Steven Kappen, a staff attorney with Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service who focuses on estate planning, probate and property issues, explains how Baltimore’s neighborhoods are hollowed out block by block through tax sales, foreclosures, and discriminatory housing policies. Using a study of the 500 block of N. Carrollton Ave., he shows how family homeownership has dropped sharply, fueling displacement and community loss.
Category: Opinion
Posted inOPINION
A sober voice in a buzzed world: Why THC drinks don’t belong in recovery
By Derrick Robinson I’ve been in recovery for six years. Every day, I choose not to drink, one day at a time. Every day, I navigate a world determined to offer alternatives—some dressed up as “healthier” or “natural.” The latest? THC-infused beverages, now lining shelves next to hard seltzers and craft beers, promising a “buzz […]
Posted inOPINION
Child care doesn’t have to be this terrible
By Brea Harris At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare. I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to year-long waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees. So, […]
Posted inOpinion
From federal overreach to local betrayal: The double threat to Black freedom in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Kevin Beckford and Yasmin Salina, co-founders of The Hustlers Guild, argue that both federal and local policies in Washington, D.C. are undermining Black freedom by reinstating cash bail and expanding pretrial detention under the guise of public safety. They call for rejecting punitive measures and instead investing in restorative justice, community supports and policies that protect pretrial freedom.
Posted inOpinion
Dear White men, why are you so angry?
Social historian Edmond W. Davis challenges White men to confront the roots of their anger despite holding the greatest wealth, power and influence in America. He urges emotionally mature White men to guide younger generations away from rage and violence, warning that unchecked White male extremism poses the nation’s greatest domestic threat.
Posted inOpinion
Congressional bills aiming to jail Black youth won’t make D.C. safer
Congress is pushing legislation to lower the age for transfer to adult court and repeal second-chance laws in Washington, D.C., echoing outdated “superpredator” myths that disproportionately target Black youth for detention. Dr. Kevin Beckford argues these measures will make communities less safe and urges investment in proven community-based interventions instead.
Posted inPolitics
47th president’s attacks on the Fed fit a troubling pattern
The 47th president’s attempt to oust Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa D. Cook threatens the Fed’s independence and continues a troubling pattern of undermining Black leadership in public institutions. Dedrick Asante-Muhammad warns that such attacks destabilize democracy and risk erasing hard-won gains in representation and trust.
Posted inOpinion
The invisible caregivers in our prisons
Rev. Jamesina E. Greene argues that incarcerated people often serve as hidden caregivers inside prisons, providing essential support like feeding, lifting, mentoring and comforting others without recognition or resources. Greene calls for policies that acknowledge and support this invisible labor, urging lawmakers to adopt standards that ensure dignity, healthcare and transparency in correctional facilities.
Posted inOpinion
It’s hard to admit it, but I was wrong about democracy
AFRO Publisher and CEO, Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, speaks on how democracy’s promise of protecting every voice has fallen short in her latest reflection and call to action. This week, she urges unity among the Black Press, the Black Church and the community to defend free speech and fight for a democracy that truly values every voice.
Posted inCommentary
My boss said my religion was wrong and to join their church– now what?
By Dr. Kendrick RobersonWord in Black Although religious freedom and expression are firmly protected in the workplace by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, President Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM)— following the suit of other agencies disregarding standing law and precedent — has issued a memorandum titled, “Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace,” which […]
Posted inOPINION
The time is now. The need is great: The Black family reunion must focus on family-owned land
Black family reunions provide a unique opportunity to preserve and leverage family-owned land, which can be used for food security, economic opportunity, and collective power.
Posted inOpinion
The system has failed our men and boys. We can – and we must – fix it.
Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino says the state must overhaul systems that have long failed young men and boys. She outlines efforts to rebuild trust, strengthen reentry support, expand mentorship, and align with Gov. Wes Moore’s Young Men and Boys Initiative to create real opportunities for youth and reduce cycles of neglect and incarceration.
