By Eric Morrissette On Saturday, Feb. 28th, Americans woke up to find their country at war with Iran. Breaking news alerts carried word that the United States had joined Israel in an unprecedented joint military operation aimed at overturning the Iranian government. The human cost is already jarring: one week in, Al Jazeera’s live tracker […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inOPINION
Baltimore’s cultural moment is here
By Mark Anthony Thomas For decades, Baltimore’s story was often told through geography. Close to Washington, D.C.Close to Philadelphia.Close to New York City. That proximity has always mattered. The Baltimore Region sits in the center of one of the most powerful economic corridors in the world. But something else is becoming increasingly clear. Baltimore is […]
Posted inCommentary
IEPs made simple: How parents can advocate for their children
By Payton Aldridge Navigating the special education system can be overwhelming for many families. There’s a lot of unfamiliar terminology, meetings filled with professionals and decisions that directly affect your child’s education. It can sometimes feel like everyone else in the room understands what’s happening – except you. But it’s important to remember that you […]
Posted inCommentary
Reflecting on history, power and the future of the U.S. democracy
As leaders and communities across the United States prepare to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Americans from coast to coast are questioning the fabric of a nation that appears to be torn at the seams over race and capitalism.
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: For Black women, the Oscars are about more than Best Picture
Dr. Regina Davis Moss is a narrative strategist, cultural leader and reproductive justice advocate whose research examines how stories shape public belief and influence policy as president and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice. In this piece, she discusses the importance of Black women controlling how their stories are told.
Posted inOPINION
The silent crisis in our community — why amyloidosis awareness matters now
Each year in March amyloidosis is recognized with an awareness month. Jonathan L. Dotson serves as executive director of Friendship That Gives, a health advocacy organization. This week, he urges the Black community to learn more about the condition, which is caused by abnormal protein deposits that damage vital organs.
Posted inOpinion
Measuring progress: Johns Hopkins, Black Baltimore and this moment
By Steven K. Ragsdale We have to say it aloud. Five Black surgeons now lead the trauma service at Johns Hopkins Hospital: Dr. Zachary Obinna Enumah, M.D., Ph.D., M.A., ninth-year resident and critical care fellowDr. Lawrence B. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., a seventh-year residentDr. Ivy Mannoh, M.D., third-year residentDr. Ifeoluwa “Ife” Shoyombo, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., […]
Posted inOPINION
How war news affects your mental health even from a distance
By Maurice Carroll Many of us wake up and check the news or social media before we even take a moment to check in with ourselves. We do this almost automatically, often without realizing it at the moment. It’s one of those habits many of us share but rarely talk about. We reach for updates […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: As the Old Guard of civil rights finish their march, ours must continue
By Steven Ragsdale This past weekend, thousands gathered in Alabama for the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Celebration, retracing the famous steps across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where civil rights marchers once faced violence for demanding the right to vote. As the nation reflected on that history, many of today’s and yesterday’s activists also mourned […]
Posted inOPINION
My tough love letter to Baltimore after my husband’s inherited generational home was temporarily lost due to a tax sale lien foreclosure
By Natasha C. Pratt-Harris I absolutely love my Baltimore. My Baltimore is gritty. We fight each other sometimes and it can be tragic but we for sure don’t let others fight us without us fighting back. I love that our Baltimore recognizes that the intra-personal fights have got to stop and found a way to […]
Posted inOPINION
In memory of George Briscoe: Another victim of a Maryland lynching
By Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III To the family of George Briscoe, I come to you with reflection, humility and intention. I’ve recently learned of your family’s story and now that I know it, I cannot forget it. On Nov. 26, 1884, an armed group of White men lynched 40-year-old George Briscoe by the Magothy […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Michael B. Jordan loves being Black. We do too
After winning Outstanding Actor at the NAACP Image Awards and taking home a leading actor prize at the 32nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Michael B. Jordan has become an Oscar frontrunner for his role in “Sinners.” The victories mark a cultural moment for Black audiences who have watched the film’s awards-season journey amid broader political and social pressures, turning Jordan’s success into a celebration of affirmation and resilience.