Jameer Robinson
Jameer partnered with A Tribe Called Run (a Black running group based in Baltimore) to organize Coffee Sunday, an event on June 9th that connects coffee, running, yoga, breathwork, and joyful collective liberation. “The previous years have only left me to wonder, how liberatory practices can offer healing from oppressive systems while honoring generational pain that needs to be released without causing further harm…Will Wes, the founder of “A Tribe Called Run” is my main partner and co-conspirator for this project. Despite not having any formal institution-granted credentials or academic training, Will has been able to make a huge impact on the Baltimore running scene. Will embodies many of the values I learned throughout our coursework…His commitment to leadership is a huge part of why I wanted to work with him. The Event will tie together all of the background research and my passion to provide a fun-filled experience…Coffee Sunday will be there to serve partners and those in the community with guidance. This will come in the form of a zine, a short documentary, social media resources, and pop-ups. This is to make sure that people do not feel like the love and home shared on the day of is ever lost and home is everywhere they go. As I look to the future, Coffee Sunday is my humble offering to the Baltimore community. I am excited to witness the power of community and healing practices in front of me and to pull data from the experience to share and pass along. Thank you to Baltimore and Welcome to Coffee Sunday.”
Ariel Barbosa
Ariel worked with Joy Davis, Visual Arts Director at the Creative Alliance, to develop a multi-disciplinary arts event in celebration and support of A GENTE, a residency of Black artists from Salvador, Bahia (Brazil) and Baltimore who were “co-creating the Afrofuture, designing our own world within a world not designed for us.” At the event, participants were “brought into the communal joy and power of a capoeira roda (Brazilian dance form) occurring in the street outside of Creative Alliance. The A GENTE Baltimore musicians were in the circle of musicians playing and singing traditional capoeira songs…Visual Artists VILLAGER and Alexis Tyson were live painting the scene. When you walked inside, you were drawn by the axé (light, spirit, energy) of the Marquee Lounge, where the line-up included a blended performance by DJ M’Balou Camara, musician Black Assets, and multidisciplinary artist VILLAGER, before an inviting circle dialogue about the Afrofuture led by African Diasporic community leaders Jermaine Gibbs and Dr. Tanya Saunders, and others. In the gallery, visual artists’ works from A GENTE artists in Bahia – Julio Alvez, Zaca Oliveira, Ivana Magalhães, and Elson Junior – were on display, alongside pieces from Baltimore artists and Ghanaian photographers. Organized by Alexis Tyson, in collaboration with Joy Davis, the art auction happened throughout the evening. This event was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved and marked the true beginning of the bridging of Baltimore and Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.”
Malik Gay
A UMBC lacrosse player and racial justice advocate, Malik partnered with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Program to develop a web platform for Black college athletes. “The initial goal was to address long-standing injustices in collegiate athletics by providing a platform that would allow these athletes to use their identities and talents. But as the initiative developed, it became more and more obvious that the platform could be used as a catalyst for social change and empowerment in addition to being a means of generating income. Through a cycle of revision based on stakeholder feedback, research, and a dedication to promoting fairness and representation, the objectives came to fruition. These needs were addressed in the end product, a full NIL platform created especially for Black college athletes. Athletes may manage and profit from their company rights using the platform, which acts as a central hub and gives them the tools and resources they need to deal with the challenges presented by this new environment…Through prioritizing the experiences and requirements of these athletes, the platform functions as an effective tool for promoting fairness, representation, and social justice in the sports industry. In addition, the platform’s promotion of community and empowerment leaves a long-lasting impression that goes well beyond sports, giving players the ability to influence change in both their local communities and society as a whole.”
Masumi E. Hicks
Masumi connected with the Jubilee Association of Maryland, a disability-rights organization based in Montgomery County, Maryland, to develop a handbook for government agencies and nonprofit organizations serving Asian-Americans with disabilities. “Asian Americans with IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) are diverse and underrepresented…Since Asians are a diverse community regarding many languages and cultural nuances, not all Asian Americans/Asians fit into the “model minority” category…As a result, communication between Asian Americans with IDD and state agencies as well as service providers remain ineffective and disconnected…[T]he guide would help develop self-awareness and understanding regarding the diverse sociocultural context of Asian Americans with IDD…The outcome of this project guide will help not only reduce ableism and stigmas but also static assumptions across social stratification….The focus would create a space for healing, education, and reflectivity. This is where people can share their experiences and help co-design a better policy, programs and services, and organizational climate…I believe it is a matter of building bridges—opening the channel of communication and exchange of resources and expertise can repair the disconnection between agencies, service providers, and the Asian community, especially in the Montgomery County area…Perhaps doing these action-research approaches would build stronger collaborative governance among communities of interest, leaders, and various organizations to generate a healthier community.”
Latisha Pledger
An employee of Choice, a UMBC-based program that serves youth in Baltimore City and surrounding counties, Latisha created a partnership between Choice and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore. She facilitated the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined youth-oriented initiatives at the Inner Harbor, specifically a Youth Advisory Board and a paid internship. “The MOU details who will manage the youth advisory board, who will manage the varying aspects of the internship, the time that will be allocated for the internship, and how this partnership will meet the set objective to have youth voice utilized in the development of the Harbor. My hope is that this partnership will be sustained for years to come, and this partnership will help demonstrate to our youth that their voices matter and that they have a stake in shaping the future of their city. This can strengthen social cohesion, trust, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Additionally, this opportunity will allow them to participate in real-world planning projects that can develop critical thinking skills, leadership abilities, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental issues. Involving youth in the development planning of Baltimore Harbor not only ensures that their voices are heard but also enriches the planning process, strengthens community engagement, and lays the foundation for a more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant waterfront for generations to come.”
Nia Staples
A UMBC basketball player who understands the rewards and challenges of college sports, Nia chose to work with the Retriever Project, a UMBC initiative focused on mental health support for student-athletes. “In essence, by centering community assets, including my own, and prioritizing authentic and mutual relationships, I strive to foster a collaborative and inclusive approach to addressing the needs to support and improve the Retriever Project at UMBC. Throughout this partnership…I have worked substantially with the advertising and promoting of mental health advocacy in the form of an athletic event for student athletes. However, later in the project, I will be taking steps to video record student athletes, a form of storytelling, while gathering information via verbal surveys regarding their mental health and other wellness activities they partake in…In addition to the recording of the student athletes, and questionnaires, the outcome of this project will be focused on the mental health improvement and overall well being of the student athletes through the Color Games…[T]he sharing of information to coaches, teachers, trainers, etc., within the athletic community will play a huge part to educate the individuals who are around the athletes 24/7, empowering them to become mental health advocates for student athletes, especially, in my case, female student athletes.”