abusers, exploit victims of human trafficking, destroy health safety protections for women, and allow abortion through all 9 months.    Rachel will speak to EmpowerU from 7:10-7:30 PM.

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Speaker Bios:

Brian Crosby has had a 40-year business career directing sales, customer service and organizational effectiveness in 3 separate industries – Chemical, Telecommunications and Grocery.

He developed his talents for observing, relating, and progressing while growing up; the family moved multiple times across the country. New physical and social environments required sharp assessment of how to relate and succeed.  Combined with a very strong sense of curiosity, he became very comfortable with change and adaptation while guided by strong grounding principles.

That ongoing curiosity for how things worked and making headway translated into a career. Driving to root cause and solution development led him first to success leading business sales, sales training, and Customer Service operations in the Chemical Industry and then to corporate business process analytics & organizational design at Cincinnati Bell. Later work featured Executive liaison in retail methodology and facilities optimization at the Kroger Company, retiring in 2017.

He holds a BS in Biology/Chemistry and Master Black Belt Certification in Lean/Six Sigma, a quality philosophy and management tool for delivering products and services that perform at high standards. The methodology focuses on reduction of variability and the elimination of waste, leading to increased efficiency and returns on investment.

Brian is a past member of Xavier University’s Williams School of Business Executive Advisory Board. Currently a volunteer at the Cincinnati Observatory, his projects combine his lifelong interests in the history of science and astronomy.

Brian’s very active retirement hobbies include travel, reading, photography and sailing with grandchildren. He and Sue reside in Montgomery, Ohio and are very proud of their 4 children that have all flown away to build nests of their own!

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Rachel Citak- is an attorney and experienced black pro-life advocate. She has appeared as a guest on local and national news, including One America News Network (OANN) Live TV. In addition to serving as a frequent guest on 700WLW and 55KRC, she has authored multiple pro-life Op-Eds published and featured in the Daily Wire, Western Journal, and USA Today network publications— the Columbus Dispatch and the Cincinnati Enquirer. She serves as President of Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati in addition to serving on the Editorial Board for the Cincinnati Enquirer.  She now owns and operates her own law firm RACHEL R. CITAK, ATTORNEY AT LAW LLC.

This Class is being offered as a Virtual Class Only.

Learn the Challenges a Conservative Journalist Encounters in Today’s Media

Breitbart’s Emma Jo Morris joins EmpowerU this evening.  Learn how an unholy alliance among our nation’s Intelligence Community, Social Media, and the Establishment Press silenced Emma’s reporting and kept the American people from learning the truth about the Biden Crime Family.

In Emma’s talk, you’ll learn:

• How Emma-Jo secured the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop
• The hurdles she faced in getting her stories published.
• What it was like for her when her work was published…how it felt to be smeared and ridiculed by the “mainstream media,” and censored by all of social media
• How she endured, and what the move to Breitbart News did to turbo-charge her resolve.
• What the victories large and small really mean:

Some of Emma’s ongoing investigations include New York Times Curated Distorted Hit Piece Targeting Hasidic Jews, Leading to Yeshiva Regulation, spending a day with a Biden migrant who arrived in New York City on a bus sent by Governor Abbot, comprised of mostly adult men, and private school teachers nationwide being trained by Black Panthers to implement race-essentialist and cultural Marxist curriculum.

Speaker Bio:

Emma Jo Morris- Morris earned acclaim for her “laptop from hell” scoops while working as deputy politics editor at the New York Post, reporting some of the most explosive stories about Biden family corruption prior to the 2020 election.  The fallout from her work exposed the machine-like collaboration among Big Tech, the corporate media, the intelligence community, and the Democratic Party to blunt the impact of her stories, thus helping to ensure a Biden win.  

She joined Breitbart News in 2021 as politics editor and testified before Congress in July 2023 about the censorship of her work, preventing the American people from learning the truth about the Biden crime family.   She continues to chase stories of the Bidens’ misdeeds and coverups, discussing them recently on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News. 

Her conservative voice, developed early on at the family dinner table in her native Quebec where her parents insisted on conversation — no TV, no phones – is augmented not only by lessons from her time at the Post, but also from Hannity on the Fox News Channel where she had previously worked as an associate producer.  “They taught me that for conservatives in media, there is a different standard, because we’re surrounded by people waiting for us to slip up.”

This Class is being offered as an In Person Class Only.

Come See the Great Mentalist Bill Gladwell!

*****  “Bill’s show is very unique. I spent the whole time either laughing or trying to figure out how Bill does what he does. It was quick paced and entertaining.”—      Lacey

Bill Gladwell is a Critically Acclaimed Mentalist.   See the unforgettable, interactive, and mesmerizing performance that consistently amazes and entertains audiences around the globe.   Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind experience.

Join EmpowerU tonight and see firsthand the unforgettable experiences that Bill consistently delivers, showcasing his exceptional talent and the lasting impact he has on those fortunate to attend and witness his performance.   His show is sub-titled Hypnosis for Humans and has consistently been the #1 Mentalistm Show in Wisconsin Dells and the #1 rated show in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and the #1 nightlife attraction on Hilton Head Island, SC.

***** “I encourage anyone and everyone to see Bill perform… you will be amazed and awed!!! Thank you, Bill, for such a wonderful and unforgettable evening.” — Susan

Bill has been an EmpowerU speaker before and he is known for his captivating keynotes where he combines entertainment with education.   Bill has helped tens of thousands of humans communicate effectively, ethically influence others, and get what they want.  Bill will be in on our area speaking at another event and has graciously agreed to join us for his GREAT show.   We ask for a $10 donation for this event to help defer Bill’s travel expenses (thanks!).   Tonight’s show will be FUN!

***** “I have seen countless shows, and never have I been so entertained. He had my attention from beginning to end. Bill Gladwell is a MUST-SEE!!!” — Mag

Speaker’s Bio:

Bill Gladwell- Hypnosis, Influence, and Persuasion Authority.  With over three decades of experience, Bill Gladwell has established himself as a leading consultant, speaker, and author in the fields of hypnosis, influence, and persuasion. Empowering countless individuals to communicate effectively, ethically influence others, and achieve their goals. Bill’s expertise can transform your life and career.

“Think ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ but updated, hipper, and more effective.”  (That’s a quote from a seminar attendee, so take it up with her, Dale Carnegie fans!)   As a human interaction specialist, Bill provides valuable insights into group dynamics, making them more predictable and suggestible. Utilize these principles to influence others and hear “yes” more frequently, in less time.

Whether you aim to build strong relationships, boost confidence, improve sales, or enhance negotiation skills, Bill’s expertise can provide you with real-world strategies for success.

This Class is being offered as a Virtual Class Only.

Hone Your Situational Awareness with Personal Safety Expert, Terry Vaughn!

Learn body language and how to filter your surroundings from an expert.    Have you ever wished for a superpower?  D.I.R.T. Dangerous Individual Recognition Training® is the brainchild of Terry Vaughan, a former British Royal Marines Commando. This training is like a safety radar, helping you filter your surroundings and identify potential threats before they even target you.  Tonight, you will learn body language and how to filter your surroundings from an expert.

What’s even better is that you can learn these techniques without being scared! Terry believes that if you know how to maximize your scanning abilities and understand what to look for and when, there’s no need to be stressed. Stress clouds our cognitive abilities, just like a foggy windshield makes it hard to see the road ahead. So, relax, know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and your enemy, and crack on!

Vaughan’s method not only teaches situational awareness and crucial body language signs that can be used to deter a threat. It also helps identify nonverbal cues displayed by an assailant before an attack. By mastering D.I.R.T., we equip ourselves with the true power of vigilance and deterrence and make situational awareness our superpower!

Speaker Bio:

Terry Vaughn- Meet Terry, a distinguished TEDx speaker, body language and personal safety expert, author, and a former British Royal Marines Commando. Terry’s expertise in decoding body language traces back to his childhood, growing up under the heel of a violent father prone to spontaneous bouts of violence. It wasn’t until his time in the military, where he attended training on Body Language and Human Behavior, that Terry discovered his natural talent for deciphering nonverbal cues.

After leaving the Commandos, Terry taught a variety of combatives, and at the same time, pursuing his passion for studying body language acquiring various certifications such as The Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation, The Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation Advanced, Statement Analysis, Facial Profiling, and Paul Ekman’s METT Micro Facial Expressions Training Tool, where he scored expert level during testing.

Today, Terry is highly regarded for his exceptional body language workshops, including D.I.R.T. Dangerous Individual Recognition Training®,  Nonverbal Communication Across Generations, and Mastering Body Language for Leaders.

The knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm Terry brings to his keynotes and workshops are invaluable and are a must-attend for anyone seeking to improve their understanding of nonverbal communication. In addition, Vaughan is also a past competitor on season 4 of the History Channel’s TOP SHOT, a former television host for the BBC and GUNTV, and the author of the popular book, NOT WITH MY DAUGHTER! A Dad’s Guide to Screening Dates and Boyfriends.

Learn about Climate and CO2, learn what your government has in store for you.

What Global Warming Is, What it is Not, and Why it May Ruin Our Economy

You may not know what ESG stands for, and you may have never heard of the UNEP or the IPCC, but they have big plans for you. Their schemes have been in the works since the late 1980s. Virtually a religion now, they and their partners have commitments from most major governments, huge corporations, and many nonprofits to eliminate the use of fossil fuels by the year 2050 and to make substantial progress towards that utopian goal by 2030, less than seven years from now. But the scientific and technical realities are that this goal is almost certainly unattainable. Yet the zealots march on. Some of them have headquarters right in the Queen City.

This class will take you on a whirlwind tour of the science (and the propaganda) behind the powerful drive to fight global warming. You will learn how climate and CO2 – which results from the burning of fossil fuels – have varied over the years – from prehistoric times up to today. You will arm yourselves with provable facts, learn about the many unknowns, and protect yourself from the propaganda masquerading as science that is seemingly everywhere today.

The dangers of this religion are quite real. Imagine a world without gasoline to operate your car, natural gas to heat your home in the winter or electricity to cool it in the summer, fossil fuel refining products that fertilize the crops that you eat, make the clothing that you wear and the ubiquitous plastic products that permeate every aspect of our lives. Do you want to wear wool, flannel, linen, and cotton all the time? And what would breakfast be like without bacon frying on the stove, or a cookout without a juicy steak or hamburger sizzling on a propane-fired grill?

Speaker Bio:

Tom Hagedorn- Tom earned a B.S. in Physical Geography (cum laude) in 1970 from UC. At UC and in graduate school he had 3 years’ experience helping conduct funded, cutting-edge research in air pollution, including co-authoring two papers in peer-reviewed journals and a paper presented at the Air Pollution Control Association’s annual meeting (1970). His primary professor for advanced coursework and his employer in the research projects was one of the world leaders in his field. He earned most of his credits in science and math, with a lot of classes devoted to climatology. He left the world of science for business, but in the past year he has read 14 books on climate change, totaling many thousands of pages, and has also studied reports of the UN and the World Economic Forum urging radical actions to address warming.

Tom has been providing investment advice to individuals for four decades and he still maintains a small practice. In the past, he has presented talks to EmpowerU on western socialism, the socialist influence on American Education, and ESG. When Tom is not involved in this research and teaching, he is involved in various political, charitable, and community activities.

Learn more about Homesteading!

Homesteading & Surviving Economic Collapse 

Leah and Michelle Svensson, also known as the Resistance Chicks, are two sisters who share a passion for self-sufficiency and spreading the truth about current events. They operate a suburban farm and homestead in southern Ohio. They raise pigs and chickens and teach others how to live sustainably.  The sisters have been active online since 2009. They started a DIY Youtube channel focusing on home remodeling, gardening, and canning. However, in January 2017, they pivoted to creating a news commentary program called Resistance Chicks.

They strive to provide relevant news with a healthy dose of humor to make the  truth palatable.  Above all, the Resistance Chicks stand for a righteous America, an America that reflects the values and sacrifices of our Founding Fathers. They have studied history extensively through home education, and public schools and seek to challenge the revisionist narratives taught in schools.  

Leah and Michelle will also discuss homesteading.  Inflation is on the rise, the stock market is shaky, and financial institutions have been imploding. If you are not prepared for what is coming down the line, you could be left out in the cold…literally. The “chicks” will also help you prepare yourself and your family so you don’t just survive but thrive whatever the gloabalists might throw our way. We will cover basic & advanced homesteading skills, what kinds of seeds you have on hand, how do you get started in gold and silver, water and food storage and much more. 

The Resistence Chicks show concludes with the memorable phrase, “It’s not just a Conspiracy Theory if it’s the Truth,” a reminder that reality is often stranger than fiction.

Speakers Bio:

Leah and Michelle Svensson, also known as the Resistance Chicks, are two sisters who share a passion for self-sufficiency and spreading the truth about current events. They operate a suburban farm and homestead in southern Ohio. They raise pigs and chickens and teach others how to live sustainably.

The sisters have been active online since 2009. They started a DIY Youtube channel focusing on home remodeling, gardening, and canning. However, in January 2017, they pivoted to creating a news commentary program called Resistance Chicks.

Leah, who attended Bible college in Tulsa, OK, and has been involved in ministry since her teenage years, brings a unique perspective to the program. The sisters are committed to empowering people with the tools to stand up against tyranny from all directions, and their show has a global audience. They strive to provide relevant news with a healthy dose of humor to make the truth palatable.  Above all, the Resistance Chicks stand for a righteous America, an America that reflects the values and sacrifices of our Founding Fathers. 

The sisters believe spiritual weapons and tools are crucial to dismantling the Deep State and preserving America’s, Godly heritage.  Leah and Michelle Svensson have become passionate advocates for truth and self-sufficiency, through their farm, online presence, and news commentary program. Their message resonates with people globally who seek a better future for themselves and their families.

Hear about Elder scams, let the Prosecutor know what is important to you.

Hamilton County’s New Prosecutor Melissa Powers Visits EmpowerU!

Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers announced the creation of the Elder Justice Unit. As access to and reliance on technology grows,  millions of seniors are abused and targeted by scammers looking to take advantage and exploit our most vulnerable. The Elder Justice Unit will help prevent the financial exploitation and abuse of seniors in Hamilton County by providing resources to law enforcement, banks, and community members.

The Elder Justice Unit will not only prosecute crimes against the elderly, but will also represent Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services as they aim to protect seniors and aid their families in navigating the probate court process through their Adult Protective Services division.  The Prosecutor’s Office has also designated a helpline (946-SCAM) for individuals to contact if they have been scammed, are receiving calls or other electronic communications and think they might be scammed or think a member of their family has been a victim.    If you believe you have information or would like to report a recent scam CALL 946-SCAM.

Melissa Powers will also be with us tonight to take questions and discuss the important issue of crime in Hamilton County.   What about Bail requirements?   How is Hamilton County doing compared with some of the other urban cities?   Are the judges holding criminals accountable?   Melissa will take your questions and bring you up-to-date information including her thoughts on the importance of providing justice and closure to victims of violent crimes and their families.

Speaker Bio:

Melissa Powers began her legal career in 1991 working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Hamilton County’s Juvenile, Municipal, and Common Pleas Courts.  She also practiced in the Appellate Division, arguing cases to the 1^st District Court of Appeals.  Most notably, in 1997, she obtained the confession from Joseph Paul Franklin, a white-supremacist serial killer.  This confession finally solved the 17-year-old double murder of two boys in Cincinnati.

  In 1998, Melissa left the Prosecutor’s Office to begin her private litigation practice, where she specialized in criminal defense and civil litigation. In 2006, Governor Bob Taft appointed Melissa to serve on the Hamilton County Municipal Court.  During her 10 years in the Municipal Court bench, she established the first Hamilton County Veterans Treatment Court that incorporated an innovative team approach and community collaboration to address the unique needs of justice-involved combat veterans. This highly successful treatment court was a model used throughout the State of Ohio as it concentrated on reducing recidivism by focusing on alcohol/drug addiction and Post Traumatic Stress therapy.

