February 2023 Baltimore

JAZZ IN PICTURES: AT NIGHT, OUR CITY COMES ALIVE WITH MUSIC P.80

THEIR GENERATION: WHY THE PEPPERMILL IS SUCH A HIT WITH THE COUNTY’S SENIORS P.62

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: THE ARENA PLAYERS TURN 70 P.70 PLUS!

In the late 1960s, Baltimore began demolishing Black neighborhoods to make room for an ill-fated expressway. Will the damage to the community ever be repaired?

Brendan Collins , MD | Lauren Nigro , MD | Bernie Chang , MD | Craig Vander Kolk , MD

T li il s o o o l sc o s i o i i . T is I li o o s -c s - oll s c s l oo c l oo i i c li os o i l c s i i 0 s l oo c o s . T is s o s o s o s si oo i s o ls os ci i o io o sici s o o io is s o c s o

D c o o I li isco i o oo i o o c s i jo io oli s l i s o 0 0s. T is cl ssi i joi s s ol -sc oo o i o

ci l c c o i s s o l oo i olo s s c oc il c io

T li s c ll c i c o o s o s i is l i o

Visit Atlas Quarter and experience a plethora of di erent cultures, from a secret speakeasy bar to an elegant Tuscan farmhouse

Find community-centric dining in Baltimore County, from locally sourced ingredients to historic local landmarks

c so i l. T is

c s si - o- l l i s s o s l s. So ci oc l i s s i l i i s co i

o io o o i c i so ll isi s s

ll l c i i o i si

ic j s o c li s T O

l s loc l os i l o s

co . T i -c o o s o l s cl ssi c si s oo S c o - lis

is o ll is o o

00 i c o l s . T s i s i io

o oc ls oc si s o o i il

T i oo o i o os i l c s

c l l l is o

o joc s i s s.

O loo i l i o ic s o o S so o l oc l ssic s oo is o s l s os s s i is l c io s i l i o . Loc c s io o o s -lo

l i o o o i.

T is J s s s oo ioc ils o o o s isi i l oo c i l ill i c s c l i i i - i

i o s l o l o s o o s s - is s i io jo i i i i so i c . T o o c s o oci l c 0 ci

T o o i c s i io i o l i i i Ó s i o i isc is ci i s s o c c o s l s o ic l . T s L s c l s c s i o o si s s si

Visit The Four Seasons and experience a profusion of di erent cuisines, from your classic Maryland seafood house to Japanese teppanyaki

Discover Baltimore’s rich history and nautical cuisine from your classic Maryland seafood house to a historic Irish pub

jo l l ssic il i l o 00- s- -ol o ll oi

T C s l ic s oo

. I io o i s ico ic c si T o os s li si i o s oc l sici s s.

T o o l s o o ll oi os l i is o c c . T o o l s co l s c l i o o o i si

i o is o c s o i i l os . T i l s C is o c l 00s l s o o o s . I

c s s s c o o o . I io s i sic i l s C ls s cl ssi oo

lc J s Jo c i o i oo s s i l . O c si o il s o

c os il s o c i i oc ls c jo io l I s il is i o li sic.

ROUND MIDNIGHT

Baltimore is still a jazz town, and these evocative photos prove that the genre is as cool as ever.

By J.M. Giordano

FEATURES

90

ROAD TO RUIN

In the late 1960s, Baltimore began demolishing Black neighborhoods to make room for an ill-fated expressway. Will the harm from the Highway to Nowhere ever be repaired? By Ron Cassie

›› ON THE COVER: A drone shot of the infamous Highway to Nowhere.

Photography by Isaiah Winters

JAZZ IT UP

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DEPARTMENTS

UPFRONT

27 UPFRONT A new Walters curator surrounds himself with beautiful objects; a student-run newspaper launches at the BSA; genealogist Jennifer Mendelsohn helps Holocaust survivors and their families. Plus, in Charmed Life: a new beauty brand flatters all skin tones and Modern Dating 101.

LOCAL FLAVOR

146 REVIEW Marta breathes fresh life into the former Salt Tavern space in Butcher’s Hill

DEPARTMENTS

62 DINING The Peppermill restaurant in Lutherville celebrates 40 years, stiff drinks, and camaraderie. By Suzanne Loudermilk

66 COMMUNITY More than a yarn store, Neighborhood Fiber Co. aims to weave positive social change in Baltimore.

By Sally Holtgrieve

70 ARTS The oldest Black theater in America, the Arena Players continue to set the stage at 70. By Oyin Adedoyin

By Jane Marion

148 REVIEW Chachi’s in Old Goucher puts its own spin on rotisserie chicken. By Suzanne Loudermilk

150 Q&A A local pretzel company spices up Baltimore. By Jane Marion

151 BAR EXAM AJ’s on Hanover fills a void in South Baltimore. By Mike Unger

152 SIP TIPS and local listings.

154 TREND A Columbia native lands a baking gig on Magnolia Network. By Jane Marion

IN EVERY ISSUE

RECOGNIZED FOR OUR ACHIEVEMENTS. TRUSTED FOR OUR COMPASSION. THAT’S HOW WE CARE BRAVELY.

FOUAD ABBAS,

M.D.

Gynecologic Oncology

CRAIG BENNETT, M.D., F.A.A.O.S. Co-Founder and Medical Director, LifeBridge Health Sports Medicine Institute

AZIZA T. SHAD, M.D. Ellen W.P. Wasserman Chair of Pediatrics Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

OMAR ZALATIMO, M.D., M.P.H., M.H.A. Director, LifeBridge Health Comprehensive Spine Program Director, LifeBridge Health Functional Neurosurgery Program

CARE BRAVELY

KINJAL SHETH, M.D., M.H.A. Chief, Department of Critical Care

AMIR H. NAJAFI, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. Medical Director, Structural Heart Disease Program

CHRISTOPHER GROVE, M.D. Chief, Department of Pathology

SUSAN V. LIPTON, M.D., M.P.H. Division Chief, Pediatric Infectious Diseases

SCOTT E. BROWN, M.D., M.A. Chief, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medical Director, Sinai Rehabilitation Center

this month on

BALTIMOREMAGAZINE.COM

PICTURE THIS

BLACK HISTORY

MONTH

Curated selections from our extensive archive of stories on the Black experience in Baltimore.

WEB EXCLUSIVES

behind the scenes

Iwas blown away by the drone tests and footage I captured in order to shoot the cover,” says Isaiah Winters, who shot our cover story, “Road to Ruin.” “It’s one thing to learn about the Highway to Nowhere, but completely different to see it from above. The drone was sent up multiple days in order to make sure that we got just the right aerial perspective. We wanted people to understand the distance, scale, and depth as they looked at the city, as well as the impact of the road and the displacement that occurred for it to be built. I realized that even though I’d driven along this route many times, I’d never looked at the city in the way truly needed to grasp how much of an impact this road makes.”

HEART’S CONTENT

Prix-fixe dinners, romantic restaurants (some with fireplaces), and all the date-night suggestions you need to make this a Valentine’s Day to remember.

PUT A RING ON IT

Recently engaged? On March 7, join the Baltimore Weddings team and more than 50 area vendors at The Wedding Party for an evening of inspiration. For tickets, visit bmag.co/twp.

TABLE FOR TWO

To celebrate our Best Restaurants list, we are bringing together some of the city’s biggest chefs for two unforgettably delicious nights. Reserve your table at bmag. co/bestrestaurants.

BEST BITES

We want to know your picks. Weigh in on your favorites in the local dining scene by casting your vote in our annual Best Restaurants Readers’ Poll at bmag.co/brrp23.

»Instagram: Photo of the Month @mattadamsfilm Tease Maryland all you want for our flag obsession, but the beauty of that door in the snow is undeniable.

»Web Exclusive: Jazz Greats You pored over J.M. Giordano’s wonderful photos of jazz in Baltimore. Now see more of his series online.

“

“I’D NEVER LOOKED AT THE CITY IN THE WAY TRULY NEEDED TO GRASP HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THIS ROAD MAKES.”

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A better state of care.

My dad, who played a mean sax, really loved Dave Brubeck. Now I have “Take Five” as my ringtone in his honor.

I met Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis when they were helping build Musicians’ Village in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and then saw them perform together, unannounced, in a little French Quarter bar. That was a memorable night, and needed. So those two.

Locally, I’d have to say pianist Lafayette Gilchrist, drummer Eric Kennedy, and bassist Jeff Reed.

Billie Holiday had such a soulful, exquisite voice, even when she was older and her voice became gravelly——you could hear the weight of life experience in her singing. And Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Vince Guaraldi.

Django Reinhardt. Of course this is not a fair question, but Reinhardt is always at the top of my Spotify list, among the few LPs I still have, and he played with Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, so I get to name them too.

Publisher and CEO

Stephen A. Geppi

President

Michael Teitelbaum

Vice President Finance and Operations

Debbie Darmofal

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief

Max Weiss

Deputy Editor

Jane Marion

Senior Editors

Ron Cassie

Lydia Woolever

Home Editor

Janelle Erlichman Diamond

Special Editions Editor

Christianna McCausland

Research Editor

Amy Scattergood

Assistant Editor

Grace Hebron

Editorial Interns

Nina Branwell

Caitlin Cavanaugh

Nolan Clancy Senior

Contributing Writers

John Lewis

Suzanne Loudermilk

Corey McLaughlin

Mike Unger

Contributing Writers

Oyin Adedoyin

Alanah Nichole Davis

John Farlow

Rachel Hinch

Lauren LaRocca

Marty LeGrand

Rebecca Kirkman

DIGITAL

Digital Senior Editor

Lauren Cohen

Digital Advertising

Operations Specialist

Megan McGaha

Contributing

Digital Designer

Aaron Hope

BUSINESS

Office Manager

Elisa Hill

Finance Consultant

Zach Papesh

CREATIVE STUDIO Director

Vicki Dodson

Managing Editor

Christianna McCausland

Senior Graphic Designer

Michael Tranquillo

ART & PRODUCTION

Creative Director

Amanda White-Iseli

Special Editions Art Director

Staci Lanham

Advertising Design Director

Vicki Dodson

Production Manager

Jon Timian

Senior Advertising & Marketing Designer

Emily Odend’hal

Assistant Art Director

Alicia Corman

Contributing Photographers

Schaun Champion

Marlayna Demond

J.M. Giordano

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Mitro Hood

Mike Morgan

Christopher Myers

Matt Roth

Scott Suchman

Justin Tsucalas

SHAN Wallace

Isaiah Winters

Tyrone Syranno Wilkens

ADVERTISING

Vice President of Sales

Stephanie Shapiro

Senior Account Executives

Michelle Coughlan

Jodi Hammerschlag

Integrated Advertising Executives

Danny Glazer

Jennifer Rosenberger

Ana Goode

Account Manager

Michelle Weinstein

MARKETING

Director of Marketing

Lorann Cocca

Marketing Manager

Kamilia Arroyo

EVENTS

Events Director

Macaulay Hammond

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE JAZZ ARTIST?

Stanley Clarke. He does things with the bass that I can only dream of.

Carla Bley. Her album Musique Mecanique has been a favorite since a friend played it for me in college. I have enjoyed her music ever since.

Blossom Dearie (her voice is unmistakable and mousy——and a vital part of School House Rock) or Gal Costa. Both icons.

There is this experimental band named Moon Hooch. They are pretty young and crazy and the saxophonist sticks a traffic cone in the end of the horn. Unique kids.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

It’s a toss-up because Miles Davis’ Blue in Green has me in a choke hold but I love [the band] Cortex.

Samara Joy! She is often the soundtrack to my daily work-from-home routine.

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Editorial Inquiries: Send queries to the editor (no phone calls, please). The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Rosebud Entertainment LLC does not necessarily support the opinions of authors. To subscribe or obtain assistance with a current subscription, call 800-365-2808. Equal Housing: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to indicate any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you believe that you may have been discriminated against in connection with the sale, rental, or financing of housing, call the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 800-669-9777.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Road Warriors

What will happen to the Highway to Nowhere?

DID YOU KNOW THAT at one point in the mid-20th century, city planners were intent on building a highway that would have cut through Harbor East, Canton, and Fells Point? But, thanks to a persistent group of activists, including a feisty future U.S. Senator named Barbara Mikulski, those plans never materialized. Unfortunately, on the west side, activists had no such luck. The so-called Highway to Nowhere, meant to link 1-70 to downtown, was partially built (but never completed), displacing thousands of residents and businesses in its wake. For more than 50 years, it has sat there, a vivid example of short-sighted urban planning that has created a cycle of poverty by cutting them off from resources, transportation, and jobs. Now, city and state leaders are looking to redress past mistakes and get rid of the highway once and for all.

In his feature, “Road to Ruin,” senior editor Ron Cassie explores the origins of the Highway to Nowhere, the failed attempts to stop it, and the ongoing inequities it has created. But if leaders are able to get rid of it, what will go in its place? New development? The stalled Red Line at long last? Cassie talks to the people personally affected by the highway and those on the front lines of trying to craft a future without it. It’s a must-read.

Since Cassie’s piece is what is sometimes referred to as a “long read,” we thought we’d offer something more visual as our second feature—an evocative photo essay on the city’s jazz scene by contributing photographer J.M. Giordano called “Round Midnight.” There was a time when Baltimore was a cornerstone of jazz performance, with Pennsylvania Avenue attracting all the greats— from Duke Ellington to Ella Fitzgerald to Charlie Parker, not to mention our local jazz icons like Cab Calloway, Ethel Ennis, and Billie Holiday. Today, rumors of the jazz scene’s demise are greatly exaggerated—and the jazz clubs are as cool, dimly lit, and seductive as ever. If Giordano’s photos don’t compel you to hit a local jazz venue—or at least pull out an old LP—I don’t know what will.

Speaking of old-timey stuff, The Peppermill restaurant in Lutherville is sometimes affectionately referred to as “God’s waiting room.” It’s a riff on the fact that a lot of elderly people appreciate the classic charms of the restaurant and its menu of greatest hits (shad roe anyone?). Well, it turns out the restaurateurs embrace this designation. They are proudly old school and that’s just the way they—and their loyal diners—like it. Senior contributor Suzanne Loudermilk orders liver and onions and an Old-Fashioned and gets the inside scoop.

As always, there’s much more to read and enjoy in this issue. Next month, Best Restaurants!

SALLY HOLTGRIEVE “When I walked into Neighborhood Fiber Co., I knew the place was special and just had to learn more about the person who was using their yarn-dyeing business as a platform for social activism,” says freelancer Holtgrieve, who wrote “Tight Knit.” “Owner Karida Collins did not disappoint. I hope you’ll be equally inspired by her story.”

OYIN ADEDOYIN “Writing about the Arena Players was like getting a lesson in Baltimore’s history,” says contributor Adedoyin. “I’ve wanted to write about the theater since I found out that Morgan State, where I went to college, was working to acquire some of its archives. The story of the Arena Players is one about opportunity, teamwork, creativity, and passion.”

ISAIAH WINTERS “It was amazing to work on the Highway to Nowhere story and it really allowed me to showcase my interest in both history and landscape through photography,” says contributing photographer Winters. “I was blown away by the knowledge shared by those interviewed and just how much has changed in the city over the decades.”

20 Years Ago This Month

We announced the 50 Best Restaurants. Lots of favorites that are still thriving made the list, including Petit Louis, The Helmand, Charleston, and Sotto Sopra. But many, like the long-closed Ixia, The Bicycle, Kawasaki, and Martick’s, feel like remnants of a different era.

STEVE GEPPI Publisher

“

NOW, CITY AND STATE LEADERS ARE LOOKING TO REDRESS PAST MISTAKES.”

Unlike

featuring:

The Bygone

Chiu’s Sushi

Cinghiale

Charleston

Lebanese Taverna

Maximón

Ouzo Bay

Baltimore, MD

HARBOREAST.COM

12 Blocks of Shopping, Dining & Endless Possibilities.

actually hitting all of them.

Bowtie Bob, via Instagram

Met my husband in ’84 at the Cat’s Eye Pub. He proposed to me there as well on New Year’s Eve!

Stacy Schmid Janson, via Facebook

Ah, the Club Charles. It was my favorite place on earth for years.

Jim Goffredi, via Facebook

Love cities with grit! Baltimore’s awesome.

Kristyn Anne Reed, via Facebook

I have purchased three Persian rugs from Jim [Dulkerian] and they transform every room they’re in (“Carpet Ride,” January).

Frank Fillmore, via Facebook

I loved reading this story and learning about the shop!

Rebecca Celotto, via Facebook

BAR NONE

What a great list with great photos and great writing (“Long Live Dive Bars,” December).

John Houser III, via Facebook

Love this cover feature on the city’s greatest dive bars, with fantastic photos by J.M. Giordano and text by Lydia Woolever. One could do worse for New Year’s resolutions than to make it a goal to spend time at every one of them in 2023.

Alec MacGillis, via Twitter

1919 has become my second home. It’s about so much more than just drinking. I didn’t know a single soul at first. I remember putting down my phone and catching a regular’s glance and we started chatting. It made me want to get to know people more. I found out so much about my neighbors, local artists, live bands, and bartenders.

John Anthony, via Facebook

I love that three [dive bars] are in my neighborhood. #RemingtonBaltimore

Mia Vollkommer, via Instagram

Looking to increase my 50-percent visitation [rate] to the listed dive bars and

The Mount Royal [Tavern] is the king of Baltimore dives.

Don Clark Jr., via Facebook

No Swallow at the Hollow?

Leslie Mitchell-Whitesel, via Facebook

I miss the original Frazier’s.

Elizabeth Hopkins, via Facebook

Loved reading this article.

Karen Hosler, via Facebook

I tended bar at the Drinkery when I was in my 20s. I had a blast!

Carol Saul Considine, via Facebook

COLOR GUARD

These are really, really great (“Watercolor City,” December).

Karl Connolly, via Facebook

So excited that everyone will now know what a talent Jerome Gray is.

Meg Fairfax Fielding, via Facebook

Bravo!

Tracey Lee Clark, via Facebook

Perhaps it is time for the artist-as-architect to set the vision for the city vs. the suits?

Craig Purcell, via Facebook

TAKE CARE

What a great place (“Still Happy on the Hill,” December). I was lucky enough to work there as a volunteer and then later as a Child Life Assistant. Congrats to everyone at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital and thank you for the wonderful care you provide.

Mindy Jane, via Facebook

ICE, ICE, BABY

So much fun! (“Ice Age,” December.)

Thank you.

Chesapeake Mermaid, via Facebook

’TIS THE SEASON

Love this (“Gift Guide,” December). Be sure to check out the awesome local shops this holiday season.

South Pointe Apartments, via Facebook

GAME FACE

I’ve been loving the GameChangers feature in Baltimore magazine. In awe of Deyane [Moses] and her work preserving history (“GameChangers,” December).

Rona Kobell, via Twitter

Deyane is the best.

Rev Grey, via Twitter

ONE COULD DO WORSE FOR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS THAN TO MAKE IT A GOAL TO SPEND TIME AT EVERY ONE OF THEM IN 2023.

ZEKE IS A FIGHTER

Zeke was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome HLHS, a condition in which the left side of the heart does not form correctly. Two days after he was born, the team at the BlalockTaussig-Thomas Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center at Johns Hopkins performed open heart surgery. With the exceptional care he received, this champ is prepared to take on the world.

“We

so many wonderful nurses that showed him so much care.”

—ISAIAH ROBINSON, ZEKE’S FATHER

HIDDEN GEMS

EDITED BY LYDIA WOOLEVER

BY SUZY KOPF

arl Martin is a curator of several thousand ordinary but extraordinary things. A snuffbox with a tiny portrait of Louis XIV. A Russian drinking bowl made of gilded silver. A Fabergé sugar bowl covered in botanical garlands.

Specifically, Martin is the Deborah and Philip English Curator of Decorative Arts, Design, and Material Culture at The Walters Art Museum, a new position created with a $2.5-million endowment from its namesake local art collectors and tasked with caring for the Mt. Vernon institution’s collection of 18th- and 19th-century artifacts. But the job requires more than just preserving pretty things from the past, ranging from ceramics and textiles to glass: Martin is looking at how these pieces—both functional and ornamental—had an impact on the world around them.

Like paintings and sculpture, “[These objects] reflect the cultures and histories of the world,” says Martin, pictured on previous page. “They can range from everyday objects that you might actually have all around you at home to [those that] the royalty and elite of Europe and the Americas would own,” from small simple mugs by Baltimore silversmith Samuel Kirk & Son to ornate rococo clocks made with French and German techniques.

This will soon include more than 400 pieces of majolica pottery to be donated by the Englishes and overseen by Martin, who first arrived at the museum as a collaborator on Majolica Mania. Launched last March, the building-wide exhibition in the newly renovated Hackerman House was part of the museum’s newfound emphasis on creating a world-class venue for the study of decorative arts in Baltimore.

Majolica, a style of ceramics first introduced at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851, was a favorite of the Victorians, who celebrated its colorful glazes and natural themes. Given its high quality and comprehensive selection, the acquisition means that the Walters, “without hyperbole . . . will probably have the greatest collection of this material in the world,” says Martin.

The Wisconsin native came to the Walters after 15 years as a curator at the Bard Graduate Center in New York City. Before that, he interned with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, during which time he earned his M.A. in art history from the Parsons School of Design.

Particularly enchanted by material culture, Martin’s area of study includes an appreciation for the artistic techniques used to create these objects, but also an understanding of the artisans themselves, and perhaps the lives they led. In curating the Walters’ collection into new displays, he wants viewers to understand these objects holistically—from their function to the industries that created them to their role in global trade. Through this intimate exploration of the past, we can connect these stories to present-day, says Martin, as well as, “convey histories that might otherwise not be told.”

That includes his interest in highlighting little-known Baltimore makers of the 18th- and 19th-centuries—especially ceramicists, of which the Walters has an extensive collection. One such object is a covered pitcher created in the mid-1880s by D. F. Haynes & Co. of Locust Point. Made of Maryland clay, its decorations were applied by Maryland Institute artisans, many of whom were female at a time when few jobs existed for women beyond domestic labor. Says Martin, “Something as simple as a pitcher can be key to telling a wonderful story of the history of this city and its people.”

“‘There is no longer an alien nativity scene because drivers kept crashing into the plumber’s house’ is a sentence that could only be uttered in Baltimore.” Twitter user @charmcitylwy, referring to the Christmas decorations outside Falkenhan’s Hardware during Miracle on 34th Street, Twitter, 12/13

“No parish was safe.”

—Assistant Attorney General Carrie Williams to the Circuit Court of Baltimore City regarding the release of her office’s report from the state investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, The Banner, 11/18

“Can you imagine how great it would be to live next door to this place?”

—The Maryland Curiosity Bureau host Aaron Henkin on the chocolate-y smell outside of Rheb’s Candies in West Baltimore, WYPR, 12/19

“As you know, Baltimore, we do crabs, and Old Bay, and football. But we really do Christmas well.”

—WBAL reporter Jason Newton, live from Hampden’s 34th Street for last year’s TODAY Show segment on the holiday tradition,” WBAL, 12/7

“It’s been brutal.”

—Sandra Gibson, executive director of the Parkway Theatre, on the choice to pause its programming indefinitely this year, The Sun, 12/18

DEATH BECOMES ART

Former Station North funeral home turns community art space.

In the last several years, Baltimore has been known to adapt and revive unconventional spaces. (See: the Ministry of Brewing in Fells Point, a taproom housed inside the 19th-century St. Michael’s Church.) Now, The Parlor, which takes over the Stewart & Mowen funeral home on West North Avenue, follows that trend, as a multipurpose hangout for creative types. Already, the venue, which will function as a meeting space and speakeasy with artists’ studios above it, has hosted its first exhibition, Memento Mori, an homage to Baltimore’s dearly departed. Learn more on Instagram via @the_parlor_baltimore.——Grace Hebron

THE REGION’S BEST QUIPS, QUOTES, AND BONS MOTS.

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Updated and expanded 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom single level home on one of Thornleigh’s most desirable streets. Huge 16’ by 34’ great room off the kitchen as well as expansive living room and dining room. New roof, freshly painted throughout, and tons of storage space. $530,000

Thornleigh

Guilford

71

Years that the

MEET THE MUSE

A

QUINN BRYANT’S IDEA TO START a newspaper was born out of a moment of boredom.

Last year, the then-junior at Mt. Vernon’s prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts had been trying to decide on an extracurricular activity. Then one day, while watching Gilmore Girls, she noticed that a lead character, Rory, was a student reporter at her school newspaper, and it clicked. “I always really enjoyed writing, specifically research writing,” says the senior visual arts major, pictured back center. “I enjoyed connecting sources and finding the deeper story.”

So in 2021, Bryant got together with classmates Alex Taylor and Ella Haber, also then-juniors, to launch The BSA Muse, a student-run online newspaper that covers everything from school happenings to citywide issues and even features op-eds. “[We thought] this was a really good opportunity to amplify the student voice and allow students to express their interests or concerns, or share ideas that they have,” says Bryant, who is co-editor-in-chief with Taylor, pictured back right. “And we wanted students to have the opportunity to learn more about the school from our paper.”

With the help of BSA faculty advisors—English instructor Joy Bacon and Baltimore contributing photographer J.M. Giordano—The Muse is run by a 16-student staff, featuring contributing writers, photographers, layout designers, and social media managers. Their paper, which the students independently curate outside of school hours, produces an issue every month and a half. “From day one, [the editors] wanted to have a professional space,” says Bacon. “I’m really impressed by their ability to avoid the temptation to use it in a way that might associate teenagers with wanting to poke fun or bring others down. They weren’t interested in gossip columns or ‘gotcha’ journalism.”

So far, stories have ranged from previews of the school’s beloved production of The Nutcracker to Taylor’s reporting on antisemitic graffiti found in the bathrooms. In addition to providing their classmates with important news and interesting stories, The Muse also offers an opportunity for the staffers themselves. “I think it’s important that we give students a way to share their opinions, their art, their writing—and their creativity,” says Haber, a senior visual arts major who serves as the photo editor, pictured back left. Before The Muse, “We didn’t really have the voice.”

Taylor plans to pursue journalism after graduation and currently freelances for The South Baltimore Peninsula Post. “I like talking to people and learning new things—I like telling stories about different communities and shedding light on things that may not have a light on them,” says the senior film major, who hopes to leave a strong foundation for future classes. “I’d like to write a BSA Muse handbook, so the next editors can know what we did, then build on it to be bigger and better.”–GH

1600+

Homicides in Baltimore between 2017-2022.

$8.4 million

Grant awarded to the Baltimore City Health Department, part of a CDC initiative to bolster pandemicbeleaguered public health systems.

137-year-old Faidley’s Seafood existed in its current site before relocating into the new Lexington Market this spring.

student-run newspaper debuts at the Baltimore School for the Arts.

Estimated completion date for Johns Hopkins University’s new Henrietta Lacks science building.

Films, including John Waters’ Hairspray, recently added to the National Film Registry.

YOUR RESOLUTIONS START HERE

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The List

THE TOP THINGS TO DO IN BALTIMORE THIS MONTH.

