(RANDALLSTOWN – May 13, 2025) – We have a serious problem in Randallstown. Before I go any further, let me be clear: I love this community. I’ve been coming here since I was a teenager, visiting my siblings and their families. I remember Cook’s on Liberty and Rolling Road. I remember the vibes at Sista’s Place — always a solid spot for a good time. I’ve shot countless hoops at Scotts Branch. I even served as the inaugural editor of Kenny Brown’s Northwest Voice newspaper for its first six months. I’ve had a front-row seat to the story of this…

(BALTIMORE – May 12, 2025) – In my world of media, business, and politics in Baltimore, there has never been a greater champion for Black-owned businesses than Robert Lee “Bob” Clay. He was shot to death on May 16, 2005. Officially, it was labeled a suicide. But the facts don’t add up. Bob was right-handed. Yet the bullet entered the left side of his head. That defies logic. At the time, then-Mayor Martin O’Malley was campaigning hard for the Governor’s seat in the 2006 election. And Bob Clay? He was campaigning just as hard against him — running up and down…

(BALTIMORE – May 11, 2025) – In light of all that this current administration has done to demean and degrade Black people in America, I want to take a moment and thank all of the Black women on this Mother’s Day! Nobody tells y’all that you are the mother of humanity. Hell naw! Especially in America. This society doesn’t revere you like it should, even though you give life to us all. Maybe I’ve read too many history books because the image of a Black woman breastfeeding white plantation owners’ babies sticks in my mind like ‘dirty rice.’ The brutal reality…

Unequal contracts, unseen advocates, and the unstoppable rise of Black women in business (BALTIMORE – May 8, 2025) – In Maryland, the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) program was created to ensure that certified minority-owned businesses receive at least 29% of the total dollar value of state procurement contracts, either directly or through subcontracting. Baltimore City shares this 29% goal, applying it across 70 agencies and departments. Yet, despite the promise of equity, the reality falls short. According to Wayne Frazier, President of the Maryland-Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA), white women are the primary beneficiaries of this program, more so than any…

(BALTIMORE – May 3, 2025) – More than 25 years ago, LaRian Finney launched his entrepreneurial journey—and never looked back. A proud son of Cherry Hill and graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Finney has become one of Baltimore’s most influential entertainment curators. He’s a master at drawing crowds for unforgettable musical experiences that span generations and genres. From the steps of City Hall to Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore Peninsula, and now full circle, back again to Hopkins Plaza, his signature event, Jazzy Summer Nights, has remained a cornerstone of the city’s cultural calendar. Over the years, he’s brought icons like Fertile…

(BALTIMORE – May 3, 2025) – We all know the landscape. You can go right, or you can go left. It’s that simple. Those in the middle – on the fence – ayeee! You may as well go home. For all of my young brothers in Baltimore, if there is one single piece of advice I can think of, it’s travel. See the world. Go to Africa, Europe, South America, Wisconsin, California – just go and see how other people live. Travel provides the greatest education, one you will never find in a book. One thing you get is a better…

(BALTIMORE – April 25, 2025) — Ten years ago, the world turned its gaze to Sandtown-Winchester. The death of Freddie Gray while in police custody sparked national outrage and local uprising—but for those of us who call this community home, it wasn’t the beginning of our grief. It was the boiling point of a pain that had long been ignored. For generations, Sandtown has endured trauma layered deep—poverty, violence, disinvestment, institutional neglect, and systemic racism. These scars run through our schools, our streets, and our spirits. They show up in every shuttered recreation center, every broken promise from government, and…

(BALTIMORE – April 23, 2025) – This year marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Freddie Gray. We knew this day would come, and we’ve been praying for the wisdom to hear and share God’s message to the people. In recent weeks, reporters from various news outlets and representatives from numerous organizations have reached out to BMORENews.com, all asking the same question: Who has done what since then? My answer has been the same to each one—I’ve invited them to come to church with me this Sunday, April 27th, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Sharon Baptist Church in…

(BALTIMORE – April 19, 2025) – It was a perfect spring Saturday in Baltimore, with temperatures in the 70s and a gentle breeze carrying the season through the streets. As a proud advocate for Black-owned businesses, I often take time to visit local apparel makers across the city. On this day, I started on the west side and worked my way east. Over the years, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the art of making clothes. My earliest influence? My mother. In addition to being a registered nurse, she was a professional seamstress who also made custom draperies and crocheted…

Dedicated to Jerry Cross (SANDTOWN – April 18, 2025) – At some point, I knew I had to write about Freddie Gray—especially now, a full decade since his death. So many memories flood my mind: the burning car a block away on North Carrollton Avenue, the TV news hyping up “rioters” marching down Historic Pennsylvania Avenue, the mother who snatched her son out of the chaos on national TV. From Gilmor Homes to Mondawmin to Penn-North, West Baltimore was rising up—voicing decades of pain, frustration, and disregard for the city’s Black majority. The drama also went to East Monument Street.…