Here is a unique person in the black community that is excelling in their career. Kierra Cotton has more on this persons hidden talent in Ohio's black community.

Since premiering in 1990, the Law and Order franchise, its characters and relatable -and most times gruesome- story lines have captivated audiences across the nation. But 2021, marked a new chapter for the long-running series--Organized Crime. Law and Order: Organized Crime follows franchise favorite, Detective Elliot Stabler and his return to the New York Police Department after a 10-year hiatus. 3News' Kierra Cotton spoke with Dylan McDermott about how he prepared for his role, diversity on network television, filming amid the pandemic and more. READ MORE: https://www.wkyc.com/article/entertainment/dylan-mcdermott-nbc-law-and-order-organized-crime/95-818925a7-f53c-456e-b787-d06cfb622209

Jay Wallace is a name you may not recognize, but you've probably seen his work. As a graphic designer for the Cavaliers, 3News' Kierra Cotton shares his story.

Rediscovering the Van Aken District: How a suburban re-development became a hub for fun and entertainment. The Van Aken District officially opened in 2019. As a part of our rediscovering Ohio series, 3News digital reporter Kierra Cotton visited Shaker Heights where the transformation at the Van Aken District has been 20 years in the making. The journey began in the year 2000, when the Shaker Heights City Council decided that change was need to an area that was plagued by a bad intersection. "It was a six-way intersection. Um, unfortunately we had a high accident rate there, there were long wait times three to four minutes sometimes to get through a light," said Tres Roeder, Vice Mayor of Shaker Heights. Aiming to highlight the areas true potential and backed by a $91 million budget. the city created a three-part strategic investment plan to redevelop the area. READ MORE: https://www.wkyc.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/whats-new/rediscovering-the-van-aken-district/95-4afc2dfb-a8dc-4f69-9ba9-6eb11a63590a

The following story about the LGBT Center For many students, growing up comes with the typical worries, like figuring out who you are and fitting in, especially when it comes to attending school. But thanks to the School of One, located inside of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, standing out is the new normal. In collaboration with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, The School of One opened in 2020 and offers a unique and customizable learning experience to its students. “It's your plan. Somebody can come in here at a tenth-grade level and get really focused and knock it out and graduate in a year with full school credit,” said Gulnar Feerasta, the Director of Programming at the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland. The first of its kind in the nation, the school provides traditional academic lessons, as well as direct access to social workers, doctors, and mental health professionals who not only look like the students they serve, but have also shared life experiences. “Visibility matters, being seen for who you are, being celebrated as who you are, as your authentic self matters,” explained Feerasta. According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more than 60 percent of LGBT identifying students have experienced symptoms of depression, that's compared to nearly 30 percent of their heterosexual, cisgender peers--highlighting the need for inclusive, affirming, and diverse spaces. “It's so important that our youth have the opportunity, just like all youth to be in a safe, affirming environment," Feerasta explained. "Often people assume that schools are that environment, but for LGBTQ youth, it's often the opposite.” READ: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/community/turning-point/ohio-school-opens-inside-lgbt-center-school-one-one-lgbt-center-of-greater-cleveland/95-17c684a6-5dfe-4670-8b2f-eccb26dbb2dd

Are you looking for a unique way to spend quality time with your favorite person or group of people? Well, a local woman is taking the hassle out of pleasant picnics, and this is not just your average checkered blanket and basket situation. Sarde Steele is the owner of Pleasant Picnic, a Northeast Ohio-based company that provides elaborate and hassle-free picnics to couples and groups for all occasions. Read more: https://www.wkyc.com/article/features/cleveland-woman-provides-hassle-free-picnics-to-couples-groups/95-798a9e37-0bc0-498d-8b97-95d1ace05828

A local bride turned her craft into a six figure business. Kierra Cotton introduces us to Denisha Anderson, the owner of Cleveland Flower Walls.

The Cleveland International Film Festival kicked off last week and has been showing both national and local movies and documentaries. One of the documentaries featured at this year’s festival is Open Hearts, a documentary about the advancement of pediatric cardiac care in Haiti, led by a local physician, with a message of hope that extends far beyond the average medical mission. In the hour-long documentary called Open Hearts, viewers see the efforts of Dr. Jeff Kempf, former Director of Global Health and retired physician from Akron Children’s Hospital, and a team of international doctors as they perform 12 open heart surgeries in six days at St. Damien’s Pediatric Hospital in Haiti. Read more: https://www.wkyc.com/article/features/open-hearts-documentary-screening-cleveland-international-film-festival/95-6a63dfb1-524c-4ecb-a085-641deacb39d4