The Youth Issue
Taking their environment in their hands, youth in Baltimore protect the land they call home
Baltimore’s environmental issues and their burdens have never been distributed equally, but the city’s youth have long been at the forefront of creating solutions to these issues in their own neighborhoods.
It feels like the tides are changing’: Advocates see shift in Maryland’s youth justice system
B-360 is situated among the ecosystem of nonprofits and community-based organizations that all play an important role in the city’s youth violence prevention efforts, providing programming, jobs, and wraparound support services. Now, the state is catching up to that work through reforms to keep young people out of adult court.
OP-ED: Youth voice has to mean more than being invited into the room
“If we say we want youth participation but schedule meetings while young people are in school, fail to consider transportation, or expect them to continually give their time without support, we have not created meaningful access,” writes Kathleen “Kat” Jones, a youth board member with Baltimore Children & Youth Fund.
Liberation through the library
Four Freedom Libraries in Maryland juvenile facilities place books on the cellblocks of incarcerated kids, making it much easier for them to access.
Long before Election Day, Black women candidates must clear a series of hurdles
Baltimore has a long history of Black women organizing their communities and stepping into leadership roles, yet there are still gaps in who holds positions of political power in the city.
The Baltimore high school students encouraging their peers to become more locally civically engaged
“Young people are the future, so if we don’t know about what’s going on, how will us, in the future, impact the world, if we are so uneducated about stuff like that?” one Student Ambassador said.
A life deserves more than a line item: Baltimore Beat launches $5 online obituaries
Publishing an obituary online often costs more than a family expects, and the tribute ends up wrapped in advertising and upsells. A family grieving a death should not have to shop for the least expensive way to say goodbye. The Beat built this option for the people that pricing leaves out.
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News
WNADA executive director fired after berating artist on video
“The board felt that it was in the best interest of WNADA to move forward with new leadership,” State Delegate Marlon Amprey told Baltimore Beat.
Baltimore’s small business owners are organizing for more citywide protections
Unlike residential properties, commercial landlords are not required to provide running water or heat, and when repairs don’t happen, a tenant’s most effective option is court, which can be costly and can take years.
In an already unsteady industry, Baltimore’s immigrant restaurant owners and workers are feeling the strain
Creativity, drive, consistency, and hospitality are hallmarks of Baltimore’s restaurant experience, and they’re not just disembodied qualities — they are exemplified by the largely immigrant workforce that leads and staffs the city’s restaurants.
Arts & Culture
Photostory: Portraiture through the eyes of young artists
Students combined lighting techniques and portrait composition to create polished portfolio images. By exploring shot sizes and styles, they learned how to tell a story through portrait photography.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow of Rowhomes, We Fly” is a feast of colors and forms
The group show at UMBC creates lucid dream-like representations that reconsider the context of Baltimore.
What’s Poppin’ Issue #090
Baltimore Art. Alive. Thriving. And waiting for you.
Baltimore Beat’s pay-what-you-can ads program
We know that algorithms make the internet a less reliable way of publicizing the great work local businesses do. We also know that people here in Baltimore are looking for ways to keep their money in their communities.
We hope this is a way that small businesses can feature themselves in the paper, keeping their services at the front of readers’ minds.
Suggested pricing:
Small businesses: $50 per ad
Medium businesses: $150 per ad
Large businesses: $300 per ad
November 2026 Tarotscopes
Find out what’s in store for you this November with Iya Osundara’s Tarotscope forecast. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
Community Resources
This Baltimore Beat section aims to help the community with resources and support they may not know are…