(BALTIMORE – November 13, 2025) – Baltimore! World! Last week showed me something I’ve been waiting to see for years: New Baltimore is here. The Renaissance isn’t coming—it’s already arrived. And it’s not just the City. Baltimore County is also waking up.
If you’re watching from the sidelines thinking otherwise, you might want to look again.
The Heavyweights Are in the Room
Last week, Shelonda Stokes presented the Downtown Partnership’s Annual Report—a major networking event that celebrated downtown achievements, recognized leaders, and mapped the future.
The room was packed with power: Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. Otis Rolley, the new CEO of Baltimore Development Corporation and the first Black man to ever hold that position. Mark Anthony Thomas, President and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee, is the first Black man to lead that organization.
All of them are talking about the same thing: a more equitable Baltimore. One that’s accessible to all.
They’re not naive. They know the history—the stigmas, the stereotypes, the redlining instituted in 1910 under Mayor J. Barry Mahool that created an age of housing discrimination and underinvestment. They know what has minimized and marginalized Black progress in a majority Black city for generations.
However, what excites me most is the youthfulness of our leaders.
Embrace the New Guard
Too often, we fail as a community to support and nurture young leaders. For us old heads with a certain political bent, these new voices might feel off-putting. That’s exactly when we need to pull them aside and offer wisdom—respectfully.
I’ve learned this everywhere I’ve traveled: if you give respect, you get respect. Approach young leaders with love, and they’ll listen. But crack slick on them? Good luck with that.
Our job isn’t to dismiss them. It’s to guide them.
Ben Crump, Billy Murphy, and Malcolm Ruff Walk Into a Room
Last night, another young dynamo took center stage—this time in Timonium.
The legendary civil rights attorney Ben Crump was welcomed by Attorney William “Billy” Murphy, one of the realest people I’ve ever met. Billy speaks his mind—unfiltered, unplugged, unapologetic. His wisdom has guided me and BMORENews for nearly 25 years.
Billy is also the mentor and boss to Delegate Malcolm Ruff, who’s running for the State Senate seat currently held by indicted Senator Dalya Attar.
Ruff pulled out the big guns at Valley Inn and raised serious money. But beyond the fundraising, what struck me was the scene itself: Billy Murphy, Malcolm Ruff, and nationally recognized Ben Crump in the same room, uplifting each other. That’s the kind of alignment only the heavens could orchestrate.
Ruff is no slouch. We know that because we know Billy. And we know Billy doesn’t accept 95s or 97s—he brings home 100s. Billy is an MIT-trained engineer who chose law over industry, became a judge, ran for mayor, and now leads a multimillion-dollar firm. Billy is about excellence, period.
Ruff, currently a Delegate, is aiming for the next level: the State Senate. If he wins, he’ll join 46 colleagues making decisions that affect our lives daily.
What we get from the Park Heights kid is a fighter. Last night, we talked about the audacity it takes for a kid from Northwest Baltimore to attend Duke University and then work for the legendary Billy Murphy.
That’s Baltimore grit. We don’t quit. We fight.
Baltimore County Needs to Wake Up
Also, last night, we covered a Maryland Democratic Party event in Towson. Many of the politicos from Baltimore County—including the Westside—were in the house. What I saw was promising.
But let me be clear: I can be hard on my County brethren. We’ve reached a state of prosperity, but too many of us think the fight is over. Just because you moved beyond the Beltway doesn’t mean you can take your eye off the ball.
We cannot afford to abandon the political landscape. The cost is too high.
Here’s why this matters right now: A Baltimore County Executive race is coming up in June. If Black voters along the Liberty Road corridor and in Owings Mills pay attention and stick together, Baltimore County could elect its first Black County Executive.
That would be historic. And it’s within reach—if we show up.
The Future Is Bright—If We Stay Engaged
Look, the public events are great. The speeches, the recognition, the photo ops—all necessary. But what really drives Black progress is the private sector, the behind-the-scenes organizing, the mentorship, the consistency.
Seeing Billy Murphy, Malcolm Ruff, and Ben Crump together wasn’t just good optics. It was an intergenerational display of Black excellence. It was the old guard empowering the new guard. It was what was possible when we aligned.
So, here’s my challenge: Stay involved with your neighbors, your community, your district. No one is going to do for you what you can do for yourself.
The future is bright. But only if we don’t get comfortable.
Until next time.
