Part III: What’s Really Going On? On May 31, 2015, all the news reports were about the surge in violence in Baltimore during the month of May—a homicide rate not seen in decades, and nonfatal shootings increased, too. That day, and over the past week, I’ve had conversations (via Facebook) with a few friends from … More Baltimore UpRising: The Struggle Continues – 3
Part II: How Did We Get Here? “We have time-warped back to 1971—when Marvin Gaye’s song, “What’s Going On” first came out—and 1972—the ‘last’ time Baltimore was in such a seemingly lawless state!” —Baltimore UpRising: The Struggle Continues Part I: What’s Going On?!? Fifty years ago, Baltimore was not unlike Ferguson, Missouri, in that black … More Baltimore UpRising: The Struggle Continues – 2
Part I: What’s Going On?!? This article is Part I of a planned three-part series discussing the ongoing Baltimore UpRising. Look for Part II: How Did We Get Here? and Part III: What’s Really Going On in Upcoming Posts on this page. What’s Going On Mother, mother There’s too many of you crying Brother, brother, … More Baltimore UpRising: The Struggle Continues
It’s been a long, hard week for my City of Baltimore. Skipping to the nitty-gritty tonight. I have lots of questions. I want answers. 1. On Monday, April 27, 2015, when schools were letting out, why did the Baltimore Police Department and the City hamper the students’ ability to go home peacefully by blocking their … More Justice for Freddie Gray: Ongoing Questions
Within the last few hours, Baltimore City took an important step forward in our pursuit of Justice for Freddie Gray. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney announced that 6 Baltimore Police Department officers have been criminally charged in the homicide death of Mr. Gray. Charges range from reckless manslaughter (not premeditated), assault, misconduct, and other charges, carrying a … More Baltimore City Moving Forward: Justice for Freddie Gray
Even my dog understands the 10:00 PM Curfew now in effect in Baltimore City. Normally, we would go for our last walk of the night—around our yard—anywhere from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM. But since Tuesday night, we’ve been taking our last walk a bit earlier, making sure to be inside by the “witching” hour. … More The Curfew, The Curfew! Let’s Not Forget The Curfew
I have written before that I am a native of Baltimore, with long and strong roots in the state of Maryland. The Baltimore you are witnessing on your news tonight is not my Baltimore. The hordes of rioters, looters, arsonists, and thugs you have seen on your screens tonight—or that you may have watched on … More Baltimore City Is My Home
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 40th Anniversary Exhibit at Reginald F. Lewis Museum—Featuring Keith Saunders This past Saturday, April 18, 2015, my Mom and I attended one of the opening-weekend events for Dance Theatre of Harlem’s (DTH’s) 40th-anniversary art exhibit at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore. Though based in New York, DTH has a … More Out and About: Dance Theatre of Harlem
March 30, 2015 Today, March 30, is World Bipolar Day. This date is doubly significant to me. It is a day of worldwide awareness for this serious and too often debilitating illness. But it is also my personal anniversary date, marking the official beginning of my experience with this illness. My first episode of mania, … More World Bipolar Day: I Am One of the 27 Million
Over the course of this week, two remarkable, not-so-random, acts of kindness by young people flooded the airwaves: the humble apology of ex-University of Oklahoma/SAE Fraternity member, Levi Pettit, for his participation in the infamous “lynch a n*****” chant; and the mature-beyond-any-age petition for forgiveness of the crass ex-Bloomsburg University baseball player, Joey Casselberry, for … More Racism in the “Postracial” Era: Three Teachable Moments
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