In Southwest Baltimore—as well as in communities across the country—our behaviors have led us to unhealthy lives and lifestyles. The increase of chronic health conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke) is affecting younger individuals and not enough people are concerned. In some neighborhoods in Southwest Baltimore, the life expectancy is 10-15 […]
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A neighborhood for the community…by the community
Monday, February 08, 2010Baltimore has a long history with successful planned communities. At the heart of each of these thoughtful, attractive, crafted developments (such as Sudbrook Park in Baltimore County, Roland Park, The Village of Cross Keys) is the intent that a careful layout of streets and amenities, and well-designed, attractive homes will foster a sense of neighborliness, […]
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Building a culture of peace in Baltimore
Monday, December 14, 2009Let’s Build a Culture of Peace in Baltimore. What would it take? We’ll need to start with a better understanding of what we mean when we talk about Peace. We need to move beyond thinking about Peace only in reaction to war and violence. Peace is much more than the absence of conflict; it is the presence […]
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The hook of a book
Monday, July 27, 2009Imagine if everyone in Maryland read the same book at the same time… While reading is often a solitary pursuit, what kinds of conversations could we have if people were reading the same book—on the train to work, on the beach, in a classroom, during their lunch break, or for a book club—and with whom […]
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Creating new forms of citizen participation
Monday, June 15, 2009My audacious idea is that we initiate a process to develop more democratic structures for our city. When our country began, there were town meetings where citizens participated and actually made the decisions. Today, in most places the size of Baltimore, voting is the main way we are asked to practice our “citizenship.” After one […]
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Social networking for social change
Monday, April 06, 2009With his first address to Congress, President Obama called for “a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations.” Across the country his remarks were met with rousing applause. Since then, Congress passed a bill that is likely to have the largest effect on volunteerism since JFK called for the creation of a […]
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Moving from change to transformation
Monday, March 30, 2009There are few times in life when a people can factually recall where they were and what they were doing when a significant event occurred. The election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States was such a seminal moment. His electrifying campaign resonated with voters seeking to cast a ballot […]
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Who wants to be a philanthropist?
Monday, March 23, 2009As someone who has raised funds for over 30 years for causes I care about deeply, I am often curious what people do with the money they win on games shows like “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Of course, as I think to myself, someone needs to help them figure out how to give […]
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What’s up with the wall?
Monday, January 26, 2009Why does it keep getting higher and higher? Why is it ever harder to see through? Why is it just so hard to penetrate? I am speaking metaphorically about the divide that we find between Baltimore City and its surrounding suburbs. Two sets of people living very near each other but leading such different lives—there must […]
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Art-filled spaces dedicated to issues, art and community
Monday, September 08, 2008Visual art has the potential to play a more vital role in the life of our community than has yet been fully realized. There are a few local models out there hinting at possibilities. Coming up in November is the Baltimore Bioneers ’08 Conference, weaving issue-related art into an event all about innovative thinking on […]