WRITTEN BY GRACE HEBRON

LES MISÉRABLES

This month, on the heels of several heavyweight productions, including the goosebump-worthy Jagged Little Pill and the delightful My Fair Lady, downtown’s Hippodrome Theatre will invite Charm City's musical afficionados to revel in a fan favorite. From Feb. 7-12, London-born theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh (behind such shows as Miss Saigon and The Phantom of the Opera) will present a new staging of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Les Misérables. With riveting new scenery inspired by the many painted works of Victor Hugo, this month’s show transports adoring fans to 19th-century France to tell a tale of heartbreak, grit, lost dreams, and unrequited love. We guarantee that hearing ballads such as “One Day More,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” and “On My Own,” will bring a bevy of emotions to the surface, as it has for some three decades, in more than 40 countries. Learn more by visiting france-merrickpac.com The Hippodrome Theatre. 12 N. Eutaw St. Times and prices vary.

YOUR CROWN IN 2 HOURS INSTEAD OF 2 VISITS

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SAME DAY RESTORATIONS, VENEERS, CROWNS, BRIDGES. SAME DAY EMERGENCIES

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2/1

BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT

Exhibits. Start Black History Month with this glimpse of the poetry, music, and art of a trailblazing era. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library. 7 p.m. calendar.prattlibrary.org.

2/1

SCIENCE FICTION BOOK CLUB: HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK Lectures & Classes. Dive deep into Sequoia Nagamatsu’s science fiction book in Fells Point. Greedy Reads, Fells Point location. 7 p.m. eventbrite.com.

2/2

BLACKSCOPE CINEMA SERIES: HARGROVE

Film. Creative Alliance’s monthly film series continues with Hargrove, which chronicles the last days of lauded trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Creative Alliance. 7 p.m. $15-20. creativealliance.org.

2/2

THE JOGO PROJECT CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDER Music. In Harbor East, the Washington, D.C.-based Jogo Project puts a fresh spin on the works of Stevie Wonder. Keystone Korner. 7:30 p.m. $25-30. keystonekornerbaltimore.com.

2/3

SENSORY EXPERIENCE AT CEREMONY COFFEE

Lectures & Classes. From tiny seeds to steaming mugs of sustenance, learn all about the coffeemaking process while you sample Ceremony blends. Ceremony Coffee Roasters. 2 p.m. $10. eventbrite.com.

2/4

MEET THE AUTHOR! SHADRA STRICKLAND Lectures & Classes. Join the award-winning author of Jump In at Enoch Pratt’s Central Library

to pick up a free book, along with a jump rope to help you get moving. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library. 11 a.m. prattlibrary.org.

TO 2/5/23

POWER OF PROTEST:

THE MOVEMENT TO FREE SOVIET JEWS

Exhibits. This traveling exhibition at the Jewish Museum of Maryland explores the impact protests had in freeing refuseniks: Jewish people living in the Soviet Union, who were unable to practice their religion or to leave. The Jewish Museum of Maryland. 12-4 p.m. $4-10. jewishmuseummd.org.

2/5

SKIP THE SMALL TALK

Food & Dining. Grab a beer at Monument City and sit next to a stranger to discuss life’s deepest topics. Sure, this may sound kind of awkward, but don’t worry. Thoughtful conversation prompts will be provided to help get the evening started. Monument City Brewing. 2 p.m. $16.50. skipthesmalltalk.com.

2/7

MENOPAUSE: THE MUSICAL

Theater. Bonded by symptoms of brain fog, night sweats, and hot flashes, four women face the challenges of menopause with help from classic music from the Baby Boomer era. The Lyric. 7:30 p.m. $74157. lyricbaltimore.com.

2/8-9

MIDWEEK: THE JAZZ AGE: HARLEM RENAISSANCE

Music. Explore the music, art, and activism of the Harlem Renaissance by way of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, with assistance by guest spokenword artist Wordsmith. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Times and prices vary. my.bsomusic.org.

2/9

ANGEL OLSEN

Music. The “Shut Up Kiss Me” singer brings sharp

JOEL DANZIGER, DDS

Goucher College is proud to present the

61st

Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Lecture-Performance

featuring the Grammy Award-winning

Branford Marsalis Quartet

Saturday February 25, 2023

7 p.m. Kraushaar Auditorium Goucher College

www.goucher.edu/tickets

WOMEN UNITED

“I met some incredible women who are working to make a difference in their own ways within the Baltimore area and beyond. I learned about the incredible programs at United Way through field trips and our group meetings and discovered the many ways to connect, volunteer, and give within the United Way network.”

--Kristin Kober, Vice President, Group Director at Morgan Stanley, Women United member and Women’s Philanthropic Leadership Development Program Mentor

WHERE THERE’S A NEED, WOMEN LEAD THE WAY

Be part of a dynamic group of local women who are advancing equity, access, and opportunity for children and families across Greater Baltimore.

Our members: collectively donate over $4 million annually to improve lives and neighborhoods in our region provide access to resources to take on the most pressing issues our neighbors face are invited to exclusive networking, volunteering, and family-friendly events attend thought-provoking presentations on timely issues facing our communities connect with influential and inspirational women and local business and community leaders

Learn more and join us! uwcm.org/Women United

for Valentine’s Day Shop Glyndon

Boxwood Collection is a boutique for the heart and homespecializing in Polish Pottery, accessories for the home, jewelry, clothing, baby gifts and more. Perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day and free wrapping too.

BOXWOOD COLLECTION theboxwoodcollection.com

410-526-2220

15 Railroad Avenue, Glyndon, MD 21071

Black Eyed Susan is your best choice for Valentine’s Day with Wockenfuss Candies and “Best of Baltimore,” Maryland Themed Gift Baskets.

BLACK EYED SUSAN

blackeyedsusangiftbaskets.com

Alfeo’s Italian Kitchen o ers delicious homemade Italian dishes and classic pizza. Don’t miss our famous crab cake. Stop by and see what all the fuss is about!

ALFEO’S ITALIAN KITCHEN alfeositaliankitchen.com / 410-833-7812

4821 Butler Road, Glyndon, MD 21071

Sunset Slush of Glyndon has become a neighborhood favorite for Sweet Treats in Historic Glyndon. Opening for the 2023 season in April. Follow us on Social Media for important Pop-up announcements @sunsetslushofglyndon.

SUNSET SLUSH OF GLYNDON

ilovesunsetslush.com / 443-844-2234

4825 Butler Road, Suite 1B, Glyndon, MD 21071

Baron’s K-9 Market o ers everything you need to keep your pets healthy and happy. With locations in Bel Air and Glyndon MD, we are northern Maryland’s leading independent pet store.

BARON’S K-9 MARKET

BARONSK9.COM / 443-744-8915

4832 Butler Road, Glyndon, MD 21071

UP FRONT / CALENDAR

vocals and her cherished tracks to Baltimore. Baltimore Soundstage. 8 p.m. $62-116. baltimore sound.stagemd.org.

2/9

VIRTUAL ARTIST TALK AND DEMO WITH DEAN MILLIEN

Lectures & Classes. Live from New York, artist Dean Millien (well-known for whimsical animal sculptures) addresses the crowd at AVAM. American Visionary Art Museum. 7 p.m. avam.org.

2/10-12

RIVERDANCE 25TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

Dance. Back and better than ever, the Grammy Award-winning Irish dance show makes its way to Charm City. The Lyric. Times and prices vary. lyricbaltimore.com.

2/10-14

SNAIL MAIL’S VALENTINE FEST

Music. Joined by special guest performers, indie sweetheart Lindsey Jordan (aka Snail Mail) makes a grand return to Baltimore with five shows at Ottobar. Ottobar. 8 p.m. $45. theottobar.com.

THIS SPRING, DELIGHT YOURSELF IN A CULTURAL EXPLORATION THROUGH MUSIC

BSO FUSION: BEETHOVEN X COLDPLAY

SAT, MAR 18 AT 8 PM MEYERHOFF

Steve Hackman’s Beethoven X Coldplay weaves together Beethoven’s epic “Eroica” Symphony and some of Coldplay’s greatest hits, including “Yellow”, “Viva La Vida”, and “The Scientist”.

COLLABORATIVE PARTNER:

FAMILY CONCERT

CLASSICAL KIDS LIVE: BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS

SAT, APR 1 AT 11 AM MEYERHOFF

Associate Conductor Jonathan Rush leads the Orchestra as they team up with Classical Kids Live! to deliver their world-famous production. Beethoven Lives Upstairs explores Beethoven’s iconic works, including “Moonlight” Sonata, Für Elise, the Ninth Symphony, and more.

OFFICIAL EDUCATION PARTNER:

JOIN US FOR MORE BSO CONCERTS THIS MARCH!

BRAHMS AND PROKOFIEV | MAR 2-5

ANGEL BLUE AND RACHMANINOFF 2 | MAR 24-26

TO EXPLORE THE FULL SEASON AND PURCHASE TICKETS, VISIT BSOMUSIC.ORG

2/10-3/5

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED)[REVISED][AGAIN]

Theater. Back by popular demand, and with a new and improved script, this CSC production features 37 Shakespeare works. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. Times and prices vary. chesapeakeshakespeare.com.

2/11

PSYCHO KILLERS

Music. This Talking Heads tribute band will have you singing along to hits like “Burning Down the House” while sipping ice-cold Union brews. Union Craft Brewing. 7 p.m. $25. eventbrite.com.

2/11-3/5

CROWNS

Theater. At Center Stage, this play explores the beauty and tradition of Black churches using gos-

JOSEPH MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL | 410.783.8000 THE MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE | 877.276.1444

pel music, poetry, and dance. Center Stage. Times and prices vary. centerstage.org.

2/11

GILDED LILY BURLESQUE PRESENTS

THE 11TH ANNUAL TASSELS & CHAMPAGNE: RETURN TO GLAMOUR

Benefits & Galas. Champagne bubbles, shimmering rhinestones, and shimmy-ing fringe mark the gala’s return to Creative Alliance. Creative Alliance. 7 and 10 p.m. $15-28. creativealliance.org.

2/11

QUEERING THE COLLECTION: HOMOSEXUALITY IN ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME

Lectures & Classes. Using objects from the museum’s vast collection, this lecture at The Walters takes a closer look at Greek and Roman culture with an emphasis on homosexuality and military life. The Walters Art Museum. 2 p.m. thewalters.org.

TO 2/12/23 BLKS

Theater. As the saying goes, “When sh*t goes down, your girls show up.” This brand new Single Carrot Theatre play sees three Black, queer friends on a quest for intimacy (and yes, sex) in The Big Apple. Single Carrot Theatre. Time and pricing TBD. singlecarrot.com.

TO 2/12

LEE BOOT: ABSTRACTS & ARTIFACTS Exhibits. Selections from Baltimore artist Lee Boot’s bold, rich body of work are on view at The Peale. The Peale. Times vary. thepeale.org.

TO 2/13

VALENTINE’S DAY MOVIE NIGHT KIT

Film.

2/14

JOHN WATERS

Comedy. Spend Valentine’s day swooning over Baltimore’s adored shock filmmaker. Baltimore Soundstage. 8 p.m. $17-388. baltimoresound. stagemd.org.

2/15 GILTY PLEASURE ILLUMINATING EARLY EUROPEAN PANEL PAINTINGS

Lectures & Classes. Through this lecture at The Walters, learn how the use of gold leaf was a symbol of divinity in early European panel paintings. The Walters Art Museum. 12:30 p.m. thewalters.org.

2/17

COUNTRY BLUES MASTER: JONTAVIOUS WILLIS

Music. Described by Times Daily as a “70-year-old bluesman in a 20-year-old body,” the protégé of blues musicians Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ plays a show in Highlandtown. Creative Alliance. 8 p.m. $10-22. creativealliance.org.

2/18

CUPID’S UNDIE RUN

Sports. Flaunt your favorite undies in Charm City while collecting funds to help end neurofibromatosis (NF). Luckie’s Tavern. 12-4 p.m. $40. my.cupids.org

TO 2/19

MY ODESSA:

PAINTINGS BY YEFIM LADYZHENSKY

Exhibits. Artist Yefim Ladyzhensky’s painted memories of Soviet Odessa tell a mesmerizing tale of revolution. The Jewish Museum of Maryland. 12-4 p.m. $4-10. jewishmuseummd.org.

Visit Enoch Pratt’s Waverly Branch to snag sugary treats and a flick for your Valentine’s night in. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Waverly Branch. prattlibrary.org.

BMAG.CO/NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for our newsletters to get insider info on a variety of topics, from food news to must-attend events. Plus, get exclusive content from our editors.

EVERYTHING BALTIMORE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT— EVERY WEEK.

2/20

THE LOVE SONGS OF THE PRESIDENTS

Music. In honor of Presidents Day, join the Dan Meyer Choir for serenades based on the romanceinfused written words of past presidents. Creative Alliance. 3 p.m. $5-10. creativealliance.org.

2/23

A GOOFY TOUR

Music. This hip-hop hurrah at Le Mondo flaunts Baltimore legends like VLAAD and Kotic Couture. Le Mondo. $15-20. 7 p.m. lemondo.org.

2/24

MUSIC UNDER THE DOME: THE BEATLES

Music. At the Science Center, hear the Fab Four’s psychedelic tracks accompanied by trippy visuals and boozy, grown-up sips. Maryland Science Center. 7-10 p.m. $35. eventbrite.com.

TO 3/23

VISIONS OF NIGHT: BALTIMORE NOCTURNES

Exhibits. Featuring works by Baltimore contributing photographer J.M. Giordano, this showcase brings a retrospective glimpse of local nightlife to the Maryland Center for History and Culture. Maryland Center for History and Culture. Wed.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free-$9. mdhistory.org.

TO 4/16/23

THE JOHN WATERS COLLECTION

Exhibits. Charm City’s Pope of Trash gifts the Baltimore Museum of Art with upwards of 400 lewd and captivating works, a portion of which will be on view at the museum’s Nancy Dorman and Stanley Mazaroff Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. Baltimore Museum of Art. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. artbma.org.

TO 6/4/23

A HISTORY OF HOUSEPLANTS

Exhibits. At Johns Hopkins’ Evergreen Museum and Library, learn how today’s obsession with lush, indoor blooms got started. Plus, see how the houseplant trend has manifested here in Baltimore. Evergreen Museum and Library. North Wing Gallery. Tue.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. museums.jhu.edu.

TO 9/3/23

ABUNDANCE: TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, JUST RIGHT

Exhibits. The AVAM’s Zanvyl A. Krieger Main Building will play host to an exhibit that explores true, lasting wealth. Witness art as an expression of the longing for contentment, productivity, and freedom through a joyful range of works. American Visionary Art Museum. Tue.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10. avam.org.

TO 11/2023

CLAIRE/MCCARDELL

Exhibits. This showcase commemorates the Frederick-born designer, whose mark on women’s fashion would yield sportswear and such sought-after creations as the “Popover Dress.” Maryland Center for History and Culture. Wed.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free-$9. mdhistory.org.

JENNIFER MENDELSOHN GAMECHANGER

GENEALOGIST AND FOUNDER OF THE DNA REUNION PROJECT

By Janelle Erlichman Diamond

JENNIFER MENDELSOHN FOUND genealogy by accident. She stumbled upon a documentary about a matzo factory on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Mendelsohn remembered her mom had cousins who lived on the same street, but hadn’t thought about them in years. So, she did what anyone would do—Googled their names and

“Rivington Street,” and the 1940 census listing from Ancestry.com popped up. It piqued her journalistic curiosity, so she started looking up other family members. “The next thing I knew I had completely fallen down the rabbit hole,” says Mendelsohn, an occasional Baltimore contributor and now an expert in the field of Ashkenazi Jewish genetic genealogy.

In partnership with the Center for Jewish History in New York City, you are leading a new worldwide effort to reunite families separated by the Holocaust. The pilot program you co-created, known as the DNA Reunion Project, will make commercial DNA kits available free of charge to survivors or their children. How did that come about? Over the past few years, I’ve taken on a number of pro bono cases helping Holocaust survivors find family—the last few with my research partner, Dr. Adina Newman. We both felt like there should be genealogical support, and particularly genetic genealogical support, available on a wider scale to the survivor community to help restore, in part, precisely what was taken from them: family. We hoped that partnering with an existing Jewish organization would provide resources that would allow us to help more people, and we were thrilled to be able to make that happen through the Center for Jewish History.

Why is it so important to get DNA kits into the hands of survivors? DNA can be an incredibly powerful tool for making connections and filling in gaps when the genealogical paper trail has been severed. And the Holocaust severed paper trail connections in myriad ways. Part of this project is just making people aware that DNA testing can link you to relatives. So many people don’t bother testing because they mistakenly think it will only tell them their ethnicity, which they already know. Many Holocaust survivors are in the twilight of their lives and have been haunted for decades with questions about relatives. We want to give them the reassurance of knowing they did absolutely everything possible to find family—and the possibility that they might actually make a connection— while we can.

What is your personal connection to the Holocaust and genealogy reunification?  My mother lost her uncle, aunt, and four first cousins in the Holocaust; they were the subject of a well-known book by my brother, Daniel Mendelsohn, called The Lost. But the very first genealogical research project I undertook on my own was discovering that my husband’s 95-year-old grandmother, a Polish Holocaust survivor who lost her entire nuclear family and 99 percent of her extended family, had three living first cousins in the U.S. that she had never known about. Reuniting them after more than 70 years was an incredibly powerful experience for our entire family, and I was hopelessly hooked. We joke that my book will be called The Found.

Reviews: Books

By Ron Cassie

Jack Gleason. They were all in on the formation of [what is today] The Society for the Preservation of Federal Hill and Fells Point. Another name that pops up is Roland Reed, he was the guy that came up with the Fells Point Fun Festival. Those were the four or five leaders of the Preservation Society that stuck to their guns, won over public opinion, and mounted legal and regulatory challenges that forced the adoption of an alternate route that the City could not finance.

STREET FIGHT

WHETHER YOU ENJOY LIVING in Fells Point, Canton, Harbor East, or Federal Hill——or simply appreciate a stroll along the vast Inner Harbor promenade——you have a tenacious group of grassroots activists to thank. From the 1940s through the 1970s, they managed to stop Baltimore business leaders and politicians who were stubbornly intent on building an east-west expressway, including a 14-lane interchange over the water where Harbor East now sits that would connect I-70 to I-95 and I-83. On the other hand, if you are from Rosemont, Harlem Park, or Poppleton, you know that similar efforts to save your neighborhood from its destructive path were not successful. The little-used, 1.39-mile expressive stub that did get built in West Baltimore became known as the Highway to Nowhere. Mount Washington resident E. Evans Paull began his career in the City Department of Planning and spent 45 years overall as an urban planner. For the past five years he’s been researching his first book, Stop the Road: Stories from the Trenches of Baltimore’s Road Wars, a compelling must-read for anyone who wants to better understand how the Baltimore of the 1940s and 1950s became the Baltimore we know today.

Q&A WITH E. EVANS PAULL

Many people know Sen. Barbara Mikulski got her start as an activist trying to stop the planned expressway from tearing up Fells Point and Canton, where she grew up But you tell a much fuller story, highlighting several activists in Southeast Baltimore. Other folks that I highlight are Tom Ward, Bob Eney, Lu Fisher, and

The Fells Point Fun Festival was launched to raise support, and funds, for the cause of stopping the construction of the expressway. That’s right. I do highlight a disagreement in the preservation society about this. Most members thought it was a bit crazy to do this festival, when they were just getting their legal challenges [to the expressway] off the ground. But they all later admitted it was a brilliant idea.

Interestingly, as you note, The Federal Aid to Highways Act of 1966 had a provision to protect parks and natural habitats, which Baltimore activists realized could be a vehicle for tying up the expressway plans in court. Bob Eney was the guy who really articulated the historic and architectural details in Fells Point.

One of the key things early on, was that local preservationists brought in the staff from the new president’s advisory commission. Bob served as tour guide, and he must have been convincing because the advisory council strenuously objected to the highway plan.

Unfortunately, Mayor William Donald Schaefer kept pushing ahead in West Baltimore even as expressway plans elsewhere were dead or dying He was obsessed with this. He was going to be the guy that broke the log jam and got the highways done. He had kind of internalized the case that had been made by the engineers. He was also a very strong pro-business guy, and the Greater Baltimore Committee was the No. 1 cheerleader behind the highway plan.

The book is a towering work of research. What initiated your interest in this story? I was drawn to the sort of shocking victory of the outsiders and relatively powerless folks over the insiders and the powerful. It’s not often the Greater Baltimore Committee, the mayor, the governor, 17 of 18 city councilmen, and the engineers——who are all behind these highway plans——wind up getting beat by activists who had no one in their camp with any kind of résumé, except Tom Ward, who was on the council in the mid-1960s.

Stop the Road is published by Boyle & Dalton.

The irony is that if the city business interests advocating for highways had been successful, it would’ve been economically disastrous for the city. The later redevelopment of all those [Harbor] neighborhoods might not have happened if the highways had been built. Finally, there is the fact that the highway planning of the era is very revealing in terms of racial equity and environmental justice issues, and I wanted to bring that part of the Baltimore highway story to light.

STYLE FILE

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

Beauty Brand SOLSIS brings community to the forefront.

The Dating Game

BY RACHEL HINCH

So you’re looking to dip your toe into the dating pool. But how to set yourself up for success and abide by all the new dating rules——where love bombing, gaslighting, and ghosting are all verboten (once you figure out what they mean) and communication, “love languages,” and establishing boundaries are key? We asked Nazie Spurrier, owner of B’More Wellness Studio and a licensed psychotherapist, to brief us on Modern Dating 101.

TO

RED LIP OR NOT TO RED

LIP? If you ask Joyce Arias, founder and owner of Baltimore-based online beauty brand SOLSIS, it’s not even a question. Sure, an understated lip color that flatters all skin tones is definitely a go-to. But for Arias, it’s red lipstick that really makes a statement and packs a punch. And it was a red lip—which she also sees as a nod to her Latina heritage— that propelled her beauty product journey.

Since she’s a marketing professional by trade, it didn’t take long for Arias to discover that Hispanic and Black women dominate the beauty category—in terms of spending. “[But then] I started looking at ownership,” she says. There was a quite a gap. “We don’t see that representation. And that really drove me to say, you know what? I’m going to do this. I’m going to launch a beauty brand.” As Arias began to research what might go into creating these products, she knew she wanted to make them right, and that meant using cruelty-free and vegan ingredients. It took a year, but by August 2019, she introduced her signature red lipstick, “Mamacita.”

For Arias, wearing makeup has always been a simple thing she does to feel empowered. “I am not a professional makeup artist; I just happen to love makeup,” she admits. “You don’t have to be an expert, and you can experiment. I think that’s super important and is the heart of our brand because it’s for everyday women.”

To be clear, SOLSIS sells more than red lipstick. The line has expanded a lot in the past two years. “Getting a lot of feedback fuels how I prioritize products. I’m listening to women in terms of what they like, what they want, what they can’t find, and then tailoring [my products] to that.” This month, SOLSIS will introduce a much-requested new product line to its online shop: mascara.

It doesn’t stop there. “I want people to feel connected to [the brand] in more ways than one,” Arias says. She even crowd-sources her product names (a recent crowd pick was the name of her brown lipstick shade: “Spice Rum”). She also makes a point to donate portions of sales to nonprofits that are doing work that empowers and aids underserved communities. And listening to her customers extends beyond the makeup: During holidays and heritage months throughout the year, SOLSIS supports various nonprofits that the customers vote online to support.

Says Arias, “Giving back to the community is truly embedded into everything that we do.”

What advice can you give those putting themselves out there for the first time in a while? Mindset is everything. Many of us will decide how things will go before we even give it a chance. Be open to the possibility that anything can happen. Be honest about any limiting beliefs about dating or relationships you might have and reframe them. Our thoughts directly impact our energy and what we attract. . . . There are more than seven billion people in this world. You will find the right partners as long as you keep an open mind, show up authentically, and clean up any negative beliefs you may have about yourself, dating, and relationships.

What are some common challenges you see people come across in new relationships? The most common issue in any relationship, old or new, is communication. Learning your own love language and your partner’s can help you to recognize what they need from you and what you need from them. When these things are out in the open, it becomes easier to deal

with conflict or with issues that may come up in the relationship.

Do you have suggestions on how to prevent and/or cope with being “ghosted”? One of the best ways to prevent ghosting is to meet up with the person you are connecting with in real life as soon as you feel comfortable. It’s easy to ignore or ghost someone when it doesn’t feel like there’s a real-life human being attached. But there are other times when ghosting can’t be prevented, and you have to understand that it’s not you, it’s them. Ghosting someone is disrespectful and inconsiderate; it shows that the ghoster is clearly not ready for a healthy intimate relationship.

From love bombing to gaslighting, how do we set boundaries while dating? Healthy boundaries are one of the most important aspects of any relationship, romantic or otherwise. It’s important to set boundaries as early as possible in the dating relationship, even during the initial conversations. But also know that it’s never too late to start. Be clear about your expectations for the date or relationship. Don’t let things slide: If something bothers you, speak up. And be consistent about it. If you have an expectation, follow through on that every time.

WHAT YOU NEED:

MINDSET: Our thoughts create our reality, so keep an open and optimistic mindset.

ASK QUESTIONS: Make it a point to understand how your future partner communicates and how they express their needs.

HONESTY: Acknowledge and release any negatively patterned thinking around dating that you might have and always show up as your full, authentic self.

DON’T FRET YOUR COLLEGE MAJOR

By Emily Gaines Buchler

It’s a conundrum: Do you go to college to study what you love or land a career?

For many students and families planning for or applying to college, this question weighs heavily—especially with the existing economic uncertainty. But administrators from colleges in the Baltimore region say it’s not a matter of one versus another, and they’re finding ways to help future and existing students carve out paths to meaningful lives and careers.

“It’s absolutely a myth that students need to know their major when they apply,” says Katharine Cole, the vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Most majors don’t correlate directly with a career, and roughly 80 percent of undergrads nationwide end up changing their majors.”

To help students find the right fit, UMBC offers freshman seminars that integrate personality and strength tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Seminars also teach students about the multiple avenues they can take to arrive at the same career—a concept that Cole calls “parallel pathways.” This means, for example, that students interested in law school might take the traditional route by majoring in political science. Or they might enjoy analytical thinking and major in something like sociology, or plan to pursue environmental law and study marine biology or environmental science.

Towson University (TU) offers a similar two-credit Personal Life and Career Planning course, which teaches students about existing and emerging careers, while helping them dive deep into self-exploration to determine who they are as individuals. “We want students to major in something that matters to them personally, and we tell them their major doesn’t dictate their career,” says Lorie Logan-Bennett, the assistant vice president of career services at TU.

At the same time, TU urges students to take advantage of the university’s experiential learning opportunities that let them “build skills by doing real-world work, while deciding what they like or dislike in a career,” says Logan-Bennett. Opportunities range from for-credit, in-person internships off campus to remote projects known as “micro internships,” made possible by TU’s partnership with the Chicago-based company Parker Dewey.

“Micro internships are time-delineated projects that students can take on without quitting their part-time jobs or giving up other obligations,” Logan-Bennett explains. For instance, a company in California might hire a student to compile or analyze data in a spreadsheet or synthesize research for a report. Students work on projects for a designated period and gain experience they can then use to bolster their résumés.

At Johns Hopkins University (JHU), too, opportunities abound in experiential learning, with programs and resources guiding students through the arduous process of identifying and honing values, interests, and goals. In addition to having access to a robust career center, Hopkins Hire, students benefit from the school’s innovative Life Design Lab (LDL), which, “takes an iterative, problem-solving approach to life- and career-planning,” explains Matthew Golden, LDL’s executive director. “The process involves doing research and coming up with a hypothesis based on your interests, talking to people, getting experience in that area, and then doing it all over again, building on what you’ve learned about yourself and that particular kind of work.”

