Screening of Baltimore: A History of Structural Racism

How did Baltimore become “Baltimore” – the “Baltimore” that is synonymous, in the American imagination, with “drug-riddled”, “unsafe”, “corrupt”, and “struggling”?  How has it happened that many American cities with majority African-American residents are tagged with those same descriptors? 

That these cities are majority African American makes it easy to dismiss their challenges as a result of bad choices and decisions of individuals -- or a deficient, inferior, “Black culture.” It is harder to imagine – or face the reality – that Baltimore is “Baltimore” because it is exactly how the system designed it to be; and so are the racialized outcomes that we see.  

Join us for a screening of the brief video, Baltimore: A History of Structural Racism, and join a discussion about how Baltimore became “Baltimore”, how philanthropy has contributed to the outcomes we see today, and how our philanthropic community can create a more equitable future for the city and its residents. 

Our panelist will be: 

• Danielle Torain, Executive Director, Open Society Institute - Baltimore; and  

• Scot Spencer, Associate Director, Local Policy, The Annie E. Casey Foundation 

• Chris Rockey, Senior Vice President, Territory Executive, National Expansion Markets, Community Development Banking, PNC Bank 

Moderated by A. Adar Ayira, Senior Director Strategy and Racial Equity, Associated Black Charities. 

This program is for Maryland Philanthropy Network members and invited guests only.