In 2016, Melissa was elected to serve on the Hamilton County Juvenile Court.  There, she presided over custody, dependency, and delinquency cases; including hundreds of violent felonies committed by juvenile offenders.  Melissa was the Juvenile Court Administrative Judge from 2020-2022.  As Administrative Judge, Melissa was responsible for managing 300 employees and a $35 million budget.   On January 24, 2023, Melissa was sworn in as Hamilton County Prosecutor to serve the unexpired term of former Prosecutor Joe Deters.

Melissa is a lifelong Cincinnatian, graduating from McAuley High School in 1979, the University of Cincinnati in 1984, and the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991.  She has served on numerous boards, including Cincinnati Works, Operations Legal Help Ohio, Cincinnati Fire Foundation, and the Tri-State Veterans Community Alliance.  Melissa is married and is the proud mother of four children and grandmother of four grandchildren. 

 

Join us for this special Saturday class!

Learn More About Our Nation’s History of Liberty and the Important Bill of Rights!

Before the passage of the Lee Resolution, on July 2, 1776, the basis for the “Declaration of Independence”, the people of the American colonies considered themselves British subjects.   They were aware of the progression of liberty throughout English history.  This discussion will trade the history back to kings of the 8th century and progress through the five major documents from the 12th through the 17th century.   It is a summary, of among other references “Not a Living Breathing Document:  Reclaiming Our Constitution” by Krisanne Hall.

Covered will be documents addressing the following liberties contained in the Declaration and the Constituion:

–True meaning of the separation of church and state

–Limitations to the king’s ability to tax

–Establishment of taxation only through a “representative council.”

–Rights to “due process” and “speedy trial”

–Martial law cannot be imposed in times of peace

–Troops cannot be quartered without consent of residents.

–Prevention of infiltration of foreign laws.

–Right of citizens to possess “arms. …

Liberty is what our nation was founded on. It’s what people died for. What makes the United States different than other countries? John Hindery will discuss 5 major English documents and principles that impacted our Founders and found their way into the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Where have we gone since our country was established?

Speaker Bio:

John Hindery- After being discharged from active duty in the US Marine Corps John worked his way through college as a machinist and toolmaker graduating Suma cum Laude from Xavier university.

John taught the history of the Western Hemisphere and, especially the founding of these United States including foundations and ratification of the US Constitution to over 4,000 individuals since 2010. 

 

This Class is being offered as a Virtual Class Only.

Academic Leftists Eliminating Faculty Members with Unacceptable Beliefs

On April 14, 2023, Dean Charles Rose of Ohio Northern University sent campus security officers and armed town police to a classroom in which tenured law professor Scott Douglas Gerber was teaching to escort him to the dean’s office, where Gerber was told he had to resign or be fired. The only reason provided for this action, despite multiple requests for specifics from Dr. Gerber, was Dr. Gerber’s alleged insufficient “collegiality,” which isn’t even listed in the ONU Faculty Handbook as adequate cause for terminating a tenured professor.

Dr. Gerber suspects the real reason is illegal retaliation for his whistleblowing about how Ohio Northern University’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives have led to illegal hiring and admissions practices. Dr. Gerber’s story has received national attention and is ongoing. Please consider a donations to his legal fund may be made at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/professor-scott-d-gerber-legal-fund

Dr. Gerber also will talk about his new book to be released this fall by Cambridge University Press, ‘Law and Religion in Colonial America: The Dissenting Colonies’. In the book, Dr. Gerber argues that law – charters, statutes, judicial decisions, and traditions – mattered in colonial America, and laws about religion mattered a lot. The legal history of colonial America reveals that America has been devoted to the free exercise of religion since well before the First Amendment was ratified. Indeed, the two colonies originally most opposed to religious liberty for anyone who did not share their views, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, eventually became bastions of it. By focusing on law, Dr. Gerber offers new insights about each of the five English American colonies founded for religious reasons – Maryland, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts – and challenges the conventional view that colonial America had a unified religious history.

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Former Ohio Senate Candidate Mark Pukita will join us on his goal to discuss “The 420K Project–Wake the People Up!”  There has been much research done on what percent of a population needed for a civic movement to reach a tipping point. That number is 3.5%. In Ohio, with a population of about 12M people, 3.5% equates to 420,000 people.

The 2016 and 2020 elections started a movement in Ohio and America. They woke people up. Our goal is to build on this by using every tool available to reach the tipping point, to connect 3.5% of Ohioans, to unite 420,000 of us. We’ll talk about these tools, and how you can be involved, in the 420K/3.5% discussion!

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Speaker Bios:

Scott Douglas Gerber joined the ONU Law faculty in 2001. He is also a longtime member of the Ohio Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He has published ten books and more than 200 articles, book reviews, op-eds, and sundry pieces. He has made approximately 100 presentations, including at Harvard Law School, Princeton University, Stanford Law School, Columbia Law School, and the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society. He is a four-time winner of the Fowler V. Harper Award for excellence in legal scholarship and a three-time recipient of the Daniel S. Guy Award for excellence in legal journalism. In 2022, he was awarded the inaugural Christopher Collier Prize from the Connecticut Supreme Court Historical Society. He also recently won the Teaching Excellence Award and has been named one of the top law professors in Ohio.

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Mark Pukita (pronounced like the banana, Chiquita, with a “p”) was an “America First”, Constitutional-Constructionist, Small-Government, Conservative, Republican, Citizen-Candidate for the US Senate in 2022 from Ohio. He is a successful businessperson and tech entrepreneur.Mark was always an enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, and still is.

Frustrated with the direction of the country and the horrific way President Trump was being treated, Mark decided he had to act and registered with the Federal Election Commission to primary Rob Portman, Ohio’s junior Senator, in October 2019. He is the only candidate who was willing to primary the incumbent, monied, establishment, Portman.Mark was focused on taking America back from career politicians, tech oligarchs, and the academic elite through his BIG-7 / DISRUPT Agenda.

Since getting shellacked in the primary election in May of 2022, Mark has vowed to help other Citizen-Candidates prevail across the US. He founded the Grassroots Freedom Initiative the morning after his primary loss to do just that. To join Mark is his journey to Take America Back, visit GFIOhio.com.

Take 20 with Paul Daughterty, retired sports columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer

Learn How Editorial Decisions are Made at Large Newspapers Like the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Meet Kevin Aldridge, a long-time journalist, who is the Opinion Editor at the Cincinnati Enquirer.  The Enquirer is part of the Gannett Newspaper chain which includes hundreds of brands.   

Tonight, we’ll discuss with Kevin how opinion decisions are made at a major-city newspaper and how stories are covered.  Is the Enquirer free to make its own editorial decisions or is it tied to the views of Gannett?

The goal of tonight’s session is to discuss an entire range of issues like; bias in the news, how we should look at the crime in the city amid other topics like education, race and equity and there will be plenty of time for your questions.  Join us for a view at where journalism is at today.

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What an opportunity to meet Paul Daugherty, recently retired Enquirer sports columnist.  Early on, Paul Daugherty’s wife Kerry and him adopted three mantras intended to guide us along the uncertain path of raising a child with a disability. Little did they know that the three reminders would serve us well in all aspects of their lives.    (Paul and his family are shown below).   

Their three mantras are:

1. Seeing is active, empathetic and engaged. Looking is passive, superficial and judgmental. Take the time to See our daughter for who she is. Don’t look at her and judge who you think she must be.
2. Expect, Don’t Accept. Do not shy from demanding the basic human rights assigned every American. We expected Jilllian to get an appropriate education and fought the public schools for a decade to ensure she would. We didn’t accept that Jillian, because she was born with Down syndrome, would not attend college, get married, work full time and live as typical a life as possible. We expected all that for her and operated within those expectations. Jillian went four years to NKU, has been married eight years, works full time and lives completely independently in an apartment she shares with her husband.
3. Be The Moment. Having a child with a disability forced Kerry and me to slow down. We had no choice. What we discovered was, slow was better. Slow allowed us to see more fully, experience more deeply and act with greater contemplation. Be The Moment is a combination of Live in the Moment and Seize the Day. 

Speaker Bios:

Kevin S. Aldridge, 46, is a Middletown, Ohio native and a veteran, award-winning journalist with nearly 25 years of experience in the news media. He currently works as the opinion and engagement editor for The Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati.com. 

    He is a 1992 graduate of Middletown High School and a 1996 graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio where he earned a B.A. in English.

    In addition to working full-time as a journalist, Aldridge also is an adjunct professor of Journalism at Miami University’s regional campuses in Middletown and Hamilton, Ohio. He is also a board member of Beyond Civility an organization that addresses the challenge we face in trying to bridge the informational and ideological chasms that separate our leaders from each other and from their own diverse constituencies. Aldridge is also the senior pastor of Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bellfontaine, OH. Aldridge is the co-owner of The Ohio Kings, a semi-professional basketball team located in Cincinnati, and the vice president of community partnerships for Kingdom Vision Outreach, a nonprofit that focuses on character development and mentorship through sports, education and motivational speaking.

    In 2018, Aldridge was named one of the best three opinion writers in the state by the Associated Press and the Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists named Aldridge as top opinion writer and best commentary. He was also part of the Pulitzer Prize winning team at The Enquirer In 2018 for the newspaper’s coverage of the heroin epidemic. 

   Aldridge formerly worked as an editor at the Dayton Daily News and the Journal-News of Butler County, two Ohio news publications formerly owned by Cox Media Group.

   Aldridge is married to his beautiful wife of 13 years Marquetta Nichole. They live in West Chester, Ohio.

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Paul Daugherty- Recently retired Enquirer sports columnist, There since 1994, after six years at the deceased Cincinnati Post. Covered every major sporting event in America, as well as five Summer Olympics. Written five books, most notably An Uncomplicated Life, a memoir of raising a daughter born with Down syndrome.Currently writes The Morning Line blog, which can be found at substack.com. 

Two kids,daughter Jillian, son Kelly. One dog (Crazy Chester) and one cat (Otis.)

His wonderful wife of 41 years, Kerry, somehow puts up with him.

Take 20: Ohio Election Integrity Network (OEIN)-Working to Ensure Free, Fair, Transparent and Honest Elections in Ohio.

Civil War Soldier Brought to Life by Jeff McIntire

Jeff McIntire will be portraying the 79^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry which was raised in Warren, Clinton, Clemont, and Hamilton counties.  Focus will be on the Battle of Bentonville, the largest Civil War battle fought in North Carolina, March 19–21, 1865.

The Confederate defeat marked a serious weakening of one of its last surviving major armies but was a significant enough engagement that it convinced Union General Ulysses S. Grant to leave General William T. Sherman in North Carolina. Jeff will touch base on the rest of the war concentrating on the details of clothing, equipment, arms, and personal effects of the Ohio soldier in the American Civil War.

Jeff’s impersonations cover all sides of a controversy (white settlers vs. indigenous people, Union vs. Confederate soldiers), giving the common person’s perspective and way of life.  He incorporates either authentic or reproduced artifacts into his talks.  While giving an impersonation, he finds it best to speak from a third person viewpoint.  He finds that in this way, he can convey more information as he isn’t constrained as to what he can or can’t say and has found it makes for a better conversation.    Jeff’s presentation will take place from 7:30-8:30 PM.

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Ohio Election Integrity Network “OEIN” is a collaborative team of Election Integrity “EI” groups and volunteers throughout the State of Ohio. The mission of “OEIN” is to establish a trusted statewide infrastructure, comprising of a network of Ohio “EI” groups and County “EI” task forces, to ensure secure and legitimate election processes.

“OEIN” is currently working with over 30 Ohio counties, while constantly establishing new “EI” groups in counties throughout the state.  In building statewide working groups and task forces, their goal is to improve the election process in the following areas.

* Legislation – Working closely with Ohio Legislators on Election Bills such as, HB458 passed in December 2022, plus current proposed legislation SB51 and SB71.  “OEIN” is affiliated with the national Election Integrity Network “EIN’ which includes a 20 state coalition.  Partnering with “Virginia Institute” (virginiainstitute.org), “The Heritage Foundation” (heritage.org), “America First Legal”(aflegal.org), “Whos Counting” (whoscounting.us), “EIN” has built an effective network covering all aspects of election matters.

“OEIN’ works closely with Ohio Freedom Action Network “OhioFAN” (ohiofan.com), which has been instrumental in promoting “OEIN”.  Sandie Zimmerman and Eileen Watts will discuss the successful establishment of the Ohio Election Integrity Network and the progress that has been made building statewide working groups to make improvements to Ohio’s election integrity.   Our election integrity program will take place from 7:10-7:30 PM.

Speaker Bios:

Jeff McIntire has studied wilderness survival and early Ohio white and native historic impressions from the early days of this country through the Civil War.  He is a 1988 graduate of Clinton Massie High School and attended Mount Vernon Nazarene College.  He became hooked on history when his parents took him to see the outdoor drama of Tecumseh when he was five years old.  Throughout his life, he has studied wilderness survival and incorporates that knowledge into the early Ohio white and/or native historic impressions he presents at historic venues and in presentations to groups.

Jeff recently returned from a several days reenactment at Gettysburg and also recently participated as a Union soldier in the Sharon Woods military timeline event.

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Eileen Watts of Delaware County Republicans Central Committee and Women’s Club past President, Founder of Ohio United 4 America, part of the original Ohio Women for Trump and Alternate Delegate for Trump 2020. I was in the Salon Industry 1978-2004  and from 2004 on have been passionately engaged in Ohio’s politics on a local, statewide and National Campaign level as well as on issues concerning Education, Healthcare, Elections & Freedom!.

Sandie Zimmerman “OEIN” cabinet member – Citizen Journalist for “The Ohio Roundtable” – “OhioFAN” SW Regional Coordinator –  “Westchester Tea Party” member – “John Birtch Society” member.Marketing degree & Artist in many mediums.  An official watcher of the “24-7” 9 live feed cameras for the Arizona 2020 election 4-month Forensic Audit. Been involved in “Election Integrity” early 2021.

Take 20: Brendan Murray on "Beneath the Maze"- Society often feels like a maze, why is that?

Some surprising facts of Benjamin Franklin!

Wait, who was Silence Dogood anyway??  With natural curiosity and the rare ability to creatively think through a problem and work on experiments to invent solutions to improve it, the life of Ben Franklin is worth study.  We’ll explore the many facets of Benjamin Franklin – some familiar and some surprising!  

From teenage runaway to printer and self-taught writer to loyalist of England finally to reluctant revolutionary and diplomat – expect to learn something new and to be inspired.  Many of his inventions we are currently using today – ever notice lightning rods at the top of church towers, not to mention at the top of larger buildings?  That is one example.  Franklin was integral in the writing of our Constitution.  You’ll learn all about it – come join in!    Karen will discuss Ben Franklin from 7:30-8:30 PM.

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7:10-7:30 PM–Brendan Murray’s Podcast “Beneath The Maze” takes a deep dive that explores the truth behind our social and political environment.   Meet Brendan and learn about his project.   Brendan will discuss the forces that are creating the chaos and confusion in society, and more importantly how, and why?   Who built this maze?  In order to answer that question, we need to dig deep, and in doing so, we will answer some of the more difficult questions that even the biggest names have not brought to light.

In a world where everything is free, who works? What does a politician say in a perfect society? Who is more afraid of death, those who are religious or those who are not? These questions, and so many more, are critical to understanding how society works, and how the corrupt regime controls people in society, like pawns on the political chess board.

