Emerging Philanthropist (Individual or Family) – This category recognizes an outstanding individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity (time, talent and/or treasure) and volunteer leadership to one or more Cleveland area organizations, issues or communities.

The emerging philanthropist has: 1) demonstrated extraordinary civic and charitable responsibility, and 2) whose generosity inspires others to philanthropic action for a period of five years or more. This category honors the achievements of a living person; if a family is proposed, there should be at least one living member.

Jowan Smith

Jowan Smith's holistic approach to philanthropy begins with a necktie and starts the journey of presenting oneself professionally. Her parents empowered Smith with the mantra that became her business, Getting Our Babies to College 101. Her mission is to guide high school students to college so they can be exposed to life beyond their neighborhood and Cleveland. Smith's children and their experiences in college have helped her Give Black with relevance. In addition to giving out over 1,000 neckties, Smith teaches students about financial aid, entry to college, and making it to graduation. Her work breaks generational patterns of low expectations so that the young men can dream big and hold themselves to a higher standard.

André Morton

Coach André Morton Gives Black through Gives swimming. He teaches "adults to swim, break patterns of fear, to care about health - to be empowered to live fully and to grow." Morton and his father were natural swimmers, and in 2014 he created Rhythm and Stroke LLC with his future wife, Kimberly Brown Morton. He taught her to swim, and together they provide aqua aerobics, advanced swimming, water safety, and more. Morton shares the rich history of swimming in Africa, which was disrupted by slavery and other traumas. His coloring books for young people help ease them into the world of swimming. Morton's work reinvigorates the culture of swimming in the black community so that people of color can participate and "grow in the process of swimming."

Janice Ridgeway

Janice Ridgeway's work is rooted in the soil. On the family farm in Georgia, Ridgeway grew and ate fresh food, developed her work ethic, practiced a sharing economy, grew a sustaining faith, and found respect for the soil and its yield. This shadowbox contains that very soil: "Our family's legacy and its continuity are found in this soil-on the farm. My life's rhythm vibrates from this soil. This soil is from the land that made me." Today, much of her giving is centered at Cleveland's Garden Valley Neighborhood House, where she distributes food, teaches children to garden, provides job training, runs a sewing cooperative, and oversees a youth-operated restaurant. Most recently, Ridgeway is working to make the House energy efficient. When Giving Black, she asks, "How can I enrich the lives of black people in other ways?" Ridgeway seeks to leave the earth a better place than she found it.