Djorrel Dunn, a former laborer for the Baltimore City Department of Public Works, decided to obtain his Commercial Driver’s License after experiencing physical toll on his body due to the physical nature of the job. He now drives a trash truck, but his former colleagues have also reported unfair compensation and retaliation from supervisors for reporting workplace injuries.
Author Archives: Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer
Megan Sayles is a business reporter for The Baltimore Afro-American paper. Before this, Sayles interned with Baltimore Magazine, where she wrote feature stories about the city’s residents, nonprofits and initiatives. Her love of music inspired her to be a writer. At a young age she realized it was not the melody that she was so infatuated with, but the lyrics that made up the song and connected with listeners. Sayles grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, and is a 2021 graduate of the University of Maryland, where for her senior capstone project she reported on how the coronavirus and inequality intersected in Baltimore. She also worked as a staff writer and copy editor for campus publications, including Stories Beneath the Shell and The Black Explosion. Sayles teamed up with a partner to report on how the pandemic had put many more responsibilities on the oldest child in families. The Associated Press and other news organizations picked up her story.
Posted inLOCAL
Uncovering the untold stories of watermen and women on the Chesapeake
The documentary “Water’s Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake” highlights the contributions of African Americans to the seafood and maritime industries in Maryland, with the help of Vincent Leggett’s work in preserving Black history.
Posted inEducation
Greater Washington Urban League opens applications for Fall 2025 scholarships
The Greater Washington Urban League is now accepting applications for Fall 2025 scholarships, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $8,000, and a deadline of Feb. 20.
Posted inMaryland Government
Governor Moore appoints Harry Coker Jr., former national cyber director, to secretary of commerce
Governor Wes Moore has appointed Harry Coker Jr. as the new secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, succeeding Kevin Anderson, who is now serving as the governor’s senior adviser on economic development.
Posted inBaltimore News
35-year-old man in ‘critical condition’ after self-inflicted gunshot to the head in Baltimore City courthouse
A retired member of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3 is in critical condition after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head inside the Baltimore City District Court’s North Avenue location.
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Peace Movement to celebrate life with first ceasefire weekend of 2025
The Baltimore Peace Movement, formerly Baltimore Ceasefire, has been organizing Peace Promise Weekends since 2017 to deter gun violence and promote peace in the city, with a 20 percent decrease in homicides in 2023 and a 23 percent decrease in 2024, marking the lowest levels of homicides since 2015.
Posted inBaltimore News
Beyond reach: Baltimore’s unaffordable rental market
Many Baltimore communities are severely burdened by housing costs, with 79% of extremely low-income renters being severely cost-burdened and 47,800 renter households being extremely low income and burdened by housing costs.
Posted inBUSINESS
BEYA STEM Conference comes to Baltimore on Feb. 13
The 39th annual BEYA STEM Conference will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center from Feb. 13-15, featuring workshops, panel discussions, networking, and a career fair centered on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Posted inBUSINESS
Ben Crump speaks at NNPA Midwinter Training Conference
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump emphasized the importance of preserving the freedom and power of the Black press in his address at the NNPA Midwinter Training Conference, urging African Americans to challenge the status quo and fight against attempts to roll back civil rights and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Posted inUncategorized
The hidden cost of police recruitment: How poor vetting contributes to a cycle of misconduct
Despite a history of misconduct allegations, Derek Chauvin was hired and retained by the Minneapolis Police Department, highlighting the need for comprehensive recruitment and training standards for police officers.
Posted inBUSINESS
Tapping into federal procurement: How to position your business to win contracts
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) provides free services to help entrepreneurs pursue government contracts and create intergenerational wealth for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Posted inCOMMUNITY
Young People for Progress: Empowering those under 35 to better their communities
Young People for Progress, a community organizing and social justice nonprofit, was founded by Danielle Blocker in 2019 to increase political power among young adults and youth, and advocate for issues such as voter education, restorative justice and banning consent searches.