Posted inCommentary

Commentary: Marylanders are leaving money on the table– here’s how to claim what’s yours

By Brooke E. Lierman If you worked last year, you might be walking past hundreds—even thousands—of dollars that already have your name on them.  Nearly 20 percent of eligible Maryland residents didn’t claim the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2023. That’s roughly 100,000 people who left their money with our state rather than in their bank accounts. Most people lived in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery County and Prince George’s […]

Posted in!Front Page Arts and Entertainment

Crypto firms: Wolves in banks’ clothing

n this commentary, attorney and educator Alice T. Crowe warns that major cryptocurrency firms are positioning themselves as banks without being subject to the same consumer protections, posing heightened risks for Black communities. She argues that crypto companies deliberately target Black consumers—through celebrity endorsements, Bitcoin ATMs in Black neighborhoods, and promises of liberation from racist banking systems—while offering little recourse against fraud, volatility, or loss, potentially deepening existing racial wealth gaps rather than closing them.

Posted inOPINION

Opinion: What the NICU in Colombia taught me about Black fatherhood, preeclampsia and survival

In this deeply personal commentary, Jarvis Houston reflects on becoming a father under crisis when his son was born prematurely due to preeclampsia while the family was in Colombia. Through the experience of navigating a foreign health system, witnessing the fragility of life in the NICU, and advocating for his partner’s survival, Houston examines the realities of Black fatherhood, the dangers of maternal health inequities facing Black women, and the collective nature of survival, care and love.

Posted inOPINION

Opinion: Maternal care deserts are no accident—they are disinvestment zones harming Black mothers

Despite recent declines in overall U.S. maternal mortality, Black women continue to face rising and disproportionately high death rates due to systemic racism, chronic disease and inequitable access to care. The author argues that so-called “maternal care deserts” are intentionally under-resourced areas and should be reframed as “maternal care disinvestment zones” to highlight structural neglect and drive accountability.

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