2026 Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award Honoree (BALTIMORE – July 31, 2026) – Every city has its detractors. Every city has people who come into distressed communities looking for profit, attention, notoriety or fame. But every city also has its heroes and sheroes. Donna Brown is one of Baltimore’s. I have known Donna for more than a decade. I remember her during the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s death in 2015, when Sandtown-Winchester became the center of national attention. That was when you saw the real heart of Baltimore—the heart of Sandtown, the heart of Upton, the heart of Penn North, the heart of West Baltimore and, ultimately, the heart of the entire city. You saw the people who genuinely cared. Helping to restore a fractured, torn and traumatized community takes people who are real. There are people who fake it. There are people who enter struggling communities for personal gain. They hold press conferences, take pictures and disappear when the cameras leave. Donna Brown is different. Donna is from this community. She loves the people here, and the people know it. When Donna walks down Pennsylvania Avenue, she does not need a bodyguard. From Pennsylvania and Laurens Street to the heart of the Avenue, the young people look out for her because they know how deeply she cares about them. That is how big her heart is. Organizing for Change Donna is a community strategist, youth advocate and founder of Making Changes, a grassroots organization that uses community organizing to confront social injustice and pursue systemic change. For more than a decade, she has worked at the intersection of youth empowerment, substance-use prevention and community transformation. Her work is grounded in undoing racism, advancing equity and building collective liberation. Following Freddie Gray’s death, Donna became a founding member of the Campaign for Justice, Safety and Jobs. The coalition emerged during one of the most painful periods in Baltimore’s modern history, advocating for police accountability, public safety and systemic reform. Her commitment did not end when the national cameras left Baltimore. Donna has continued challenging systems that disproportionately harm young people, incarcerated citizens, returning citizens, women and families. As an organizational partner with the Citizens Policing Project, she helps train young organizers to understand those systems, find their voices and advocate for change. Gov. Wes Moore appointed Donna to Maryland’s Administrative Charging Committee, giving her an opportunity to help advance accountability within the state’s police disciplinary process. Going Where the Work Is Needed Donna has also volunteered inside Maryland prisons for 12 years, working with both young people and adults. Through ministry, mentoring and transformational programming, she has invested her time in people whom society too often overlooks. That kind of service requires more than words. It requires courage, consistency and compassion. Donna’s advocacy is also deeply personal. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, she draws from her lived experience to help other survivors find support, healing and a path forward. She understands that transformation cannot be…
(BALTIMORE – July 30, 2026) – I ask this question with love—and it hurts me to ask it. I am…
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Harlem recognition celebrates more than 30 years of media, advocacy and community leadership (HARLEM, N.Y. — July 27, 2026) — New York State Senator Cordell…
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Senator Cleare, Vito Jones, Virginia Douglas, and Harlem, Inc. celebrated some of Harlem’s heroes at Black Wall Street HARLEM. Watch full video on YouTube
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(BALTIMORE – July 16, 2026) — The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has opened a 30-day public comment period on a proposed drone initiative designed to…
(PIKESVILLE, MD 0 July 8, 2026) — Baltimore County residents will join communities across the nation on Sunday, July 19, as part of the Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action (July 17–19), a nationwide, nonpartisan effort that organizers say is designed to encourage voter registration and civic engagement while honoring the legacy of the late John Lewis. The local event is being organized by Pikesville Pillars, a volunteer community group. The afternoon will feature two free screenings of John Lewis: Good Trouble, the documentary directed by Dawn Porter. The film premiered in Tulsa on Juneteenth 2020, just weeks before Lewis…
Tamla Olivier is the president and chief executive officer of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon … Watch full video on YouTube
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Harlem Inc. and BMORENews.com Present Black Wall Street Harlem Featuring the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award (HARLEM, N.Y. – July 7, 2026) — Harlem Inc., in conjunction with BMORENews.com, proudly announces the return of Black Wall Street Harlem on Saturday, July 25, celebrating entrepreneurship, leadership, and community excellence in one of America’s most historic Black neighborhoods. The event will feature the prestigious Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award, recognizing individuals whose commitment to economic empowerment, business development, and community leadership reflects the enduring spirit of Black Wall Street. Special thanks to Vito Jones for his continued support and partnership…
Tonight on The Doni Glover Show: Indigenous Perspectives, Ancestry, and America’s Hidden History Join us for another … Watch full video on YouTube
The Doni Glover Show LIVE, Public Policy, Black Wealth & the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards Take Center Stage (BALTIMORE – July 5, 2026) — National Black Business Month provides the perfect backdrop for one of Baltimore’s signature gatherings celebrating Black excellence in business, leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service. On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, BMORENews.com and BlackUSA.News will present the Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition, an evening featuring The Doni Glover Show LIVE, two timely public forums, and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards. Held at the historic Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center in…
(BALTIMORE – July 5, 2026) — Great communities aren’t built by chance. They’re built by leaders who know how to bring people together, secure resources, and transform vision into reality. Jennifer Wicks is one of those leaders. Wicks, Executive Director of the Presidents’ RoundTable (PRT) and the PRT Reach Foundation, will be honored with the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award during the Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition, Wednesday, August 5, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the PS 103 Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, 1315 Division Street, Baltimore. Presented by BMORENews and BlackUSA.News, the…
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