Archive

For ten years, the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance has hosted Baltimore Data Day, a perennially fascinating deep dive into the ways that data can be leveraged to create positive change in communities. The tradition continues this year, albeit in slightly different form, as Baltimore Data Week, a week of virtual sessions engaging a wide range […]

Today, Open Society Foundations announced a $220 million investment to support Black-led movements for racial justice in the United States. This includes $150 million in five-year grants to build power for Black-led national organizations, including Black Voters Matter, Circle for Justice Innovations, Repairers of the Breach, and the Equal Justice Initiative. An additional $70 million […]

MARYLAND – Maryland residents are demanding change in our system of justice. Six months ago – at the invitation of Open Society Institute-Baltimore, before COVID-19 began ravaging black and brown communities, before the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others – a group of Maryland advocates and activists came together to demand […]

On Thursday, OSI-Baltimore Director Danielle Torain participated in Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle’s (LBS) virtual discussion on “Building Black Power: Creating Sustainable Change in the Black Community.” Dayvon Love, LBS Director of Public Policy, moderated the conversation, which also included business strategist Bakari Jones, Changa Oyango of AO Services, and Heber Brown, III, of Pleasant Hope […]

OSI has raised concerns before about the dire consequences that COVID -19 has had on students – especially poor students in Baltimore. These children lack digital equipment and Internet connectivity, while also facing food scarcity, due most recently to an inability to access the regular meals provided by schools. Comcast recognized the fact that these […]

BALTIMORE—Baltimore City residents think the city’s top priorities should be youth programs, affordable housing, and small business and neighborhood development, according to the Blueprint for Baltimore survey, which canvassed more than 5,000 Baltimore City residents in the fall. These priorities are sharply at odds with the proposed Baltimore City budget for fiscal year 2021, which […]

This Friday, June 19th, a wide range of local organizations will hold events and campaigns to mark Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. But as OSI grantees Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF), Out for Justice (OFJ) and the Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT), explain on the Facebook […]

In May, the Annie E. Casey Foundation launched the Baltimore Young Leaders Professional Development Program “to equip young leaders in Baltimore with the tools and support needed to create self-sufficient, sustainable nonprofits.” The program runs for six months and helps leaders strengthen their fundraising, budgeting, board development and data-analysis skills. As Casey’s announcement says, the […]

Yesterday, OSI-Baltimore Director Danielle Torain joined Mayor Jack Young, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, and other government and civic leaders to announce the launch of Baltimore Health Corps, a $12 million public-private partnership to hire hundreds of unemployed Baltimore residents to be contact tracers and care coordinators for residents of Baltimore neighborhoods hardest […]