The key, Golden says, is for students to keep an open mind as they follow their curiosity and determine or refine what they want—a process he hopes will stay with them forever.

LDL works closely with Hopkins Hire, JHU’s career center, which launched the DEI Collective to boost internship access for students from underrepresented communities. “In the past, unpaid internships were more common, and this created a disparity gap,” given that some students needed to earn money from part-time jobs and couldn’t sacrifice a paycheck to work as an intern, explains the executive director of Hopkins Hire, Alia Poonawala. “But through the DEI Collective, we require companies to pay students a minimum of $15 an hour,” eliminating the need to forego meaningful work experience.

As application deadlines near, and students and families weigh college options in the Baltimore area, remember that support exists to help you figure out and fine-tune your education, career, and life plans. “The key is to spend your time in college taking advantage of those supports and experiential learning opportunities,” even if you have a concrete path, says Logan-Bennett at TU.

Don’t worry about the lack of a clear-cut career connection to your major, advises Cole of UMBC. The liberal arts get a bad reputation, but, “we hear from employers all the time, whether it’s NASA or the NSA, that the soft skills students gain from a liberal arts degree are exactly what they look for in employees,” she says. “Academics make the individual disciplines, but the reality is that real life—and real work—are interdisciplinary.” And the college major is just one small piece of a larger puzzle.

If you are looking for the perfect fit for your college experience, look no further than Baltimore’s annual guide of regional academic institutions. Here is a roundup of what’s happening on area campuses.

Opener and above: The Johns Hopkins Homewood campus is a great place for students to gather.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), composed of six professional schools and the interdisciplinary Graduate School, confers the majority of health care, human services, and law professional degrees in Maryland each year. UMB is dedicated to excellence in education, research, clinical care, social justice, and public service.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

Note: U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools” ranks programs and specialties in law, medicine, and nursing annually, while other programs are typically ranked every four years. The year indicates the calendar year the rankings were released. The latest rankings were released March 29, 2022.

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY

Bowie State University in Prince George’s County began with a mission to provide educational opportunities for Black citizens and, more than a century after opening, has consistently ranked among the best HBCUs in the country, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as specialty certificates and doctoral programs. It also has a solid reputation for being one of the best values around.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 5,381 STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 18:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $8,753 in-state, $19,544 out-of-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 87 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician, Psychology, Biology, Computer/Information Technology, Child Cevelopment, Nursing, and Sociology

COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY

A historically Black institution founded in 1900, Coppin State University is situated in the heart of Baltimore City in the Mondawmin neighborhood. Part of the University System of Maryland in Baltimore, the school offers 57 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate degrees. It’s been rated in the Top 50 Best HBCUs in the Nation (College Consensus), the Top 5 Best Value Online Schools in Maryland (Online School Center), and No. 7 Best Colleges in Maryland by Salary Score (GradReports).

In 2022, CSU received two large-scale federal education grants, including a $3.7-million Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase teacher diversity, while boosting student success in high-needs urban and rural schools across Maryland. CSU also recently created the Freddie Gray Student Success Scholarship, which is available to graduates of Carver Vocational-Technical High School, where Gray was a student.

Coppin takes esports (competitive video gaming) seriously. In the fall of 2021, Coppin became the first HBCU to open a building on campus exclusively devoted to esports. The Premier Esports Lab opened in September, with a guest appearance from Grammy-nominated artist Cordae.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,108 undergraduates, 240 graduates STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO:

0:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $6,904 in-state, $13,560 out-of-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 54 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Nursing, Business, Biology, Education, Criminal Justice, Rehabilitation Counseling

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY

For those who want to escape to the Appalachian Mountains while still benefitting from the low cost of in-state tuition, Frostburg State University in Western Maryland offers more than 100 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, as well as miles of wilderness areas nearby to explore. On that note, its online M.S. in Recreation & Parks Management is ranked the No. 2 most affordable program in the U.S. by GetEducated.com.

SIZE OF STUDENT

BODY: 3,677 STUDENT TO FACULTY

RATIO: 14:1 ANNUAL

TUITION: $9,804 in-state, $24,684 out-of-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 86 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Economics, Nursing, Business Administration and Management

GOUCHER COLLEGE

A private, liberal arts college spanning 287 wooded acres in Towson, Goucher College takes pride in its close-knit community and leadership in global education. One hundred percent of Goucher students study abroad, and the college offers more than 60 flexible programs around the world for students to develop international experience.

Goucher has continually ranked among U.S.

Above: UMBC is a hub of education and innovation right in Baltimore County.

At the Mount, students are immersed in rigorous academic offerings, active and exciting social experiences, and enriching spiritual and leadership opportunities that prepare them for meaningful careers and lives bound to make an impact on the world.

News & World Report’s best and most innovative national liberal arts colleges. Goucher ranked in the top four percent of all public and private colleges nationwide for its impact on social mobility, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

In the last few years, Goucher began exciting partnerships with other schools, such as Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University, Middlebury College, and more to come, to provide a pathway for students to continue their education beyond Goucher. For instance, their 4+1 MBA Program allows students to earn an advanced business degree through Loyola via a “Fast Track” admission process, and at a 15-percent discount on tuition.

Also of note: Goucher’s unique First-Year Village, which opened between 2016 and 2018, offers a unique space for 450 first-year students to live, work, and socialize. It features a sound-proof study room and communal spaces for students to cook, learn, and interact on each floor.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,100 undergraduate students, 900 graduate students STUDENT

TO FACULTY RATIO: 10:1 ANNUAL TU-

ITION: $48,200 ACCEPTANCE RATE: 82 percent

POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Political Science, Business Administration

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) offers nine academic divisions and hundreds of courses of study, with campuses spread throughout Baltimore, including the Peabody Institute, a music and dance conservatory in Mount Vernon. Its main Homewood campus is located on North Charles Street.

The prestigious, world-renowned university has a strong reputation for its public health and medical studies and has been compared to Ivy League schools.

One point of pride is its financial aid program, which covers 100 percent of calculated need for every admitted student, without loans. This means JHU works with families to calculate what they can afford to contribute toward the total cost of attendance—including meals, books, travel, and other expenses—and JHU covers the rest with grants that don’t need to be repaid.

Last year, JHU added two new minors: Latin American Studies and Writing Seminars.

It also announced new efforts to move toward a broader, more flexible undergraduate education-

al experience that will include a required first-year seminar and the streamlining of major requirements to allow for greater intellectual exploration.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 6,331 undergraduates, 22,559 graduates STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 7:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $59,128 for Peabody Institute, $60,480 for the School of Engineering and the School of Arts and Sciences ACCEPTANCE RATE: 10.9 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Computer Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, Economics, Public Health Studies, International Studies

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

This private, Jesuit institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs on a beautiful urban campus strewn across 81 acres in northern Baltimore City. Education at Loyola is based in the Jesuit tradition of scholarship, cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Loyola is known for its academic rigor, while helping students lead purposeful lives. Seventy percent of students study abroad, and the school currently ranks fourth in “Best Regional Universities in the North,” according to U.S. News & World Report.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 3,822 undergraduates, 1,460 graduates STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 12:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $53,430 ACCEPTANCE RATE: 84 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business, Management, Marketing, Journalism, Social Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, English Language and Literature, Engineering and Education

MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART (MICA)

Located in the heart of Baltimore, MICA is  the oldest continuously degree-granting college of art and design in the nation. According to U.S. News & World Report, it ranks among one of the top schools for its fine arts, graphic design, painting, drawing, and sculpture programs. MICA also offers graduate-level degree programs including Master of Fine Art, Master of Business Administration Art, and Master

Left: Students at MICA attend a painting critique.

MAKE YOUR APPLICATION

SHINE

BY LAUREN LAROCCA

It can be tough to stand out in a crowded application pool, but Ellen Chow, dean of undergraduate admissions at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), says that being hyper-focused on that may not be effective. “Instead, think about how to represent your most authentic self through your interests, academics, and how you spent your time productively throughout high school so you can present an application that is unique and representative of you, your values, and your goals,” says Chow.

“Spend some time reflecting on your own development and what you want to get out of the college experience,” she continues. “Apply to colleges that will allow you to pursue your interests in a way that’s meaningful to you.”

Here are a few more tips from JHU on how to ace the application:

H H H H H

SHOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU

It’s important to show your academic character, your contributions, and how you engage with your community.

SHOW WHAT AREAS OF STUDY

YOU’RE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT

A college wants to see how you demonstrate your academic passions. Teacher and counselor recommendations are helpful with this step.

SHOW HOW YOU’VE MADE AN IMPACT

Do you tutor your neighbor? Are you on the all-star softball team every year? Schools are interested in learning how you’ve initiated change and shown leadership outside the classroom.

SHOW YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

Express where you think you’ll shine on campus and how you will contribute.

WRITE AN ESSAY THAT SHOWS WHO YOU ARE

An essay adds depth to an application and allows you to elaborate on who you are. This is your chance to be creative and let the school hear your voice.

of Professional Studies. According to its website, MICA offers, “education and experience that will prepare you to be a creative leader in the 21st century.”

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 3,500

STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 8:1

ANNUAL TUITION: $51,870 undergraduate

ACCEPTANCE RATE: 90 percent POPULAR

AREAS OF STUDY: Graphic Design, Illustration, Multimedia, Painting, Sculpture, Fine Arts, and Photography

McDANIEL COLLEGE

Founded in 1867, McDaniel College sits in a bucolic setting near Westminster in Carroll County. The private, four-year liberal arts college offers more than 70 undergraduate programs of study and more than 20 graduate programs. A recent addition to McDaniel’s curriculum is a National Security Fellows Program that

provides students with knowledge, skills, and experience in national security, along with the ability to specialize in an area of interest, such as interstate conflict, intrastate political violence, cybersecurity, ethics, and human rights.

The school also recently launched a new STEM Center to serve as a physical hub to support students studying the sciences. Equipped with adaptive workspaces and collaborative technology, the STEM Center hosts workshops focused on both the professional world and course-specific content, along with tutoring services and a study environment for students.

McDaniel earned a spot as the topranked Maryland institution on  U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Value Schools” list among regional universities in the North for academic quality and affordability. The college also ranked as one of the “Best Regional Universities in the North” in their “Best Colleges” rankings for 2022-2023.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,681 undergraduates, 1,208 graduates STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 13:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $46,336

ACCEPTANCE RATE: 87 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Kinesiology, Business Administration, Psychology, Biology, Political Science, International Studies

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

The largest of Maryland’s HBCUs, Morgan is a public institution founded in 1867. It is situated in northeast Baltimore. As a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution, Morgan provides instruction to a multiethnic, multiracial, multinational student body and offers more than 140 academic programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. Recently, Morgan launched the state’s first bachelor of science degree in cloud computing. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan fulfills its mission to address the needs and challenges of the modern urban

Soar Above & Beyond

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is a campus focused on positive student experiences and family. If you are interested in health professions, STEM fields or even art, UMES is a great place for you!

#HawkPride

environment through intense community level study and pioneering solutions.

SIZE OF STUDENT

BODY: 7,034 undergraduates, 1,435 graduates

STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 15:1 ANNUAL

TUITION: $8,008 for in-state and $18,480 for out-of-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 87 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Civil Engineering, Communications Engineering, Business Administration and Management, Social Work, Biology/Biological Sciences, Architecture, Finance, Psychology, Sociology

MOUNT SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY

Located in rural, mountainous Emmitsburg on a massive 1,500-acre campus, “The Mount” is America’s second-oldest Catholic university. It offers more than 80 undergraduate majors, minors, concentrations, and special programs grounded in a Catholic liberal arts tradition, and several bachelor’s/master’s combinations in partnership with other universities. It’s a degree that pays: The Mount ranks in the top 10 percent of colleges and universities nationwide in terms of the long-term earnings for a four-year college degree. As an extra bonus, the school offers a rich NCAA division I athletic program.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,570 STUDENT

TO FACULTY RATIO: 12:1 ANNUAL

TUITION: $44,330 ACCEPTANCE RATE: 82 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business, Management, Marketing, Social Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Communication, Journalism, Education, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, and Health Professions

NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY

A private, Catholic liberal arts university in northern Baltimore, Notre Dame of Maryland University offers programs ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees, as well as Maryland’s only women’s college. It recently launched the first master’s of art degree in art therapy program in the state.

The beautiful, wooded campus is just steps from the bustling downtown Baltimore culture. With values rooted in Catholicism, the school focuses on service to others and social responsibility.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 807 undergraduate students, 1,377 graduate and professional students

STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 7:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $39,250 ACCEPTANCE RATE: 86.5 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Nursing, Education, Biology, Art Therapy, Pharmacy

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND

A state institution founded in 1840, St. Mary’s College of Maryland was recently ranked among the best public liberal arts colleges by Money magazine. Located on 361 acres in rural Southern Maryland, it is also know for having one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in the U.S. While its waterfront campus in historic St. Mary’s has the feel of a private institution, it offers all the affordability, accessibility, and diversity of a public school.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,526 STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 10:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $15,184 in-state, $31,260 out-of-state

Clockwise: McDaniel spirit on game day; St. Mary’s students on the Bay.

HONORS

When you choose a ST. MARY’S COLLEGE honors-level education, you’re asking for something special: a pathway to a prosperous career, prestige without the pretentiousness, professors who genuinely care about your success, and elevated academics including new programs in performing arts and business administration and management.

When you choose a ST. MARY’S COLLEGE honors-level education, you’re asking for something special: a pathway to a prosperous career, prestige without the pretentiousness, professors who genuinely care about your success, and elevated academics including new programs in performing arts and business administration and management.

When you choose a ST. MARY’S COLLEGE honors-level education, you’re asking for something special: a pathway to a prosperous career, prestige without the pretentiousness, professors who genuinely care about your success, and elevated academics including new programs in performing arts and business administration and management.

Academically Fulfilling. Personally Satisfying.

Academically Fulfilling. Personally Satisfying.

Academically Fulfilling. Personally Satisfying.

ACCEPTANCE RATE: 77 percent POPULAR

AREAS OF STUDY: Social Sciences, Psychology, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Natural Resources and Conservation, English Language and Literature/Letters, Visual and Performing Arts, Computer and Information Sciences, History, Mathematics and Statistics, Foreign Languages, Literature, and Linguistics

SALISBURY UNIVERSITY

For those who want to be close to the ocean, Salisbury University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at its campus in Salisbury, about a 40-minute drive from Ocean City. In 2020, Money magazine named it one of “America’s Best Colleges.” A public institution, Salisbury is a NCAA Division III Capital Athletic Conference school.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 6,695  STUDENT

TO FACULTY RATIO: 14:1 ANNUAL

TUITION: $10,396 in-state, $20,872 out-of-state

ACCEPTANCE RATE: 86 percent POPULAR

AREAS OF STUDY: Business, Management, Marketing, Education, Communication, Journalism, Psychology, Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Health Professions, Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Social Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences

STEVENSON UNIVERSITY

Stevenson University is a liberal arts school on a suburban campus in Baltimore County. It offers bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and preprofessional programs, as well as its Bachelor’s to Master’s option, which allows students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The school is growing, having recently opened a 117acre recreational and athletic hub on its Owings Mills campus.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,979

STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 15:1

ANNUAL TUITION: $38,738 ACCEPTANCE

RATE: 91 percent POPULAR AREAS

OF STUDY: Health Professions, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences,

Education, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, and Legal Professions and Studies

TOWSON UNIVERSITY

One of the largest public universities in the state, Towson University offers more than 110 undergraduate majors, 47 master’s degrees, six doctoral programs, and 36 graduate certificates. The university continues to draw students from other states, though it remains part of the University System of Maryland.

Its campus continues to expand, with a huge new dining hall, a 23,000-square-foot recreation and fitness facility with an indoor swimming pool, and its 5,200-seat arena for sporting events and concerts. In 2021, it opened its new Science Complex, the largest academic building on campus at 320,000 square feet. Towson also opened its StarTUp at the Armory, a space for startups and new businesses to engage with the broader community and larger businesses. It serves as a home to Towson’s entrepreneurship programs and student competitions and events.

While Towson remains the largest supplier of medical professionals and educators in the state, the university has also built a strong reputation

for its College of Fine Arts and Communication, as well as its Asian Arts & Culture Center, both of which bring students and the wider community to Towson for enriching performing arts, music, and visual art programs.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 18,730 undergraduates, 3,187 graduates STUDENT TO FACULTY

RATIO: 16:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $10,818 in-state, $26,820 out-of-state ACCEPTANCE

RATE: 88 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business Administration, Education, Nursing, Exercise Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Biology, Computer Science, Information Technology

UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE

The University of Baltimore is situated in Mount Vernon, a Baltimore neighborhood rich in art, architecture, and history. UB has gained a solid reputation for its law and business programs, but it offers a wide spectrum of undergraduate and graduate degrees and doctoral programs, with an intense focus on connecting students to community and jobs, ensuring a sustainable career path post-graduation.

Above: Notre Dame students receive an education rooted in Catholic values.

Start from the Top

McDaniel College is proud to be nationally recognized and continues to be top-ranked in Maryland for quality and value, according to U.S. News & World Report.

WHY CHOOSE M c DANIEL COLLEGE?

• A diverse, student-centered community offering a high return on investment

• Small class sizes and a 13:1 student-faculty ratio means you'll have the chance to make personal connections

• The McDaniel Commitment guarantees every student will gain real-world experiences as they’re guided on a path to success

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,605 undergraduate STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 11:1

ANNUAL TUITION: $9,506 in-state, $22,956 outof-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 89 percent

POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business, Forensic Science and Technology, Animation/ Video Graphics/Special Effects, Healthcare Management, Criminal Science, Digital Communication and Multimedia/Media, Psychology, Political Science and Government, Human Services, Information Science

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is the state’s only public law, health, and human services university. Located in downtown Baltimore, it offers 90 degree and certificate programs through its six nationally-ranked professional schools—dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work—and an interdisciplinary graduate school.

The school’s 14-acre BioPark is Baltimore’s biggest biotechnology cluster, employing more than 1,000 people in nearly three dozen life science companies, university-based startups, and bioscience industry leaders like BD, Illumina, Catalent, and Pharmaron. With more than 250,000 square feet of lab and office space, the BioPark has been named an Outstanding University Research Park of the Year by the Association for University Research Parks. It’s located in the heart of the university’s medical campus.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 6,931 ANNUAL TUITION: Varies by school POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Social Work

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY

University of Maryland, Baltimore County educates a student population of more than 10,000 students in programs spanning the arts, engineering, information technology, humanities, sciences, preprofessional studies, and social sciences. Located on the edge of Baltimore County, it allows easy access into the city and all the conveniences of suburban life and housing. It also offers plenty of opportunities for study abroad.

In the fall of 2021, UMBC opened the Center

for Well-Being, a new two-story complex that houses Retriever Integrated Health, Student Conduct and Community Standards, and i3b’s Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being. UMBC’s already significant NASA partnerships have continued to grow, with NASA announc ing a major award of $72 million over three years, from 2021 to 2024, for the new Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II cen ter. UMBC is leading the national consortium and will receive over $38 million. The GESTAR II consortium will support more than 120 re searchers, creating extensive opportunities for breakthroughs in Earth and atmospheric science research, and providing major opportunities for students to conduct research and be mentored by NASA scientists and engineers.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 10,625 under graduate students, 3,366 graduate students STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 17:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $12,606 in-state, $28,370 out-of-state ACCEPTANCE RATE: 69 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), the State’s Historically Black 1890 Land Grant Institution, is a teaching, research, and doctoral institution that nurtures and launches leaders in a student-centered environment. Located on over 1,000 acres in Princess Anne, UMES was ranked among one of the top HBCU’s by U.S. News & World Report in 2020. It is home to many unique programs and partnerships in health sceiences, agricultural and environmental sciences, and renewable energy research and implementation, including a novel, three-year accelerated Pharmacy program and the UMES Coastal Ecology Teaching and Research Center, which plays a significant role in the diversification of the workforce of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,812 STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 10:1 ANNUAL TUITION: $8,724 in-state, $16,467 out-of-state

percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Aviation Science, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Applied Design, Kinesiology, Education

WASHINGTON COLLEGE

Founded in 1782, Washington College became the first college chartered after the American Revolution. This small, liberal arts school is based on a bucolic campus in Chestertown and offers more than 50 academic programs, small class settings, and a rich study abroad program. Recent news on campus includes the receipt of a gift of over $2 million to endow merit-based scholarships.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,026 STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 9:1 ANNUAL

TUITION: $50,842 ACCEPTANCE RATE: 70 percent POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Social Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Business, Management, Marketing, Psychology, Physical Sciences, English Language and Literature/Letters, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Visual and Performing Arts, Communication, Journalism, and Computer and Information Sciences

Cited tuition costs may exclude room and board, books, and other fees.

Above: The “Mount” offers a NCAA Division I athletic program.

Rock of Ages

When 86-year-old Martin McGinn moved to Towson last summer to be closer to his family, he left behind longtime friendships, bridge partners, and golf buddies in Princeton, New Jersey. But the widower soon settled into a 55-and-older apartment complex in his new community and started looking for a place to “get some fresh food and companionship.”

A neighbor suggested The Peppermill in Lutherville, a beloved, 40-year-old restaurant known in many circles as “God’s Waiting Room,” “Ruck’s North” after a nearby funeral home, and “Wrinkles.”

Sure enough, McGinn, a retired chemist, found his niche. “Most of the people are my age and have a story to tell,” he says. “It’s a cast of characters.”

And that’s just what the owners were hoping for.

Ever since opening in 1982, the 265-seat restaurant in Heaver Plaza has attracted an older clientele.

“We were thinking [ages] 50 and above,” says Dave Jones, who is an original owner with his business partner, Rick Ziegel, and Jones’ late father-in-law, Tommy Perrera. “We always went for the same market.”

It’s a healthy demographic in Baltimore County, where one in four residents is 60 or older, according to a 2021 American Community Survey. And the number of senior citizens has been rising steadily in the county since the ’70s, when U.S. Census figures showed a growth of 50,000 residents age 65 and older between 1975 and 1990.

The Peppermill restaurant in Lutherville celebrates 40 years, stiff drinks, and camaraderie.

Above: The bar scene at The Peppermill

Laura Riley, director of Baltimore County Department of Aging, which has 20 senior centers, points out the importance of social interactions among an older population. “It’s very positive for your physical and mental health,” she says. “We all thrive from having interactions with others.”

That is one of the draws of The Peppermill for Sally Nesbitt, 73, who lives in Lutherville. She has been coming to the restaurant every day since it opened, first with her husband, who died 14 years ago, and now by herself or with friends. “I like meeting the people,” says the retiree, sipping a glass of Pinot Grigio during a recent visit. “The food is good, and the owners and bartenders make everyone comfortable.”

Dave Jones hadn’t planned to go into the restaurant business, but then he fell in love with and married Perrera’s daughter, Darlene. At the time, Perrera and Manny DiPaulo operated Diavolo’s in Timonium, before changing the name to Turf Inn in 1974. (It’s now Hightopps Backstage Grille.) Jones and Ziegel, who is Darlene’s cousin, worked together at the Turf Inn. When the Perrera-DiPaulo partnership split up, Jones, Ziegel, and Perrera started looking for a new location.

They found a space about three miles south that had previously housed four failed restaurants: Mason’s Heritage House, T.J’s Greenery, Knott’s Landing, and Gibson’s. Some blamed the closures on a lack of windows in the place. But that didn’t deter the restaurateurs. “We took a chance,” Jones says. “Tio Pepe has no windows. It doesn’t have a problem.”

From the outset, the restaurant was a hit with older diners for its reasonable food and drink prices and congenial atmosphere. “We were successful at the Turf Inn,” Jones says. “I think we carried a lot of that down here. We brought the menu we were accustomed to. We knew what people were looking for.”

The name Peppermill was suggested by Jones’ sister-in-law, Terri McGinn (no relation to Martin McGinn), who visited a similarly named establishment in Las Vegas and liked the sound of it. “We didn’t want to call it Dave’s or Rick’s,” Ziegel says. “Then, Terri came up with the name.”

When the restaurant opened, they had 500 Lucite pepper mills, but they kept breaking or disappearing from the tables. “We were

going broke [from replacing pepper mills],” Ziegel cracks. “Then we bought wooden pepper mills.” The 18-inch grinders aren’t kept on the tables anymore, but customers can request freshly ground pepper for their meals.

The menu has a range of affordable items, including sandwiches, burgers, crab cakes, meatloaf, and throwbacks like calf’s liver and onions and chicken Baltimore with crabmeat and mushrooms.

Even splurges like a 5-ounce lobster tail ($23.95) and a 6-ounce filet mignon ($22.95) don’t break the bank. Daily specials feature traditional dishes like oysters Rockefeller, fresh rockfish, and tuna salad.

learned how to make several of the restaurant’s recipes, including Maryland crab soup and oyster stew, from his late mother, Concetta “Chettie” Ziegel.

He started at the Turf Inn as a busboy when he was a 14-year-old high-school student before moving into the kitchen as a line cook. He attended what is now Towson University, studying business and economics, but his heart didn’t stray far from The Peppermill.

Ziegel doesn’t cook as much these days, instead leaving the day-to-day preparations to head chef T.J. Waldt. But he’s involved in ordering and buying the food and deciding what will appear on the menu.

Jones and Ziegel have aged with their clientele. “Now, we’re the old people,” Jones says with a laugh. But this isn’t the end of the line for The Peppermill. A new generation is already involved in running the restaurant: Jones’ daughter, Heather Allen, 43, and Ziegel’s son, Brady Ziegel, who turns 28 in March.

Allen works in the office, handling payroll, paying invoices, and slowly taking over her dad’s managerial duties. She’s been working at the restaurant since she was 16, first as a hostess, then as a waitress while studying public relations at Loyola University.

But The Peppermill hasn’t totally ignored the culinary revolution going on in the United States, where ramen shops and vegan bakeries are the rage. Though it leans toward traditional offerings, it has taken baby steps in that direction with offerings like shrimp tacos, beet salad with goat’s cheese, and swordfish picatta.

Still, the restaurant may be best known for its seasonal shad roe—the egg sac of the female shad fish, which is broiled with lemon and water and sometimes gussied up with bacon. Every spring, a large sign, fronting busy York Road, blares its arrival: “Shad Roe Is In. The Run Is On.”

“It’s the age group,” explains Jones about the dish’s popularity. “It’s what people like to eat.”

While Jones, 72, handles myriad duties at The Peppermill, from payroll to changing light fixtures, his partner Ziegel, 65, runs the kitchen, among other responsibilities. Ziegel

But she got her first taste of The Peppermill as a child and remembers being able to order anything on the menu. “I thought it was so cool that the family had a restaurant,” she says. “I remember birthdays here and the celebrations with my grandparents.”

Brady Ziegel knew from a young age that he was going to work at the restaurant. His first impressions were drinking non-alcoholic Shirley Temple cocktails and digging into bowls of Goldfish crackers at the bar when he was around six. By the time he was 15, he was bussing tables while he was a student at Hereford High School. At 15, he started cooking. “I would watch the guys [in the kitchen], and pick up on what they did every day,” he says.

After high school, he realized he wasn’t interested in going to college. “This is what I wanted to do,” he says.

