A new generation of Black social innovators is reshaping Baltimore’s future through the Drs. Elmer & Joanne Martin Social Impact Fellowship, a six-month program by CLLCTIVLY that nurtures collaboration, cultural leadership and community wealth across the city’s arts, education, health and technology sectors.
Category: NEWS
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Christopher Albert named D.C. Teacher of the Year
By Chianti MarksAFRO Interns D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced Christopher Albert as the District’s 2026 Teacher of the Year. Bowser called it one of her favorite annual celebrations. “It is an incredible experience to hear an auditorium of students erupt in cheers when their teacher is announced and to see the other educators just […]
Posted inMaryland News
Md. Public Defender hosts discussion on criminal justice and child well-being
The Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue hosted a panel on child well-being and juvenile justice reform, emphasizing prevention over punishment. Panelists highlighted racial disparities, science-based solutions and culturally sensitive programs to support and empower youth.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
A ‘gamble’: Washington area airport travelers worry about shutdown’s impact on flights
By Holliday Woodard and Peter Riccio Three weeks into the government shutdown, travelers have mixed feelings about flying in and out of the nation’s capital. Most interviewed by Capital News Service said they worry the ongoing shutdown could make conditions worse, even as they have faced only slight delays so far. “I think it’s a […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Reviving Johnston Square: New housing and library signal community renewal
On Nov. 10, ReBUILD Metro celebrated the opening of the Hammond at Greenmount Park, as well as the new Johnston Square Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Posted inDMV News
Restaurants, city agencies step up to support workers and families facing food and housing insecurity
By Chianti Marks and Victoria MejicanosAFRO Intern, AFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com While the Trump administration and lawmakers in Congress played political brinkmanship over the budget, leaving the well-being of millions hanging in the balance, organizations, local government agencies and corporations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., have been offering support to furloughed federal workers and residents impacted […]
Posted inVeterans
Keeping history alive: Remembering the Montford Point Marines
The Montford Point Marines were trailblazers in the U.S. Marine Corps, but their stories have often gone untold. Mallorie Berger, granddaughter of Montford Point Marine Maurice L. Burns, is working to ensure the bravery of these men, including Charles Cargile Hall, is remembered
Posted inVeterans
Bound by service: Two Branches, two journeys, one enduring call to serve
Two veterans, Robert Lorinza Jones and Earl Ruff Jr., reflect on decades of service across the Marine Corps and National Guard. From Vietnam to Desert Storm and the Pentagon on 9/11, their stories reveal hard-won lessons in discipline, leadership and the lasting power of military brotherhood.
Posted inHealth
‘Dr. Ohhh’ explores the benefits of juicing with thriving online business
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com Oluwatosin Oluokun, a first-generation Nigerian, wife, and mother of two young children, remembers the day when she first learned she had high blood pressure and accelerated cholesterol levels and would need to go on medication. Her response, however, changed her life and set her on a path toward […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Ward 8 Advanced Technical Center opens, giving students new career and college opportunities
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recognized the launch of the Ward 8 Advanced Technical Center and D.C. HEAL program, providing students apprenticeships and skills that can strengthen the local workforce and future opportunities.
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council releases 2025 annual report
The Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council’s new report outlines a $100 million plan to demolish and renovate more than 2,000 vacant properties. The initiative aims to revitalize Baltimore’s neighborhoods and reduce long-standing housing blight.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Jimmie C. Gardner, exonerated after 27 years in prison, forms foundation for social justice
After spending 27 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, former Chicago Cubs Minor League player Jimmie C. Gardner has turned his pain into purpose. Through his new nonprofit, Gardner House LLC, he’s working to support others wrongfully convicted and to challenge systemic injustices in the U.S. legal system.