Speaker Bios:

Karen Cartier: Karen is an avid reader, writer, learner, wife, and mother of two.  She has worked in IT as a technical writer for over 30 years and is currently working full-time in IT.  Outside of her paying job, she serves as an officer in Toastmasters International as well as a volunteer Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Brendan Murray- 34-year-old father of 4 young children – Studied engineering and worked in construction management for over 10 years. Started a political podcast called ‘Beneath The Maze’ in 2022. Writer and social media influencer. I commonly say that I am addicted to problem solving. In order to solve a problem, one must know the cause of it. Question everything!

Bernie Moreno is conservative, an outsider, and not a politician.

Hear from Bernie Moreno!

Bernie Moreno built one of the largest dealership groups in America from scratch, right here in Ohio. Now, he’s ready to go to Washington and fight. Bernie’s plan to create a growing middle class, and ensure the American Drean is accessible to anyone, regardless of their background.   Bernie has lived the American Dream with his wife of 32 years, Bridget, by his side. Together they have four children and one grandchild.  He believes in hard work, risk taking and helping the community. That’s the American Dream and that’s been Bernie Moreno’s life that he hopes to take to Washington D.C. as a Senator.

Bernie’s plan is to empower parents to make education choices, secure America’s borders and destroy the Mexican Drug Cartels, restore the integrity of our elections, massively and reduce anti-growth regulations.  Bernie has also pledged to cut government spending, end inflation, counter the threat of Communist China, hold Big Tech accountable, break up big media, protect moms, protect families, protect life, ensure safe communities, restore American energy independence, allow free markets to work, term limits for members of Congress, restore American manufacturing, and defend our Constitutional rights, especially the Second Amendment.

The Moreno campaign offers a plan that promises much to the Citizens of Ohio.    Tonight, you will get to meet Bernie Moreno and ask him important questions.

Speaker Bio:

Bernie Moreno is proof that the American Dream exists. He’s lived it. He came to America, legally, from South America.  He began his career as an intern at General Motors in 1987. Less than 20 years later, Bernie was offered the opportunity to purchase the most underperforming Mercedes-Benz dealership in the country. Bernie sold everything he owned, borrowed the college tuition for his nieces & nephews from his sister, and his mother mortgaged her house. 

Bernie purchased that dealership and in the first year, turned it around. Over 10 years, the Bernie Moreno Companies expanded to 15 buildings, 30 brands, four states, and hired nearly one thousand Ohioans. Then, Bernie Moreno sold most of his car dealerships in 2019. That year, he launched a technology start-up called Ownum, with the mission to digitize paper processes like car titles, in turn improving government efficiency.

Trains and train displays, something all ages male and female enjoy. You will learn things in this class about trains that you never knew.

All Aboard the EmpowerU Train! – Come and Learn Something New About Trains!

Mark Fenbers has been fascinated by trains since he was 4!!…model trains, “backyard trains” (similar to the train at the Cincinnati Zoo), and the Cincinnati Dinner Train. His talk will weave the personal story of his life-long love affair with trains into a fascinating talk about trains, which have been both a life-long hobby and a business for him. He will talk about the intriguing worlds of model trains, backyard trains (mini railroads), and even the Cincinnati Dinner Train.

Mark built his first model train layout at 12. By 25 he had his own apartment, which included a layout in the living room. By 35 he had a layout in the basement of the home where he and his wife raised 5 boys. Over the next two decades he started selling model train sets online and joined three different model train clubs. He has been working part-time for the Cincinnati Dinner Train as a conductor, which he will also describe. And this passion all began for him as a 4-year-old watching trains operate at a small railyard at Glenway and Boudinot on the west side.    Do you have an interest in trains for yourself, a child, a grandchild.   Join us tonight and find out how to get “on-board!”

Speaker Bio:

Mark Fenbers never pursued his boyhood dream of becoming a train engineer. He was “derailed” by the sight of the devasting tornados that hit his beloved west side in 1974 and instead decided upon a career in Meteorology. He spent several years at WLW-TV and then moved on to the National Weather Service (NWS). A few years ago, after a 40-year career, he retired as a Senior Meteorologist with the NWS at Wilmington only to start a new career.

Mark now operates “Love on Rails”, where he custom designs and builds 1/8 scale mini railroads for backyards in the tri-state. Believe it or not, they can easily fit into the back yard of a ½ acre lot and can cost as little as $7,500 (or up to $35,000 or so with all the “bells and whistles” – pun intended). He has spoken about trains to a couple groups, including the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA). He also develops and sells circuit boards for model trains. It’s impossible to predict what project this former Meteorologist will take on next!

Join us for the 82^nd Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Join us for the 82^nd Anniversary of the Japanese Attack at Pearl Harbor.  The sudden surprise military attack of our U.S. naval base by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service comprised of warplanes, aircraft carriers, destroyers and midget submarines took place on a Sundy morning at 8 am on December 7, 1941.

Managing Board Member Dan Regenold will walk you through the moments of that day for the sailors, the soldiers, the pilots, the diplomats, and the politicians.  Learn about the shock that the bombing produced in civilians and the confusion of US commanders.   What happened between the Governments of the United States and Japan that could have caused this devastation that ended in the killing of 2,403 men. 

Was the attack a repercussion of America’s military buildup in the Philippines, or the ceasing of oil exports to Japan in July 1941.   Did President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s foreign policy team miss key signs which might have caused the largest foreign policy misstep in America’s history?  Was Roosevelt’s refusal to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Konoye a factor?  Learn about the role of General Douglas MacArthur who was named commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Far East!   What was America’s response to the attack?

We will watch the military strike unfold blow-by-blow and take place as a complete surprise.  And we will also learn about the Japanese and American perspectives of this historical drama.   Who in the Government was held accountable after-the-fact for what happened at Pearl Harbor?  Tonight, hear the story of Pearl Harbor and the details and what really happened in a way you have never heard it before.

Speaker Bio:

Dan Regenold: Dan first became active in Government in 2003 when he became involved fighting Eminent Domain and helping stop it in Evendale and in Norwood, Ohio. In 2006, he was one of the founders of WeDemandAVote.com which successfully fought and stopped, by ballot initiative, a sales tax increase in Hamilton County, Ohio. Later WeDemand stopped Red Light Cameras in Hamilton County.   

Regenold spoke at the CPAC Convention in 2008 to discuss major Grassroots initiative actions across the United States.   In 2009, Dan was unsuccessful in his efforts to bring accountability to the Federal Government’s finances with a citizen lead initiative WeDemandABalancedBudget.com (the bill was introduced to the United States Congress).  In 2010 Regenold was one of three leaders of the initiative to End Ohio’s Estate Tax which happened in 2011. The Tax Foundation called the repeal of Ohio Estate Tax one of the most important Tax accomplishments of 2011. In 2011 Regenold founded EmpowerUAmerica.org (starting it’s 25th semester in Fall 2022), a Free University offered in the Greater Cincinnati area with the goal of “empowering” citizens. 

In 2014, Regenold was one of the leaders of the effort to separate Music Hall from a County Wide Sales Tax which helped the Museum Center renovation get passed by the voters of Hamilton County.   Dan has recently concentrated his efforts on the mess of Public Education in Ohio and specifically on topics like School Choice and Critical Race Theory.   Similarly, Dan helped led an EmpowerU initiative InGodWeTrustProject.com to teach students about the history of our National Motto.

Dan is a lover of Liberty and enjoys speaking to EmpowerU classes about subjects he is passionate about.  Recently he has discussed:  Milton Friedman, Saul Alinsky, , D-Day, The Deficit, America,  Public Education, Winston Churchill, President Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Sowell and Sam Adams at EmpowerU Classes.   Regenold is founder and Chairman of FrameUSA.com, a Made-In-America picture frame manufacturing company in Springdale, Ohio.

Special Saturday Field Trip!

At this time, we are at maximum capacity. Thank you for your interest!

We have scheduled a tour of the historic Christian Waldschmidt Homestead Museum for Saturday, September 30^th starting at 1:00.  This past semester, we had Darlene West speak to us about the property and the house – now’s your chance to see it in person!

It’s in Camp Dennison.  The address on Glendale Milford Rd., which incidentally is not the same street that I take constantly to get to I-75 and points east of Wyoming!  It’s just outside Montgomery and Indian Hill, and not hard to find. The address for the Homestead Muesum is 7567 Glendale Milford Rd, Camp Dennison, OH 45111.

Christian Waldschmidt was a German immigrant and veteran of the Revolutionary War.  As a result of his service, he got a land grant for a site near the Little Miami River, built a home, and started a community.

During the Civil War, the Waldschmidt Homestead and surrounding grounds were part of Camp Dennison, which was a mustering center used for recruiting and training troops.  It also served as a hospital after the Battle of Shiloh.

Later on, it fell into disrepair.  Eventually it was donated to the Ohio Daughters of the American Revolution, who have restored it and brought in a vast number of household items of the period, as well as locating some items that were originally in the house.  Their collection is equal to any historic home you might visit on the east coast or in Europe.  The DAR ladies lead the tours, and their wealth of knowledge is totally amazing!

The cost for the tour is $8.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors, and $4.00 for students and is paid the day of the tour. This would be great to take your children or grandchildren to see!

We need to provide Darlene with a headcount 10 days before the 30^th so she can make sure she had enough docents to keep the tours relatively small in number. 

We thought it would be great if we could combine the tour with a dinner at the neighboring Schoolhouse Restaurant!  This is an original schoolhouse built in 1864 that operated as party of the Hamilton County School District from 1870-1952.  There are many school-related artifacts decorating this building as well dating from the years it operated.  The Schoolhouse has a history of its own! It’s been a restaurant since the 1960’s, and serves a homestyle menu with fried chicken, fish, roast beef, fried steak, etc. served family style.  If you’ve never been there, it’s a real treat!

We have reached the limit for sign-ups for those going to the restaurant. Thank you for your interest! Attendees will be responsible to pay for their own meal. 

The Address for the Schoolhouse restaurant is 8031 Glendale Milford Rd, Camp Dennison, OH 45111.

This Class is being offered as a Virtual Class Only.

To Watch a Complete Recording of this Class–Click Here

Required Reading:   Tennessee to Consider Cutting off Federal Government Funding for Education–Click Here

Required Viewing 2:  Senator’s Press Conference today on the “Unmitigated Disaster” at the Border

Stopping the Indoctrination of Our Youth!

Hear the founder of Gays Against Groomers, Jaimee Michell, speak on the importance of finding your courage to fight to end the war on children being waged under the guise of LGBTQ+ acceptance.

In recent years there has been a push to sexualize, indoctrinate and medicalize our youth at the hands of the radical LGBTQ+ mob, as well as every major industry and institution in this nation. Not able to sit around anymore and let this continue in her name, Jaimee started the organization Gays Against Groomers to fight back against it from inside the community. She knew that the majority of gays and lesbians did not agree with what was happening, and that they needed a unified front to combat what was happening.

In this class, learn about the origin of Gays Against Groomers, the motivations behind this assault on children, and how to stop it.  Jaimee will be speaking from 7:40-8:30 PM.

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Tom Brinkman will speak from 7:10-7:40 PM.  He will discuss three issues that will be on the November ballot.  These issues are the 1) Zoo Levy for Hamilton County voters,  2) The Library levy for Hamilton County voters and 3) the sale of the Cincinnati Railroad for Cincinnati voters. 

Should these issues pass how will it impact the pocketbook of the voters and what benefits if any are promised with this request for an increase in tax dollars. Is Hamilton County spending their current revenues judiciously and what can be done to control costs.

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Speaker Bios:

Jaimee Michell is a name that has been making waves in the world of activism lately. As the founder and president of the nonprofit Gays Against Groomers, she and her organization have been fighting to end the sexualization, indoctrination and medicalization of children that is being done in the name of “LGBTQIA+”.

Prior to Gays Against Groomers, she was best known as her online persona, The Gay Who Strayed, where she accumulated over 250,000 followers. She has also worked in the conservative media and consulting space as a digital media designer for over 4 years.

Thomas E. Brinkman Jr. is 65 years old and lives in the Cincinnati neighborhood with his wife of 40 years, Cathy. Together they have raised six children and are enjoying their seven grandchildren, so far.  Tom served 16 years in the Ohio General Assembly: (2001 to 2008) and (2015 to 2022) and is a veteran of 18 contested Republican primary and General elections. Tom is a co-founder of the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes and continues to fight unnecessary infringements upon our personal and financial freedom.

The Southern Border Mess is Coming to Ohio and a State Near You...

To View a Complete Recording of This Class – Click Here

Required Reading:  Secure the Border Act Introduced to Senate September  18–Click Here

Hear From Othal Brand, our Speaker from McAllen, Texas Trip

Othal Brand, businessman and lifelong resident of McAllen, Texas will be speaking at EmpowerU on what it is like to live on the border today and what it was like in the past. He will tell you how businesses and homeowners have been impacted by this migration of illegals coming into the United States. He has encountered the Cartel and carries a gun wherever he goes. There is drug trafficking, human smuggling, and crime.   Many of it comes across the incomplete Border Wall shown below.

He will tell you what the government is doing to help with resources and safety, and what they are not doing. And, what about the American children in these border towns? Are they losing their education because teachers are trying to educate children of many different languages. How does Othal’s life as a child growing up in McAllen differ from his children and grandchildren’s today?   Find out what life is like for the businesses and people that live their lives close to the Rio Grande.

It is said that every state is now a border state, but living in the Midwest we don’t routinely pull dead bodies out of the river, we don’t carry a gun when we go to work, and we don’t encounter the Cartel, etc. In Ohio it doesn’t feel like a border state, yet!  We watch on television the illegals crossing into the United States, but when the television goes off and we are not impacted by this migration it makes it easy to dismiss as if this is happening somewhere other than the United States.   This class is a follow up to EmpowerU’s visit to the Southern Border on June 26, 2023.  (See Leigh Ann, George, Betty and Dan).

Othal will tell you that what is going on in Texas is coming to your town. This is your opportunity to hear directly from someone who is living this nightmare and be able to ask questions as to what exactly is coming.  Othal will tell you “This is not America”.   Joining us for tonight’s class will be our friends from American’s for Prosperity that helped make the trip to the border and Othal’s visit here possible.

Speaker Bio:

Businessman and elected official, Othal E Brand, Jr. has lived in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas for over 68 years.  He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1976, and worked for the family business, Griffin & Brand and Trophy International for over 30 years.  The companies were the largest grower and shipper of fruits and vegetables in the state of Texas and the largest grower of onions in the world during that time. His family had farming operations on property directly on the Rio Grande River, as well as in nine states in the United States, and in the countries of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

Mr. Brand presently runs O.E. Investments, a communications company located in the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio, Texas since 1982. He has also served in public office for 20 years, as an elected official for Hidalgo County Water Improvement District No. 3.  He has served as President and General Manager for 18 years and still serves today.  The District’s Headquarters is in McAllen, Texas, and its main facilities, including pump station, are located on the embankment of the Rio Grande River in Hidalgo, Texas.

Mr. Brand also serves as a board member of Valley Baptist Mission/Education Center in Harlingen, Texas.  He has served on the board of trustees for 22 years of which 18 of those years as chairman.  He has been a charter family member of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, Texas for 67 years.

This Class is Being Offered as an In Person Class Only.

This Class is Sponsored by Douglas and Terry Robinson

EmpowerU’s Opening Night with Music, Friends and Potluck!

This Class is Live in the Studio Only!

From the soles of their iconic white socks to the tops of their famous Fedoras, The Sensational Soul Brothers give you and your audience a show they will remember for a long time to come. Performing the great R&B and Soul classics from the 1980 original Blues Brothers film, along with several songs from the Blues brothers 2000 movie, their 1978 concert tour and their appearances on Saturday Night Live. The Sensational Soul Brothers add their own original comedy bits while staying  true to the great music of that era and we throw in a couple of surprises every show with lots of audience participation.

