The thing I love the most about being Black is knowing how many people have tried to erase Black people, Black culture, Black art, and Black ingenuity, and have failed to do so. It has never been easy, but Black people here in the United States and across the globe have protected their dignity through a determined mix of wisdom, tenacity, and joy.
“We face more harrowing political obstacles than we’ve seen in decades,” Phillip Clark writes in this issue. Clark is on the board of BLAQ Equity Baltimore, an organization that celebrates and cultivates the lives and leadership of LGBTQIA+ people in Baltimore City. This month is Baltimore BLAQ Pride.
“Confronting these pressing challenges does not negate celebrating our collective light and brilliance as Black queer Baltimoreans. Baltimore BLAQ Pride drives us to hold space for our unique beauty, challenge one another with love, accompany one another through grief and joy, honor our truths, and remain accountable to each other,” says Clark.
Journalist Briahnna Brown writes about the ways institutions like The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, AFRO Archives, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and the Billie Holiday Center are protecting Black memory and history.
“They provide spaces for younger generations of Black people to get a more complete picture of where they come from,” Brown writes. “Black historical institutions combat centuries of negative stereotypes about Black communities by celebrating Black accomplishments throughout our time in this country. This, in turn, can help young Black people feel more connected to and proud of their Blackness while building their overall self-esteem.”
Speaking of Black tenacity, brilliance, and joy, make sure to take a look at the photos from Morgan State University’s Homecoming celebration in our Photostory section.
Also in this issue, journalist Logan Hullinger writes about the complexities of Baltimore’s drug courts.
“The Baltimore courts’ diversion program is one of the few the city has adopted as an alternative to the standard criminal justice system,” Hullinger writes. “Drug Court aims to prevent recidivism and offer rehabilitative services instead of incarceration for people facing charges for non-violent crimes and who have substance use-related issues. Proponents say Drug Court promotes recovery, shows compassion for drug users, and remedies the harms of criminalization, though relatively few people qualify for the diversion program.”
And music journalist Eze Jackson writes about Baltimore rap legend Kevin Muldrow Jr., best known as Mullyman. Jackson says that for Mullyman, hip-hop has always been about something more than bragging rights and material excess.
“Most people chase money and underestimate the power of love,” Mullyman told Jackson. “A purpose-driven path of love is the most profitable,” he said. “It’s the soul’s gold.”
Finally, I want to make sure you know about a documentary coming soon, all about our work here at Baltimore Beat. The team at 6pm Productions have spent this year filming “The Beat Goes On: The Story of Baltimore Beat,” and they plan to release it next month.
“We had this opportunity to tell the story of how the legacy of the Black press is still impacting journalists in Baltimore,” director David Elliot said about the project.
The documentary guides viewers from the beginnings of the Beat, through the death of Baltimore City resident Freddie Gray and the unrest that followed, to the ongoing fight for justice. Look for the trailer on our website and all of our socials!
Thank you so much for reading.
