Robert Schleper is no stranger to being the first. In 2021, he became the first out candidate ever elected to school board in Cleveland suburb Chagrin Falls, and about a decade prior to that he became the first out candidate—and the youngest—elected to that same village’s council.
“To me, being the first just means that I’ve kicked the door open and there’s going to be more behind me. I take that responsibility seriously,” Schleper said.
Now Schleper is engaged in another potentially history-making bid, this time to represent District 6 on Cuyahoga County Council. With his victory in the March primary (he ran unopposed), his sights are set on the General Election in November. If he wins, he will not only become the first out Cuyahoga County councilmember; he will also oust Republican Jack Schron, who has represented District 6 since 2010.
Schron is one of three Republicans who voted against the county’s 2018 LGBTQ+ antidiscrimination ordinance. While that ordinance nevertheless passed thanks to the eight Democrats who voted for it, there is a strong appetite for change in the district, said Schleper.
“People are looking for newer, younger and more-affirming voices,” he said. “District 6 went Democratic in the last presidential election, so it is a very winnable district.”
The Buckeye Flame spoke with Schleper about his run, his family and his goal to help create a “Cuyahoga County for Everyone.”
Why Cuyahoga County Council, and why now?
I’ve lived in Cuyahoga County for over 20 years, and I grew up in Portage County. We keep seeing the rights of LGBTQ+ folks, women and other disenfranchised groups being eroded, and the folks responsible keep getting more and more aggressive. I believe you have to respond to bullies with strength, so here I am!
Tell me about an experience that you believe will serve you as a Cuyahoga County Council member.
My husband and I lived in Denver, Colorado, for about four years before returning to Northeast Ohio. We actually adopted a child from the foster care system through Denver’s Health & Human Services program. Granted, this was in another state, but living that experience and seeing firsthand the difficulty of the process and the inequities surrounding access to healthcare, housing, financial assistance and all these different areas blew me away. During our adoption journey, I was appointed by the mayor of Denver to the LGBTQ+ Commission as well as the Crime Prevention & Control Commission, serving as a liaison to Denver Public Schools, where I worked at the time. These experiences opened my eyes to what folks have to deal with, and it’s not unique to Denver. It’s a problem in most urban spaces in the country, especially here in Cuyahoga County. We are ranked last in the nation among urban counties when it comes to maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates.
If elected, what will be your first orders of business on council?
My campaign slogan is “Cuyahoga County for Everyone,” and my platform has a three-pronged approach. As an educator, the first thing for me is closing the gap in workforce and educational access in our community.
Health equity is also extremely important to me. When I think about the disparities in health outcomes for Black and Brown women in Cuyahoga County—and the fact that Cleveland boasts about having some of the best health systems in the world—the disconnect is unacceptable. We have task forces in place to address health equity issues in the county, but they need more momentum.
The third big piece for me is social justice and equitable social policy. As an openly gay person living in this county, I have dealt with discrimination. While we finally succeeded in passing an LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination ordinance in 2018, we were behind other large urban counties in doing so.
All these issues lend themselves to what I think is our biggest problem, which is that people are leaving the county. Since the census in 2020, we have lost about 30,000 residents in Cuyahoga County—the vast majority of whom are not relocating to other parts of Northeast Ohio but are in fact leaving the region altogether. This is a troubling trend. I believe that by addressing our issues with access to educational and employment opportunities, health equity and social justice, we can begin to turn this trend around.
What advice would you give to other folks in the LGBTQ+ community who may be interested in running for office?
Find your people. Reach out to the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party—they want new voices, new faces, younger folks. I know it’s scary, but I believe anything that’s really worth it is going to be. So, take a deep breath, find the right folks, and dive on in. You will be looked after; it’s an incredible experience, and what better way to spend your life than in service to others?
If elected, you’ll be the first-ever out member of Cuyahoga County Council. You’ve broken this barrier before, having been elected to other offices in the area. What does being the “first” mean to you?
In all aspects of my life, I have done my best to be my authentic self and not allow fear to dictate how I enter spaces. The most important thing about being the first is that it creates space for others to come in behind me and continue the work of ensuring that everyone who lives here can thrive. 🔥
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