This class will be offered in-person only, please register below below–as seating is limited– and don’t miss this class!   We encourage for you to attend the potluck before the show that starts at 6:00 PM.  Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share.  Also, feel free to bring adult beverages to the event and potluck if you choose to.  EmpowerU will provide Sloppy Joes and Sides!    Otherwise, the show starts at 7:00 PM and runs until 8:30 PM.

Speaker Bios:

For the last 10 years, Lonnie Freeman (Jake) and Malcolm Spence (Elwood) have been entertaining audiences throughout Ohio as The Sensational Soul Brothers.

Lonnie, in addition to recapturing the look and vocal stylings of John Belushi from The Blues Brothers, is an Elvis Tribute Artist both with a complete backing band or using pro backing tracks. Lonnie has been entertaining audiences as an ETA for the last 30 years throughout the USA. 

Whether it is the 1960s or 1970’s Las Vegas days that he is performing, Lonnie has the looks, moves and voice to maintain a performance of remarkable authenticity.  Lonnie is the whole “Elvis Package.” You can always count on him to be respectful of the legacy of Elvis! 

A dedicated performer, Lonnie provides a very high-energy, interactive show that you and your audience will not soon forget. Lonnie will keep your audiences rockin’ and rollin’ all night long!

Malcolm has been recreating the performance of Dan Ackroyd as Elwood Blues right down to his harmonica solos and dance moves. Malcolm does a solo singer/songwriter act (The Eclectic Campfire). Malcolm’s Eclectic Campfire show makes him known as the man of 1000 songs. Whether you want soft background music for your event, or a full-out party sing-along evening Eclectic Campfire can deliver a grand-slam of entertainment.  

Specializing providing music for Birthday/Anniversary Parties, Class Reunions, Banquets or just your backyard gathering, An Eclectic Campfire show material consists of Pop Rock and Country music from the 1950s-1980s (song list available on request), all done in a unique guaranteed-to-entertain style. 

Hear from Naomi Wolf speaking at Hillsdale College discussing what was in the Pfizer Documents that were recently unclassified.

Required Reading:   Heritage Foundation:  How to Fix the FBI–Click Here

Required Reading #2:  Michael Mercier’s column US Cost to Ukraine is Unsustainable

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Click HERE to watch “Killed For Profit” Video with Dr. David Martin

Click HERE to watch Naomi Wolf Speak at Hillsdale College about “What’s in the Pfizer Documents.”

Naomi Wolf Shares What is Stated in the Pfizer Documents at Hillsdale College – There’s More Going on Than You Think 

Join EmpowerU to watch this shocking video of Naomi Wolf as she delves into and discloses what was written in the Pfizer documents. The modern pharmaceutical industry has in many ways proved itself a great benefit to mankind, making health- and life-saving drugs and vaccines widely available. But its reputation has come under attack in the wake of America’s opioid epidemic and the COVID pandemic. This fourth and final CCA of the 2022-23 academic year will consider the rise of Big Pharma, its role in the declining state of American health, and ideas for reform. (Credit to https://freedomlibrary.hillsdale.edu)

The Pfizer documents were published in 2022 after a federal judge in Texas ordered the Food and Drug Administration to make public the data it relied on to license Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, accelerating the schedule to get the data published. This makes it around 75 years faster than the FDA said it could take to complete a Freedom of Information Act request. There’s an estimate of 450,000 pages about the vaccine. The FDA proposed on publishing 500 pages a month and U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman Pittman ordered to have 55,000 pages published a month so the data would be completely public within around 8 months instead of 75 years. Read more about the FDA accelerate publishing the documents HERE.

This speech was given on March 6, 2023, during a Hillsdale College CCA seminar on “Big Pharma.” There seems to be more going on than vaccinating a virus that we are not made aware of.

“If you have to be persuaded, reminded, pressured, lied to, incentivized, forced, bullied, socially shamed, guilt-tripped, threatened, punished and criminalized … If all of this is considered necessary to gain your compliance – you can be absolutely certain that what is being promoted is not in your best interest” – Ian Watson

The video is around an hour long so we will have about 20-25 minutes for discussion afterwards. As always, popcorn is provided!

Orlando Sonza will talk about Issue 1. Special interest groups from the coasts are trying to buy an amendment to Ohio’s constitution.  Before voting this November, you should know the truth about what this amendment would do to the founding documents of our state, as well as what it would do to your family and your relationship to your children.

Naomi Wolf has written multiple books, has also worked as a journalist and political consultant. Wolf attended Yale University, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English literature in 1984. Wolf completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in English literature in 2015 at Oxford.

Naomi is also the CEO of DailyClout, a media company with the mission to empower people by providing information and opinion from all viewpoints and perspectives to help people be well informed and not just get one side of an issue.

Orlando Sonza- Orlando is proud to be an Ohioan. A second generation Filipino American, Orlando was raised in New Jersey and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. While there he met his wife, Jessica, a Mexican/Filipino American, fellow Academy classmate, and Cincinnati native.

Orlando graduated top ten in his class at West Point where he majored in political science and minored in systems engineering. Upon graduation, he and Jessica both commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Orlando served on active duty as an Infantry Officer and Finance Officer with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. After leaving active duty, Orlando and Jessica moved to Cincinnati to raise a family. While helping to raise their kids, Orlando obtained his master’s degree in taxation from the University of Cincinnati and his law degree from Georgetown Law. Orlando is an Ohio CPA with experience working in Big 4 Accounting as a senior tax accountant. While in law school, he was a legal intern at the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal & Tax Divisions. Orlando currently works at the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.

 Orlando and Jessica currently live in Springfield Township with their four children.

This Class is Perfect for Homeschoolers!

Let’s get the kids educated on the Constitution!   Free Best Buy Gift Cards to the first 25 students to sign up!

This is your child’s, grandchild, or relative to attend a special Constitution Boot Camp just for them.  Homeschoolers this class is perfect for you!

Join us for this one-day, seminar style, class that will give you a working knowledge of the US Constitution including its purpose, and true meaning. You will leave with an understanding of the founder’s intentions for our nation and the ways in which we are dangerously off-course.  This course will help students to learn to recognize when political power is legitimate and when it is being usurped- and what can be done about it!

The first step to restoring our Constitutional Republic is teach the public to understand the Constitution and the limits it places on our federal government.  Kids–up to college age–we want you to learn about your constitution.    By attending each student will receive The Handbook for We the People, The Federalist Papers, Bastiat’s The Law and The Precinct Guide.

Free $25 Best Buy Gift Cards to the first 25 students (College age and Under) who sign up and complete the class. Let’s Educate the Kids!  Space in this class is limited to 45.   We will start out until July 8, just accepting reservations from kids.   If the spaces in this class do not fill up we will open this class to the public.

Lunch will be provided.

Speaker Bios:

Jim Lewis: Marine, retired Sales Representative, co-founder of Building Blocks for Liberty, currently teaching American History, World History and the US Constitution for homeschoolers in the PEP program at the Mason location. Jim has been interested in history since childhood. During his down time, he continues to read books on history, types of governments and law.

John Hindery: Marine, retired Accountant, co-founder of Building Blocks for Liberty, currently teaching American History and the US Constitution for homeschoolers in the northern Kentucky area. John has been interested in history since 5^th grade, worked on the Nixon and Goldwater Campaigns and continues to read books on the founders and presidents.

Rick Herron: Navy, IT Specialist, currently teaching the importance of Central Committee throughout the Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana region for over four decades. He co-founded the Platform Republicans educating conservatives in becoming precinct executives. Rick wrote and self-published a book entitled, “Actually Making a Difference” which explains how important the local level participation can determine local, county, state and national candidates.

Each man specializes in specific areas that compliments the BBFL mission. As part of the military, Jim, John and Rick took an oath to support and defend the US Constitution which led them to teaching. Our class focuses on the Founding Fathers wisdom, Natural Law, types of governments and much, much more. Each instructor recognized the need to teach what the Founding Fathers gave us so out of frustration US Constitution Boot Camp was born. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and all volunteers. The donations received help us further focus on educating the younger generations through scholarships. 

Dennis Quaid's Documentary-An alarming look into the potential of life without power.

Join EmpowerU at the Movies!   The Popcorn is on us! 

A dynamic legion of energy, economic, national security, and infrastructure experts fearlessly expose our most critical global threat: the vulnerability of our nation’s power grids. Together they inform the public of imminent threats and the infinite horrors in store from prolonged power loss. Grid failure is a real and imminent threat, a devastatingly deadly occurrence leading to life-threatening shortages of heat, food, and water. If protective measures are not taken, we will experience catastrophic failures leaving citizens in states of starvation, death, destruction, and darkness for months.

The U.S. power grid is aging and already struggling to meet current demand. It faces a future with more people — people who drive more electric cars and heat homes with more electric furnaces. Our electric utility companies have not implemented sufficient precautions to protect our grid and are well aware of the dangers. Numerous readily available grid safety solutions exist. These viable innovations must be rapidly instituted to protect our grid against known threats and hazards. As the demand for grid protection expands, brilliant minds will undoubtedly develop even more innovative ideas to secure our grid and protect our power. Promising fortification concepts have been developed by wise executives and utility engineers who understand that strict guidelines and protection measures may (hopefully) become required by law. Consistent citizen pressure must continue to pass legislation requiring utility companies to implement existing protective protocols while encouraging them to forge further state-of-the-art safeguards. Our goal at ‘GDPU’ is to ensure the grid never goes down!

Producer/Director David Tice- CEO of Paul Revere Films LLC., Executive Producer and Financier of the major motion picture, Soul Surfer, released in 2011. In the last two years, Tice has completed production of the ‘electrifying’ award winning feature documentary about the vulnerability of our nation’s power grid, entitled Grid Down, Power Up. The documentary will serve as a springboard to initiate an organized social action movement to secure our nation’s power grid.

(Credit to GridDownPowerUp.com for Text and Images)

This Trip is Sponsored by Americans for Prosperity

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading: DeSantis Says He Will Look To End Birthright Citizenship If Elected –The Daily Wire–Click Here

The Border Mess-What You Need to Know…

EmpowerU will be joining Americans for Prosperity Ohio to visit the border town in McAllen, Texas (near Brownsville) and report back on the conditions that we find.  Every town in the United States is now a border town, and as we must accept the reality, for now, that many migrants will be coming to Ohio and staying in Ohio.  It is important that we look at the border problem and try to understand it. 

Tonight, in this live class, EmpowerU will report on the conditions that we have found at the Southern Border. We will explain our visit to the physical border, show you pictures and video we have taken, and introduce you to key leaders in the area. We will also discuss our visit with Catholic Charities we have met with to examine the humanitarian implications of not securing the border.   We hope to present an individual family that has recently come across the border and discuss their story with you. 

We will also be introducing you to other Ohioans that are on the trip and have them explain to you what they have seen, and their thoughts about the border situation. Our overriding mission with this trip is to make information more available to you to allow you to discuss the border with Ohio’s leaders, your family and friends.    

Join us as EmpowerU visits the Southern Border with our friends from Americans for Prosperity Ohio.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Compare Gannett’s reporting on the Ohio Parent’s Bill of Rights and then compare it to the Actual Legislation on HB8  MediaAccountabilityProject.org

Hear From Igor Rud, a Ukraine Native, On the Russian Invasion in Ukraine

Hear what’s really going on in Ukraine and what our news is not telling us. Hear from Igor’s experience from hearing Ukrainian news and seeing the preliminary events firsthand.

Starting in 1991 with the Independence Declaration to the Revolution of Dignity to present day, Igor will describe the facts that led up to the invasion. Could the full-scale invasion have been prevented? Why did the Russian forces advance so quickly? How was the missile cruiser Moscow destroyed? How did Russia attempt to destroy Ukrainian infrastructure? These topics will be covered in this class.

Speaker Bio:

Igor Rud was born and raised in Ukraine and moved to the United States in 2016. He has a degree in Mathematics from Kharkiv State University and an advanced degree from Kharkiv State Academy of Municipal Economy. Igor has worked as a software engineer for over 20 years.

EmpowerU is pleased to partner with the Springdale Police Department to bring this class to the public.

Required Reading:   Clinton’s Sock Drawer and Trump’s Boxes

Click HERE to view the complete recording of the class

Officer Keenan Riordan will be giving an Active Shooter Presentation based on the Run, Hide, Fight model.  The presentation will discuss ways to prevent, what to do, and an empowering mindset if such an event should occur in your presence. 

Active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearm(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Most of these cases have occurred in locations where the shooter has been undeterred and unobstructed from carrying out their attack. The incident locations have often been described as soft targets with limited active security measures or armed personnel to provide protection for members of the public. In most instances, shooters have either taken their own lives, been shot by police, or surrendered when forced with a confrontation by law enforcement.

Everyone can help prevent and prepare for potential active shooter situations. This course provides guidance to individuals, so that they can prepare to respond to an active shooter situation.

This Class will NOT be recorded for playback, so please register!

Speaker Bio:

Officer Keenan Riordan is a 25-year veteran of the Springdale Police Department.  He is a firearms instructor and spent 14 years as a member of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team in Hamilton County.  After working for years as a patrol officer and detective, Keenan now serves as the Community Service Officer in Springdale. 

Daniel Regenold to Perform Neil Young Songs Starting at 6:15 PM

Click here to log on to zoom after 6:15

We Encourage You To Attend This Class in Person–For Maximum Enjoyment!  It will be LOUD, and Fun!

“Back then people closed their eyes and listened to music” – Neil Young

Neil Young is one of the most influential songwriters and guitarists of his generation, known for recording such favorites as ‘Old Man,’ ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘Heart of Gold.’  Born in Canada in 1945, Neil Young arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1960s and co-founded the band Buffalo Springfield. He earned fame both as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSN&Y) and as a solo artist, writing and recording such timeless songs as “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black),” “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Heart of Gold”—a No. 1 hit.

Nicknamed the “Godfather of Grunge” for his undeniable influence on that genre.  In the 1960’s Neil began making the rounds on the Canadian folk circuit, rubbing elbows with other up-and-coming Canadian musicians, including fellow folk singer Joni Mitchell and the rock band the Guess Who.   In Los Angeles in 1966, Young ran into Stephen Stills and soon thereafter, Young, Stills, Palmer Ritchie Furay and Dewey Martin formed Buffalo Springfield.   They debut self-titled album including the hit “For What It’s Worth” became a Top 10 hit.  In 1968 a strain inside Buffalo Springfield led him to strike out on his own.  Buffalo Springfield was shown in this picture in 1965:

In 1969 Young signed with Reprise Records 1969 and released his self-titled debut album to mixed reviews.  But Young followed up just a few months later with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, a signature album, on which drummer Ralph Molina, bass player Billy Talbot and guitarist Dan Whitten, collectively known as Crazy Horse, backed him up. With their raw sound serving as the counterpoint to Young’s distinctively melancholy and untrained voice on such tracks as “Cinnamon Girl” and “Down by the River,” the album climbed up the charts to No. 34, and eventually went gold.

Young joined the trio, which was renamed Crosby, Still, Nash & Young and they began to perform and record, playing the legendary Woodstock Festival in August 1969 (This was CSNY’s second performance ever—Young would not allow himself to be filmed for the movie). The band’s subsequent tour and album release, 1970’s Déjà Vu, catapulted them to fame—so much so that they were at times referred to as the “American Beatles.” However, Young’s relationship with his bandmates quickly became contentious, and he left the group to focus more exclusively on his solo work.

“With Crazy Horse, it’s all one big, growing, smoldering sound, and I’m part of it It’s like gliding, or some sort of natural surfing.”

