(BALTIMORE – February 10, 2025) – The 41st District State Central Committee convened virtually on January 21st to select a replacement for former state Senator Jill P. Carter. Carter had previously succeeded Lisa Gladden, who had unseated Barbara Hoffman. Gladden, a Black woman, reclaimed the seat in a majority-Black district, restoring a sense of pride within the African American community both within the district and citywide. Carter’s appointment by Gov. Wes Moore to the state Board of Contract Appeals created a vacancy, prompting the committee to choose her successor. The final vote saw four committee members—Lakesha Brown Wright-El, Alex Friedman,…

Photos by George White (BALTIMORE – February 3, 2025) – Despite the many opposing narratives about the African American community, I continue to witness its beauty, love, and resilience. Our people have endured trials that few could survive, yet we remain steadfast. We are here. And many of us are about business. Ricky Smith, CEO of BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, is a true legend in Baltimore. He leads one of the nation’s busiest airports while also serving as chairman of the board for the Greater Baltimore Urban League. As we celebrate Black History Month, Smith stands as a living icon—his leadership results…

(BALTIMORE – February 1, 2025) – Although I have spent most of my life in West Baltimore, my story actually began in East Baltimore. My earliest years were spent living above my parents’ funeral home. Our first location, at 1701-1703 N. Patterson Park Avenue, around 1968, had a morgue out back. The second, at 712-714 E. North Avenue, had a more advanced setup—its morgue was in the rear of the first floor, equipped with a machine for lifting bodies. The funeral chapel was at the front, and overall, it was a much better facility than the first. It wasn’t until…

(BALTIMORE – January 31, 2025) – Black people in the US can catch a bad rap so quickly. Between the news and social media, it is painful to see how we can sometimes go at each other over something otherwise – in the big scheme of things – petty. This isn’t about calling anyone out. This isn’t about blame. I’m just stating facts. Last night, however, was a pleasant reminder of the love, beauty, and power within our community. We (BMORENews.com) hosted a Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award ceremony at BWI-THURGOOD MARSHALL Airport where Ricky Smith is the CEO. I…

(BALTIMORE – January 31, 2025) –  We, as a people, are so beautiful! I don’t care what anyone says. When one peruses the landscape of last night’s Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards ceremony at BWI-THURGOOD MARSHALL Airport’s Observation Deck, I saw a beautiful thing. There were not only business owners present from across the DMV, but also their supporters. While we thank the airport’s chief executive, Ricky Smith, and his phenomenal team – Annette Fisher, Geraldine Bailey, and John Harvell, I have to take a moment and mention how important it is for entrepreneurs to have their family members present…

(BALTIMORE – January 29, 2025) – Dear Black Woman, We know that too many of us have failed you. Too many times, we have left you to raise our children alone. There may be countless reasons, but none of them truly matter. The reality is we could have done better. We should have done better. America has been anything but kind to those of us carrying the rich melanin of our ancestors. It has turned us against each other, driven many of us to seek escape in addiction, and led too many to poison our own communities for profit. Too often,…

It’s not just about representation; it’s about ensuring that the promise of opportunity is real, equitable, and accessible to all.

(BALTIMORE – January 5, 2025) – Well, the word on the street is that we did it! We effectively kicked off 2025 with a powerhouse business networking and recognition event that celebrated some of our best and brightest in the DMV. (No, not just Baltimore!) Just having Carl Brown present was a treat. Carl runs the Washington, D.C. Small Business Development Center (DCSBDC) at Howard University, aka “the mecca”. On any given day, Carl helps a litany of business owners and entrepreneurs gain the footing they need in order to succeed. Whether it’s legal workshops or logos and trademarks, Carl’s…

(BALTIMORE – December 28, 2024) – I remember working a 9 to 5. I had over 50 jobs in my life. Although I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, I knew that before I could sweep my own floor, I first had to learn to sweep somebody else’s. The Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration at Woodlawn (two of my siblings worked there), the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Health, waiting tables, washing tables, shining shoes, and selling newspapers are all a part of my employment history. In most of those positions, it was living check…

(BALTIMORE – December 25, 2024) – I know it shouldn’t matter, but the fact is, Santa Claus was a Black man. Saint Nicholas was likely born to affluent Black Anatolians in the ancient Roman Empire, and is therefore not historically regarded as white. Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, a port town on the coast of what is now modern-day Turkey, sometime after 260 CE. As for his ethnicity, the region had been colonized by the Greeks centuries prior, giving Nicholas a Mediterranean complexion and a cultural background that included speaking Greek. Saint Nicholas was a Greek Christian bishop of Myra,…