2021: A year of breaking barriers for women in Ohio law enforcement

As we prepare to turn the page to 2022, we are looking back over the past year and bringing you once again some of our conversations from the past year that we think are worth another listen.

2021was a historic year in breaking glass ceilings; as Kamala Harris became the first woman to serve as Vice President in January. 

Here in Ohio, both Summit County and Hamilton County swore in their first women to serve as sheriffs, in either counties' history. In Summit, the new leader is Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, who had worked in the Sheriff's office the last 25 years. In Hamilton, the new sheriff is Charmaine McGuffey, who is also the first openly LGBTQ sheriff in the county's history. Back in January on The Sound of Ideas, I spoke with the newly elected Sheriff of Summit County, Kandy Fatheree, about her historic achievement.  

In February of 2021, we introduced you to Lorain County Community College student Nikita Johnson.  The national organization, Achieving the Dream selected Johnson as one of eight 2021 Dream Scholars.

Nikita grew up in poverty in Cleveland, dropped out of school in eighth grade, and became a mom at 15. But in May she became the first person in her family to earn a college degree.  We caught up with Nikita again in May after she graduated from college.

 But first, we begin with an episode of the Shuffle podcast hosted by 89.7’s Amanda Rabinowitz.  You'll be hearing features from Shuffle regularly on WCPN, both on Morning Edition, and sometimes here on The Sound of Ideas.  In this episode,  Amanda and producer Brittany Nader look back at what was quite the year in locally produced music.

• Kandy Fatheree, Sheriff, Summit County
• Nikita Johnson, 2021 Dream Scholar
• Amanda Rabinowitz, Host, WKSU