Neil Young is one of the most prolific recorders of music in the History of Rock and Roll with over 40 albums recorded since 1969.  Young was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.    In our session at EmpowerU you will learn about Young’s different groups that he’s played with.   His complicated love-hate relationship with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.   The impact on Young of the death of Crazy Horse guitarist Dan Whitten.  The inspiration behind such hits as “Old Man” and “A Man Needs a Maid”.  His contributions to the Benefit for Farm Aid, his countless charitable efforts, and his ownership of Lionel Trains.    And the straw that finally broke the back of CSNY, David Crosby’s comments about Neil’s marriage to actress Daryl Hannah in 2018.

Learn about Young’s incredible impact on Rock and Roll as we look as his music and listen to music—through video and discussion– in a way that you will enjoy.   It’s going to be a loud night at EmpowerU –tell your music friends and don’t miss this one!  

Come early around 6:15 pm and Daniel Regenold, the lead guitarist for the Vims will open up the night with a 45 minute set dedicated to Neil Young.   We will be serving draft beer, soft drinks and water at the event and feel free to bring beverages of your choice.

Speaker Bio:

Dana W. Gore: Dana was born January 28, 1953 in Shreveport, LA. His father was in the military and we moved many times in the early years.  They lived in Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, and then finally in 1962 they settled in Falls Church, VA.  This is where music started to change his life forever.

Next door to him lived a boy who was much older than him, but despite the age difference they still became very good friends, initially through their love of sports.  This is where it happened.  He vividly remembers the boy’s record player in his living room and the day he pulled out this album with a huge wave on the front, with a surfer on his board.  It was the Beach Boys “Surfin’ U.S.A”.  The title cut opens the record, and that was it, he was hooked.  Then he showed him a record by someone named Chuck Berry titled “Chuck Berry is on Top”, and played the song “Johnny B. Goode”. He couldn’t believe my ears.  It was truly a magical moment.

The final piece of the puzzle fell in to place on February, 9, 1964 when the Beatles made their 1^st appearance on Ed Sullivan.  Like so many others, this was a defining moment for him. From that day on, until today 50+ years later, music was the one constant in his life.  From elementary school through high school, college, marriage, children, grandchildren, and lifelong friends, music has been with him for the entire ride.

Starting with his 1^st concert in the spring of 1969, with Led Zeppelin opening for The Who, and up until his last concert on May 6, 2017 in Tampa, FL when Joe Walsh opened for Tom Petty, he has been blessed.  But of the hundreds of bands and concerts he has seen, none brought him back again and again more than Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  Close behind, Neil Young who will be the focus of tonight’s class.   Dana had a long career in the record business with Penguin Feather Records in Virginia and served for 29 years as the President of Posterservice, Inc, a sister company of Frame USA.

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Entertainment

Daniel Regenold, lead guitarist for the well-known Cincinnati Band The Vims, and local performer, will entertain and perform Neil Young songs from 6:15-7:00 PM.   Come early and listen to Daniel’s 45 minute set and have a beer!

The Details Behind the Largest Seaborne Invasion in History!

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class — Click Here

This Class has been sponsored by Dave and Anita Freeman

Required Reading:  Charles Krauthammer Discusses the Importance of Winston Churchill

*Special 2 Hour Class- This class starts at 6:30pm*   *Veterans, Children and Homeschoolers are Welcome*

The human costs of the long conflict were harsh for all involved. 57,939 members of U.S. armed forces who died or are missing as a result of the war.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class– Click Here

This Class has been Sponsored by Diane Landi

Required Reading #1:  How the Bull Moose Project Injects Teddy Roosevelt’s Fight into the New Right–The Federalist

Required Reading #2: Schools Are Ditching Homework, Deadlines in Favor of ‘Equitable Grading’–Wall St. Journal

This is a Virtual Only Class

Vietnam. Even in the present day, a half century after the end of American involvement, the word itself conjures up images in the public mind of horrific jungle warfare in a faraway land that cost tens of thousands of lives and shattered domestic tranquility. It is a word that rightfully revives heartbreak in mothers and fathers across the country.

So many sons were lost in a war that many Americans feel should never have been. But the conflict that dragged on for years was based on flawed theories, like monolithic communism, containment, and the domino theory, all while the government lied to the American people about what was really going on. It was, for good reason, the most unpopular war in US history.

Hear from Ryan Girdursky on 1776 Project-Pac

The 1776ProjectPAC.com is pushing back against this growing crisis in our public education system by campaigning on behalf of school board candidates that vow to overturn any teaching of the 1619 Project or critical race theory in their school districts. We will also support any type of education reform that promotes a patriotic vision of America and its history.

A new and troubling trend has emerged in our nation’s public school system. School districts in all 50 states have adopted critical race theory and parts of “The 1619 Project” as part of their curriculum.  Critical race theory is a radical belief that pushes the idea that America is an inherently racist country and white Americans are stained with the original sin of racism for which they can never be cleansed. Their solution is to remake the U.S., abandoning our founding documents and capitalist system.

Supporters of critical race theory hold political power as being more important than facts. Oftentimes they will not engage with anyone who does not support critical race theory, because they believe that is “platforming” them, which gives their opponents’ arguments credibility.    It is up to us to fight their agenda in every school board election where this theory is tolerated, promoted, and forced upon America’s children.

Speaker Bio:

Ryan Walters- Originally from Ellisville, Mississippi, the “capital” of the famous “Free State of Jones,” Ryan S. Walters is an independent historian who currently teaches American history at Collin College in North Texas. 

He is the author of The Last Jeffersonian: Grover Cleveland and the Path to Restoring the Republic, Remember Mississippi: How Chris McDaniel Exposed the GOP Establishment and Started a Revolution, Grover Cleveland: The Last Jeffersonian President, Apollo 1: The Tragedy That Put Us on the Moon, and The Jazz Age President: Defending Warren G. Harding.

He has appeared on CSPAN, Breitbart Radio, the Dennis Prager Show, the Tom Woods Show, the Mark Davis Show, the History Unplugged Podcast, and many others. He has written for Townhall.com, LewRockwell.com, AntiWar.com, Mises.org, Confederate Veteran magazine, Chronicles magazine, FEE.org, and the Abbeville Institute, and has spoken at a number of venues, including the Abbeville Institute Summer School and the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

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Ryan James Girdusky is a New York native.  Since 2007, Ryan has worked in politics, starting out with New York City Councilwoman Helen Sears. He has worked on dozens of political campaigns including Michael Bloomberg for Mayor, Bob Turner for Congress, Liberty for All Super PAC, Bob Holden for City Council, and for the Logan Circle Group.

As a writer, Ryan’s work has been featured in nearly a dozen publications, and he has been a guest on many television and radio shows. He is the author of the upcoming book “They’re Not Listening: How the Elites Created the National Populist Revolution”  Tonight Ryan will talk to us about his important work on 1776ProjectPac.com.

Nearly one in five Americans lives with a mental health condition.

To Watch a Complete Recording of this Class–Click Here

Required Reading: Gov. Ivey Replaces Alabama Education Director Over ‘Woke’ Training Book

Mental Health is an incredibility important part of our overall health.  Only until more recently, mental illnesses and mental health disorders were taboo topics.  People were uncomfortable talking about these subjects or their mental health struggles.  As a result, rumors and misunderstandings about mental illnesses ran wild. 

The media has played no helping hand with exaggerated stories and extreme cases being showcased regularly.  Although there has been progress, there are still several misconceptions about mental disorders that many people still believe.

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When it comes to gambling, everyone knows about Las Vegas and most know about Northern Kentucky.  But did you know about an extremely popular supper club located in Branch Hill/Loveland Ohio that preceded both?  This is the story of the Arrowhead Inn. While it was only in operation for a few years, it had a major impact on the characters who eventually built Las Vegas into the mecca of gambling in America.  The Arrowhead Inn is now mostly forgotten, even by the people of Loveland.  However, you can still find remnants of the old Inn where the Arrowhead Apartments now reside.  

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Speaker Bio:

Richard Rutz is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who has worked in mental health for 25+ years.  His career has taken him around the country working in a variety of rural and urban settings. His experiences have included working as a nurse, hospital administrator and nurse practitioner in hospital, residential, and outpatient care settings for all ages and a variety of diagnoses.  He currently works as a nurse practitioner at NeuroPsych Center of Greater Cincinnati helping coordinate care for individuals and families with a holistic and collaborative approach with other providers. 

Rich’s current focus is, but not limited to anxiety, depression, mood disorders, eating disorders and trauma.  For the last 10 years, Rich has been precepting medical, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students for their psychiatric rotations.  

Rich obtained his undergraduate nursing degree from Purdue University and his Master’s in Nursing from University of Kentucky.  He also holds a Bachelor of Science from Ball State University.   He is an active member of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), having been previous North Carolina APNA Chapter President.

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Dan Peterson began his career at Procter & Gamble in sales retiring after 34 years in various executive capacities in both domestic and global roles.  After retirement, he began his 2nd career, leading sales development and training for a handful of large, major companies. Dan finds passion in helping people improve their business skills.  Additionally, he teaches sales classes as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati as well as help coach the varsity sales team.

Dan is heavily involved in Loveland.  He serves on the Historic Preservation and Planning Committee, is on the board of the Loveland Legacy Foundation, manages social media and performs historic story telling for the Loveland Historic Museum.  He is married to Suzanne and recently celebrated their 40^th anniversary.  They have two children (Lauren and Steven) and one grandchild (Audrey).  Dan loves to play tennis as a member of Harpers Tennis Club.  Both Dan and Sue enjoy traveling and have visited all 50 states and 55 countries.  He has an undergraduate degree in Marketing and an MBA from Christian Brothers University in Memphis Tennessee. 

"It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams

This Class Has Been Sponsored by John and Becky Costello

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Larry Elder–We Have a Country to Save, and the Problem with Fatherlessness –Townhall

Learn about the extraordinary time when our Country was founded.   Thomas Jefferson asserted that “Samuel Adams was that Man” who was the leader of the Revolution.   John Adams thought his cousin Sam was the most “sagacious” or shrewdest politician of all.    Adams put together what could be said to be the greatest campaign of civil resistance in Civil History.

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Stacy Schiff, and her new book “The Revolutionary Samuel Adams”, helps us walk through the life of Samuel Adams who supplied the moral backbone of the American Revolution.   Adams helped package and amplify—almost like using social media– the Boston Massacre which was the beginning event that first shook the colonists.   He helped mastermind the Boston Tea Party.   You will learn how Adams, hid behind his many masks and stratagems and build consensus for a new Nation.

Also, get to know Adams and his incredible band of brothers.   John Hancock, the President of the Second Continental Congress and first signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Paul Revere, an American silversmith, engraver and Sons of Liberty Member. 

What happened on famous ride of Paul Revere who rode to Lexington in 1975 to warn Samuel Adams that he was about to be arrested for treason?  Much of the prelude to the revolution took place in the City of Boston and Massachusetts.  Learn why Boston played such an important role.  What about General George Washington, how did he figure into the growing discontent with the monarchy and Great Britain?  What caused Washington to lead the fight?

Tonight, Dan will take you back to the founding of the Country, where you will learn about the true spirit of the Men who fought to liberate America.  The tactics, their strength, and spirit and the one man that led the way, Samuel Adams.

Have a Sam Adams Beer with us tonight at the EmpowerU Studio–Join us as we  celebrate the founding of our Nation! 

Speaker Bio:

Dan Regenold: Dan first became active in Government in 2003 when he became involved fighting Eminent Domain and helping stop it in Evendale and in Norwood, Ohio. In 2006, he was one of the founders of WeDemandAVote.com which successfully fought and stopped, by ballot initiative, a sales tax increase in Hamilton County, Ohio. Later WeDemand stopped Red Light Cameras in Hamilton County.   

Regenold spoke at the CPAC Convention in 2008 to discuss major Grassroots initiative actions across the United States.   In 2009, Dan was unsuccessful in his efforts to bring accountability to the Federal Government’s finances with a citizen lead initiative WeDemandABalancedBudget.com (the bill was introduced to the United States Congress).  In 2010 Regenold was one of three leaders of the initiative to End Ohio’s Estate Tax which happened in 2011. The Tax Foundation called the repeal of Ohio Estate Tax one of the most important Tax accomplishments of 2011. In 2011 Regenold founded EmpowerUAmerica.org (starting it’s 25th semester in Fall 2022), a Free University offered in the Greater Cincinnati area with the goal of “empowering” citizens. 

In 2014, Regenold was one of the leaders of the effort to separate Music Hall from a County Wide Sales Tax which helped the Museum Center renovation get passed by the voters of Hamilton County.   Dan has recently concentrated his efforts on the mess of Public Education in Ohio and specifically on topics like School Choice and Critical Race Theory.   Similarly, Dan helped led an EmpowerU initiative InGodWeTrustProject.com to teach students about the history of our National Motto.

Dan is a lover of Liberty and enjoys speaking to EmpowerU classes about subjects he is passionate about.  Recently he has discussed:  Milton Friedman, Saul Alinsky, Net Neutrality, D-Day, The Deficit, How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps,  Public Education, Winston Churchill, President Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Sowell at EmpowerU Classes.   Regenold is founder and Chairman of FrameUSA.com, a Made-In-America picture frame manufacturing company in Springdale, Ohio.

How the public presentation of the COVID-19 data was used to amplify fear and compliance..

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:   Kevin McCarthy’s Debt-Ceiling Marker–Wall St. Journal, April 17, 2023– Click Here

From the official start of the pandemic in Ohio, data has been cited heavily by the DeWine administration, local authorities and other institutions to justify a plethora of restrictions and mandates. The authorities used a series of metrics, particularly the colorful Ohio Public Health Advisory System (aka “The Map of Fear”), in order to influence the public’s perception of the severity of COVID in Ohio.

But what was the reality? How did the presentation of the data distort the public’s perceptions of risk and influence their willingness to submit to unheard of interventions in their daily lives? Most importantly, how can we look at the data presented to us with a critical eye in order to make the best decisions for ourselves and our families in the future.

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In 2020, after leaving state government working on the Ohio checkbook initiative, Lauren has led a project to hold government unions and teachers’ unions accountable as Ohio director of the Freedom Foundation. This work has involved illuminating the corruption in Ohio politics connected to government union money. As Larry Householder stands trial for the largest political bribery scheme in the Ohio House and conservative leaders were hoodwinked out of the speakers gavel in January of 2023, the nefarious manipulation and scheming by government unions has never been more obvious. While these discrete ties are unfortunate, Lauren feels it is imperative that Ohio stakeholders and parents know the truth about how and why their voice is being silenced at the Ohio house. Because of how loud government union money talks. After this presentation, she hopes you will have clarity and understanding about the reason that policy and legislative priorities that are important to the people of Ohio, get sidestepped in state government. Despite being promised differently during campaign season.

Click HERE to Read Lauren Bowen’s article, “Union Money, Not Ohio Voters, Decided the State Agenda”.

Speaker Bio:

Kathryn Huwig attended Case Western Reserve University and Stanford University, double majoring in Planetary Geology and Evolutionary Biology. Her evolutionary biology degree focused mainly on different aspects of human evolution, including a graduate course focused solely on the epidemiology and evolution of human diseases. The degree was also heavily focused on the history and philosophy of science, or how we know what we know, how science succeeds and where it fails.

During the pandemic, she watched all of Gov. DeWine’s and ODH’s press conferences while dissecting the Ohio COVID data, showing how the data was being manipulated to create a false narrative of fear while teaching others how to analyze and understand their own local data, empowering them to approach their local institutions with confidence. She shared her common sense analyses in her Facebook groups, including Understanding Ohio COVID-19 Data (now censored) and Beyond the Data.