Today, Brady helps out in the kitchen but also spends time in the dining room and bar,

THE RESTAURANT MIGHT BE BEST KNOWN FOR ITS SHAD ROE, WHICH IS BROILED WITH LEMON AND GUSSIED UP WITH BACON.

greeting customers and making sure everything is running smoothly. “Brady is a total asset,” Jones says. “He can go from the front of the house to the back of the house.”

While the food scene in Baltimore has become more trendy, Allen and Brady don’t plan to change anything about The Peppermill, which is just fine with its patrons. “It’s always nice to know that some things will remain the same, from having oysters only in months ending in ‘R’ and shad roe running in March, plus all our classic Baltimore dishes, from sour beef and dumplings to soft-shell crabs,” Allen says. “So many patrons come in and say, this place reminds me of my grandmother, or, my grandfather brought me after soccer practices. I just think that’s so special.”

Like most restaurants, The Peppermill had to figure out how to navigate the pandemic. At the height of the closures and with a high-risk clientele, it switched to carry-out only, keeping as many employees as it could. “We’re survivors,” Jones says. “We adjusted.”

Many of the staff have been with the family for decades. Annalee Cary, a hostess and server, has clocked in 33 years. She watched Allen and Brady Ziegel grow up. “Brady and Heather are the future,” she says. “They’re going to keep it going for the next 40 years.”

Vince DiGiacomo started as a busboy and dishwasher 40 years ago, working his way up the chain of command, becoming a bartender and then a manager. Even his wife, Karen Peters, works at the restaurant as a waitress. “They’ve treated me well,” DiGiacomo says. “And they leave me alone to do my job.”

Waitress Darlene Beck, who worked at Diavolo’s and the Turf Inn, followed Jones, Zie-

gel, and Perrera to The Peppermill. “I love my job,” she says. “I love who I work for. They treat me like family.”

At the restaurant, she is known as Dar Beck since another waitress is named Darlene. She also earned another moniker, Dar the Star. “Tommy [Perrera] gave me the name, and it stuck,” says Beck, 75. “I have a lot of regular customers. I know what they eat, what they drink. I’ve met a lot of nice people.”

She isn’t offended by the restaurant’s nicknames poking fun at the septuagenarians, octogenarians, and, yes, nonagenarians who frequent the place. “It’s cute,” she says. “People laugh about it.”

She recalls a diner who was looking for his dining companion one evening. “Have you seen a little old lady?” he asked Beck. Her amused response: “Look around. They’re everywhere.”

Though Beck has cut her work schedule to three days, she has no plans to retire. “As long as God gives me legs, I’m working,” she says with a laugh. “I like my apron.”

While Beck mostly roams the main dining room, lots of patrons choose the bar instead. The 25-seat bar area, which also has seven tables and six booths, is its own hub. Since owner Tommy Perrera’s time, the restaurant has prided itself on its “stiff drinks,” Heather Allen says.

There’s no official happy hour, but on a recent weekday at 4:30 p.m., every seat was taken. Notably, no one was buried in their cell phone. It seemed fitting that an old-school print edition of The Baltimore Sun occupied a spot on the green Corian bar top.

One of the bar’s longtime customers, Dick Roden, sat on his favorite stool, drinking two bottles of Budweiser and joking with Jones, only a few weeks before he passed away in his

sleep in November at age 90. The Korean War veteran, who lived in Cockeysville, found solace in the company and the food, preferring to eat his favorite meal of pork loin, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut at a table. “A booth is for eating,” he declared. “The bar is for drinking.”

He leaves behind a legacy. He was one of The Peppermill’s first customers. At the time, he gave the owners a $1 bill to get them started. Forty years later, during an anniversary celebration in October, he gave them another dollar. Both dollar bills are framed and hanging in the restaurant office. “It’s a keepsake,” Jones says.

“It’s hard when someone dies,” Brady acknowledges. “They’re like family. We always remember them.”

Jake Jacobs, 83, often stops by with his partner and her friend. On a recent afternoon, the threesome had been playing cards at a local senior center when they decided to get a bite to eat. “We said, ‘Let’s go to the Wrinkle Room,’” Jacobs shares with a laugh while drinking a Coors Light. “The food is good, the drinks are good, and it’s great getting to know everyone. It’s our Cheers.”

Perhaps the patron who draws the most attention is 98-year-old Jack King of Lutherville, who served as a Navy ensign in World War II. He spent his service time in officer-training school in the States.

The affable widower holds court most days at the bar. “It’s a friendly bunch of people,” he says, while drinking the first of two Johnnie Walker Blacks on the rocks. “There are ladies who have lost their husbands. There are men who have lost their wives. It’s not a pick-up joint. Everybody enjoys talking to each other.”

Now, Martin McGinn has joined the group of regulars. He comes to The Peppermill two or three times a week, arriving at 3:30 p.m. by Uber or chauffeured by a granddaughter, and waits for his son, Dr. Martin McGinn, a Towson optometrist, to pick him up around 5 p.m.

He may drink a glass or two of Chardonnay and order a cup of oyster stew at the bar while chatting with other patrons. “I love it,” he says. “It’s like I’ve been coming here my whole life. Everyone makes you feel welcome.”

SUZANNE LOUDERMILK is a senior contributor to Baltimore.

From left: The Peppermill crew, including Brady Ziegel, Rick Ziegel, Heather Allen, and Dave Jones.

Tight Knit

More than a yarn store, Neighborhood Fiber Co. aims to weave positive social change in Baltimore.

Karida Collins is writing a love letter to Baltimore, in the form of dyed yarn.

Collins, owner of Neighborhood Fiber Co. (NFC), knew she’d be naming her skeins after neighborhoods from the earliest stages of her business plan. The goal was to create something distinctly urban and highlight the beauty of city spaces, rejecting stereotypes of knitwear consisting of all pastels and soft prints. NFC hand-dyes yarn out of a firehouse-turned-production-studio on Eutaw Street downtown, selling the unique colors in its upstairs retail space to local knitters and crocheters and to the world via a robust online operation.

With more than 70 colors of yarn, the rationale behind each name varies. Some of them offer a gateway to ask questions and discuss historical context. “Upton” is the shop’s black, Collins says, adding it is difficult to dye full black so it’s really a dark gray.

“Upton was historically an important Black neighborhood in Baltimore, around the time

my grandparents moved here,” Collins says. “Our undyed color, which is like a white, is ‘Roland Park,’ which was one of the first places in the country to codify redlining and prevent Black and Jewish families from moving in.”

“Penn North,” meanwhile, is yellow, the favorite color of Collins’ close friend, who calls the neighborhood home. Though not every color has a political undertone, using the business as a platform is important to Collins.

These days, people want to know the politics of the places where they shop, she explains. NFC first expressed its beliefs in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray.

“I remember feeling so helpless after that happened and feeling like everyone was see-

Above: Karida Collins dyes yarn in her production studio downtown.

ing Baltimore in a negative light,” she says. “The Fiber Co. has customers all over the country and an international base, and I wanted to help and represent my city. This is my home, this is what I care about, and I wanted to stand in that place. I was so full of emotion I couldn’t hold it in.”

As an outlet for that emotion, the team at NFC decided to raise money for Baltimore Community Foundation’s Fund to Rebuild Baltimore. Far from being a one-off, the Fiber Co.’s activism efforts have only grown. Each June the company donates to an LGBTQ+ charity in the community. After the Parkland shooting, they raised money to send people to the March for Our Lives. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Collins launched an initiative to raise funds to be split between Baltimore Abortion Fund and Baltimore Safe Haven. The shop is selling T-shirts that say, “Protect your rights like you protect your stash,” referring to the term knitters and crocheters use for their precious yarn collections.

The shop also sells tote bags, buttons, and clothing reading “vote” with the “o” depicted as a ball of yarn. One can purchase items featuring the unity fist with a ball of yarn in hand, or a pin featuring Collins herself knitting on the stoop of a rowhome. Collins takes a think globally, act locally approach to activism.

“I can’t stop myself from being fully me,” she says. “If it loses us business, then okay, but I don’t want to be inauthentic; advocating is such a big part of my life.” In 2020, Collins formalized her efforts when she created the NFC Momentum Fund, a donor-advised fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation designed to provide grants to groups working to mitigate the effects of systemic racism and support vulnerable populations, with a focus on Black-led organizations in the city.

“After the George Floyd murder, everyone was paying attention to Black Lives Matter and translating that into a desire to support Black business,” Collins says. Because she had built a reputation for using her company to fundraise, such as selling a special yarn color specifically to raise money for a cause, the community trusted Collins to do good with their dollars. “All of a sudden, I had all these people who wanted to give me money,” she says.

From an accounting perspective, constant-

ly donating various sums of other people’s money was impractical. Collins had wanted the company to have an official giving component, but without the added administrative aspects of a charity, which is why the donor-advised fund made sense. She needed $10,000 to launch it and published a GoFundMe page. The original goal was raised within hours, so she bumped it to $25,000—achieved in a day. Within a month, Collins had $100,000 to start the NFC Momentum Fund.

“It was really meaningful to me because it meant there were all these people who trusted me to make decisions about where their charitable donations should go, and that was before I even really articulated what I was going to do with the money besides give it away,” she says.

Along with Kibibi Ajanku, a local fiber artist who makes and presents ethnically charged art, and Wanda Best, a member of the Natural Dye Initiative and Upton Planning Committee, Parks and Collins launched a unique community initiative this summer in which an arabber would take their horse and cart to an underserved community, but instead of having produce in the back of the cart, they would carry indigo. Collins provides the dye and came up with a dye formula that requires fewer steps. One-hundred-percent cotton, white T-shirts are handed out, and Ajanku teaches participants how to tie traditional African patterns with string or rubber bands. Though gloves are provided for the dyeing step, many people like to remove the gloves and allow the harmless, natural dyes to color their hands, Parks says. It’s a beautiful sight to see.

COLLINS REFERS TO HERSELF as a “heritage Baltimorean”: Her mother grew up in West Baltimore and her grandparents came to the city as part of the Great Migration. Collins lived in Memphis before moving to Columbia in high school.

Sheri Parks, Ph.D., is one of the many community members who knows and works closely with Collins. Parks, formerly the vice president of Strategic Initiatives at MICA, now co-leads the Baltimore Natural Dye Initiative, a multi-agency project that explores the cultural and economic impacts of growing and using natural dyes in this region.

The project, which is supported by the Maryland Department of Commerce and the Maryland State Arts Council, engages underserved farmers to grow and provide indigo, which is dried and processed. A larger dye kitchen and additional expertise were needed—enter Collins. NFC stores the Dye Initiative’s indigo and allows the group to run workshops out of its studio.

“[Collins] is well-known in the industry,” Parks says, citing Collins’ feature in Vogue Knitting and numerous other recognitions in the fiber world, “yet she is very personable and really cares about people.”

Parks does not knit or crochet herself, rather she is a self-described “enabler.”

“Everybody has that story of how their grandmother taught them to knit, or how all the women in their family crochet,” Collins says. “Not me.”

A friend who learned to knit as a summer camp counselor offered to teach Collins, who agreed out of politeness.

“And then I was obsessed,” she says. “It felt like coming home, like my hands should have been doing this forever. It was the most natural thing and all I wanted to do was knit.”

Collins had just graduated from George Washington University and was in graduate school, where she would knit through all her lectures.

“I was knitting a hat a week,” she says with a laugh.

An American Studies graduate student, Collins initially thought she wanted to write about the communities women form for themselves, specifically in regards to knitting. Halfway through her master’s, she realized she didn’t want to write about knitting, she just wanted to keep doing it.

“So I finished school and got a job as manager of a yarn store,” she says. “In 2006, I

“EVERYBODY HAS THAT STORY OF HOW THEIR GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT THEM TO KNIT . . . NOT ME.”

started my yarn-dyeing business with all the confidence of someone in their 20s who is used to things working out.”

Collins chose a yarn-dyeing business because the financial investment required was significantly lower than opening a yarn shop. Never mind that she didn’t know how to dye yarn. She wasn’t even tapped into the fiber community enough to know there were workshops at sheep and wool festivals, so she taught herself.

Many creators start by selling their products to individual consumers on Etsy or at local craft shows. Collins wanted to take the opposite approach—she targeted wholesalers at the beginning.

“I knew what I wanted to make wasn’t represented in stores, it wasn’t out there,” she remembers. “My perspective on color was different. I’m into highly saturated, vibrant, intense colors. You see more of it now than you did back then.”

At first, she struggled. Although the business was launched in her Washington, D.C., basement, she was forced to relocate.

“I realized I couldn’t afford to live there, because nobody can afford to live there,” she quips. “I spent a year in Columbus, Ohio; I had friends there who provided studio space. I came to Baltimore in 2010 to take care of my grandmother until she passed, and then I was at loose ends.”

At that point, she’d had the business four years and wasn’t seeing much profit. Right before moving on to new endeavors in an unrelated field, Collins discovered the City Arts Apartments, which provide income-limited housing for local artists.

“That set the trajectory for me to focus on the business and grow it,” she says. “I’d have open house events where customers could come and visit me in my workspace, which was my studio apartment. But instead of a dining room, I had this dye kitchen setup because the space was designed for artists.”

Success demanded more space and a studio on 25th Street was opened. In 2015, NFC moved into its current location at 700 N. Eutaw Street in an old firehouse. The dyeing happens downstairs in a space open to the public, and the retail store is upstairs, though the majority of orders come from wholesalers and online shoppers. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Collins’ online sales took off, as many people had more time to knit and crochet.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I’m always thinking of new projects and patterns that will work well with our yarn” Smith says, adding she loves helping customers find the perfect color for whatever they’re working on. “It feels good to not only talk to the people who come in, email, or call, but to talk to them about where we live. Talking about the yarn is a way to talk about Baltimore itself.”

THE NEXT STEP FOR NFC is to renovate and move into the 7,500-square-foot warehouse Collins purchased in March 2021.

“Construction costs have been all over the place, so we’ve had to postpone the project for now,” she says. “We have funding from Baltimore Community Lending, Central Baltimore Partnership, Baltimore Base Network, and we’re running a GoFundMe campaign. I believe that 2023 will be the year we’re able to get this accomplished.”

As for the NFC Momentum Fund, the goal was always to grow it into an actual nonprofit foundation that supports people and organizations doing good work for marginalized communities, mainly in Baltimore In particular, Collins wants to continue to partner with arts-based organizations to provide artistic and economic opportunities to people, such as the work with the Natural Dye Initiative.

But the heart of the business will remain tightly knit to her love of yarn.

Most of the yarn is made with certified organic merino wool, free of harmful chemicals often associated with traditional processes. It is milled in Quebec—pallets containing 600 pounds of undyed yarn are delivered to the firehouse for coloring. Dyed, unspun fiber is also available. Collins employs five staff members full-time.

Customer service and inventory manager Kerrin Smith enjoys the mix of retail, production, and administration that is her job. The variety keeps her engaged, and being around the yarn itself is inspiring, she says.

One of Smith’s favorite colors is “Alice Gadzinski,” a blue-purple with pops of light green and deep orange. It’s named for the late Baltimore-based artist and MICA teacher. Other colors have paid tribute to the Obamas,

Collins calls Baltimore a “crafty city,” with its art colleges and unique fashion and street style. It’s friendly to artists, too, being more affordable than other cities along the I-95 corridor, and it has real neighborhoods, she says.

“Naming my colors for the neighborhoods—I like that they all have distinct character and people who have lived there a long time,” she says. “Baltimore is a place where you can be a little weird and do weird stuff. . . . All that creativity comes together with a real DIY attitude, and a willingness to be unique.”

SALLY HOLTGRIEVE is a writer and editor living in Baltimore.

“TALKING ABOUT THE YARN IS A WAY TO TALK ABOUT BALTIMORE ITSELF.”

Play On

The oldest Black theater in America, the Arena Players continue to set the stage at 70.

On a Monday afternoon, it’s difficult to find Donald Owens. With a yellow highlighter and black pen tucked into his shirt pocket, he’s rarely in his office, instead shuffling throughout the Arena Players building, meeting with members of his cast and crew or planning out the theater’s upcoming season schedule. It’s not uncommon for the artistic director to work until close to midnight.

It’s been more than 50 years for Owens, pictured, but he still remembers the day he first learned about this theater, now located on McCulloh Street in West Baltimore. He was a student at Coppin State College when a professor named Samuel Wilson Jr. took him under his wing. Wilson had heard that the young man was an aspiring thespian and he thought he might like to join his community theater troupe.

“At first, I acted, and then I would direct,” says Owens, looking back over the decades, “and then I would teach.”

It was the 1970s, and after a nomadic first decade, the Arena Players had finally found a permanent home. During this time, the cast and crew grew rapidly, and before long, word of mouth had spread through the city and neighboring counties, with Black spectators flocking to the box office. It was normal to sell out their 300 tickets on any given night.

“The audience was huge then,” says Owens. “They had no place else to go.”

ARENA PLAYERS WILL BEGIN its 70th season this September, cementing its status as the nation’s oldest continuously operating Black theater company. But when it debuted in Baltimore in 1953, it was uncertain if it would survive a single season.

Even with free admission, the first few shows were more cast members than ticketholders. Back then, an ensemble of seven to 12 actors, from local college students to community residents, would be lucky to perform for an audience of four.

At the time, this small group of Black actors couldn’t watch—let alone participate in— performances at big-name theater houses, be it on Broadway or in Baltimore.

“Unless you were playing a maid or a butler, there was no need for you in white theaters,” says Owens, referring to the Jim Crow prejudices that kept cultural institutions racially segregated well into the 20th century.

But this was also an era of civil rights resistance. From fine art to photography, the Black community was leading a wave of artistic movements across the country, fighting back by creating their own representation, with community theaters emerging as creative refuges in cities like New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

“Theater has always been a political movement,” says Owens, noting that some of the earliest plays, from Greek tragedies to Shakespeare, dealt with some form of protest.

In Harlem, the pioneering American Negro Theatre opened in 1940, followed by the Black Arts Repertory Theatre and School in 1965 and the New Federal

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

Left: Donald Owens poses in the Arena Players theater.

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Theatre in 1970. Black community theaters were places where Black thespians could write, perform, and direct works by Black artists, including luminaries like Lorraine Hansberry, Ossie Davis, and James Baldwin. “Everybody just assumed there were no Black playwrights,” says Owens. “Black playwrights did not begin with August Wilson [in the 1980s]. Black playwrights have been around for centuries.”

Meanwhile, historically Black colleges became another respite for Black theater. In Baltimore, Arena Players got its start on campus at what is now Coppin State University in 1953. Its theater-in-the-round playhouse soon became a hub where aspiring actors and other community members—from lawyers, doctors, and teachers to housewives and retirees— could regularly partake in the theatrical world.

At this time in Baltimore, venues for the Black arts scene were few and far between, despite a large Black population. Pennsylvania Avenue was one of the few hubs, with the Roy-

al Theatre being a premiere venue for iconic musicians like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Further along the avenue, other spots like the Sphinx Club, Club Casino, and Club Tijuana hosted the likes of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis.

And though it took a while to find an audience, the word eventually got out about Arena Players, with coverage of its early seasons appearing increasingly in The Sun. The company’s first production was the one-act Hello Out There! by Armenian-American playwright William Saroyan, and within a few years, their performance of the musical Simply Heavenly brought its author, Langston Hughes, to the front row. Their repertoire ranged from oneact plays to full-scale productions across a variety of genres, such as comedy, drama, and mystery, which also included famous works by white playwrights, such as Alfred Hitchcock, Arthur Miller, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Tennessee Williams. Similarly, audiences were predominantly Black, but there were white at-

tendees, too, and groups like sororities, fraternities, church congregations, and other social clubs regularly sponsored private viewings. Tickets hovered around $1, and at times they sold out.

Still, the Black theater company was a small operation. Troupe members had to bring in furniture from their own homes to use as props, and while Coppin was their launchpad, throughout that first decade, Arena Players moved between multiple venues. They put on shows at the Great Hall Theater of St. Mary’s Church in Walbrook, at Morgan State University’s Carl J. Murphy Auditorium, and at the YMCA in Madison Park, where crew members would build intricate sets on Friday, just to tear the whole thing down by Sunday night.

“Though the beginning was not easy, the sense of commitment was great, and individuals gave liberally of their time and resources to bring their dreams to reality,” wrote thenartistic director Ed Terry in a 50th anniversary booklet in 2003. “Through the first decade, the names of the Players were well known, and the actors constituted a kind of resident company as they wandered from one venue to another in search of a permanent home.”

They finally moved to their McCulloh Street home in 1969—a curved brick building in the Seton Hill neighborhood between Mt. Vernon and West Baltimore. And what was once a coffin warehouse for a local mortuary became the

Clockwise from top: A wall at Arena Players; a still from A Happy Journey; The Living Room; the theater today; Irving Turner with young actors.

COURTESY OF JERRELL GIBBS, “DIFFERENT CLOTH” COURTESY OF JERRELL GIBBS AND THE MARIANE IBRAHIM GALLERY.

permanent home of a historic Black theater. TWO SILVER PLAQUES GREET YOU when you step through the front door of Arena Players. One is dedicated to Irvin Turner, who founded Arena’s “Youtheatre” program in 1974. The other is for Sam Wilson, Owens’ former mentor, who died in 1996. On his, there’s a quote: “I do not believe anyone is supposed to leave this earth having held on to his or her talent. You’ve got to share it. You’ve got to hand it to somebody else.”

Today, Arena Players has 45 cast and crew, with performers ranging in age from toddlers to octogenarians. For about 10 years in the 1980s, ticket sales and grants for the youth theater were what kept Arena Players open and operating——and some of those performers are still with the troupe today.

In her own way, Catherine Orange is an Arena Players lifer. The youth program director was also encouraged by Wilson to join the troupe while a Coppin State student in 1972, but by that time, she already knew the theater well, having visited since childhood with her grandmother. Over the years, she’s had her hand in everything from hair-and-makeup to stage managing, and eventually she got her own children and then grandchildren involved. Her son, Rodney, was the theater’s managing director until his death in 2019. Her grandson, Dana, now a professional performer, got his start at Arena Players when he was just four years old. “For kids who want to grow and to develop their creativity, this is a great place to start,” says Orange, noting that some young troupe members continued their interest at the Baltimore School for the Arts and Peabody Institute.

In fact, Arena Players has many notable alumni, including those who have worked on Broadway or in the film industry. Actress Tracie Thoms, who starred in Rent and The Devil Wears Prada, got her start on the Arena Players stage. And Tony Award-winning actor, singer, dancer, and director André De Shields has often praised Arena Players for being one of the few places where he could explore the arts as a young boy growing up in Baltimore.

Owens is a D.C. native but started acting at age six. Now at 76, he’s the glue that holds the theater together, responsible for handling everything from the building’s maintenance to the season's lineup. This past November, three

of the four walls in his office were covered in dry-erase calendars marked with the troupe’s performance dates through 2023.

When selecting which plays to perform, Owens tries to prioritize what he calls “entertainment teaching,” rooted in a founding philosophy of bringing underrepresented works with historical significance to the forefront. To that end, the players recently mounted a production of The Face of Emmett Till, the true story chronicling of the life, death, and aftermath of a 14-year-old Black boy who was murdered by two white men for allegedly whistling at a white woman in 1955 Mississippi. In many ways, says Owens, this follows the great tradition of Black performing arts venues. “Black theaters allowed Black people to perform, they allowed them to write and direct, and they allowed their work to be seen,” he says, with other now-classic Black works such as The Wiz fantasy musical and the tragic for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf having premiered here over the years. “That was really important.”

It meant their stories would be told.

mechanics of theater work.”

That sort of preservation project is vital for a nonprofit theater with limited staff and resources. Over the years, they have experienced their fair share of financial ups and downs, and today, they primarily rely on grants and community donations to stay afloat. “We’re beginning to see some daylight,” says board chair Larry Cook, a West Baltimore native and former state senator who has been involved with the theater for over two decades, with much of his efforts focused on lobbying support from city and state government. “It’s been a task, but we’ve stayed persistent.”

Cook points to the forthcoming renovations to the building, which hasn’t had any major upgrades since the ’70s, with the third floor, currently used as a rehearsal space, being transformed into a black-box theater, in order to have multiple shows taking place at once. Other plans include modernizing the light fixtures and seating to improve the audience’s experience and accessibility.

The Arena Players audience looks different now than when it first started. While still majority Black, the crowd is often representative of a variety of races, reflective of the Baltimore theater scene’s diversification, as mainstream venues like Center Stage and Everyman Theatre cultivate more inclusive casts and repertoires.

FOR ARENA PLAYERS, it’s a legacy that’s made an impact. Alongside actor portraits and framed newspaper clippings, the theater’s walls are decorated with official recognition. In 2018, a signed letter from late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings called the theater a “lasting cultural icon.” In more recent years, they’ve also caught the attention of historians, with Morgan State University currently working with the theater’s archives in hopes of creating a future digital exhibition.

“The Arena Players’ archives demonstrate African-American agency [in] Baltimore during the early civil rights era,” says Morgan State archivist Ida E. Jones. “This community space provided room to nurture positive Black images, cultivate innate talent, and expose Black Baltimore to the

This could explain why they’re not seeing nearly as many full houses these days, but the theater continues to put on up to seven shows per season. This year’s first performance will not premiere until September, but right before Christmas, they were gearing up for a performance of Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity.

For Owens, though, even in changing times, the Arena Players mission is just as important as it ever was—some 70 years and counting—and will continue to be in the future.

“The energy here is powerful, even to this day,” he says. “It has such a history, and it has such a dedicated set of people, and that keeps the fire burning.”

“THEATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POLITICAL MOVEMENT.”

OYIN ADEDOYIN is a Baltimore contributing writer.

CAMP GUIDE

In a few short months schools will close for summer and millions of kids across the country will pack up and head to camp. Never before has it felt more important for kids to access the fun and freedom that characterize the camp experience while also developing the skills that are best honed in a camp environment, including self-confidence, leadership, compassion, resilience, and communication.

Here in the Baltimore region, the options for families are extensive. Whether your child is a budding artist or thespian, a robotics superstar or a star athlete, there is a camp for your child. Many offer flexible programs that last just a few days or as long as several weeks as well as before and after care for busy working parents.

Before you stock up on sunscreen or start ironing name labels into your kid’s t-shirts, read on to learn about just a few of the area’s camps ready to fill your child’s summer with fun.

LOWER SCHOOL CAMP

5-week half or full-day program for grades 1-5 language arts & skills, math, afternoon theme adventures, and more

MIDDLE SCHOOL MEDLEY

BUILD YOUR SUMMER: half or full-day program options for grades 6-8 writing academy, reading, math, executive function skills, visual arts, and more

UPPER SCHOOL MASTERCLASSES

BUILD YOUR SUMMER: half-day program options for grades 9-12 university and art college boot camp, writing, math, theatre, and more

A TRIBUTE TO BALTIMORE JAZZ

BY J.M. GIORDANO

WALKING THROUGH BALTIMORE

on a rainy winter night you can practically see the music. Traces of Baltimore’s jazz DNA seep up in the steam released from underground. You feel it from the lone workers you greet as they labor in the lobbies of high-rises or deliver goods to the city’s markets after hours. You can almost hear the melancholy notes of an alto sax as you look up at the black cube of Charles Center or the New York-style Bank of America building on Light Street, lights blazing in the office windows long into the night. ¶ Walking by all the old spaces like the Mayfair and Royal theaters, the Sphinx Club, Buddies on Charles—all long gone—you can picture the ghosts of legends like Billie Holiday, Ethel Ennis, Cab Calloway, and band leader Chick Webb, still playing for the crowds. ¶ The homes of some of these musicians are gone, too, with Calloway's house torn down last year and ironically replaced by a piano fence. But as these spaces fade from modern memory, new places rise. Keystone Korner and Caton Castle in West Baltimore take the place of the bigger clubs, and smaller venues across the city, like 1801 in Canton, R. House in Remington, An Die Musik and Marie Louise Bistro in Mount Vernon, and Werner’s downtown, fill in for those intimate venues that used to pepper Penn North and Baltimore Street. One certainly can’t leave out the Baltimore Jazz Alliance, huge promoters of the jazz scene, when talking about the future of the music in the city. ¶ There’s new music, too, from young artists like siblings Ebban and Ephraim Dorsey, who, not yet 20, recently premiered their own compositions at Keystone Korner. Busy bassists like Blake Meister, Ed Hrybyk, and especially Clarence Ward III, who oversees jam sessions at R. House on Monday nights, are keeping the music alive and thriving in the city. Meanwhile, the Peabody Conservatory of Music and Baltimore School for the Arts both have popular jazz programs that look to raise interest and awareness of the genre in Baltimore, just as Jazz at Lincoln Center does in New York. And though we’ll never have the excitement of Pennsylvania Avenue again, we can rest easy knowing that the legacy of the past is being honored and carried into the future.

