(WOODLAWN – May 23, 2026) – Some people find their calling. Janelle Shorter was born into hers. At just 18 years old, she stepped into the world of hospitality and never looked back — not because the road was easy, but because she understood something that can’t be taught: that great service is, at its core, an act of love. Janelle doesn’t just serve drinks. She curates experiences. From personalizing cocktails to orchestrating private events, she has built a reputation for turning first-time patrons into lifelong family. That’s the standard she has set — and the standard she exceeds, week…

(BALTIMORE – May 23, 2026) – For many of us who grew up in West Baltimore, Irvin “Buggie” Nore is more than a businessman. He is family. He is consistency. He is what happens when a young man takes opportunity seriously and never lets go of discipline, faith, and responsibility. That is why it is our pleasure to honor Irvin Nore at Black Wall Street WOODLAWN on June 4, 2026. RSVP to blackwallstreetwoodlawn.eventbrite.com. Buggie and I go way back — back to Matthew Henson Elementary School and Lemmel Junior High School. He then became a Walbrook Warrior, along with many…

(WOODLAWN – May 21, 2026) — Some people stumble into their life’s calling. Frances Parks was born knowing hers. As a little girl, she would line up her dolls and teach them — a childhood ritual that turned out to be a rehearsal for a career spanning more than four decades and touching thousands of young lives across Baltimore City Public Schools. Parks, a proud graduate of Hampton Institute — now Hampton University — spent 42 years in education, first as a classroom teacher and then rising through the ranks to serve as an assistant principal for six years before…

BMORENews.com and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards will recognize longtime James Mosher Baseball President William Neal on June 4, 2026, for decades of mentorship, leadership, and unwavering commitment to Baltimore’s youth. (WOODLAWN 0 May 21, 2026) – Some people become fixtures in a community. Not because they sought attention. Not because they chased applause. But because year after year, decade after decade, they simply showed up. Mr. William Neal is one of those men. For many of us who grew up in West Baltimore, James Mosher Baseball was more than a league. It was structure. It was discipline. It…

(WOODLAWN, MD – May 2026) — After months of honoring Black excellence across Baltimore County, BMORENews.com is preparing to close out the tour in grand fashion with Black Wall Street WOODLAWN, set for Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 6665 Security Blvd. RSVP to https://blackwallstreetwoodlawn.eventbrite.com. Presented as part of the nationally recognized Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards series, the event promises an evening of celebration, networking, inspiration, and recognition of individuals who continue to uplift their communities through leadership, service, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. “This event will not disappoint,” said veteran journalist and BMORENews.com publisher Doni…

Photos by Lafon Porter (SPARROWS POINT – May 12, 2026) – When the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards came to Sparrows Point on May 9 at the Pleasant Yacht Club, most people came to celebrate the honorees — the community titans, entrepreneurs, pastors, public servants, and living legends of Turner Station who have quietly held Black Baltimore together for generations. And rightfully so. Every honoree deserved every moment of recognition they received that evening. But somewhere between the applause, the fellowship, and the stories being shared across the room, something else became undeniable. The real gem at Sparrows Point…

Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards Returns to Downtown Baltimore on May 28 (BALTIMORE – May 12, 2026) – When you talk about the future of clean energy, workforce development, and economic justice in Maryland, one name continues to rise to the top — Cherie Brooks. On Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards will honor Brooks, Visionary Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Power52 Foundation, for her groundbreaking work at the intersection of environmental sustainability and economic empowerment. Held at 110 W. Saratoga Street in downtown Baltimore, Black Wall Street JODY…

Special thanks to Fulton Bank, R.E. Harrington, Pleasant Yacht Club’s Lafon Porter, Esquire, Constellation Energy, and Derrick Jones Funeral Home (SPARROWS POINT, MD – May 11, 2026) – Being from Baltimore — West Baltimore, that is — Dundalk, Essex, Sparrows Point… all of that always felt like another part of the world to me. Not unfamiliar, just different terrain. But anybody who understands Baltimore understands the Eastside’s importance: the water, the port, the ships, the cargo. Commerce moving in and out like a heartbeat. Jobs — real jobs — sustaining families and communities for generations. And nestled within that industrial landscape…

(BALTIMORE – May 8, 2026) – Margaret “Betty” Watkins has been doing hair in Turner Station for 53 years. Tomorrow, she gets her flowers. Watkins is among the honorees at Black Wall Street SPARROWS POINT, the latest stop in the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards series, founded by Doni Glover. The event celebrates Black entrepreneurship, legacy, and economic empowerment rooted in community. Betty’s story is Turner Station through and through. A native of the historic waterfront community, she graduated from Sollers Point Junior/Senior High School in 1964 before studying at Earn Power Business School, where she trained as an…

BALTIMORE — May 9, 2026 — The Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards returns to Baltimore County with its highly anticipated Black Wall Street SPARROWS POINT edition, bringing together some of the region’s most impactful leaders, public servants, and community builders for an afternoon of recognition, reflection, and connection. Set for Saturday, May 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Pleasant Yacht Club—Baltimore’s only Black-owned yacht club—the event continues a 15-year tradition of honoring excellence across industries while reinforcing the power of Black entrepreneurship and community leadership. A Celebration of Leadership Across Sectors This year’s honorees reflect a powerful…