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Lauren Bowen: Ohio Director- Lauren is a lifelong Ohio resident and calls Cincinnati home. After earning a master’s degree in international politics from Wright State University in 2014, she led an innovative, first of its kind, digital government accountability and transparency project, called the Ohio Checkbook. Through that leadership experience, Lauren developed a fierce determination to undermine government corruption. She has since joined the Freedom Foundation as State Director to fight union tyranny and oppression. In her spare time Lauren enjoys collecting early American antiques and trying new restaurants with her husband.

The amazing story of one family’s escape from Germany in 1939.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Pausing AI Development Isn’t Enough–Shut it Down –Eliezer Yudkowsky, TIME Magazine

The ‘amazing story’ of Lisa Mac Vittie and her family’s plight to flee Europe in 1939.  Lisa will recount her own personal journey taking you to Germany where it began, life for the family before Hitler’s reign against the Jewish people, life for the extended family that left and those who didn’t, and the barriers they faced escaping to China only to arrive just after the Sino-Japanese War.  When the family embarked from the ship in China Lisa’s mother said to her father “what have we gotten ourselves in to”. 

Living in China for ten years before immigrating to the United States was much like life in Europe when they fled except for the threat of being sent to a concentration camp.  Her younger sister and brother were born in China, her sister Marion died at the age of 2 of diphtheria.   See Lisa’s family below:

Lisa’s father was always optimistic about their future only to be murdered just before the family was close to making their final journey to the United States.  How fortunate for America that Hitler missed Lisa and her family resulting in many descendants that can call the United States home.  Lisa is now 90 years young and still going strong.

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Many of you have driven past an old stone building in Camp Dennison on the way to Milford. Ever wonder what it is and the history behind it? Come listen to the three-part history of the Christian Waldschmidt Homestead and be prepared to be enthralled.  In 1794, Christian Waldschmidt, a veteran of the American Revolution, moved his family to a site on the Little Miami River and built a new community called New Germany.

In 1804, he built his home, which included a store. Waldschmidt was a businessman and encouraged new settlement, staffing a church and helping to find a school, and beginning industries vital to the survival of his new home, such as Ohio’s first paper mill, a cooperative distillery, woolen mill, sawmill, and a blacksmith shop.

During the Civil War, the house and surrounding grounds were part of Camp Dennison, used primarily as a general training center, recruiting depot, and hospital post, and named in honor of Governor William Dennison. The main house, now known as Waldschmidt House, served as the headquarters for General Joshua Bates.

Speaker’s Bio

Lisa Mac Vittie- Lisa was born Liselotte to Kurt and Elizabeth Isaack in Berlin, Germany, in 1932. In 1938, when Lisa was 6 years old Kristallnacht occurred sealing her parents’ decision to flee Germany.  In the summer of 1939, Lisa, her parents, 7-year-old sister and 12-year-old brother readied to make their escape fleeing to China as it was the only open port in the world where they could go without questions being asked.  In 1949, Lisa, her mother, sister and brother immigrated to the United States settling in New Jersey.  In 1954, a 23-year-old Lisa became an American citizen, and shortly thereafter joined the United States Air Force as an academic instructor. 

She met Herbert Mac Vittie, who was a technical instructor in the Air Force, and in November 1955 they were married.  In March 1957 Lisa left the military due to being pregnant with their first child.  They spent three years in Germany where there first two children were born, and then sent to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan, where their 3^rd and 4^th children were born.  While raising her children and working full time with the Civil Service she received her degree in accounting.  Herbert retired from the military in 1974, and Lisa’s Civil Service job transferred her to Cincinnati in 1993 where she worked for the Corps of Engineers, retiring in 1998. 

Lisa has always supported the Air Force as a civilian, been an active member of her eastern Cincinnati community, and has devoted her free time to serving the American Legion and speaking at elementary schools to children about the Holocaust.  She is a member of the color guard with the American Legion and insists on carrying the POW/MIA flag when it is used.

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Darlene West has been involved with the Christian Waldschmidt Homestead for over 10 years serving as a trustee, docent, and special event coordinator. Having been a middle school teacher for longer than she cares to admit, transitioning to a docent/event coordinator was an easy process. She made a living talking to English students. Now she has the chance to talk about history to a much more eager audience. She is a 50+ year resident of the Cincinnati area, received her BS at the College of Mount Saint Joseph on the River and did her graduate work at Wright State university. She and Jim, her husband of 53 years, have three sons, and 10 grandchildren.

Ron Rothhass, Specialist in Plant Health Care and Tree Preservation Joins EmpowerU

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  China’s New DF-27 Hypersonic Missile has “High Probability” of Penetrating US Defenses–Daily Caller

What provides many benefits to people and the communities they live in?  How does weather and climate affect our trees and their care. Weather and climate are very complex, and it affects our trees and how we care for them, especially in hostile urban environments with the urban heat island effect and alien soil environments.   

Ron Rothhaas, an ISA Board Certified Arborist who will join us tonight.  He does not necessarily buy into a climate doomsday scenario, but changes are occurring in our climate whether or not it is cyclical.  Ron Rothhaas is a frequent quest on In The Garden With Ron Wilson on 55 WKRC and IHeart Radio.

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Have you been considering homeschooling; wondering what it would take to be successful? You can do it! Hear from Thea Shoemake, EmpowerU’s Homeschooling Expert who has started a new initiative- Homeschool Ready or Not!  The mission is to mitigate real and perceived barriers to entry for families considering the homeschool lifestyle and support them throughout the journey.  Thea will speak from 7:10-7:30PM.

Click HERE to listen to Thea Shoemake’s Podcast on Homeschool Ready or Not!

Speaker’s Bios:

Ronald Rothhaas is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® and principal owner of Arbor Doctor LLC, specializing in plant health care, tree preservation, consulting, and landscaping. Ron is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in Horticulture and Natural Resources Interpretation and  Cincinnati State College with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. He is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and the Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky ISA Chapters.

Ron is a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists and the Ohio Green Industry Association. He is the author of the OGIA Plant Health Care Newsletter. He has achieved the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification and the ASCA Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification. 

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Thea Shoemake chose to settle and raise their family in Cincinnati over 20 years ago.   In addition to her political involvement supporting unbridled liberty in education, Thea kept quite busy in her two favorite roles as homeschool mom and tutor in both home and traditional school environments.  A recent empty-nester, Thea continues to tutor and frequently helps other families considering the challenging but extremely rewarding lifestyle of home-centered education.   Thea is also the founder of the Podcast Everything is Political.   This can be listened to on Apple, Spotify or Spreaker:  https://www.everythingspolitical.org/podcasts.   You can also get more up-do-date information at www.everythingspolitical.org.  Her Homeschooling website is www.HomeschoolReadyorNot.com   

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) visits EmpowerU

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Senator Jerry Cirino’s bill to End DEI Programs at Universities in Ohio (Senate District 18–NE of Cleveland)

This presentation focuses on MUFON cases and tools that were utilized in their review of UFO’s. (MUFON – Mutual UFO Network).   A high percentage of programs presented on television, streaming podcasts, or in person presentations focus on the unknown. Whether the field of interest be UFOs, ghost hunting, or the search for cryptids, production centers on creating a product that attracts viewers.  Media, meaning the production crew focuses more on entertainment than thorough investigations.

What becomes lost is all the work investigators and researchers do to identify 80-90% of identifiable cases. This presentation focuses on MUFON cases and tools that were utilized in their review. Tools represented include accessing metadata, importing data into Google Earth, accessing flight data, importing flight data into Google earth, and use of astronomy software to identify celestial and manmade objects. The point of the program is not to debunk all witness sightings, instead add more credibility to those that are classified as unknown.

Speaker Bio:

Tom Wertman: It is said we are all products of our environment. Growing up in the 60’s my environment included television shows such as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and The Time Tunnel. Television led to books, then any movie no matter how bad.  Most of this media was only fictional. Providing a grounding effect was the early NASA space programs culminating with the lunar landings. This environment produced an interest in space exploration, the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence, and additional dimensions.

Unfortunately, this interest had to be put aside to build a career, raise a family, and earn a bachelor’s degree in business and master’s in education. Now with the children grown up and pursuing their own careers it was time to return to the lifelong interest in the unknown. The first step was in 2008 by joining the Ohio based group the Cleveland Ufology Project (CUP). CUP is primarily a discussion group that provided an avenue to explore various fields associated with ufology. In 2018 as co-director a departure was necessitated to dedicate more time for private UFO research. CUP provided valuable networking contacts and through these a greater understanding of UFO case studies. The second step, also beginning in 2008, was becoming a certified field investigator for the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). It’s one thing to read a book or watch a television show about UFO sightings. Quite another to conduct the actual investigation and try to determine what the witness observed and why. Who would have known that 15 years they would amass a total of 527 cases investigations in Ohio with one of the most interesting involving two fisherman who experienced over three and one-half hours of missing time. In addition to investigating Ohio cases an additional 239 investigations were conducted in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico as part of the Case Assistant Group.

If that was not enough, now as State Director new duties included conducting over 300 community outreach programs, being a featured guest on radio and television shows, participating in five documentaries, playing an alien in a short film, and hosting two streaming talk shows.

When art fought the law and the art won.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:   Hey, Uncle Sam:  Stop Paying People for Not Working, by Stephen Moore

Just Added to the Program: Dennis Barrie – The Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center from 1983-1992

Join us in-studio or virtually Tuesday, April 4th, at 7:00 pm to hear Dennis Barrie, former director of the Cincinnati Arts Center, and his defense attorney, H. Louis Sirkin, revisit Robert Mapplethorpe’s The Perfect Moment, the community’s reaction to the controversial photos, and the obscenity trial that engaged national figures and everyday Americans in conversations and spirited debate about obscenity versus art and the impact on community standards.

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Why the Jury Verdict of Not Guilty was Correct.  When the Mapplethorpe photos arrived by truck on March 28, 1990, Cincinnati had a widely held and mostly earned reputation as one of the most conservative cities in America.  Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. was waiting for the photographs. In his mind, the photographs were smut, not art.  A collection of challenging photographs and difficult questions about sex and sacrilege, art and obscenity, politics and polemics.   (Simon Leis, Jr. shown below).

The art show, titled The Perfect Moment, opened on a chilly April morning in 1990, and among the first people through the door of the Contemporary Arts Center were nine members of a grand jury who viewed the 175 photographs and deemed seven of them to be not just offensive, but criminal.  Eventually, the question of what free speech is and what is too much would be heard in a Municipal Court room   After a week of explicit and evocative photographs and expert testimony, a jury went into its room for what was expected to be a long haul and a certain outcome.  (Robert Maplethorpe shown below).

H. Louis Sirkin, the attorney representing the CAC and Barrie, said at the time of the decisions: “It’s so intellectually wrong, it’s incredible.” Sirkin continued: “All I can tell you is, if we get an acquittal, we’re absolutely brilliant.”

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Barbara Holwadel is a newly elected member of the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee.  She ran for election as a reform candidate.   Barbara will give us an update of the state of the Ohio Republican Party which is a follow-up to the class EmpowerU featured on February 09, 2022 on possible Corruption in the Ohio Republican Party.   Barbara will speak from 7:10-7:30 PM.

 Speaker Bio:

H. Louis Sirkin is one of the nation’s preeminent First Amendment and criminal defense attorneys. Over more than 50 years of practice, Sirkin has consistently defended the free speech and constitutional rights of countless individuals and businesses, including adult entertainment establishments, museums, artists, activists, and ordinary citizens in all types of cases. Lou is both a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Criminal Lawyers.

Born in Cincinnati, Sirkin obtained both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Cincinnati. He entered private practice and quickly earned a reputation as an effective civil rights lawyer. He achieved national prominence in 1990 when he successfully defended the director of the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati against obscenity charges for displaying the nude artwork of Robert Mapplethorpe. The controversy was later depicted in the Golden Globe-winning movie Dirty Pictures (2000). He has served as President of the First Amendment Lawyers Association and the Greater Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Sirkin is a true believer and has distinguished himself as a compassionate mentor, a sought-after lecturer, and a tireless advocate. He has represented persons whose message was completely contrary to his own beliefs and has risked both his career and his physical safety to do so. He was once escorted out the rear door of the courthouse to avoid being assaulted by individuals who opposed his clients. But perhaps Sirkin’s most notable accomplishment was his 2002 victory before the United States Supreme Court in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition.

In addition, he has defended on appeal numerous individuals on death row. In total, he has handled more than 125 appeals in civil and criminal cases.

Sirkin frequently lectures to students at the country’s top universities, participating in panels at Harvard University, New York University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Michigan, and Northern Kentucky University, to name a few. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cincinnati, where he taught habeas corpus law and a First Amendment seminar.

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Dennis Barrie – Mr. Barrie was the museum Director for the Cincinnati Contempory Arts Museum from 1983-1992, during the Mapplethorpe trial. Dennis Barrie has an extensive career in planning, developing and managing both major and less traditional cultural destinations—museums, exhibits, visitor centers, and public spaces.  He is an internationally distinguished museum director, cultural historian and an expert in popular culture.  His expertise is in developing innovative projects that come from and respond to the unique circumstances of various cities and locations across the US.     

His career includes eleven years with the Smithsonian Institution as Midwest Director of the Archives of American Art, where he interviewed and documented many of the great artists of the 20^th Century.  

For eight years he served as Director of Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center (1983-1991), the second oldest museum of contemporary art in the United States.  During his tenure at the Contemporary Arts Center, Dennis and the Center were involved in a landmark First Amendment case centering on the right of the museum to show the controversial work of Robert Mapplethope . Indicted for obscenity, Barrie was acquitted in a jury trial that captured the attention of the art world and the country at large.   

As the opening Executive Director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland (1993-1996), Dennis led all aspects of the project from concept—construction, staff development, marketing, fundraising and most importantly, the conceptualization and development of the Rock Hall’s films and exhibits—through opening and dedication.  

After leaving the Rock Hall, Barrie did museum and cultural consulting work for clients such as the International Museum of Cartoon Art, Walt Disney Company, Elvis Presley Estate and Site Santa Fe.  

In 1998, Dr. Barrie became the president of the The Malrite Company, where he worked with CEO Milton Maltz to develop new and creative concepts for museum projects.  The company’s major project was the development of the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, a major critical and popular success. 

Leaving Malrite in 2005, Barrie founded Barrie Projects, a museum consultancy. Under the Barrie Projects banner, Dennis worked on the conceptualization of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, NY, located on the site of Max Yasgur’s farm, home to the 1969 “Woodstock Festival.”  Barrie Projects also provided developmental services for the Grammy Museum and the Museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, both in Los Angeles.  Working with Arts and Exhibits International/AEG (Los Angeles), Barrie Projects was instrumental in putting together the Michael Jackson Official Exhibition which opened its world tour in London in October 2009. 

In 2006, Dennis was hired as the Creative Director for The Mob Museum:  National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a $43 million project in downtown Las Vegas, designed to attract new audiences to the city core, housed in the historic federal courthouse where the Kefauver Hearings into organized crime were held.  The Museum’s 2012 opening garnered rave reviews in The New York Times, USA Today and on the Today Show, among others.   

In 2012, Dennis led a team of professionals hired to re-think the exhibits and marketing programs of the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.  The result was a $23 million redesign of exhibits and facilities. In addition, Dennis co-developed the Hall of Fame’s 50^th anniversary traveling exhibit entitled Gridiron Glory that has traveled to 17 NFL cities over the course of seven years.   

Other recent projects include the development of a state- of- the- art exhibit for the NASA Glenn Visitors Center, the development of a feasibility study for the American Writers Museums and project management for the development of the National Psychology Museum. 