This photo project is a small attempt to capture the new energy in the clubs using film and digital images. Since flash isn’t exactly encouraged for live music anymore, it’s up to the available light to do the job. I used the work of Roy DeCarava, who wove shots of New York City with portraits of jazz musicians to create a rich tapestry of photos of that city’s jazz scene during the ’50s and ’60s, as a nucleus for this series. My goal was to capture not just the performers, but the spaces they inhabit, the city around them, and the streets that inspired their sounds. I chose traditional black and white so as not to be distracted from the subjects and to call back to the photos of the midcentury. ¶ I hope these photos inspire a new appreciation for or rekindled love affair with jazz and that, after flipping through this photo essay, you’ll buy some vinyl, visit a club—or just make a cocktail, stay at home, turn on jazz DJ Andy Bienstock, and drink till sometime ’round midnight.

OPENING SPREAD: Ephraim Dorsey blasts out notes on his sax at Caton Castle. THIS SPREAD: Clockwise from top left: Open mic night at Canton's Bar 1801; Clarence Ward III on trumpet at R. House’s jazz jam session on Mondays; eighteen-year-old sax player Ebban Dorsey at Caton Castle; mixing the perfect martini at Keystone Korner; ruins of the old Mayfair Theatre on Howard Street, where many jazz acts played before it was turned into a movie house in 1941.

THIS SPREAD: Clockwise from top left: Pianist Allyn Johnson swings and drummer John R. Lamkin III hits the skins, both at Caton Castle; Lamkin III reflected in a mirrored pillar as jazz fans take in a tribute to John Coltrane; the hand of Allyn Johnson glides across the keyboard.

ABOVE: Saxophone player Mark Gross and Alex Norris on trumpet tear up Caton Castle during an evening dedicated to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, which included Allyn Johnson, Blake Meister, John R. Lamkin III, and Lyle Link.

THIS SPREAD: Clockwise from top left: Blake Meister slaps the bass; Clarence Ward III jams at R. House’s weekly jazz night; jazz fans dress up at Caton Castle; Gary Thomas on flute and Blake Meister on bass during a show at Keystone Korner.

IN THE LATE 1960S, BALTIMORE BEGAN DEMOLISHING BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS TO MAKE ROOM FOR AN ILL-FATED EXPRESSWAY. WILL THE HARM FROM THE HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE EVER BE REPAIRED?

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ISAIAH WINTERS

Historical images by John Van Horn and I. Henry Phillips

CLOSED THE CAR DOOR and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of his childhood home when he recognized an old friend coming toward him. “Chubb!” Smith called out with a big smile. It was right before Christmas and the two men, both in their mid-70s, began reminiscing about growing up in the Rosemont neighborhood, specifically the Lauretta Avenue blocks around the Smith family’s corner rowhouse. “‘Fort Lauretta,’ that was the Smith house,” says Laneaue Burch, explaining that everything and everyone had a nickname in the close-knit West Bal-

timore community. (“I got ‘Chubb’ because I was skinny.”) “This is where we gathered and played football. I caught a lot of passes in this street and that empty lot,” he continues, gesturing across the intersection. “This time of the year, we’d be pulling out our new footballs and roller skates—those metal skates you snapped over your shoes. Skating in the streets was big. Oh man, we had fun.”

Ironically, a sign on the corner now reads: “No Ballplaying in the Street,” though few kids appear to live or play here anymore.

Their neighborhood had everything a family needed in the 1950s and 1960s, says Smith, one of eight children raised by his father, grandmother, and a half-dozen “block moms” after his mother died. “This wasn’t the food desert it became. There were corner stores and grocery stores, clothing, furniture, and hardware stores, bakeries, pharmacies—mostly Black- or Jewish-owned—and movie houses, like the Harlem Theater at Edmondson and Harlem, the Bridge Theater at Edmondson and Pulaski,” he says, ticking off two favorite Saturday hangouts. “I tell people it was a Norman Rockwell existence.”

Then, in 1969, two years after Smith graduated from Edmondson High, the city informed his family that their home stood in the path of a planned expressway, and they intended to demolish it. Originally named I-170 (later re-designated Route 40), it was supposed to connect the booming white suburbs to Baltimore’s downtown business district. It certainly wasn’t conceived to assist Black commuters. The Franklin and Mulberry streets corridor had first been identified in 1944 by consultant and notorious New York highway builder Robert Moses as the path of least resistance—in other words, low income and Black. Neither Smith’s father, a crane

OPENING SPREAD: The image of the forlorn girl on the outskirts of the Highway to Nowhere was shot by John Van Horn in the fall of 1968 (see sidebar, p. 101). THIS PAGE: Glenn Smith sits on the steps of his childhood home on Lauretta Avenue in Rosemont. OPPOSITE PAGE: The Highway to Nowhere, taken from a drone in October.

operator, nor Burch’s father, who cooked at a white country club, owned a car. Before the expressway, the city had a dependable transit system: streetcars, and then buses, that reached Black neighborhoods.

“What choice did he have? My father took the money offered and moved to Windsor Hills,” recalls Smith, glancing down the hill to the near-empty east-west expressway, or rather the 1.39-mile stub, since known as the Highway to Nowhere because it never got connected to I-70, I-95, I-83, or any other major road. “Then, he had to get a car. My youngest siblings moved with him. I joined the Marines and the rest went on their own. I don’t think my father, who’d come to Baltimore from North Carolina after he got out of the Navy, ever adjusted.”

The dismantling of corridor neighborhoods had begun shortly before the 1968 riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.—and ramped up after them. Ultimately, 971 homes, 62 businesses, and one school were leveled, and more than 2,800 people were displaced. On Lauretta Avenue and elsewhere, almost everyone Smith and Burch knew—whether homeowners, tenants, or “rent-to-own” families—were forced out. It is a cruel twist that Fort Lauretta was spared and resold by the city after construction began in 1974. (Burch’s aunt was one person who did not sell, however, and her Lauretta Avenue home was spared as well. Burch eventually took over her home after she passed.)

For decades, Smith and Burch will tell you, their beloved neighborhood has been a literal shell of what it was. Despite knocking down 130 vacant homes and buildings in recent years, the city still has 373 vacant building notices posted in the community. Next door in Harlem Park, which took the brunt of the expressway’s wrecking ball, there are 570. Long stretches on the Franklin Square and Poppleton side of the Highway to Nowhere—less than a half mile from the Edgar Allan Poe House Museum—have also been shuttered for decades, although a driver coming in from Baltimore County can’t really see the boarded-up neighborhood from the expressway’s voluminous concrete valley, also referred to as “the Ditch.” Planners intended to provide commuters with a “pleasant view” of the city skyline on their approach into town.

“You know a funny thing that I notice when I come back to our old house?” Smith says, pointing to the side of the Lauretta Avenue rowhome. “The Formstone. I remember when my father had that put up. Not a mark on it. Still perfectly intact.”

In his acclaimed book on blockbusting and the redlining of Black communities, Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City, former Baltimore Sun reporter Antero Pietila estimates that roughly 94,000 people—mostly Black residents—were dislocated between 1965 and 1980 by various expressway building, “slum clearance,” and “urban renewal” efforts. Many affected families had come to Baltimore looking for jobs after World War II, as part of the Great Migration, and now they were uprooted again. Payouts offered to homeowners in the Franklin-Mulberry corridor—based on declining

THIS PAGE: From top, women on Palm Sunday in the late 1950s in Lafayette Square, a few blocks from the Highway to Nowhere; a young girl in Lafayette Park, also in the late 1950s. OPPOSITE PAGE: A 1960 rendering of the planned expressway through West Baltimore.

HENRY PHILLIPS

"WHAT CHOICE DID HE HAVE? MY FATHER TOOK THE MONEY OFFERED AND MOVED TO WINDSOR HILLS . . . I DON'T THINK MY FATHER EVER ADJUSTED."

“fair market” values in the area—were rarely enough to purchase a comparable house in one of the few neighborhoods open to Black homebuyers. (Future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson and his family struggled mightily to find a home after he was traded to Baltimore in 1966; his wife Barbara was so disgusted by the race-based realestate market she threatened to move back to California with the couple’s two children.)

With little affordable housing available, the city shuttled thousands of low-income Black families into the high-rise public housing complexes built in the mid-’50s and early ’60s—the five 12-story buildings at Lexington Terrace, the six high-rise towers at Lafayette Courts, the four 14-story apartment buildings known as Murphy Homes, and the three 12-story Flag House Courts towers.

“Monuments to segregation,” ACLU lawyer Barbara Samuels called the high-rises, all since imploded as failed housing policy experiments.

Meanwhile, the destruction in the neighborhoods split by the Highway to Nowhere metastasized. The east-west expressway plans had cast a pall over the Franklin-Mulberry corridor for two decades, and when the condemnations began in 1966, and then the demolitions a few years later, things quickly took a bad turn. By the time the highway opened on Feb. 5, 1979, the surrounding blocks—and their communities—had been gutted for a decade.

Today, residents in the Black neighborhoods divided by Route 40 have the longest average commute times in Baltimore, almost three times greater than in the city’s well-to-do white neighborhoods.

“The effects of that little underpass didn’t just go into the 300 or 500 block [of a street in its corridor],” Alton West, who later organized annual reunions among those displaced, told an interviewer back in 2009. “It just spread its wings either way. Call it the ‘domino effect’ or whatever you want . . . [things] just fell and kept going. If the 400 block was affected, now the 3 and the 5 are . . . and after a while the 600 or the 100 [block]. I would say by the mid-’70s to the late ’70s, it was like the spread of cancer. It was just inoperable.”

As far as strategies to rehabilitate the community after the fact, added West, a retired Baltimore housing inspector, “I say ‘we’ as a city government—we just probably didn’t have a clue.”

Now, a half century after it consumed 52 acres of residential Black neighborhoods—and eight years after the Red Line light rail was abruptly canceled by a governor intent on building more highways—there are hopes that the Highway to Nowhere may finally be razed.

Passed in August, the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocates $370 billion to address climate change, includes $3 billion in Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants that can be used to reduce

the effects of urban heat islands, for example, but also to remove harmful infrastructure, such as urban expressways.

That funding comes a year after the federal government set aside $1 billion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, which was modeled off legislation co-sponsored by Maryland senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen—with the Highway to Nowhere in mind. In October, the city applied for a $2-million grant through the program to study tearing up the illfated highway. Recipients should be announced this spring.

“Baltimore is the poster child for this program, which is designed to right a historic injustice the federal government helped facilitate,” says Van Hollen, who, along with West Baltimore-raised Congressman Kweisi Mfume, drafted a letter on behalf of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging consideration of the city’s bid. “I bring this up to Secretary Buttigieg every time I see him,” says Van Hollen. “He probably wants to turn in the other direction when he sees me.”

At the same time, the state has a newly elected governor from Baltimore. Wes Moore, the first Black governor since the 1632 founding of the Maryland colony and just the third-ever elected in the U.S., has vowed to jump-start the 14-mile, 19-stop Red Line light rail initiative. As previously designed, it would have passed directly through the long under-resourced Highway to Nowhere corridor.

With proposed stops at the West Baltimore MARC station—in Rosemont, Harlem Park, and Poppleton, neighborhoods where up to 60 percent of households don’t own a car—the anticipated light rail promised reliable access to employment, the Social Security office complex in Baltimore County, the University of Maryland, the downtown business district and the Inner Harbor, as well as the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. It meant access to schools, grocery stores, healthcare, recreation, and entertainment.

The construction of the Red Line—pitched to help repair a halfcentury-and-counting of damage from the Highway to Nowhere— was six months from putting out bids when former Governor Larry Hogan canceled it without a single formal review in 2015. The building of the project alone was expected to create 15,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Maryland Transit Administration was already working with the state’s Department of Labor to create a training program tailored for engineering, construction, and maintenance positions at Glenn Smith’s old high school.

Today, any attempt to bring the now dust-covered Red Line plans back to life faces enormous hurdles. The original price tag of $2.9 billion, which included $900 million in attached federal funding, has climbed significantly with inflation. Federal transit funding remains hyper-competitive, and winning back approval any time soon is hard to imagine. (When Hogan sent that nearly $1 billion back

to the feds, he also flushed away a dozen years and $290 million in local and state planning.)

Federal dollars also require a commitment from the state, which will likely have to foot at least twothirds of the project again. Former Governor Martin O’Malley increased the gas tax to generate revenue for the Red Line, but that money is gone. How Moore intends to raise funding remains to be seen. Not to mention, recent residential and commercial developments in Canton and Greektown will require new engineering work-arounds. Environmental studies will have to be repeated. Community outreach, always a contentious process to some degree, will have to begin again.

While both Moore and Mayor Brandon Scott are committed to bringing down the Highway to Nowhere—by no means a sure thing given the funding necessary—the bigger question is: What should, or will, come in its place?

Will Moore and Scott fight for a full light rail plan like the one Hogan canceled and has the potential to create the greatest economic impact? Or will they settle for a less expensive—but more do -

OPPOSITE PAGE: The 1870-built Sarah Ann Street rowhomes formerly scheduled for demolition by the city. BELOW: The side-by-side Carrollton Avenue rowhomes owned by Sonia and Curtis Eaddy, who successfully fought the city’s eminent domain plans for 18 years.

"BALTIMORE IS THE POSTER CHILD FOR THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO RIGHT A HISTORIC INJUSTICE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HELPED FACILITATE."

able—rapid bus version of the Red Line? In an interview, Scott said he’s committed to an eastwest light rail system while acknowledging a rapid bus line may ultimately play a role. The removal of the Highway to Nowhere and the once shovelready light rail—linked by purpose and overlapping geography—remain separate initiatives until Moore and Scott decide on a common vision.

Former Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary John Porcari was on the ground floor when the ironically named Red Line (“redlining” traditionally referred to mortgage discrimination against Black home buyers) was first conceived 20 years ago, in large part to address systemic racism in transportion exacerbated by the focus on building highways to accommodate automobile drivers. He says that even with equity and environmental justice as a priority at the DOT under Buttigieg, funding for transit and expressway removal remains exponentially harder to win than highway-building dollars. That said, the availability of Biden infrastructure money and Reconnecting Community grants, according to Porcari, “presents a unique opportunity that is

not going to last forever. The city and state need to get their plans together and act quickly.”

To Red Line advocates such as Samuel Jordan, a longtime community-based organizer, the stakes could not be higher.

Jordan co-founded the Baltimore Equity Transit Coalition with Glenn Smith after the project was canceled by Hogan. In December, the organization commemorated the 66th anniversary of the end of the Montgomery bus boycott with a webinar update on its Red Line and transit equity efforts.

“Frankly, this is a social justice and civil rights struggle,” says Jordan, 74. With Smith and two others, Jordan filed a federal civil rights suit against the Hogan administration, as did the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. A transportation economist using the state’s own models, “found that whites will receive 228 percent of the net benefit from [Hogan’s] decision, while African Americans will receive -124 percent.” (The Obama Administration decided the NAACP case merited an investigation, but that inquiry was dropped by former President Trump’s Department of Justice without comment.) Jordan emphasizes that at the same time Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, and others were refusing to surrender their seats in Alabama, Baltimore’s politicians and business community were planning to demolish Black neighborhoods for an expressway to serve white automobile drivers.

“The racial equity struggle is more than just being able to sit wherever you want on the bus,” he says. “What about the quality of the

service itself? What about the racial disparity of transportation and transit spending? That’s what our coalition seeks to eliminate. We want to put a halt to, and address, the structural racism that has always been central in public transit policy and that got us here.”

Remarkably, Baltimore’s urban expressway system, which also includes I-395 and crash-prone I-83, could’ve been much worse. The concept of a cross-town expressway was first studied by local engineers hired in 1942. Baltimore passed the baton two years later to the aforementioned Moses, and the New York highway builder’s subsequent report originally called for displacing not the 2,800 residents eventually resettled, but an estimated 19,000 people. The sprawling plan, tweaked a dozen times over the ensuing decades, was initially intended to link an east-west expressway to Route 1 and Route 40, roads leading to Philadelphia and Washington. Bulldozing Black neighborhoods was not the most controversial part at the outset; it was plowing just south of The Walters Art Museum and the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon to connect to the Orleans Street viaduct and Route 40.

In fact, the bulldozing of low-income, minority neighborhoods to alleviate congestion for white automobile drivers was sold as a feature, not a bug. Moses, who interestingly never learned to drive, did not understand that neighborhoods in older cities like New York and Baltimore were like small towns or villages onto themselves. Ambitious, arrogant, and particularly unconcerned with Black and brown communities, he anticipated and dismissed citizen opposition in Baltimore as he did in New York.

“Some of the slum areas through which the Franklin Avenue Expressway passes are a disgrace to the community and the more of them that are wiped out, the healthier Baltimore will be in the long run,” Moses wrote in his Baltimore Arterial Report, the basis of which laid the foundation for the Highway to Nowhere route “Nothing which we propose to remove will constitute any loss to Baltimore.”

Robert Caro, who covered Moses as a young reporter and then profiled him in the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, The Power Broker, characterized Moses as “one of the most racist men” he’d ever encountered.

Citizen outrage against the Moses plan was immediate, with some 1,500 people filling an auditorium for a city council hearing on the proposal in early 1945. Sun columnist H.L. Mencken called

OPPOSITE PAGE: A view of the Highway to Nowhere from a bridge above the 1.39-mile expressway. ABOVE: Mayor Brandon Scott, with the Highway to Nowhere behind him, and elected officials, including U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Kweisi Mfume on his right.

the Moses plan “a completely idiotic undertaking.” And a member of the traffic committee that hired Moses said the plan “poses a mountain of human misery.” Yet, Baltimore’s civic and business elite pushed ahead.

A well-orchestrated protest by a bohemian collection of artists, artisans, and LGBTQ community members on a single, colorful block of Tyson Street rowhouses—described as Baltimore’s mini-version of Greenwich Village—helped quash the Mount Vernon thruway. In its place, however, city planners in 1959 came up with an equally crazy scheme. The new plans called for taking the Franklin-Mulberry

“SOME OF THE SLUM AREAS THROUGH WHICH THE FRANKLIN AVENUE EXPRESSWAY PASSES ARE A DISGRACE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE MORE OF THEM THAT ARE WIPED OUT, THE HEALTHIER BALTIMORE WILL BE IN THE LONG RUN . . . NOTHING WHICH WE PROPOSE TO REMOVE WILL CONSTITUTE ANY LOSS TO BALTIMORE.” —ROBERT MOSES, THE BALTIMORE ARTERIAL REPORT, 1944

expressway south to intersect with I-95 and I-83, which were in the works, along with the Baltimore Beltway. Everything was to culminate (see rendering, page 103) in an overpass 40 feet above the Inner Harbor and a 14-lane interchange where Harbor East now sits. That expressway proposal would have ripped through Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park, the middle-class Black neighborhood of Rosemont, the Franklin-Mulberry corridor, Sharp-Leadenhall in South Baltimore—a one-time abolitionist hub established by freed slaves—before lopping of the top of Federal Hill and crossing over the Inner Harbor.

A great deal of Fells Point, written off by many as a white working-class slum, was marked for the scrap heap, which famously launched a then-social worker from the area named Barbara Mikulski into action. And if you now reside in Federal Hill, Fells Point, Canton, or Harbor East—or simply enjoy the Inner Harbor, Rash

Field, and the bars and restaurants along the city’s unique sevenmile waterfront promenade—you have Mikulski and a scrappy group of activists to thank. Born from the democratic idealism of the 1960s, highway protestors formed grassroots organizations with feisty names like M.A.D. (Movement Against Destruction), a cross-city, biracial coalition of 35 neighborhood groups; R.A.M. (Relocation Action Movement); and S.C.A.R. (Southeast Council Against the Road).

“They would rather run the expressway through Black folks’ bedrooms than a white folks cemetery,” was a popular R.A.M. slogan aimed at a plan to knock down homes in Rosemont to avoid Western Cemetery. Together, they organized one of the most successful, though not perfect, highway revolts in the country. “We had maybe eight people when we started,” recalls the 86-year-old Mikulski, referring to S.C.A.R. “We met almost every night of the week in some bar or church basement to make it look like we had a lot of support.”

In 1967, the inaugural Fells Point Fun Festival was organized to raise funds for anti-highway legal efforts. Two years later at the annual street party, which continues to this day, a then-33year-old Mikulski shouted her opposition as then-Council President William Donald Schaefer, a big expressway proponent, tried to speak. “The British couldn’t take Fells Point, the termites couldn’t take Fells Point,” railed Mikulski, who would soon win

ABOVE: Rowhouses in the FranklinMulberry streets corridor, which the city had acquired, being demolished in 1968 to make room for the Highway to Nowhere.

her own seat on the City Council. “And we don’t think the State Roads Commission can take Fells Point either.”

Paradoxically, as the federal government was doling out billions for expressway expansion—funding 90 cents on the dollar for highway projects—it eventually passed legislation that would also prove a boon to local anti-highway activists.

The Federal Aid to Highways Act and The National Historic Preservation Act, both passed in 1966, had provisions to protect natural habitat, park and recreation land, and historic buildings. Those laws became vehicles for activists to delay the Leakin Park, Federal Hill, and Fells Point sections of the broader expressway system plans in court. Preservationists got Fells Point placed on the National Register of Historic Places in early 1969. Federal Hill won the designation a year later. Both neighborhoods, then and now majority-white, would ultimately be saved.

“The national highway system was truly a great American achievement, that was Eisenhower’s plan,” Mikulski says. “However, the Robert Moses approach, his vision destroyed neighborhoods so he could create other neighborhoods.”

Several cities Mikulski is referencing—New York, Boston, San Francisco, Oakland, Milwaukee, Chattanooga, Providence—have already converted urban expressways to more neighborhood-friendly boulevards. Others are in process.

The tragedy is the city’s long effort to link the east-west expressway to I-70, I-95, and I-83 was all but dead by 1974, when then-Mayor Schaefer gave the final go-ahead to build the now pointless 1.39-mile spur. Relatedly, Schaefer’s and city leaders’ obsession with building highways through the city is the reason Baltimore doesn’t have a full Metro system like Washington, D.C., which did not have a thriving downtown like today when planning began for that project in 1967.

“It was well beyond the time when a reasonable person would have said, ‘Wait, it’s time to reevaluate,’” says Evans Paull, a former city planner and author of Stop the Road: Stories from the Trenches of Baltimore’s Road War. (See interview,

Destruction of a Neighborhood: Baltimore's Highway to Nowhere

The black and white photographs of the demolition of the Franklin-Mulberry corridor that accompany this story were captured by then-college student John Van Horn. Now 72, Van Horn recently self-published a collection of those photos. This is his memory of the images:

“In the fall of 1968, I was a freshman at Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College. I was a history major, but my passion was photography. As I was driven into Baltimore on Route 40 by my college friend Larry Sanders to go to a photography store, we went through this neighborhood being demolished. I returned on my own via a bus ride and a second time with Larry to photograph the area.

I recall most vividly the series I took on my own when I took the bus into Baltimore one early Saturday morning. I was from a small town in New Jersey, photographing a poor inner-city neighborhood. This was 1968, a year of political and racial violence and unrest, with the Vietnam War always in the background. However, the deserted neighborhood was just that, deserted. I only saw a couple of children at play, which I photographed, but don’t recall any interaction with them or any of the few adults I encountered beyond perhaps a ‘good morning.’

The initial reaction, that this destruction would be interesting to photograph, soon turned into thinking of what a waste this was. I was looking at rows of iconic Baltimore rowhouses being destroyed . . . probably a large part of some people’s identity. I saw the destruction of a neighborhood, the homes, and the businesses. The photos looked like images of a war zone, like those of Europe during WWII and today from Ukraine. The big difference is, war damage can be rebuilt and residents return; here, it was final. These photos still bring up deep feelings about injustices brought upon people who had little or no voice in their destinies. Every time I look at them, I have strong emotions. It is still hard to decompress those emotions after 50 years."

JOHN VAN HORN

“IT WAS WELL BEYOND THE TIME WHEN A REASONABLE PERSON WOULD HAVE SAID, ‘WAIT, IT'S TIME TO REEVALUATE.’”

page 42.) “[He] was also a very strong pro-business guy, and the Greater Baltimore Committee was the No. 1 cheerleader behind the highway plan. . . . The irony is that if the city business interests advocating for highways had been successful, it would’ve been economically disastrous for the city. The later redevelopment of all those [Inner Harbor] neighborhoods might not have happened if the highways been built.

“I also don’t think the city would have ever entertained an expressway through a comfortable middle-class white neighborhood, the way it did Rosemont, for example,” continues Paull. “I think it’s just characteristic of the city’s low regard for African-American neighborhoods that it was the only section that got built in the end.”

To his point, just this summer, after an 18-year battle with the city, Sonia and Curtis Eaddy saved their rowhome, which sits a block south of the Highway to Nowhere, from demolition. The city first sent a condemnation notice to the Eaddys back in 2004, along with more than 100 of their Poppleton neighbors, including dozens of homeowners. Baltimore officials had decided to clear out the neighborhood for a University of Maryland expansion and a New York-based company’s proposed development.

The Eaddys’ struggle was part of a broader successful community campaign to preserve a small block of distinct 19th-century rowhouses around the corner from their home on Sarah Ann Street. Unfortunately, those residents were all forced to leave before the homes were finally designated offlimits and safe from development. Only a few, if any, are likely able to return.

“My dad grew up in this block,” says the 57-yearold Sonia Eaddy. “He was at 329 Carrollton Avenue

and I’m 319. He bought his house in 1969 or 1970, and that’s where I grew up. ‘The Highway’ was up the corner. My grandmother and grandfather moved to the 1200 block of Mulberry, across the street, so as a kid, I remember when the city demolished their property. I remember the gravel, the metal poles with the wire surrounding the blocks that were demolished. We used to play on those lots and throw rocks. Then when they started to dig, you had to take what we called ‘the bridge’ across to see friends, go to school or church, or go to Edmondson Avenue, which had a lot of shops.

“I was young, I can’t speak directly to how people felt about the city condemning their property at the time,” she continues, “but with our home and the Sarah Ann Street homes, it was basically like, ‘You don’t count. You don’t matter.’”

There are also historical echoes between the building of the Highway to Nowhere and the cancellation of the Red Line.