In 2013, Dennis and his Barrie Projects team led the development of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum. The $91M museum is America’s first official museum designed to explore the history of our country’s participation in the modern games. 

Dennis is currently serving as the Director of Experience Design for the Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society. 

Is it possible Ohio could find itself in a situation similar to Arizona and the other battleground states in the news?

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  China Controls Your Meds –TownHall.com

Click Here to view Powerpoint #1 from Gail

Click HERE to view Powerpoint #2 from Glenn

Are Ohio elections really as ‘Secure and Accurate’ as Secretary of State Frank LaRose claims? Is it possible Ohio could find itself in a situation similar to Arizona and the other battleground states in the news with serious allegations of fraud that could affect the outcome of an election?

Do our elected government officials really have the best interests of Ohio citizens when they pass Election laws? Glen and Gail have researched Ohio election information at length, along with many other volunteer patriots across Ohio and are pleased to share our findings.

The reality is Ohio elections are neither Secure or Accurate, and YES, Ohio absolutely could find itself in a situation similar to Arizona. It appears many of our elected government officials DO NOT have the best interests of Ohio citizens in mind when passing Election laws. The ‘machines’ used in Ohio’s elections DO connect to the internet. There ARE phantom votes and dead people voting in Ohio.

It IS possible for illegal aliens to register AND vote in Ohio elections even with the passage of HR458 an ‘Election Integrity’ bill signed into law by Gov. Dewine in January 2023. More information regarding Election Integrity in Ohio can be found on the website ohio4truth.com.  

Join us as we share the uncomfortable TRUTHS of Ohio Elections and learn how ordinary citizens can make a difference in the future of elections in Ohio.

Speaker Bios:

Gail Niederlehner- Gail has lived in the greater Cincinnati area her entire life, began her career in IT, then transitioned into many roles as she and her husband started and operated a small business for over 30 years. Following the 2020 election, Gail knew something was wrong with elections in our country and began researching. She discovered Ohio elections have not been secure and accurate for a long time and it is very possible recent events in Arizona elections could also happen in Ohio. She is volunteering alongside many other patriots across Ohio to inform and educate We The People of our corrupt elections and to bring much needed common sense reforms to Ohio’s election processes. She is instrumental in developing the website ohio4truth.com which provides a wealth of information regarding Election Integrity to the people that they might not otherwise see or hear on mainstream media.   

Glenn Mehltretter is a Butler county resident since 1994 after graduating from ORU with a Film and TV production degree. His family owns a consulting company where he helps companies place the correct people into management roles based on the requisite organization structure. Glenn was a professional flatland freestyle bike rider in his youth and uses that balance learned to achieve skills in many industries.  He flips houses (on house #7 now) sells commercial printing, owns a hand bindery business, and a production company for video and photography. He writes for magazines and corporations as well as does photography in extreme sports like paintball and BMX freestyle. He also runs multiple YouTube channels with multiple millions of views for his content. He started the “Trails of Doom” brand and has studied algorithms for years. When covid hit he had free time which was rare as he is typically so busy. So, he dug into the election integrity situation and what he discovered shocked him. After reading the forensic reports for the Tina Peter’s hard drives in Colorado as well as reading hundreds of affidavits from election officials all over the country. He also read the Maras affidavit which showed there were only 2 companies certified to approve the voting machines, but they lost their accreditation… He has put on the record all of this proof of election issues to the Butler County Board of Elections. As well as given, it all to the Butler County Sheriff. Education of the public is key so he has been vocal publicly as well as online and has proof of government officials shadow banning his comments about the election issues on Facebook.

**This Class has been Cancelled**

**This Class Has Been Cancelled**

Hear Roger Grein’s Story on Making a Difference

An inspiring story of a mother who didn’t accept her sons’ limitations due to his disability. Join us for a viewing of the inspiring documentary about the life and legacy of Roger Grein, a successful local businessman and philanthropist. “Roger Grein: An Empowering Philanthropy” details Roger’s extraordinary life of humility, service, and perseverance. We all have something to learn from Roger’s determination to thrive in the midst of adversity, disability, and loss, with the support of his community, sheer grit, and his faith.

The many twists and turns in Roger’s life led to a special calling: in 2008, Roger started Magnified Giving, an educational nonprofit that empowers over 5,000 young people to be philanthropists each year. Come to this class to watch an inspiring documentary, and then hear directly from Roger about why he’s devoted his “third act” of life to educating, inspiring, and engaging youth in philanthropy.

Speaker Bio:

Roger is a successful businessman, long-time philanthropist, internationally recognized softball coach, and founder of Magnified Giving. An entrepreneur since age seven, Roger made his first, significant philanthropic contribution as a young teenager and has been freely giving of his time, talent, and treasure for the past sixty years.

He founded Magnified Giving to engage young people in philanthropy, and since 2008, Magnified Giving has granted $1.2 million dollars to local nonprofits through the hands of over 35,000 youth. In 2022, Roger was honored with the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by the Rotary Club of Cincinnati. He also received Redwood’s 2022 Shining Bright Award, recognizing how he has overcome the barriers of Cerebral Palsy to be a role model to those in the community with distinct abilities.

Learn how highly intelligent elephants are with their complex emotions, feelings, compassion and self-awareness.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading: Midsize Banks to Feds:  Insure All Our Deposits for Two Years

Elephants represent strength and good fortune. They also symbolize health and happiness and are thought to promote spiritual wellbeing in our daily lives. Elephants are strong and nurturing, they are loyal to their family and are determined and protective.

In this class we will learn the basics on the different species; body structure, physiology, eating habits, environment, family structure, social behaviors, mating, reproduction, and rearing their young. 

Elephants impact the environment; planting trees, digging wells, changing the world around them which is why they are called a “keystone species”.  We will learn how they interact with humans, their current status, threats against them, and what we can do.  The Cincinnati Zoo elephants project is to be completed in 2024.

Speaker Bio:

Mike Biere is a 1964 graduate of Aiken H.S., USMC 1966- 1968, Vietnam 1967 – 68 B.S. and M.S. in biological sciences.  He worked as a conservation consultant and field biologist before switching to work as an IT technical consultant.

Retired in 2016; currently doing volunteer education and research projects at the Cincinnati Zoo.  In 2023 he was offered a part-time position as an assistant elephant keeper at the zoo.

He teaches free guitar classes at Springdale Nazarene Church on Tuesday evenings. He has been a guitarist/vocalist since 1962 in various bands plus lots of solo work.  60’s music.

Take 20: Education Reform in Ohio with Troy McIntosh

To Watch a Complete Recording of this Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Why Republicans in Red States are Joining Democrats to Resist School Choice–The Daily Wire

Required Reading #2:  Ohio Senate Passes Education Overhaul

Learn About What the Ohio Freedom Action Network Can Do For Ohio!

Wondering what’s happening in America, and what you can do about it? Here’s what Tom Hach, Free Ohio Now says: · Axiom: If people don’t want to be free, they won’t be, because every generation includes those who want to rule over all the rest! · Corollary: If people DO want to be free, they have to earn it! But today there’s no place for us to invest our time, effort and money to earn our freedom.

The goals of the Barnstorming Tour are to help people understand what we are confronting as a nation by using three videos he developed as teaching tools, and to then encourage them to up their game as sovereign citizens by taking action by supporting one of three Ohio Freedom Action Working Groups below or other worthy causes.

• Ohio Election Integrity Network: For free and fair elections
• The Ohio Roundtable (roundtableohio.com): Media powered by citizen journalists.
• Ohio School Board Constitutional Coalition: Support constitutionally minded school board members

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Hear from Troy McIntosh with Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio Christian Education Network.  Troy is back to visit with us again with the latest Ohio News in education to include;  Educational Choice, Status of the Backpack Bill, School Choice progress across the country, 3^rd grade reading guarantee, and SB1 and school board reform.   Also to be discussed is the Governor’s proposed takeover of the Ohio Board of Education.

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Speaker’s Bios:

Tom wears many hats including being the Executive Director of Free Ohio Now and the State Director of Ohio Freedom Action Network (OhioFAN).  Through these positions, he has worked hard alongside many dedicated people to bring together like-minded leaders and individuals from across Ohio to facilitate communication and coordinated actions in the cause of perpetuating our God-given inalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

After many years, Tom retired as an IT program manager, and he also retired from the Navy Reserve after a 21 year career, during which he served in Iraq from 2006 to 2007.  Additionally, Tom is in his third term as a school board member.  

He has a BS in Chemistry from Miami (Ohio) University, and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.  He lives in the Cleveland-area, and enjoys a good cigar once or twice a week!

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Troy McIntosh is Director of CCV’s Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN). Troy comes to OCEN after serving 27 years in Christian education as a teacher, principal and, for the last eight years, as head of school at Worthington Christian School in Worthington, Ohio. Prior to his time in education, he worked in the Ohio House of Representatives in the Legislative Services Commission Fellowship program.

Troy’s time at Worthington Christian, he served the broader Christian school community as an Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) Regional Council Member and Accreditation Commission Member, accreditation team chairperson, and conference presenter. For the last 15 years, he has held various roles with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), including President of the Central District Athletic Board and Vice President of the OHSAA Board of Directors.

Troy is a graduate of Wheaton College (B.A. Economics) and The Ohio State University (M.Ed. Education) and is a Colson Fellow with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He and his wife Julie live in Westerville, Ohio and have three grown daughters.

Learn about the stealth government working behind the scenes focusing on issues that only matter to them.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Tucker Carlson–Article on Ukraine Responses from Republican Candidates

Why all the craziness in today’s society?  Have you been wondering why so many companies, organizations, and politicians do not seem to be operating in the interest of their most loyal customers or supporters these days? Why does Disney produce movies and shows that are so family-unfriendly to the average family? Why do utilities that burn coal and companies that produce fossil fuels promote how green they are?

Why does it seem like every car ad is for an electric vehicle? Why does the NFL plaster political slogans all over their fields and their players’ uniforms? And why does the Republican Party in Ohio seem so oblivious or resistant to the desires of its most reliable supporters on issues like Critical Race Theory and the Backpack Bill?

The uncomfortable truth is that a “stealth” government is at work behind the scenes, and it has been working on and implementing its plans for over 50 years. Now, this strange new “government” does not need to remove existing elected officials or boards of directors. It simply uses its vast amounts of money and its thousands of key influencers in the corporate, academic, media, and not-for-profit spheres to coordinate those of like mind and to intimidate the rest into acquiescence with their plans. Those who resist are removed from their positions. This strange “government” only focuses on issues that matter to them and they leave local government leaders alone to make normal, daily decisions.

The World Economic Forum (WEF), which meets in Davos, Switzerland and the UN coordinate this “government’s” operations, which are massive and span the industrialized world. This class will look at what these organizations reveal about their goals and their progress. It will also show that many of the major corporations and non-profits in the world have literally signed onto the programs of the WEF and the UN. And that explains why they act as they do.

The class will not deal in speculation. It will deal only in facts that have been obtained from the websites of the WEF, the UN, and about 10 other partners.

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Flock Cameras & Your Privacy 

Did you ever wonder why there are cameras literally everywhere? What happens to your privacy? There are cameras being installed in various Cincinnati townships recording people entering and exiting the area. How does this impact our rights to privacy? Dan Unger will give a short presentation on Flock Surveillance cameras and why he thinks they are not in the best public interest.   Dan will be speaking from 7:10-7:30 PM.

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Speaker’s Bios:

Tom Hagedorn has been studying American history for over 30 years. Some of his study has focused on education. Eight years ago, he published “Founding Zealots: How Evangelicals Created America’s First Public Schools, 1783-1865.” It tells how those first schools came about and what they were like. But it also describes in detail how this story has been ignored and distorted by the progressive historians who have a very different vision for American schools, society and government than did our Founders. Since he published his book, he has been focusing on the increasing role of socialism and socialists in American institutions, what some have called “the long march” of western Marxism through our institutions.

Tom has been providing investment advice to individuals for four decades. When he was not researching and writing Founding Zealots and studying history, he was involved in various political, charitable, and community activities. He remains active in all those things and in the fight to return the schools to a traditional role in American society, in service to their parents and to their parents’ values.

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Dan Unger was reelected in 2021 to a second term as a Colerain Township Trustee. He also served two elected terms on the Northwest local school district Board of Education and was a volunteer member serving 11 years on the Hamilton County tax levy review commission. He values liberty and freedom above all else and believes that if additional government spending would solve society’s problems, our problems would have been gone long ago.

Vivek Ramaswamy to Join EmpowerU Program and Speak at 6:40 PM! Special Start Time!

This is a Virtual Only Class

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class — Click Here

Required Reading #1:  Property Tax Relief Amendment FAQS–1851 Center for Constitutional Law

Required Reading #2:  SVB Doesn’t Deserve a Taxpayer Bailout– by Vivek Ramaswamy, The Wall St. Journal

*Update- Class Starts at 6:30* Vivek Ramaswamy joins Empower U to talk about the Presidential run 6:40- 7:00.

Maurice Thompson is the Executive Director of the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, a non-profit, non-partisan law firm dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of Ohioans. Tonight, Maurice will join us to discuss a range of important topics starting off with a proposed Ohio Amendment for Property Tax Relief.  How would this work?  Who would it impact? 

Also to be discussed is, requiring supermajorities to increase taxes of any kind, and a few other ideas that aren’t in the amendment. Our class will be almost a “Focus Group” class as Maurice is seeking input from EmpowerU on the changes being considered.   Maurice will be speaking from 7:30-8:15 PM

To Read the FAQ and the Text of the Proposed Property Tax Relief Legislation–Click Here

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Matt Mayer has a Florida/Texas vision for Ohio.  Mike DeWine and John Husted were just re-elected and most likely their second term will mirror their first term which is why Matt is beginning now to explore if Ohioans will support his agenda.  Matt will talk about his agenda in this class, how he will fight the big fights and paint with Ronald Reagan’s bold colors.  His agenda can be found at www.ohiomatt.com as he’s putting it out there now so that we the people can hold our elected officials accountable for what they do and don’t do in the coming years. 

Matt is a political outsider with an impressive bio and accomplishments however as an outsider he needs a lot of time to build grassroots support and funding to run and win a Republican primary.  He has been in the trenches fighting the big policy battles his whole career at the highest levels, he’s raised billions of dollars and been part of top national races in the past, so he has experience and knows what he is doing.  Do you want our children’s education to be the best in the country?  Do you want to grow our economy, shrink spending and taxes?  Register for this class to learn more about future possibilities for a better Ohio.   Matt will be speaking from 7:00 -7:30 PM.

Speaker Bio:

Maurice Thompson is a constitutional rights lawyer, author, commentator, speaker, and founder and director of the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law. Maurice fights for liberty across Ohio in high-stakes constitutional rights cases and provides legal support for freedom-oriented ballot issues. He has defeated state and local governments and agencies to protect property rights, taxpayer rights, free speech, parental rights, entrepreneurs’ rights, privacy rights, freedom to contract, and healthcare freedom. Maurice specializes in the Ohio Constitution.

​​Maurice comes from a long line of Wood County, Ohio farmers. Since growing up in Northwest Ohio, he has lived in Oxford, Cleveland, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Columbus, running his own businesses and working in a diverse array of organizations including the National Taxpayers Union, the Sam Adams Foundation, and the Buckeye Institute. He moved back to Ohio to start the 1851 Center in 2008.

To read more about the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law–Click Here

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Matt A. Mayer is the President of Opportunity Ohio and weekly contributor on Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati radio.  In his role, he develops strategic policy positions, advises policymakers on a wide range of issues, designs and evaluates public opinion surveys, creates educational videos and collateral material aimed at key constituencies, engages with all elements of the media, conducts fact-finding missions, and speaks to groups in America and Europe on a variety of topics. Mayer led a nine-state campaign to stop the expansion of Medicaid and has conducted strategic policy summits for top state and national groups. Opportunity Ohio’s targeted educational videos have received more than 18.4 million views on social media in the last seven years. Mayer accurately predicted BREXIT, the election of Donald Trump, the budget deficit in Ohio in 2017-2018, the enormous enrollment in Medicaid that surpassed government estimates, Ohio’s continued mediocre private sector job market, and the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris 2020 Democratic ticket.