Just two months before King’s assassination and the riots in Baltimore, Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro III—in an address to the American Road Builders Association, no less—acknowledged the dark truth that the planned expressway, “will displace thousands of families, will dismember neighborhoods and communities, will disrupt industry and commerce, and will destroy parks and historical landmarks.” The Little Italy native, whose father had been mayor when the east-west expressway plans were first hatched, added that “the problem of dislocation of people is particularly critical.” He even forewarned the dislocations would become “a major cause of unrest.”

Nonetheless, as Paull highlights in his book, only two weeks after the riots, D’Alesandro decided to stick with the final expressway design that would devastate the Franklin-Mulberry corridor.

In an analogous gut-punch to a reeling West Baltimore, Governor Hogan announced his decision to defund the Red Line two months after the uprising following Freddie Gray’s death. At the same time, he said he would increase infrastructure spending on roads and bridges by $1.35 billion—“from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore.”

At a 2015 news conference, Hogan defended, at least in part, his decision this way: “We just spent $14 million extra money on the riots in Baltimore City a few weeks ago.”

Thirty years earlier, in the mid-1980s, Schaefer, on the cusp of running for governor, approved a deal that sent $261 million of the last of the unused city-expressway funding back to the state. Part of that money was used for an I-68 project in Western Maryland. History, as they say, may not repeat, but it often rhymes.

In hindsight, it is amazing how quickly the automobile transformed American culture and transportation planning. From 1945 to 1965, car ownership doubled in the U.S., outpacing vehicle ownership rates in Europe by a sometimes 4-to-1 margin. Americans still drive twice as many per capita miles as Europeans.

In Baltimore and elsewhere, the automobile age was not just driven by the Federal-Aid Highway act of 1956, which funded 41,000 miles of new highways over the next decade—then the largest public works project in American history. It had been hastened a decade earlier by the orchestrated collapse of streetcar and trolley systems.

“. . . WITH OUR HOME AND THE SARAH ANN STREET HOMES, IT WAS BASICALLY LIKE, ‘YOU DON’T COUNT. YOU DON’T MATTER.’”

Baltimore, where the first commercially operated electric streetcar had been put into use in 1895, boasted one of the densest networks. Routes ran all through downtown and to the Catonsville, Towson, and Dundalk suburbs, among others, knitting the metro region together. It was the invention of the streetcar that first led to the development of the suburbs.

Gas and tires had been rationed during World War II, a period when reliance on transit use peaked in Baltimore. After the war, National City Lines took over the privately owned and operated Baltimore Transit Company in 1945, and purposely began tipping the scales—in favor of cars and the combustible engine. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but National City Lines was in fact a holding company owned by General Motors, Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California, and Phillips Petroleum. It acquired streetcar operations across the country, then began systematically replacing the Baltimore streetcars with GM-built buses and Firestone tires, which of course also ran on Standard Oil and Phillips Petroleum. They disinvested in maintenance, cut back service, and started dismantling streetcars, which often carried more

than 100 people. Ridership dropped dramatically year over year. You can see where this is going.

The major east-west line streetcar line, the No. 15, ran along Edmondson Avenue, through the heart of West Baltimore, and almost parallel to what replaced it, the Highway to Nowhere.

National City Lines wasn’t only to blame, however. City officials and business leaders wanted the streetcars gone to make room downtown for cars, especially after work began on the modernist Charles Center. Expressways and automobiles, they were convinced, were the future. Unfortunately, so was the air pollution that disportionately affected Black communities and the public health consequences of leaded gasoline, particularly for children living near highways. The last two electric streetcar routes, the No. 15 and No. 8, which ran to Towson, were converted into bus lines in November 1963.

In other words, the concept behind the east-west Red Line light rail is not new. In 2015, projections estimated the project would stimulate $4.6 billion in development along the route, with particular hopes of sparking transit-oriented development around the Poppleton, Harlem Park, Rosemont, and West Baltimore MARC stations.

“Public transportation, good or bad, is the connective tissue between everything else, whether that’s climate change, or employment, economic development, and education—issues we know that also underlie poverty and crime,” says Baltimore City state delegate Robbyn Lewis, who, in 2011, as a community organizer founded the grassroots Red Line Now PAC to lobby for the project. “I won’t forget a Johns Hopkins study a couple of years ago that linked [the Maryland Transit Administration] bus system waiting times for Baltimore students to absenteeism, which is chronic in the city. After a certain age, kids in the city can go to any school they want to, if they get accepted. But the bus system, which is run by the state, is under-

ABOVE: A 1959 rendering of the planned 14-lane interchange that was designed to connect the future east-west expressway with I-95 and I-83.

COURTESY OF JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SHERIDAN LIBRARIES

ABOVE: One of many stretches along the Highway to Nowhere that suffered in its aftermath. OPPOSITE PAGE: Community advocate Denise Griffin Johnson, who grew up next to the Highway to Nowhere, in front of the Arch Social Club, whose previous location was demolished for the expressway.

funded and unreliable. So, kids are late to school. I met a mother in Brooklyn whose child had been accepted at City College high school, a tremendous opportunity. She just didn’t know how they were going to get there.”

Or to put it more plainly: “There is just no separating housing and transportation policy from white supremacy and structural racism,” says Lewis, acknowledging pushback from some residents in white-majority Canton against the Red Line when it was initially planned.

Given its density, the width of Boston Street, and the fact it has the highest rate of automobile commuters in the city, Canton would seem like an ideal location for public transit. More recently, a “Save

Suburbia” campaign has begun in Baltimore County amid discussions to build a city/county light rail in the York Road corridor. In the 1960s, Anne Arundel County residents scuttled a proposed southern link of the Baltimore subway, calling it the “loot rail.” “We need a light rail system, and we need more buses, and more bus drivers,” Lewis says. “We need it all.”

Like Glenn Smith, who ministers with a local faith community and now lives in a senior apartment building a dozen blocks away from his childhood rowhouse, Denise Griffin Johnson grew up in the Franklin-Mulberry corridor.

Her parents separated when she was young, but her father rented a home within walking distance to remain close to the children. He lived on Franklin Street, the one-way parallel to Mulberry Street, until he was forced to relocate for the Highway to Nowhere.

Johnson’s parents had migrated from Mississippi to Baltimore after her father returned home from World War II and heard about jobs at Bethlehem Steel open to Black workers. (One Black veteran spoke up in a City Council hearing related to condemnation of the neighborhood, saying that he’d fought in the war to save his country, only to have to fight his country to save his home.)

“We used to go to Lexington Market together,” recalls Johnson, now 64. “One of the things I remember is when he had to move af-

ter condemnation, he couldn’t take his dog to his new house. It really bothered him. He asked my mom to take it, but she had seven of us to take care of.”

A family counselor by profession and community volunteer by practice, Johnson co-founded CultureWorks in 2007 with artist Ashley Milburn, whose graduate Community Arts thesis at the Maryland Institute College of Art focused on the Highway to Nowhere. Four years later, they brought an annual “Roots Fest” conference and arts festival to the same neighborhood.

“There had never been a public discussion by the former residents who were displaced about what happened,” Milburn told the City Paper at the time. “I attended a meeting during my first internship at Bon Secours, and this one woman in her 80s stood up and was talking about rampant crime and all this stuff, and then she got on to the Highway to Nowhere, because she said, ‘It used to be different.’ I turned around and looked at her and she was crying. And I looked at other people’s faces and they had this empathy, there was something here.” Baltimore artist and performer Sheila Gaskins later wrote and directed a well-received play, Last House Standing, based on Milburn’s research.

That sadness still exists for many of the older community members, says Johnson. “The fact that this story continues to be told and written about, you’d like to think there is the possibility at some point, to tell a different story about what is occurring in the space to benefit West Baltimore.”

She notes the walking paths, trees, benches, and exercise equipment that have been added to the grassy knolls alongside the Highway to Nowhere in recent years. But also that decades of promises have failed to transform the 1.39-mile concrete desert.

In 1997, former Mayor Kurt Schmoke and his housing chief pitched the idea of tearing up the road, filling in “the Ditch,” and creating affordable homes that would once again connect Poppleton and Franklin Square on one side with Harlem Park and Rosemont on the other. “[The expressway spur] was a great mistake, and we were thinking of ways to correct it—the money just wasn’t there,” says Schmoke today. “When it was built, the federal government was funding 90 percent of the cost. By the time I became mayor, it was more like a 50-50 split, and let’s just say removal projects were not the priority.”

In 2010, Governor O’Malley and then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake touted a $2.5-million project to remove a small, elevated piece of the Highway to Nowhere as a gamechanger. Headlines hyped it, too. One read “Highway to Nowhere heads to the dump,” but it merely replaced a short section with two additional MARC parking lots. No subsequent development ensued.

For his part, Smith won’t be satisfied with any plan that isn’t light rail. Even well-intentioned proposals like the raz -

ing of the Highway to Nowhere, a rapid-bus version of the Red Line, more green space, or the possibility of affordable homes in the corridor, would still be a wasted opportunity, he says. They won't do enough.

In terms of frequency, on-time dependability, and the ability to move lots of people quickly, he doesn’t believe light rail can be matched by rapid bus service. Transit-oriented development traditionally follows rail, he notes, which when built attracts investment because of its permanence. New bus lines, according to standard planning thinking, don’t spur economic development; they follow it.

“No other project than the light rail will bring relief and healing to the devastation we’ve been through,” he says. “The impact must be equal to the destruction.”

RON CASSIE is a senior editor at Baltimore.

“THIS ONE WOMAN IN HER 80 s STOOD UP AND WAS TALKING ABOUT RAMPANT CRIME AND ALL THIS STUFF, AND THEN SHE GOT ON TO THE HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE, BECAUSE SHE SAID, ‘IT USED TO DIFFERENT.’”

W W M M

Women are an essential part of the engine that makes our region thrive. In our annual section that follows, WOMEN WHO MOVE MARYLAND , we put the spotlight on the female professionals who play a leading role in Baltimore and beyond.

This year we are pleased to partner with One Love Foundation, which will receive ten percent of the section’s proceeds. One Love Foundation is a national nonprofit organization hoping to end relationship abuse by empowering young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. The organization also brings life-saving prevention education to communities.

It is appropriate that we acknowledge the work of One Love in this issue as February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. Even as Baltimore uplifts and celebrates the accomplishments of women, we also wish to support education on healthy relationships to ensure the safety of tomorrow’s industry leaders.

To learn more about Teen Dating Violence Awareness visit loveisrespect.org

In May of 2010, the unthinkable happened to the Love Family. Sharon Love was notified by police that her beloved daughter, Yeardley Love, had been beaten to death by her ex-boyfriend, just 2 weeks shy of graduation from University of Virginia.

Following the tragic loss, Sharon Love, together with Yeardley’s sister, Lexie, created One Love Foundation, an organization that empowers young people with the knowledge to identify and avoid abusive relationships. That Yeardley would get hurt by her partner had never crossed Sharon’s mind. Sharon didn’t know then what she knows now that relationship abuse is a public health epidemic and that young women in Yeardley’s age group are at three times greater risk than any other demographic.

Over 1 in 3 women, nearly 1 in 3 men, and over 1 in 2 trans or non-binary people will experience some level of relationship abuse in their life. One Love works to provide young people with the tools and resources that Yeardley and her family didn’t have. Catherine Barthelme-Miller, Yeardley’s best friend and now co-chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Advisory Board, based in

Baltimore, works tirelessly to ensure students receive this potentially life-saving education “While there is only one person to blame for losing Yeardley, her death really brought to our forefront the need for structured education and conversation about relationship health for young people. One Love’s work will help arm this generation with the tools necessary to change the staggering statistics around relationship violence.”

Since 2015, One Love has engaged young people through compelling, film-based discussions around healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors. They have even created the 10 Signs of a Healthy and Unhealthy Relationship as a resource to help give a language to the behaviors people may experience in a relationship.

To date, One Love has educated over 350,000 people in the Mid-Atlantic region and over 2 million young people nationally. In Maryland, DC, Del and VA, One Love workshops are used by over 190 schools, 88 colleges and 60 nonprofits and community-based organizations. This year is also off to a busy start for One Love This February in honor of Teen Dating Violence

Awareness Month, One Love will release a new national PSA highlighting the dangers of online abuse. They are also looking ahead to the Spring where they will host their annual Move For Love Walk/Run event in partnership with the Baltimore Ravens.

Ojeda Hall, One Love’s regional Executive Director, recalls “both of my grandmothers were survivors of domestic violence. One Love helped me realize that my first relationship was abusive.”

Sharon misses her daughter every day, but she has used her loss to bring light to so many others. And, as the next generation learns to have healthier relationships and be with partners who practice healthy love, Yeardley’s legacy lives on, ensuring that the joy she brought to the world lasts forever.

To learn more about the One Love Foundation please visit Joinonelove.org

ANNIE BALCERZAK

Realtor/CEO/Team Leader

ROBYN KOROBKIN

Executive Director

ALLISON BOND

Realtor

ASHELY THOMAS Realtor

CARA CHESTER Realtor

CAROLINE PAPER Realtor

CATHERINE MILLER Realtor

EM BARLOW Realtor

THE BALCERZAK GROUP OF AB & CO REALTORS

6503 York Road

Towson, MD 21212

443.275.7188

balzre.com

LAURA MACKEL Realtor

LINDSEY FUNK Realtor

MEGHAN BAILEY Realtor

MELISSA LONSBURY Realtor

SARA O'MALLEY Realtor

THERESA KEMP Realtor

The Balcerzak Group of AB & Co Realtors offers full-service residential real estate and property management services. The brokerage, which opened in 2021, is one of the few woman-owned brokerages in Maryland. In only a few short years, the brokerage has grown from doing $12 million in sales to $200 million, all while striving to maintain work-life balance for agents and the highest quality service for its clients.

Annie Balcerzak says that the key to their business is keeping authenticity at the core of all they do.

“In a profession that is built on the understanding that we work 24/7, we strive daily to create a culture of family-first and balance,” says Balcerzak. “Our client base is diverse in every sense of the word, and we are very proud of that, too. We want to be approachable, relatable, and genuine. If you follow us on social media, you know we stick to that mantra.”

One way The Balcerzak Group is able to provide superior service is by having a high administrator-to-agent ratio, which gives agents both in the office and in the field tremendous support that is passed on to clients in the form of an exceptional customer experience. “We pour ourselves into making every single transaction the best it can be,” says Balcerzak. “We strive for every customer experience to be low stress, high productivity—and to have lots of smiles and laughs along the way.”

Agents with The Balcerzak Group provide a full suite of services, including home value assessment, renovation consulting, home preparation, and high-tech marketing. The group has achieved numerous accolades, including being named among the Inman Top one Percent of agents and teams nationwide, and its agents are frequently tapped to share their expertise by media and industry organizations.

In keeping with their commitment to authenticity, The Balcerzak Group supports organizations they believe in, such as One Love Foundation, Baltimore Hunger Project, Zach T. Paff Foundation, Love and Lunches, Toys for Tots, and Diaper Network.

Even the toughest clients can expect the best service, compassion, and care from The Balcerzak Group. Balcerzak recalls a seller who had to sell her home but had no money to get the home ready for sale and no cash to secure a new home when and if she sold her existing one. While not an ideal situation—and one fraught with emotion for the seller— Balcerzak was able to pay for the home’s pre-listing preparation, obtained a contract on the home, and not only got the seller through closing, but helped her secure a new apartment home.

“She was so happy and grateful,” Balcerzak remembers. “This is why I do what I do.”

CARMELLA ELLIS

Aesthetician

BRYNN BLACKSTOCK

Aesthetic Consultant

YASMIN MIREMADI

Aesthetic Consultant

GABI ZENTZ

Medical Receptionist

DIANA GAVRILA

Senior esthetician

JODIE SNODGRASS

Aesthetician

NATALIE GAVRILA

Spa Director

LAUREN GREGORY

Medical Receptionist

ANNIKA BROWN

Office Manager

PROMD HEALTH

9515 Deereco Road, Suite 600

Timonium, MD 21093

410.449.2060

promdhealth.com

AMANDA PITTILLO

PA-C

MANDY GAUTHIER

PA-C

CARLA COOK

Practice Manager

CONNIE ZYCH

Medical Receptionist

SAFA ALJUBOORI

Chief of Staff

AMBER ELLIOT

R.N.

HANNAH KEENAN

HRT Director

JACLYN FISCHER

Medical Receptionist

The skilled service providers at ProMD Health (ProMD) strive to improve patients’ confidence, appearance, and mental health through a full suite of aesthetic and wellness services. While most practices specialize in either making you look better or making you feel better, ProMD has the tools and expertise to do both. Our providers act like the conductors of a great symphony, properly cueing the right instruments at the right time to have you both looking and feeling your best.

ProMD specializes in cutting-edge and in-demand procedures, including Botox/Dysport, filler, thread sculpting, aesthetic lasers, microneedling, Hydrafacial and other spa services, Hormone Optimization Therapy, Emsculpt NEO, IV Therapy, PRP, tattoo removal, Skintyte, and vaginal rejuvenation.

ProMD is anchored by the vision of Dr. George Gavrila’s mother, Diana Gavrila, who fled communism for a better life and brought with her a belief in the freedom of self-expression as well as an understanding of the best in European aesthetic care. Many team members grew up with an affinity for beauty and wellness and joined ProMD because of its mission to provide the best luxury treatments and services in a welcoming, chic place.

ProMD celebrates the many female members of its team who bring compassion and skill to client service: Carmella Ellis; Brynn Blackstock; Yasmin Miremadi; Gabi Zentz; Diana Gavrila; Jodie Snodgrass; Natalie Gavrila; Lauren Gregory; Annika Brown; Amanda Pittillo, PA-C; Mandy Gauthier, PA-C; Carla Cook; Connie Zych; Safa Aljuboori; Amber Elliot, R.N.; Hannah Keenan; and Jaclyn Fischer.

The mission of giving back to the local community through service and philanthropy at ProMD extends beyond its doors. In 2017, ProMD formed ProMD Helps to consolidate its outreach efforts. To date, ProMD Helps has been able to provide something as simple as a bouquet of flowers to grieving patients, to large grants aimed at helping organizations such as the Center for Hope, animal shelters, and many others. “Large or small, human or animal, we look to improve our community as best we can,” says ProMD founder, George Gavrila, M.D.

This is an exciting time at ProMD as it shares its dream with medical entrepreneurs who want to learn from them and own their own ProMD location. ProMD is slated to open five new offices this year, and Gavrila is also developing succession plans for all employees, as well as an online training curriculum to educate existing and future providers on how to be first in class.

At ProMD Health, the goal is to maintain patients' natural beauty by softly enhancing certain features to provide them with a youthful glow. Their entire business model focuses on patient outcomes, putting people first, and earning patients’ trust daily. The team at ProMD knows that the confidence their patients exude when they leave the office is at the root of what makes them beautiful, and it is fostering that confidence that is at the root of every client service.

RENA FIORELLO Owner

APRICOT LANE BOUTIQUE

9735 York Road

Cockeysville, MD 21030

IG and FB @apricotlanecockeysville

My name is Rena Fiorello and probably the most unique thing about me is that most of my career was spent in sales and marketing in the tool manufacturing industry. While I had a great career, there was always a part of me that had an itch to own my own business. So, like many during the COVID-19 times, I did some soul searching that ultimately led me to find Apricot Lane, a boutique offering unique women’s fashion. Apricot Lane Boutiques are part of a franchise organization, but they are completely independently owned and operated. I chose Apricot Lane because they empower women to be entrepreneurs and provide a proven backend model that allowed me to focus on the customer-facing strategies: curating the overall look, experience, and product mix my store provides. I even incorporated some elements from my corporation name— Fashion Butterfly Inc.—into the store decor. Butterflies are beautiful and unique, just like the women we serve each and every day, and we try to personalize each visit to cater to the unique styles and needs for each client. At Apricot Lane Boutique in Cockeysville, we love seeing that light in your eye when we have gotten you to step out of your fashion comfort zone and try something new. When you come back in and tell us how many people have complimented you, that is our best compliment.

DEVON CONKLIN, DDS

Doctor of Dental Surgery, General Dentist

MELODY WARD, DDS, MS

Doctor of Dental Surgery, Periodontist

BALTIMORE DENTAL ARTS

6080 Falls Road Suite 202

Baltimore, MD 21209

410.372.0202

baltimoredentalarts.com

Baltimore Dental Arts (BDA) provides general dentistry and cosmetic dental procedures, Invisalign, TMJ therapy, sleep medicine, implant therapeutics, grafting procedures, laser therapy and sedation options. Devon Conklin, DDS, and a partner purchased her parent’s practice and have since expanded it. She and periodontist Melody Ward have been featured among Baltimore’s “Best Dentists” and Dr. Conklin was a “Top Forty Under Forty.” BDA understands that dental procedures can be emotional for some. Drs. Conklin and Ward say the relationships they build with patients—understanding them and connecting with them on a personal level—are just as important as the dental work provided. Says Dr. Ward: “Our practice understands that open communication, trust, and expertise are essential to the patient-doctor relationship.” Drs. Conklin and Ward are active in the community, Conklin in the South Baltimore neighborhood where she lives and Ward as a lecturer and participant in dental study clubs.

AMANDA GALLAGHER

WHETZEL, DMD, MS

LISA VESELOVSKY, DMD

YOONHEE AHN WANG, DMD

SHARON D’SILVA, DMD

SYDNEY SCHNEIDER, DMD, MS

AMANDA GALLAGHER ORTHODONTICS

9650 Belair Road

Nottingham, MD 21236

3486-A Emmorton Road

Abingdon, MD 21009

1403 Point Street Baltimore, MD 21231

6000 Merriweather Dr.,Ste B180 Columbia, MD 21044

410.256.2044 AGortho.com

Dr. Amanda Gallagher and team are recognized leaders in aesthetic orthodontics. Her practice, Amanda Gallagher Orthodontics, has been providing a fun, positive atmosphere for state-of-the-art orthodontic services in the Baltimore area for the last nine years. The team is excited to have recently opened its fourth office in Columbia’s new Merriweather District. An orthodontics specialty practice, AG Ortho offers Invisalign, InBrace (behind-the-teeth braces), and clear and metal braces for children, teens, and adults. The practice also offers in-office teeth whitening and Botox treatment for TMJ. New patient consultations are free, most insurance plans are accepted, and flexible financing is available.

AG Ortho specializes in the latest cosmetic treatment options, and the practice’s offices more closely resemble high-end spas than a typical dental setting. Gallagher is a sought out national speaker in her field, and she was recently interviewed by editors from Allure, Cosmopolitan, Shape, Real Simple, Health, New Beauty, Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart Living, Parents, Men’s Health, and Esquire about the latest advances in cosmetic orthodontics.

Gallagher and her team are a top-one-percent Invisalign provider nationwide and AG Ortho is the Mid-Atlantic’s #1 ranked InBrace provider. Gallagher has published in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics and has been recognized for seven consecutive years as a top orthodontist in Baltimore’s annual peer survey. She is a graduate of Temple University School of Dentistry and completed her orthodontics specialty training at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.

The practice’s outstanding team also includes Drs. Lisa Veselovsky, Yoonhee Ahn Wang, Sharon D’Silva, and Sydney Schneider. Veselovsky and D’Silva completed orthodontic residencies at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Wang’s orthodontic specialty training was completed at the University of Pennsylvania and Schneider is a graduate of the University of Texas, Houston’s orthodontics program. More information on AG Ortho can be found on the practice’s website, as well as Facebook and Instagram (@agortho).

Left to right: Drs. D’Silva, Schneider, Gallagher, Wang and Veselovsky.

BROWN, GOLDSTEIN & LEVY

120 East Baltimore Street, Suite 2500

Baltimore, MD 21202 410.962.1030 browngold.com

Brown, Goldstein & Levy is proud to celebrate our firm’s very own Women Who Move Maryland! Meet the women partners of Brown, Goldstein & Levy who go above and beyond to bring the highest quality legal services to clients in Maryland, D.C., and across the country. With varied legal pursuits ranging from high-impact civil rights cases, to commercial litigation, to family law, and everything in between, our women partners are critical to the advancement of justice across a wide array of cases nationwide. We are proud of their commitment to both their legal crafts and the development of the next generation of women lawyers. BGL would not be the firm it is without these powerhouse attorneys’ steadfast leadership and dedication to community and social responsibility. We are proud to spotlight their achievements.

Learn more about our women leaders and our firm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at https://browngold.com/.

NADEGE LANE

Vice President

AMY LACOCK

Executive Vice President

KATE PAINE Research Manager

JLL 1800 Street Baltimore, MD 21287 443.451.2600

www.us.jll.com/en/locations/mid-atlantic/maryland

JLL’s Amy Lacock, Kate Paine, and Nadege Lane are prominent female leaders in the commercial real estate industry. From overseeing some of the top tier office properties throughout Maryland to directing best-in-class research to navigating companies’ real estate needs, these three women are redefining the future of work. As the industry has faced significant paradigm shifts and rapid transformations, the women of JLL’s analytical and strategic work helps to identify new trends, opportunities, and frontiers.

Left to right: Anisha Queen, partner; Chelsea Crawford, partner; Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum, managing partner; Eve Hill, partner; Dana McKee, partner; Jessie Weber, partner

CLAIRE NOELL, MD

Board-certified Dermatologist

MARGARET WEISS, MD

Board-certified Dermatologist

KAREN BEASLEY, MD

Board-certified Dermatologist

MARYLAND

LASER, SKIN & VEIN INSTITUTE

AFFILIATE OF ANNE ARUNDEL DERMATOLOGY

54 Scott Adam Road Suite 301

Hunt Valley, MD 21030

410.666.3960 mdlsv.com

Board-certified dermatologists Dr. Margaret Weiss, Dr. Karen Beasley, and Dr. Claire Noell draw from their vast experience to provide personalized care.

Specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery, and treatment of varicose and spider veins, Dr. Weiss co-directs MDLSV with Dr. Robert Weiss. She also co-founded the Maryland Body Sculpting Center. A clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Maryland, she recently served on the board of directors of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. After Princeton University, she received her B.A. and M.D. from The Johns Hopkins University. A past assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Weiss completed her dermatology residency as chief resident there.

Dr. Beasley graduated magna cum laude from Loyola College in Baltimore and is an Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society graduate

of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she is a clinical assistant professor of dermatology. She specializes in skin rejuvenation and removal of sun damage through lasers and light-based devices, injectable fillers, neuromodulators, and the treatment of varicose and spider veins and scars. She is known for her aesthetic eye and places an emphasis on delivering naturallooking results.

Dr. Noell attended Vanderbilt University and received her M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine. After her internship at Tulane Medical Center and dermatology residency at Tufts Medical Center, she completed an aesthetic dermatology fellowship at MDLSV. Dr. Noell has a special focus on advances in lasers and light-based devices for clinical applications, complex medical dermatology, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, pigmentary disorders, and rosacea.

Left to right: Dr. Claire Noell, Dr. Margaret Weiss, and Dr. Karen Beasley

CHRISTINE D. ASPELL Office Managing Partner, Baltimore

KPMG LLP

750 E. Pratt Street 18th Floor Baltimore, MD 21202 410.949.8406

kpmg.com

Christine D. Aspell was the first in her family to earn a college degree when she graduated from Loyola University of Maryland. She began her career at KPMG nearly two decades ago and worked her way up the ladder to her current position of managing partner of the KPMG Baltimore office. With more than 25 years in the industry, Aspell specializes in serving clients in banking, investment services, insurance, and real estate segments. She is an experienced partner with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. She is recognized for her knowledge of internal audit, risk management, external audit, accounting, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

In 2004, Aspell established the Baltimore chapter of KPMG’s Network of Women and is chair of the KPMG Women’s Advisory Board, which helps oversee the advancement of women. She also serves on several boards of community organizations. A leader in her field, she has been recognized three times as one of the “Top 100 Women in Maryland” compiled by The Daily Record

Executive Officer

700 Port Street Suite 148 Easton, MD 21601 410.820.8732

londonderrytredavon.com

This dynamic team of women has made Londonderry on the Tred Avon the top 62+ senior living community in Maryland. They are leaders both on campus at Londonderry and in the broader Eastern Shore community.

With the support of their board and fellow team members, they have created a positive, energetic, and service-focused culture that enables everyone on campus to thrive. Londonderry is a trusted leader in the field of aging and is continually adapting its resort-style residences, services, amenities, and programs to support the overall wellness of every resident as they age in place.

Londonderry’s walkable waterfront campus has a “village-like” atmosphere and includes apartment and cottage residences, community center, clubhouse, pool, full-service restaurant, meal delivery, walking trails, and expansive greenspace. It’s a neighborly place where residents help set the activities calendar and enjoy off-campus outings, fitness classes, card-playing, wine and book clubs, and more.

LONDONDERRY ON THE TRED AVON

IRMA TOCE Chief

RACHEL SMITH Director of Sales and Marketing

LORRAINE FLISHER Director of Health and Wellness

JENNIFER HUGHES Controller

CHELSEA HARRIS Director of Dining Services

Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Breast and Body Specialist

BELCARA HEALTH

1427 Clarkview Road Suite 300

Baltimore, MD 21209

410.296.0414

BelcaraHealth.com

Dr. Sarah McMillan joins Belcara Health after 16 years as one of the leading board-certified plastic surgeons in Washington State. As a Seattle “Top Doc” and recognized leader in the Pacific Northwest, Dr. McMillan brings her expertise in the area of breast and body plastic surgery, along with her kind and compassionate nature, to the patients at Belcara Health.

After receiving her Doctor of Medicine from Michigan State University, Dr. McMillan went on to train at The Ohio State University Medical Center, with a combined residency in general and plastic surgery. Shortly after completing her residency, Dr. McMillan opened her own practice in Kirkland, Washington, where she operated for 16 years, through June of 2022. Patients agree that her artistic eye and expertise in breast and body plastic surgery deliver unmatched results.

Dr. McMillan is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, in addition to holding various leadership positions, including the Specialty Surgery Section Chief at Evergreen Health in Kirkland, Washington. She has authored and presented on various topics within the plastic surgery field, including breast reconstruction, abdominoplasties, post-massive weight loss surgery, and other topics as they correlate to breast and body plastic surgery.

Dr. McMillan brings her advanced skill set and experience to the team of elite plastic surgeons and medical practitioners at Belcara Health. Her wide range of services includes, but is not limited to, breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift, breast revision, male breast reduction, tummy tucks, liposuction, arm and body lift, mommy makeovers, and more.

SARAH MCMILLAN, MD, FACS

VINH THI HUYNH Owner and Senior Nail Technician

LUXOR NAIL SPA LLC

1959a East Joppa Road Parkville, MD 410.661.6691

luxornailspas.com

With 30 years of experience as a top nail technician, Vinh Thi Huynh took over ownership of Luxor Nail Spa LLC in March, 2022. The former owners remain on staff and today more than 10 technicians serve 350-plus new and repeat clients each week, offering manicures, pedicures, and nail art, including gel acrylic and SNS dip powder.  The salon also offers complete waxing services.

Luxor Nail Spa keeps up with all the new nail trends, from magnetic, mood-changing, and glow-in-the-dark polishes to intricate design work. “We always strive to fulfill most any request that our clients have for their nail care,” says Huynh.

The salon has been updated with 10 brand-new manicure tables and 10 pedicure chairs, four TVs, and a 16-speaker sound system playing relaxing music and nature sounds. Clients are invited to enjoy complementary refreshments, including soft drinks and hot beverages, while they are treated to top-notch nail and waxing services.

JULISSA LAMBRUSCHINI

President

MJ BALTIMORE CLEANING SERVICES

111 Warren Road, Suite 10B Cockeysville, MD 21030 410.252.2141 443.330.6171

mjbaltimorecleaning.com

In business for the past 16 years, MJ Baltimore Cleaning Services is known as one of the best cleaning companies in the area, providing both home maintenance and janitorial services.

With a trustworthy reputation and more than 600 clients, it has won several industry awards, including being named “Best of Baltimore” by Baltimore magazine in 2021. “Developing a relationship with our clients is always our priority,” says owner Julissa Lambruschini.

Lambruschini understands the importance of having a clean house. “When a person becomes a client, my job is to learn their needs and expectations,” she says. “I have learned that a cluttered or dirty home contributes to stress, anxiety, and poor concentration.” Having a clean house helps you focus, and that could potentially improve your mood.

Lambruschini says her goal is to make each client’s life easier, so that coming home is always a pleasant experience at the end of a busy day.

Back row, left to right: Gina Mathias, VP of Sustainability; Kristy Krueger, VP of Sales & Marketing; Joyce Malone, VP of Facilities; Amera Bilal, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Eleanor Landauer, VP of Advancement & Communication; Ann Patterson, VP of Health Services

Front row, left to right: Yolanda Johnson, VP of Human Resources; Robin Somers, Chief Executive Officer; Jennifer Schilpp, Chief Financial Officer

BROADMEAD

A Dynamic Lifestyle Community

13801 York Road

Cockeysville, MD 21030

443.578.8008

Broadmead.org

Meet the leaders of Broadmead—a single site Life Plan retirement community located in Cockeysville, Maryland. Since February of 2021, an all-female executive leadership team has been the driving force behind what it takes to make Broadmead a national leader in senior living.

Broadmead was founded on the principles of Quaker values: values which speak to the capacity for love, concern for one another, personal integrity, and an appreciation for the simple things in life. These values are still the cornerstone of the multi-denominational community today. Each executive team member epitomizes the values of not only Broadmead’s community mission and vision, but also is the true definition of a servant leader, displaying an unmatched passion for serving the Broadmead community.

These women who comprise Broadmead’s Executive Leadership Team come from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences, and have achieved an abundance of expertise throughout their careers.

And while each executive leads the way in a different discipline, their combined skills form a team that has guided Broadmead to become a trailblazer in the development of high quality, innovative solutions that enrich the lives of older adults in a changing world.

“The women of our Executive Leadership team strive to make Broadmead the best it can be in every way,” says Robin Somers, president and chief executive officer of Broadmead. In recent years, these leaders have propelled Broadmead to achieve several accomplishments and accolades, from earning the Chesapeake Human Resources Association’s Excellence in Diversity Award, to the first-ever Certified Memory Care Neighborhood Commendation from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, to The Baltimore Sun’s “Best of Baltimore Readers’ Choice” winner in the category of Best Retirement Community for three years running.

“With the combined leadership of these talented women, Broadmead will continue to set the industry standard.”

LORI

VILLEGAS

Senior Vice President, Wealth Advisor

MORGAN STANLEY

1201 Wills Street, Suite 700 Baltimore, MD 21231 410.736.5570

fa.morganstanley.com/lori.villegas/index.htm

As a Morgan Stanley Wealth Advisor, Lori Villegas designs custom strategies with her clients to manage, preserve, and transition their wealth. Villegas, with more than 25 years of experience, focuses on first-generational wealth, working with business owners and executives to help them preserve their wealth and create individual plans that address their distinct needs. “Being a woman in a maledominated field gives me a distinct perspective,” says Villegas, who is on the United Way Board and serves on the National Diversity and Inclusion Council for Morgan Stanley. Villegas is passionate about giving back to the community and believes that one person can truly make a difference. She accomplishes this by mentoring other businesswomen, participating in Giving Circles, and working with various charitable organizations. “I hope that my small impact will help Baltimore be a better city,” she says.

Lori Villegas is a Financial Advisor in Morgan Stanley’s Baltimore office. Although Lori Villegas has compensated Baltimore magazine to have this advertisement featured in its publications, this is not a solicitation nor intended to provide individually tailored investment advice. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors. You should consult your tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and your attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

The views expressed herein are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5274787 12/22

ERICA CHIN RUSSO Owner THE POINT BLIND TIGER

Fells Point

1738 Thames Street 410.327.7264

Towson 523 York Road 443.991.4293

thepointrg.com

Erica Chin Russo grew up in the restaurant industry, helping her parents on school breaks. When she found herself working in an unfulfilling accounting job, she knew she needed a change. That became the birth of The Point, a minority- and female-owned and operated restaurant group that has grown to two locations, Fells Point and Towson, and earned several accolades, including best brunch in Baltimore.

Since 2010, the company has grown to over 100 employees, and now includes a food catering division as well as a beverage catering division, Blind Tiger Mobile Bar Co. Offerings encompass new and exciting food trends, craft cocktails, and local beers. The Point values teamwork, honesty, dedication to the culinary arts, and transparency.

“Entrepreneurship is tough and full of uncertainty,” says Chin Russo, citing COVID-19 as the most difficult challenge she’s faced to date. “But being resilient, persistent, hardworking, and driven is what sets me apart.”

3700 Koppers Street Suite 200 Baltimore, MD goodwillches.org

Lisa Rusyniak is the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, which serves Central Maryland and the Eastern Shore with a budget of $54 million, 31 retail locations, and nine workforce development sites. A mission-driven leader, Rusyniak is dedicated to building a stronger Baltimore through Goodwill’s workforce initiatives, with the ultimate goal of eliminating poverty through employment.

While many know Goodwill for its retail stores, Goodwill is much more, with a mission of preparing people to secure and retain employment and build successful independent lives. Annually, Goodwill places over 900 people into jobs and provides services to over 4,000 individuals.

In 2023, Goodwill is preparing to launch The Excel Center, a tuitionfree, public high school for adults, 21 years of age and older. The Excel Center will provide adults the opportunity and support to earn a high school diploma, begin post-secondary education, or access programs that lead to career pathways in middle-skill occupations. Based on a model from the Goodwill in Indianapolis, The Excel Center will be located in Baltimore City and offer flexible class schedules, an accelerated competency based high school curriculum with

embedded job training, coaching designed to help students manage work, life and family, on-site childcare, and transportation assistance.

Additionally, under Rusyniak’s guidance, Goodwill has expanded program reach to place individuals into higher-paying jobs by connecting them to middle-skilled employment opportunities. A true collaborator, she has developed relationships with organizations such as The Y of Central Maryland, CVS Health, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and North America’s Building Trades Unions.

Rusyniak joined Goodwill in 1997 and held various leadership roles before she became president and CEO in 2012. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree from Salisbury University, a master’s of science degree from Wilmington University, and has executive certificates from Georgetown, Cornell, and Harvard universities. Rusyniak serves on the board of Business Volunteers Maryland and The Governor’s Workforce Development and the Baltimore City Workforce Development Board, and recently finished two terms on Goodwill Industries Internationals’ Board of Directors.

LISA RUSYNIAK

President & CEO

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE CHESAPEAKE, INC.

DR. ASHLEY IZADI

Owner

DR. LAURA CARVALHO

DR. AKUDO OGUBUNKA

DR. DESIRE RENGGLI

VALLEY DENTAL HEALTH

10600 York Road, Suite 105

Hunt Valley, MD 21030

valleyDENTALhealth.com

Compassion and connection. This is what the team at Valley Dental Health brings to each of our patients. Technologies and procedures on the cutting edge need healers to make an impact. Dr. Izadi and our team of doctors who heal Maryland can transform your smile in ways you’ve only dreamed of. From digital smile planning to full-mouth implants, advanced surgical procedures to IV sedation, Valley Dental Health will change the way you look at your smile. We have reimagined what an appointment in a modern dental facility looks and feels like, and our goal is to change your perspective on a dental visit at every opportunity. It starts with a tour of our facility and an interview to get to the heart of what you want to change about your smile and oral health. Visit our team and find out what everyone is smiling about!

MARLA ZIDE Managing Partner

ZIDE SIEGEL TABOR SPIGEL, LLC

7310 Ritchie Highway Suite 1001 Glen Burnie, MD 21061 410.760.9433

zstslaw.com

Marla Zide knew she wanted to be a lawyer from a young age. In August 2022, Zide’s firm absorbed a small law firm, and is now known as ZSTS Law Group. The growing firm of seven attorneys handles matters of family law and criminal, bankruptcy, and estate matters. Since being sworn into the Maryland Bar in December 2001, Zide has concentrated her practice exclusively on family law and has been recognized as a Top 100 Attorney and Top 50 Women’s Attorney annually for more than seven years. Over her 20 years of advocating for families through the divorce/separation process, Zide has had opportunities to meet other advocates in a variety of capacities. “One of the most influential is Sharon Love and the organization started by her, One Love,” says Zide. “Our office prides itself on being counselors of the law in the truest sense and educating ourselves about issues that affect families.”

GREENBERG GIBBONS

2077 Somerville Road

Suite 310

Annapolis, MD 21401

410.559.2500

ggcommercial.com

Kimberly Potember serves as executive vice president and director of development and on the Executive Board of Directors for Greenberg Gibbons, a premier investor, developer, and manager of retail, mixed-use, and flex properties. With more than 40 years in the commercial real estate industry, Potember will be an irreplaceable leader following her retirement in 2023.

Since 2003, Potember has managed all development efforts for the company’s portfolio of properties, which includes the facilitation of contracts, permits, budgets, plans, schedules, and more from pre-conceptualization to fully operating properties. Greenberg Gibbons has developed a national reputation for taking “dead malls” or vacated properties and creating new vibrant community destinations.

Potember works hard from start to finish with county officials and community leaders to understand what they would like to see in a project and from there design one that is an asset for all to enjoy.

She leads with humility and confidence and inspires others as a successful woman in the commercial real estate industry. She is an advocate for animals and education. Previously, she served on the board of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the 21st Century Education Foundation Board.

When asked what’s the best part of the job, Potember says, laughing, “It’s always amazing to see a project come to life. I do it all the time, but you start with the design, and you’re looking at it two-dimensionally, and as you start to build you see it come out of the ground. We have good people who work with us and for us.”

KIMBERLY POTEMBER

Executive Vice President & Director of Development

CARI FINCH, PE, BCEE

Owner, Principal

Environmental Engineer

ADAMS ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING GROUP, LLC

8055 Ritchie Highway Suite 207

Pasadena, MD 21122

443.848.2954

adamsenvironmentaleng.net

Cari Finch is responsible for overall engineering and project management at AEEG (MDOT/ Baltimore City MBE), which she founded in 2018 to serve the Mid-Atlantic region. With 30+ years of experience, Finch skillfully integrates project technical/quality aspects, including operating remediation systems, site assessment, permitting, plan/specification preparation, and final report review. She actively serves on various committees, including chairing the Maryland ad hoc Committee on Oil, providing real-time knowledge of regulatory environments that affect environmental compliance.

ADVANCED DENTAL HEALTH

10600 York Road Suite 106 Hunt Valley, MD 21030 410.803.5587

advanceddentalhealthhv.com

Combining empathy with both the arts and sciences, dentistry was a natural career choice for Ashley Izadi. Izadi attended the University of Maryland Dental School and later served as chief of residents at the school’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry Clinic. Advanced Dental Health is a culmination of Izadi’s drive for innovation and passion for excellence. Izadi offers facial and dental cosmetics, sedation, and laser dentistry, and was named a top dentist by The Baltimore Sun in 2022.

MELISSA

WOHLBERG

Founder/ Owner

BREATHE FREE PHYSICAL THERAPY & YOGA, LLC

1700 Reisterstown Road Suite 109

Pikesville, MD 21208

443.486.1112

breathefreeptandyoga.com

Melissa Wohlberg teaches her clients that they have a superpower: their breath! She launched Breathe Free in 2021 with a stress reduction breath workshop on Zoom. It quickly bloomed into a full-service integrative health physical therapy clinic and yoga studio for people with movement challenges. Previously a physical therapist at Sinai Hospital, Wohlberg—also a trained yoga teacher— developed yoga programs for chronic pain and brain injury patients. “The mind-body connection is real and too powerful to ignore.”

Owner

CUSTOM MOVES

P.O. Box 20233

Towson, MD 21284 443.625.6264

custommoves.com

Under the guidance of owner Diane Hoenisch, Custom Moves provides concierge moving services to busy individuals and seniors. From floor plan design and downsizing to packing, unpacking, and organizing, Custom Moves provides end-to-end move management. Hoenisch ensures each move is handled with compassion, patience, care, and custom solutions. Moves are carried out with sustainability in mind; Custom Moves recycles downsized items by donating to local outreach shelters, Habitat for Humanity, and rescue missions.

DIANE HOENISCH

ASHLEY IZADI Dentist/Owner

Board-certified Podiatrist and Heel Pain Specialist

1447 York Road, Suite 504

Lutherville, MD 21093

410.753.4422

Fax: 410.753.4660

info@flawlessfeet.net flawlessfeet.net

“Our feet support every step we take and play a vital role in our overall health,” states Dr. Geoghan. “Unfortunately, feet are often taken for granted until they become painful problems. Heel pain is a common yet particularly punishing condition that can prevent normal daily activities and become debilitating. Suffering patients compensate for their pain by altering the way they walk, creating unnecessary strain in other areas of the body, including the legs, hips, and back. To prevent serious harm to your body and quality of life, it is important to seek treatment from a qualified podiatrist as soon as possible.”

Recognized as a leading specialist in heel pain solutions, Dr. Geoghan is renowned for providing patients with exceptional care and

outstanding results. At her practice in Lutherville, MD, she offers a wide range of treatments—from custom orthotics and injections to laser therapy, shockwave therapy, and surgery—using today’s most advanced technology and innovative techniques that allow patients to enjoy shorter recovery periods with minimal pain. “For patients with chronic heel pain,” says Dr. Geoghan, “I recommend shockwave therapy, a revolutionary technology that eliminates heel pain in just one treatment.”

Dr. Geoghan attended Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine and served as Chief Resident at Saint Agnes Medical Center. She is board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, a member of the International Aesthetic Foot Society, and on staff at GBMC. Dedicated to providing her patients with the most advanced products, technology, and techniques available, Dr. Geoghan travels throughout the year to participate in medical conferences and workshops.

Dr. Kelly L. Geoghan is a board-certified podiatrist with over 25 years of experience helping patients address the root cause of foot and ankle conditions, relieve pain, and return to daily activities in comfort.

KELLY L. GEOGHAN, D.P.M.

ASHLEE GIBSON

Owner-Master Stylist

GIBSON HAIR

STUDIO

6243 Falls Road Baltimore, MD 21209

443.623.4375

gibsonhairstudio.com

Gibson Hair Studio is a new way to salon. As a creative collective, we observe a set of values that supports the health and well-being of ourselves, our clients, and the planet. The comfort and happiness of our clients is at the heart of our work; we want every client to leave our salon comfortable in their own beauty. The salon also owns Hudson & Ash, a vibrant, trendy clothing boutique.

GREATER BALTIMORE

PROSTHODONTICS

110 West Road Suite 200 Towson, MD 21204 410.296.0136 gbpdental.com

Dr. Maya Brooks and her colleagues offer a full array of cosmetic and restorative procedures, including complex cases, from dental implants to full-mouth reconstruction. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, she completed her residency in Brooklyn and worked in private practice before joining Greater Baltimore Prosthodontics in 2003. Brooks stays on top of the latest advances, uses progressive materials and techniques, and works with patients so they are well-informed about the choices available to them.

ALICIA MATTHAI

Owner

HAYMAKER PROMOTIONS

1417 Clarkview Road Baltimore, MD 21209

443.991.5916

haymakerpromos.com

Alicia Hay Matthai combined her keen eye for products and a love of marketing, to create Haymaker Promotions in 2017. Haymaker provides curated promotional products.

“Branded merch!” says Matthai. Clients range from nonprofits to Fortune 30 companies, and her team of seven is growing. “We understand our client needs and tailor creative offerings to promote their brands.” Trends include giveback components and eco focus items.“We don’t want to find our products in a landfill!”

CHRYSALIS BORJA

Class of 2011 (pictured on left)

MICHAELA SCOTT

Class of 2017 (pictured on right)

MARYVALE

11300 Falls Road Lutherville, MD 21093 410.252.3366

maryvale.com/alumnae

Maryvale educates young women for life. We salute two alumnae who are participating in this feature in a personal capacity.

Chrysalis Borja ’11 is an attorney at the IAM National Pension, Benefit, and 401(k) Funds. As a volunteer, she serves on the board of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund of the District of Columbia.

Michaela Scott ’17 is a senior program coordinator at Jhpiego, specifically supporting programs in Pakistan, Indonesia, and Ghana.

MAYA BROOKS, DMD

Doctor of Dental Medicine

President

PRESCOTT HR, INC.

5950 Symphony Woods Road Suite 160 Columbia, MD 21044

443.351.8818

prescotthr.com

Kimberly Prescott has grown Prescott HR, Inc., an outsourced human resources (HR) firm, from a solopreneur business to a growing enterprise and was herself named 2022 Businessperson of the Year by the Howard County Chamber of Commerce. Prescott credits the company’s success to an aggressive growth mindset and an amazing team of professionals, including Vice President of Operations Valerie Dzbynski, who ensures that all clients and consultants have the support and resources they need. The firm’s tag line is “Unintimidated HR.” This means Prescott HR professionals tell clients what they need to know, not what they want to hear. This aligns with the firm’s mission to proactively partner with clients by tackling their HR obstacles,so they can thrive.

Small to mid-sized businesses may not need a full-time internal HR resource, but do need someone trained in HR compliance, employee relations, strategy, and all aspects of human resources. Enter Prescott HR, which provides fractional HR managers/ directors to businesses with 15-100 employees. Prescott HR’s services include practice audits, interim HR support, outsourced

HR services, benefits design, HRIS implementation, payroll, employee relations, workplace investigations, progressive discipline, performance appraisal systems, business strategy alignment, and organizational structure design.

This is a dynamic time to be in the HR industry. “Many clients are still considering the implications of remote and hybrid work, increased wages, and the shrinking talent pool,” says Prescott. Her team of HR professionals is able to help clients navigate these and other HR matters.

An active community member, Prescott is on the boards of Leadership Howard County, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, XPX Maryland, and Maryland Free Enterprise Foundation. Additionally, she is the chair of the Labor and Employment subcommittee of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Labor and Employment Committee for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

KIMBERLY PRESCOTT

MELISSA BONA

Owner & Founder

MINT + MAJOR

800 Kenilworth Drive

Suite 854 Towson, MD 21224

410.616.5499

mintandmajor.com

For the latest fashion trends with a focus on quality and sustainability at affordable prices, head to Mint + Major. Owner and founder Melissa Bona, a former fashion buyer for Nordstrom and South Moon Under, launched her boutique online in 2018 and now has two locations, at the Shops at Kenilworth and in Ocean City. Browse unique offerings of specially curated styles from exclusive vendors from New York and LA. “We pride ourselves on opening doors for creative individuals,” says Bona.

Medical Doctor

MONTGOMERY FERTILITY CENTER

3202 Tower Oaks Boulevard Suite 370 Rockville, MD 20852 301.946.6962

montgomeryfertilitycenter.com

Montgomery Fertility Center provides state-ofthe-art care, including in vitro fertilization, donor egg services, third party reproduction including surrogacy, and fertility cryopreservation such as egg freezing. The practice provides a high level of care and compassion, offering personalized treatments in a friendly environment. “I have a genuine love of science and fascination with the physiology of reproduction,” says Dr. Oluyemisi Famuyiwa, medical director. Famuyiwa is the recipient of numerous awards, including being named one of America’s Most Honored Doctors by American Registry.

SHERRY NACHMAN

Founder and president

NACHMAN EXECUTIVE CONSULTING

Baltimore, MD

443.465.7833

nachmanexec.com

Sherry Nachman is the founder and president of Nachman Executive Consulting. A true connector, she believes that bringing relationships together is where the win happens for everyone.

In January, 2020, she put her over 20 years of experience into the creation of a recruiting firm that puts relationships at its center. Nachman is a native Baltimorean and while she is genuinely passionate about all new opportunities, she is particularly excited to work with other women in business.

Principal Attorney

OFFIT KURMAN

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

300 E. Lombard Street Suite 2010 Baltimore, MD 21202 410.209.6413

offitkurman.com/attorney/ sarah-sawyer-2/

Sarah Sawyer, principal attorney at Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law, knows business owners are inundated with the stresses of day-to-day operations, which often include legal concerns. “I take the time to get to know their business and take those concerns off their plate to help them focus on their growth and success,” she says. Offit Kurman represents privately held companies and families of wealth and is one of the fastest-growing full-service law firms in the United States.

OLUYEMISI FAMUYIWA

SARAH SAWYER

443.720.6145 sarahcurnoles.com

Sarah Curnoles helps clients reveal their gifts, overcome their problems, and get results so they have more satisfaction in their life, work, and relationships. Through private coaching sessions integrated into a personalized program, Curnoles addresses each client’s needs, including issues such as burnout, grief, and job satisfaction. “I want people to have the tools they need to thrive and make the most of their ‘one precious life,’ to quote poet Mary Oliver,” says Curnoles.

SENIOR CARE LIFESTYLES

info@seniorcarelifestyles.com

410.977.3718

seniorcarelifestyles.com

Senior Care Lifestyles, “The Assisted Living Matchmaker,” is a no-cost assisted living referral company founded in 2014 by Deborah Bakalich after experiencing firsthand with her own mother the lack of senior services available to families in Maryland. With her goal to, “take the crisis out of the crisis,” Senior Care Lifestyles provides education, guidance, and recommendations to families transitioning a senior loved one into assisted living, dementia/Alzheimer’s care, skilled nursing, temporary respite care, or a Continuous Care Retirement Community.

DR. EVA SIMMONS-O’BRIEN

Partner

DR. DIANE ORLINSKY

Partner SIMMONS-O’BRIEN & ORLINSKY, LLC

8320 Bellona Avenue

Suite #20

Towson, MD 21204

410.821.7546

ladydermdocs.com

Longtime friends and colleagues from Johns Hopkins, Drs. Simmons-O’Brien and Orlinsky, (@ladydermdocs) opened their private practice in Towson in 2003. In addition to providing integrative medical and cosmetic dermatologic care, both doctors are board-certified dermatologists and assistant professors of internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In 2008, their fabulous aesthetician, Michelle Ziolkowski, joined their team, followed in 2018 by their extraordinary nurse practitioner, Jackie DeVita.

SIMPSON LAW, PA

2000 Spencerville Road

Spencerville, MD 20868

301.421.0190

simpsonlaw.biz

Founded in 2003, Simpson Law, PA provides compassionate, convenient, and comprehensive estate planning services in MD, DC, and VA: wills, trusts, special needs, medical/financial powers of attorney, probate/trust administration, estate litigation and Medicaid planning. Recognized by Maryland and DC Super Lawyers as among the top five percent of attorneys in her practice area, as well as consistently ranked an AVVO Client Choice and Top Estate Attorney, Simpson continues to enjoy advocating on behalf of her clients and members of the community.