Mayer has written and spoken extensively on the importance of competitive federalism in renewing the American promise. Previously, Mayer served as a monthly columnist for The Spectator USA and U.S. News & World Report, a Visiting Fellow for the American Enterprise Institute, and a Visiting Scholar for the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. where he wrote extensively on national security issues. You can follow him on Twitter (@ohiomatt) and all of his op-eds can be found on his Substack page, The Patriot Mind.

Mayer has worked in public policy and politics at both the state and federal levels. He was a senior official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he provided DHS leaders with policy and operational advice as the Counselor to the Deputy Secretary, including participating in crisis management activities following Hurricane Katrina. He also headed the $3.5 billion terrorism preparedness office charged with developing initiatives to transform America to meet the demands of a post-9/11 environment. Mayer engaged in bilateral counterterrorism exchanges with the United Kingdom and Israel, did briefings in The White House Situation Room and at NATO, and headed America’s largest full-scale national exercise focused on a pandemic virus attack (fifteen years before the COVID pandemic).  For a complete bio and accomplishments please go to https://ohiomatt.com/about/

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Vivek Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company, in 2014, after a career as a successful biotech investor. A 36-year-old first-generation American, he is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School. Vivek became a hedge fun partner in his 20’s, and grew up the child of immigrants in the small town of Evendale, Ohio.  He now lives with his wife Apoorva and their son Karthik.   Vivek took on the nation last year and published his book Woke, Inc. which takes you behind the scenes of corporate boardrooms.   Vivek will share with us what has happened since the publication of Work, Inc and also share information about his new book which comes out in September 2022 called Nation of Victims. 

Mr. Ramaswamy serves on the board of directors of the Philanthropy Roundtable and the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity.  In his new book Woke, Inc. Vivek takes you behind the scenes into corporate boardrooms and five-star conferences, into Ivy League classrooms and secret nonprofits, to reveal the defining scam of our century.   The book begins as a critique of stakeholder capitalism and ends with an exploration of what it means to be an American in 2021.  Vivek is a graduate of St. X High School and has recently been turning heads on Tucker Carlson’s show and on the Opinion pages of the Wall St. Journal.

Cold War 2.0: The Renewed Rise of the "Middle Kingdom" and a Grand Strategic Failure of U.S. Policy. Is the U.S. and China in a new “Cold War”?

To Watch a Complete Recording of this Class–Click Here

Required Reading #2:   How Fauci Lied

Required Reading:  Ex-CDC Chief Says Fauci ‘Sidelined’ Anyone Who Dared Question Him On COVID

Greg Lawson’s presentation tonight will describe the history of contemporary U.S.-China tensions as well as outline considerations for future strategy to deal with the challenges posed by these tensions.  After over a century of falling behind the Western world after centuries of being the dominant power in Asia, China is now poised to reclaim its global position as the “Middle Kingdom,” a central power in the world unto which other nations are expected to pay appropriate respect.

This rise to a near peer status with the United States was greatly facilitated by the United States as unwise economic considerations took over from what were initially cold, strategic calculations that drove the Nixon opening to China over half a century ago.  Now, in the wake of a “reserve Opium War” where illegal fentanyl largely originating in China floods the United States, the massive loss of billions in intellectual property rights, the lies about the initial spread of COVID-19, as well other major geopolitical issues, the U.S. and China seemed locked into a new Cold War that risks going hot over things like the status of Taiwan. Further, a technological competition is underway the likes of which have not been seen in a generation. 

Together all of these factors make the issue of China one of the most significant global security challenges the U.S. has ever confronted since its own rise to global power status.”

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Remember early television? Karen Cartier will present points from the life and ministry of Fred Rogers. He taught children using “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” how to cope with their own feelings in an honest, straightforward way, always truthful.  He spoke to a child’s level of understanding how to distinguish fact from fiction and to know that feelings are mentionable and manageable. We all can take a page from his life’s ministry.   Karen will join us from 7:10-7:30 PM.

Speaker’s Bios:

Greg R. Lawson is a Research Fellow at The Buckeye Institute.  In this role, Lawson works with all members of the Buckeye research team with a particular focus on local government and education issues. He is also Buckeye’s main liaison to the statehouse where he educates policymakers in both the legislative and executive branches on free-market solutions to Ohio’s challenges.

Prior to his position at Buckeye, Lawson served in the Ohio General Assembly as a Legislative Service Commission Fellow. He then went on to several government affairs roles focusing on numerous public policy topics, including Medicaid, school choice, transportation funding, and Ohio’s Building Code. He also has a background in PAC fundraising, grassroots organizing, and communications and served for five years on the boards of two Columbus-based charter schools.

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Karen Cartier: Karen is an avid reader, writer, learner, wife, and mother of two.  She has worked in IT as a technical writer for over 30 years and is currently working full-time in IT.  Outside of her paying job, she serves as an officer in Toastmasters International as well as a volunteer Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Less government in business and more business in government”. A campaign promise by President Harding in the 1920’s.

To Watch a Complete Recording of this Class — Click Here

Required Reading:  Ohio Senate Passes Education Department Overall –The Capital Journal — Click Here

This is a Virtual Only Class

The Harding Story: The story of President Harding, our 29th president, is not widely known. Harding has been relegated to a footnote of history, but he has a multi-faceted story which needs to be aired.

Warren G. Harding Presidential Sites Manager Sherry Hall will tell the fascinating story of his rise from humble beginnings to U.S. Senator and President. She will outline what he accomplished in his brief, 29-month presidency and what went wrong when his legacy took shape.  An historian who specializes in the lives and times of Warren and Florence Harding, Hall is the author of the 2014 book, “Warren G. Harding and the Marion Daily Star: How Newspapering Shaped a President.”

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Current News on Ohio Politics

Tom Zawistowski will join EmpowerU to discuss the problem with the Republican Party for people who consider themselves Republicans and vote Republican. We will discuss recent issues affecting the Ohio Republican Party and the National Republican Party and how together they affect our ability to have a Representative Government that will help restore our Constitution, the Rule of Law and protect our Individual Freedom, Liberty and Prosperity.  Tom will be joining us from 7:10-7:30 PM.

Speaker’s Bio:

Sherry Hall has been site manager of the Warren G. Harding Presidential Sites in Marion, Ohio since 2009. Prior to that, she managed the education programs for the site for nine years.  She also authored a video script about the Hardings, designed education programs about the Harding era for schoolchildren and adults, and has written numerous newspapers and magazine articles. Hall is a former journalist, working as a reporter and editor at The (Canton) Repository, Canton, Ohio; The Marion Star in Marion, Ohio; and the Alliance Review in Alliance, Ohio. She is a graduate of Heidelberg University and a native of Marion. She and her husband, Kevin, have two grown children, Brett a history teacher in Marion, and Tricia, a geologist in Bangor, Maine.

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Tom Zawistowski- Tom, is the CEO and Founder, with his wife Nanette, of TRZ Communications, a 38 year old technology company based in Akron, Ohio.  In 2009 he was one of the founders of the Portage County TEA Party, for which he became the Executive Director in 2010, a position he still holds.  

In 2011, Tom was nominated by liberty leaders around the state to head a group of volunteers that was challenged with the task of putting on the first ever state convention for liberty minded citizens.  His “We the People” Convention which was held at the Columbus Convention Center during the 4th of July weekend of 2011 was attended by over 1,000 Patriots.

He has been recognized as one of the top liberty group leaders in the nation for his efforts to defend the legal right of Liberty groups  across the nation and he produces the popular We The People Convention Podcast which is Posted Every Friday at wethepeopleconvention.org.

Free speech, is it about to become history? Who’s censoring our speech? If you value free speech be sure and attend this class.

To Watch a Complete Recording of This Class–Click Here

Required Reading:  Biden’s New Industrial Social Policy

We recently learned the U. S. Government has been censoring our speech; for example, the Twitter files revealed the FBI has been directing the news media and social media platforms to censor particular facts, narratives, and people.  The government also has been intimidating us into self-censorship; for example, the DOJ has threatened to unjustly prosecute parents over their speech during school board meetings.

And the government has been trying to distort our concept of free speech; since the DHS’s Disinformation Governance Board was shuttered, we’ve received a torrent of propaganda designed to normalize the idea of restricting hate speech, hurtful speech, and disinformation. Taken together, these actions seem designed to prepare the public to accept laws that restrict our speech. Could this be why European Commission VP Vera Jourova claimed during a January 2023, Davos panel that America soon will pass laws criminalizing hate speech? 

In this talk Mr. Mercier will cover the following: he’ll walk through the evidence that our free speech rights are under severe assault by our government; he’ll illustrate how a surprising number of Americans are passively accepting this notion of restricted speech; he’ll explain how this acceptance increases the risk of speech-restricting laws being passed; and he’ll make the case for why we must take individual responsibility for combating this assault, including educating others about the history, rationale, and need for absolute free speech.

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The Four Pillars of Ohio’s Business First Caucus

George Lang will be joining us from 7:10-7:30 PM.

In 2018, Senator Lang and several of his Senate and House colleagues created the Business First Caucus to help small businesses in Ohio thrive and become more successful. Since then, the Business First Caucus has grown to be the largest bi-partisan, bicameral legislative Caucus with a vast network of supporters including entrepreneurs and also public and private organizations throughout the state.  Senator Lang will introduce the four pillars of Ohio’s Business First Caucus.

Tax Reform– We believe the key to a strong and prosperous economy is continuing to fight for lower tax rates and returning tax dollars to the Ohioans who earned them.

Regulatory Reform– One of our primary goals is to remove unnecessary restrictions on hardworking Ohioans, free small businesses from unneeded regulations, and make Ohio more attractive for both workers and businesses.

Smaller Government– Our focus is on reducing the interface government has in the daily life of workers and businesses and believe that government should only step in when it is necessary to ensure fair play.

Workforce Development– We believe that incentivizing workplace development, providing pathways for advancement and educating our future workers is necessary for facing the challenges of tomorrows economy.

“We believe supporting businesses should be at the forefront of policymaking. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, which is why we put businesses first”- Senator George Lang

Speaker’s Bios:

Michael Mercier is President of Screen Education, which provides research, training and consulting on the impact of information technology on human well-being. His research has examined the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical consequences of digital addiction, as well as its impact on academic performance and workplace productivity and safety. He has spoken to schools, corporate audiences, colleges and summer camps, as well as at numerous conferences. Mr. Mercier has presented his research to members of Congress, and to the legislative aids to numerous Senators. He holds a BA in Psychology from Vassar College, an MBA in Marketing from the University of Michigan, and an MS in MIS from the University of Cincinnati.

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Senator George Lang is currently serving his first term in the Ohio Senate representing the people of the 4th Senate District, which covers the majority of Butler County. He previously served two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Senator Lang graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1985 with a major in Communications and a double minor in Marketing and Speech. Since moving to West Chester in 1990, he has been an active member of the community, including more than two decades in public service. After serving seven years on the West Chester Board of Zoning Appeals, he ran for and won the election for township trustee in 2003, where he served until being appointed to the House.

Following eight years spent in various sales and managerial positions at Procter & Gamble, Senator Lang left to start his own business in the financial services industry and has started numerous businesses since. Today, more than 100 people are employed by businesses he helped to create. 

Lang and his high school sweetheart, Debbie, have been married for 36 years. They have two daughters, Amy and Alicia, and live in West Chester.

135th General Assembly Committee Assignments: 
– Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee (Chair) 
– Finance Committee
 – Government Oversight and Reform Committee
– Insurance Committee

This class has been postponed**

This class has been postponed due to a health problem with the Speaker.  The speaker is committed to teaching this class and we will try to reschedule it in early May or June.   If you want to be put on a list to contact you when the class is rescheduled please sign up with the link at the bottom of this class.

Love is overwhelming.   After a loved one’s death, a divorce, an injury or disease, or another major life change, recovery often seems daunting, if not impossible.

Life After Loss is the go-to resource book for anyone who has suffered a major loss.   With great compassion and insight, Bob Deits provides essential wisdom and practical exercises for navigating the uncertain terrain of grief and recovery.  (Bob is shown below with his wife Nancy Meise).

Now in its 6^th edition this guide is fully updated with advice on catastrophic losses, and guidance on using technology to maintain support networks.   After a destabilizing change, Life after Loss helps you to find positive ways to put together a life that is necessarily different, but meaningful.

Tonight is your night to hear from the expert about this very important topic and ask your individual questions about a loss you might be dealing with and get direction on how to move forward.

“A roadmap for those in grief.”—Lawrence J. Lincoln, M.D.

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Attorney Rachel Citak joined us in 2021 to discuss Cancel Culture and joins EmpowerU tonight to catch us up-to-date and let us know about her new podcast: Attorney at Law, Advocate at Heart!  Hear from Rachel Citak from 7:10-7:20 PM.

Speaker Bio:

Robert Diets – For more than 40 years Bob has specialized in helping people cope with major loss experiences including death, divorce, relocation, traumatic injury, sexual abuse as children and job loss.

Bob’s book, Life After Loss, has become a classic in the field of loss and grief. It is highly respected by professionals and deeply appreciated by those who have experienced a major loss.   Bob is also the co-author of the children’s book, When Your Grandma Forgets, with, Maryann Makekau. The book helps children and adults understand more and cope better when a loved one has Alzheimer’s Disease.  Dr. Earl Grollman describes the book as, “One of the classics in the field of crisis intervention.”

He has been a frequent speaker and Conference Leader on a wide variety of subjects related to the many aspects of loss and grief recovery. He has done training sessions for hospice workers, nurses, Stephen Ministry programs, grief support group leaders, military chaplains and others. He has appeared on nationally syndicated radio and television programs and was the keynote speaker at the World Burn Congress. Bob has been a pastor in the United Methodist Church for 54 years.

Bob was married to June Deits for 64 years before her death in 2016 after a 12 year battle with Alzheimer’s. In 2018 he was married to Nancy Anne Meise, a retired RN and Senior Advocate. Nancy is also a widowed person. She helps Bob lead Grief Support groups and works with him at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Arizona.

Bob is a graduate of California State College, Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology. He holds a Master of Theology degree from the Claremont California School of Theology in pastoral counseling and psychology. He has three children, ten grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren!

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EmpowerU guest Rachel R. Citak Ohio-licensed attorney and owner of her own legal practice, RACHEL R. CITAK, ATTORNEY AT LAW LLC. Her firm services clients across Ohio in multiple practice areas. Additionally, her conservative advocacy and public relations work has included appearing on Ohio news stations and testifying at the Ohio Statehouse. In addition to publishing op-ed articles as a member of the Cincinnati Enquirer Board of Contributors, she has also authored op-eds in the Western Journal and Columbus Dispatch—with a feature by Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire. Prior to opening her firm, she specialized in Criminal Law with a focus on prosecution in law school while clerking for the Ohio Attorney General and Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.

Rachel has extensive experience working in Columbus as both a registered lobbyist and in-house counsel. She currently serves as a board member for Cincinnati Right to Life and Stand With Cops. As passionate firearms enthusiasts, Rachel and her husband Rob are active members of the second amendment community in addition to serving as advisory attorneys for the USCCA network. When she’s not servicing her clients, you can find her participating in equestrian sport, hanging out with her German Shepherd and Cavalier Spaniel, or shooting her Glock 42 on their outdoor range at home.