SARAH CURNOLES

DEBORAH BAKALICH

CEO/Owner, Certified Senior Care Advisor® & Certified Dementia Practitioner, Assisted Living Placement Specialist

SUZANNE SIMPSON Attorney/President

Broker

THE AGENCY

MARYLAND REAL ESTATE FIRM

100 International Drive

Suite 2314

Baltimore, MD 21202

443.739.2973

theagencymaryland.com

Ms. Lee Taylor is known for her many years of experience and success as a broker and real estate developer. Owner and principal broker of The Agency Maryland real estate firm, she became the first woman of color to open a real estate school in Baltimore, with the 2019 launch of The Agency Institute. Taylor, guided by her core values and experience, educates and inspires people to become the best versions of themselves.

HILDE SCHIRMER ELDER

Owner & CEO, Holistic healer, Functional Medicine Doctor, Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Nutritionist, Intuitive Life Coach

THE BODHI ROOM MD 14019 Falls Road Hunt Valley, MD 21030 443.805.1314

bodhiroommd.com

Hilde Schirmer Elder’s own health crisis is what guided her to holistic and integrative medicine 18 years ago. Today, as the owner and CEO of The Bodhi Room, she offers functional medicine, lab testing, pre-cancer screening, acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional counseling, intuitive life coaching, field control testing, applied kinesiology, facial rejuvenation, and healing skincare. In Buddhism, “bodhi means awakening or enlightenment,” explains Elder. “I help my patients heal their bodies and transform their lives so they can thrive.”

MARIE GALLAGHER

Founder

THE HEALING PATH MASSAGE AND WELLNESS

1819 Thames Street Baltimore, MD 21231

410.637.3760

healingpathbaltimore.com

When Marie Gallagher arrived in Baltimore, “I began a private massage practice. However, recognizing a void for an all-inclusive wellness studio, I created The Healing Path Massage & Wellness, serving Baltimore for over 20 years. She says, “We are consistently training to meet our clients’ needs and are excited to add manual lymphatic drainage, cupping and CBD in 2023, as well as make an impact in the corporate space with a robust employee wellness solution.”

KIMBERLY McCARDELL

Owner and Advisor

WINDWARD AND CROWN

Hunt Valley, MD 21030

443.475.0292

windwardandcrown.com

Windward and Crown is a boutique travel company that curates luxurious itineraries that fulfill clients’ travel dreams. Helmed by Kimberly McCardell, Windward and Crown is known for planning custom experiences for its clients, from unique excursions along the Amalfi Coast to private sailing charters in Turks and Caicos. Windward and Crown works hand in hand with the best hotels, resorts, cruise lines, and tour companies to provide elevated service and experiences for each client.

LEE TAYLOR

WRIGHT ACADEMICS

304 W. Chesapeake Avenue Towson, MD 21204

410.218.2104 wrightacademics.com

Ev Wright knows firsthand how hard it is for students who struggle with learning challenges, as well as the tension it can cause the whole family. “I wanted kids like me to know they’re bright and have incredible gifts to share.”  Wright has over 25 years of experience and is trained as an Orton Gillingham specialist. Along with 40 coaches, she offers services in: executive functioning, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, non-verbal learning, writing, test prep, and an array of content subject areas.

HLC PARTY PLANNING & CONSULTING

410.925.8841 hlcpartyplanning@gmail.com

Heather Cohen, founder and owner of HLC Party Planning & Consulting, has the dedication and commitment required to plan, coordinate, and execute an event. From start to finish, she helps plan your event efficiently, economically, and expertly in hopes of taking pressure off of you and allowing you to enjoy your memorable occasion. Cohen is also a busy wife, mother of three children, active in the Jewish community, and a volunteer at her children’s school.

EVELYN M. WRIGHT

Executive Director / Owner

HEATHER L. COHEN Owner

Maryland team led by: Philip C. Federico, A. Wray Fitch, IV, James D. Cardea, Tara M. Clary, Brent P. Ceryes, Matthew P. Legg

2023 BALTIMORE

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGERS

These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. Whether it is managing your assets with a wealth manager, navigating the ever-changing tax landscape, sorting out your estate and succession planning or picking the right life insurance, finding the right team can be a daunting task. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin.

Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own.

This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as Baltimore magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

RESEARCH DISCLOSURES

In order to consider a broad population of high-quality wealth managers, award candidates are identified by one of three sources: firm nomination, peer nomination or prequalification based on industry standing. Self-nominations are not accepted Baltimore-area award candidates were identified using internal and external research data. Candidates do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final lists of Five Star Wealth Managers.

• The Five Star award is not indicative of a professional’s future performance.

• Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets.

• The inclusion of a professional on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the professional by Five Star Professional or Baltimore magazine.

• Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any professional is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected professionals will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future.

• Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star Wealth Manager award program, research and selection criteria, go to fivestarprofessional.com/research.

• 2,126 award candidates in the Baltimore area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 256 (approximately 12% of the award candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility

Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered:

6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations.

Regulatory Review: As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not: been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; been convicted of a felony. Within the past 11 years the wealth manager has not: been terminated from a wealth management or financial services firm; filed for personal bankruptcy; had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them (and no more than five total pending, dismissed or denied) with any regulatory authority.

Five Star Professional conducts a regulatory review of each nominated wealth manager using the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. Five Star Professional also uses multiple supporting processes to help ensure that a favorable regulatory and complaint history exists. Data submitted through these processes was applied per the above criteria; each wealth manager who passes the Five Star Professional regulatory review must attest that they meet the definition of favorable regulatory history based upon the criteria listed above. Five Star Professional promotes via local advertising the opportunity for consumers to confidentially submit complaints regarding a wealth manager.

FIVE STAR PROFESSIONAL

PROPRIETARY RESEARCH PROCESS

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

Three sources of nominations:

– Firm nominations

– Peer nominations

– Prequalification based on industry credentials

REGULATORY CONSUMER COMPLAINT REVIEW

All candidates must demonstrate a favorable regulatory history.

CANDIDATE SUBMISSION OF PRACTICE INFORMATION

Candidates must complete either an online or over-the-phone interview.

EVALUATION OF CANDIDATE PRACTICE

Candidates are evaluated on 10 objective evaluation and eligibility criteria.

FIRM REVIEW OF AWARD CANDIDATE LIST

All candidates are reviewed by a representative of their firm before final selection.

2023 AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Finalization and announcement of Five Star Professional award winners.

Financial Planning

Steven A. Aquino · Aquino Financial Group, LLC

Gregory Paul Armstrong · Armstrong Dixon

Justin Kyle Bowmaker · MML Investors Services

Melinda Lynne Boyd · Wealth Enhancement Group

Joe Breslin · Armstrong Dixon

Robert Hayes Carson · Wealth Enhancement Group

Alex Reid Dansberger · Wealth Enhancement Group

Christophe M. Dionot · Wealth Enhancement Group

Matthew Dunphy · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Patrick Vincent Dyer · Capital Portfolio Management

Joseph H. Evans · Wealth Enhancement Group

Paul M. Fox · Harbor Investment Advisory Page 6

Michael Greben · Greben Wealth Management

Edward “Chip” Herring · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 6

Robert B. Hewitt · Wealth Enhancement Group

W. Christopher Jones · Cypress Wealth Management

Jared W. Knowles · Wealth Enhancement Group

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Brian Patrick Kuhn · Wealth Enhancement Group

Jason LaBarge · LaBarge Financial

Scott M. Levin · Worthington Financial Partners Page 5

Christopher James McGarvey · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Ronald William Mitcherling Jr. · Morgan Stanley

Kathie Herbst Okun · Okun Financial Group Page 6

Richard Charles Osman · Phronesis Wealth Management

Andrew J. Paladino · Paladino Financial Group Page 5

Hilary G. Platt · LPL Financial

David Alan Rosenthal · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Sarah Laurene Santeufemio · Garrison Advisors

Elaine Mueller Shanley · FinanceForward

Peter Bryant Smith · Wealth Enhancement Group

Stacey Spedden-Irrgang · Heritage Financial Consultants, LLC Page 5

J.W. Thomas II · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 2

Charles Russell Ward · Harbor Investment Advisory

Jason Weszka · Vision Wealth Partners

Jonathan Luther Wienecke · Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services

Investments

William Thomas Cannon · Wealth Enhancement Group

Jon Victor Giordani · Wealth Enhancement Group

Michelle Harf-Grim · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 6

Omar Steven Jennings · TFG Private Wealth Management

William James Mazurek Jr. · Morgan Stanley

Christopher William Oxenham · Oxenham Financial

James J. Pomfret · Wells Fargo Advisors/Pomfret & Telljohann Wealth Management Group Page 4

Nilos T. Sakellariou · NTS Bearing Total Wealth Management Page 3

Neal Wendell Seagle · Wealth Enhancement Group

C. Emmerson Small II · Wells Fargo Advisors Page 4

Mark O’Neal Stinson · FAI Wealth Management

Jeffrey Strzelczyk · Wells Fargo Advisors Page 3

Sarah R. Telljohann · Wells Fargo Advisors/Pomfret & Telljohann Wealth Management Group Page 4

J.W. Thomas II

Local, Annapolis-Based Team Providing Personalized Advice

Now more than ever, you need sound advice and strong support to help keep your financial life on track. Ameriprise has been working alongside clients to do just that for over 125 years. As an Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisor, I have the qualifications and experience to help navigate your complex financial needs. I’m here to guide you with ongoing market updates, investment recommendations and personalized advice to help keep you focused on what matters most to you. Let’s have a conversation to discuss your goals. Call or email me today to schedule a complimentary initial consultation.

180 Admiral Cochrane Drive, Suite 550 • Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 443-837-1071 • Toll-free: 866-604-4573 james.w.thomas@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/james.w.thomas

YEAR WINNER 12

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value. Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial professional as working with a financial advisor is not a guarantee of future financial success. The initial consultation provides an overview of financial planning concepts. You will not receive written analysis and/or recommendations. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

This award was issued on 01/01/2023 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/18/2022 through 10/21/2022. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Baltimore-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 256 (12% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year

Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager

2012 – 2023 winner J.W. Thomas II, CRPC®, APMA®, AWMA®, AAMS®, CMFC®, Private Wealth Advisor

MANAGER AWARD WINNER

All award winners are listed in this publication.

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Jeffrey Strzelczyk

Managing Director – Investments

• Comprehensive wealth management

Thank you to my clients for your continued trust and confidence. It’s an honor to receive this award and to be among this select group of wealth managers. Drawing on over 30 years of experience through both good and challenging markets, I grasp the importance of developing relationships based on each client’s individual challenges, needs and preferences through each stage of their life. Developing an in-depth understanding of each client is the cornerstone of my practice. By working with a limited number of clients, I am able to deliver personalized service that meets each client’s goals and aspirations. I am a 2012 – 2016, 2019 – 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner.

230 Schilling Circle, Suite 300 Hunt Valley, MD 21031 Phone: 410-329-1484 jeffrey.strzelczyk@wellsfargoadvisors.com

Investment and Insurance Products:

NOT FDIC-Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value

Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. [CAR 1122-00294 11/04/2022].

Nilos T. Sakellariou

CFM, Wealth Management Advisor

Building and Managing Absolute Return-Oriented Portfolios

• Highly individualized service and unwavering attention to detail

• Avoiding the generic paint-by-numbers strategies of large brokerage houses

• B.A. in economics, graduated with honors

61 Cornhill Street Annapolis, MD 21401 Direct: 410-263-1313 • Office: 443-926-9226 nsakellariou@ntsbearing.com www.ntsbearing.com

At NTS Bearing Total Wealth Management, we serve clients with significant wealth management requirements. We are keenly aware of the unique goals and visions our clients have. You can expect personal attention and dedicated support from our passionate professionals having 32 years of investment knowledge and experience. Our approach is always customized to clients’ individual needs. Our open-architecture platform reduces conflicts of interest and helps support our firm’s client-first business promise.

Securities offered through Arete Wealth Management, member FINRA/SIPC/NFA. Investment advisory services offered through Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC an SEC registered investment advisory firm.

Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,126 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2022: 2,078, 260, 13%,

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registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Left to right: Denise Morgan, Senior Client Assistant; Ten-year winner Jeffrey A. Strzelczyk, CIMA®, CPWA®, Managing Director – Investments; Danielle Lahm, Client Assistant, Officer

Eleven-year winner Nilos T. Sakellariou, CFM, Wealth Management Advisor

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

C. Emmerson Small II

Senior PIM Portfolio Manager, CFP®

Investment Management and Planning

• Utilizes a discretionary, fee-based investment management approach

Emmerson’s credentials include a B.A. in economics and an MBA in finance and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. His mission is to help clients achieve their income, investment and planning goals while providing the highest level of personal service and professional integrity. His administrative assistant, Jennifer Falter, handles all operational and administrative tasks to provide their clients with an excellent client experience. Emmerson is a 2013 – 2017 and 2021 – 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner™, and the CFP® mark (with plaque design) in the U.S. Investment and Insurance Products are:

• Not Insured by

230 Schilling Circle, Suite 300 Hunt Valley, MD 21031 Office: 410-828-2424 • Toll-free: 866-905-0355 emmerson.small@wellsfargoadvisors.com www.emmersonsmall.wfadv.com

•

James J. Pomfret and Sarah R. Telljohann

2023 Five Star Wealth Managers

• Customized wealth planning

• Retirement income planning

• 401(k) plan advisory services

• Insurance and risk management

Our mission is to help you simplify and organize your financial life and provide ongoing, comprehensive investment planning and related services designed to help you achieve lifetime financial security. Our focus is to deliver high-quality service and advice to a small number of clients made up of successful individuals, families and businesses. James is a 2012 – 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager and Sarah is a 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager.

sarah.telljohann@wfa.com www.pomfrettelljohannwmg.com

Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. [CAR-1022-04036].

This award was issued on 01/01/2023 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/18/2022 through 10/21/2022. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Baltimore-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 256 (12% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year

Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager

Left to right: Twelve-year winner James J. Pomfret; 2023 winner Sarah R. Telljohann, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®

2013 – 2017 and 2021 – 2023 winner C. Emmerson Small II, CFP®, Managing Director – Investments, Senior PIM Portfolio Manager; Jennifer Falter, Administrative Assistant

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

— WEALTH MANAGERS — Stacey Spedden-Irrgang

Partner, Financial Planner, CRPC®, LUTCF®

Helping Clients Navigate Their Financial Futures

is a Registered Representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (Member SIPC) and registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. Please do not leave securities trading instructions on this email, as they cannot be executed. Please call the Lincoln Financial Advisors trade desk at (800) 237-3813.

If you do not want to receive future emails from me, please call me at 410-771-5430, email me at Stacey.Spedden@lfg. com or write me at 307 International Circle, Suite 390, Hunt Valley, MD 21030. Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. and its representatives do not provide legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a legal or tax advisor regarding any legal or tax information as it relates to your personal circumstances.

See Lincoln Financial Advisors (LFA’s) Form CRS Customer Relationship Summary, available here, for succinct information about the relationships and services LFA offers to retail investors, related fees and costs, specified conflicts of interest, standards of conduct, and disciplinary history, among other things. LFA’s Forms ADV, Part 2A, which describe LFA’s investment advisory services, Regulation Best Interest Disclosure Document, which describes LFA’s broker-dealer services, and other client disclosure documents can be found here.

Heritage Financial Consultants, LLC is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. CRN-3640920-062121.

Andrew J. Paladino

CPA, MSF

1954 Greenspring Drive, Suite 500 Timonium, MD 21093

Office: 410-252-7630

andyp@paladinofinancialgroup.com

www.paladinofinancialgroup.com

Home of the Playbook Pro Method™

Andy Paladino provides panoramic financial planning in a professional, caring, and engaging environment to those who value advice, are open to new ideas, and are concerned about themselves, their spouses, and their family. With a clear, concise, and understandable voice, he helps them feel empowered and assured and provides them with confidence and clarity about their future.

Likening his profession to a coach, he helps clients gain confidence as they make decisions about their financial game plan. Paladino helps them look at the entire field and find the best strategies to reach their goals. Paladino and his clients explore approaches that include wealth accumulation, distribution, tax planning, and legacy planning.

Investment advisor representative of, and securities and advisory services are offered through, USA Financial Securities Corp. Member FINRA/SIPC, registered investment adviser, 6020 East Fulton Street, Ada, MI 49301. Paladino Financial Group is not affiliated with USA Financial Securities.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Scott M.

Partner, CFP®, AIF®

9515 Deereco Road, Suite 700 Timonium, MD 21093 Office: 410-527-1292, ext. 231 levin_scott@nlgroupmail.com wealthfactoradvantage.com

Smarter Strategy. Focused Results.

• Custom-designed, innovative strategies

• Uncover, address and prioritize concerns and goals

Are the complexities of wealth building taking you off balance? The WealthFACTOR Advantage™ is specifically designed for owners of growing businesses and financially responsible individuals. Our unique process promotes family wealth protection and transfer by leveraging customized strategies and innovative solutions. We help improve your financial opportunities without distracting you from what’s important.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, C ertified f inanCial P lanner ™, and the CFP® mark (with plaque design) in the U.S. Scott M. Levin, CFP®, AIF®, is a registered representative and investment advisor representative of Equity Services, Inc. Securities and investment advisory services offered solely by Equity Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. 9515 Deereco Road, Suite 700, Timonium, MD 21093, 410527-1292. Worthington Financial Partners is independent of Equity Services, Inc. TC129585(1122)1.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,126 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2022: 2,078, 260, 13%,

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registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Left to right: Shannon James; Six-year winner Stacey Spedden-Irrgang, Partner, Financial Planner; Nicholas Purcell; Madison Ewing; Rachele Fleri

Levin

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Michelle Harf-Grim Financial Advisor, Vice President, CRPC®

Kathie

Herbst Okun

ChFC®, CLU®, LUTCF®, President, Wealth Advisor 100 W Road, Suite 408 Towson, MD 21204

303 International Circle, Suite 490 Hunt Valley, MD 21030 Office: 410-308-6101

michelle.harf-grim@ampf.com

With 29 years of experience in the financial services industry, I have made it my mission to be a resource for individuals and families, including women investors who would like guidance from a female advisor. Through customized planning and personalized advice, I work hard to inform and simplify information and then develop strategies for building wealth and realizing goals.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value. Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial professional as working with a financial advisor is not a guarantee of future financial success.

Edward “Chip” Herring

CRPC®, APMA®, Private Wealth Advisor 11333 McCormick Road, Suite 500 Hunt Valley, MD 21031 Phone: 410-771-5522,

Solid, Actionable Financial Planning

• Providing knowledgeable advice and premier service

• 2012 – 2017 and 2020 – 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager award winner

With over 20 years of experience, I emphasize a holistic approach to the financial planning process. I am dedicated to creating client-focused strategies that will help you plan to achieve your specific financial goals.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.

Investors should conduct their own evaluation of a financial professional as working with a financial advisor is not a guarantee of future financial success.

Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Phone: 410-494-6134

Phone: 410-844-1818

kokun@okunfinancialgroup.com www.OkunFinancialGroup.com

Open • Observant • Objective

• Modeling our clients’ financial futures with deliverable plans, adjusting annually

Kathie Okun is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities and Investment Advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. Okun Financial Group is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors nor is it a registered investment advisor. was named a Five Star Wealth Manager by FSP on 1/1/2023 for the time period of 4/18/22-10/21/22. The Five Star Wealth Manager Award is independently produced by Five Star Professional (FSP) and is based on data from financial advisors, regulatory disclosures, and FSP research. We were independently nominated for the award. Neither the advisors nor their parent firm pay a fee to FSP for the nomination or receipt of the award. The award was independently granted and membership in an organization was not required Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager is no guarantee of investment success. For more information please visit https://fivestarprofessional.com/ref/ research/WM_ResearchMethodology.pdf CRN-5078528-110222.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

This award was issued on 01/01/2023 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/18/2022 through 10/21/2022. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Baltimore-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 256 (12% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year

Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager

2012 – 2023 Five Star Wealth Manager

Wealth managers not only offer advice, but they also guide you through the process of managing your money and investing it for you.

Wealth Managers

Steven Greg Abrams · NBC Securities

Michael Robert Achatz · Metropolitan Wealth Advisors

Talbot Jones Albert IV · Chapin Davis Investments

Kristian Idar Albornoz · Keeney Financial Group

Mark Braden Altemus · Morgan Stanley

Champe Seabury Andrews · Harbor Investment Advisory

Richard Emerson Armiger · Morgan Stanley

Katherine Bays Armstrong · Heritage Financial Consultants

Ian Arrowsmith · Scarborough Capital Management

Andrew Sterling Ashton · Prostatis Financial Advisors Group

John Kenneth Bacci · Foundation Financial Advisors

Charles Taliaferro Bailey · Securities America

David Baitel · LPL Financial

David Lee Baker · Phoenix Private Wealth

Kalen Dobbins Baxter · FinanceForward

Michael Patrick Beczkowski · Bolton

Andrew Adam Berkowitz · Morgan Stanley

Christopher John Biddison · Equitable Advisors

Thomas Nichols Biddison III · Cornerstone Advisory

Randel Mc Clary Blake · Bay Financial Services

Drew Bonner · Merrill Lynch

Mary Frances Boyle · Morgan Stanley

George D. Bragaw III · Alex Brown

Douglas John Brandeen · Wells Fargo Advisors

Eric David Brotman · BFG Financial Advisors

Kevin F. Bultman · The Tenet Financial Group

Michael Anthony Calabrese · Severn Financial Solutions

Alison Elizabeth Canning · Morgan Stanley

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Jeffrey Michael Cardozo · Scarborough Capital Management

Jeffrey David Carlson · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Timothy William Carne · SFG Wealth Management

Jason Edward Chamberlain · Morgan Stanley

Mason Michael Champion · Morgan Stanley

Peter Gordon Christofferson · Morgan Stanley

Zachary Charles Chryst · SCO Wealth Management

Sarah Lynn Cicero · Stonebridge Advisors

Aaron Joshua Cirksena · Premier Planning Group

Martha Nash Crocker · Foundation Financial Advisors

Catherine Christine Cronauer · Wells Fargo Advisors

Jennifer Campion Daly · Wells Fargo Advisors

Alan Charles Dana · Wells Fargo Advisors

Jonathan N. Davidov · Morgan Stanley

Kenneth A. DiBlasi · Morgan Stanley

Jonathan Shuford Dinkins · Glass Jacobson

Ravindra Nath Dixit · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Audrey Bieber Drossner · Oracle Capital Strategies

Jason B. Dudderar · Morgan Stanley

Brian Michael Dunne · Morgan Stanley

Richard Lee DuVal · Robert W. Baird & Co.

David Michael Emig · Wells Fargo Advisors

Schuyler Lee Engelhardt · Armstrong Dixon

Scott Daniels Ensor · Morgan Stanley

J. Gardiner Evans Jr. · Wells Fargo Advisors

Colin Britton Exelby · Celestial Wealth Management

Avis Fagu · Wells Fargo Advisors

Paul James Fallace · Morgan Stanley

Michael Robert Feranec · Morgan Stanley

Donald Wayne Ferguson Jr. · Keeney Financial Group

Carlos Francisco Fernandez · Morgan Stanley

Andrew David Fink · Morgan Stanley

Anne Hoppenstein Fink · Morgan Stanley

Joel Thomas Fink · Morgan Stanley

Ryan Matthew Flanders · The Flanders Group

Craig Dominic Flury · Morgan Stanley

Adrian Judson Force · Merrill Lynch

Mitchell Frederick Ford · Morgan Stanley

James Ross Foxen · Cornerstone Advisory

David Scott Frank · Wells Fargo Advisors

Brent Fuchs · Heritage Financial Concultants

Joel Galligan Stierle · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

George Kelby Gelston · Garrison Advisors

Donna Carol Gestl · The Prosperity Consulting Group

R. Michael Gill Jr. · Cornerstone Advisory

Joshua Paul Goldsmith · Scarborough Capital Management

Jarrett Lee Gounaris · RBC

Brian Walter Gracie · Heritage Financial Consultants

Drew Gress · S2 Financial Partners

Shawn Justin Halsey · Morgan Stanley

Joe S. Harsel · AIG Retirement Services

Ayaz Hasan · Morgan Stanley

Elisabeth Albert Hayes · Chapin Davis Investments

Thomas Guy Henry · Integrated Financial Solutions

Thomas Holden Henry · Quillion Wealth Management

Ryan C. Herbert · Prostatis Financial Advisors Group

David Alan Herman · Scarborough Capital Management

Christopher Kelley Hicks · Merrill Lynch

Michael Garner Hilliard · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

George H. Hocker · Morgan Stanley

Michael Robert Hoff · Steward Partners Global Advisory

Donald Nathan Hoffman · The Prosperity Consulting Group

Stephen R. Holt · PPG Wealth

Brian Andrew Horn · Heritage Financial Consultants

Andrew Scott Horowitz · Heritage Financial Consultants

Donald S. Huber Jr. · Cornerstone Advisory

John Ngoc Huynh · Robert W. Baird & Co.

Nicholas Anthony Ibello · Williams Asset Management

Kaela Lyn Iciek · Morgan Stanley

Taylor James Janoskie · Janoskie Financial & Associates

Erik Dorsey Johnson · Cornerstone Advisory

Michael Ross Johnson · Robert W. Baird & Co.

Jeffrey M. Judge · Chesapeake Financial Planners

Richard Karl Juergensen · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

John Patrick Keeney · Keeney Financial Group

Timothy Dayton King · LPL Financial

Andrea Noel Kirk · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Matthew Adam Klatsky · Wells Fargo Advisors

Margaret Suzanne Kosmerl · Blue Heron Financial Group

Daniel Kuhn · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Marat Kushner · Wells Fargo Advisors

Michael Kelly Lavina · Cornerstone Advisory

Ryan Michael Lenet · Morgan Stanley

Michael Thomas Leonard · Academy Financial

Craig Ryan Lestner · The Legacy Group

Kevin Matthew Lindung · Janney Montgomery Scott

Anne Greenblatt London · WealthBridge Financial Partners

Roy Allen Longanecker · Morgan Stanley

Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,126 statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2022: 2,078, 260, 13%,

-

registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Peter David Maller · Maller Wealth Advisors

Charles N. Marks · Marks Wealth Management

William Clement Martin · The Prosperity Consulting Group

Joshua Mendel Mauer · Steward Partners Global Advisory

John Gilman McCarthy · Heritage Financial Consultants

Mark David McGrath · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jim C. Metzbower · Lincoln Financial Advisors

Brian Riggs Mohler · Merrill Lynch

Joseph Brian Mondell · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Devin L. Monroe · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

William Arthur Morgan III · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Chris Ryan Moser · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Theodore Murphy · Wells Fargo Advisors

John Victor Murphy IV · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Spencer Douglas Neal · Leading Edge Wealth Advisors

Zachary S. Nerenberg · Prudential Financial

Dominic J. Nicolini · Morgan Stanley

Steven Clifton Nuetzel · Wells Fargo Advisors

Ben Samuel Offit · Offit Advisors

Brandon Christopher Oliver · Oliver Wealth Management

John William Olson · 2250 Financial Services

Gregory Sigismund Ostrowski · Scarborough Capital Management

— WEALTH MANAGERS —

Kurt Matthew Overton · Morgan Stanley

Elizabeth Randolph Paal Goss · Heritage Financial Consultants

Luis Enrique Padilla · Maryland Wealth Management

Gregory Edward Paranzino · Harbor Investment Advisory

Joseph Joseph Parnes · Technomart Investment Advisors

Thomas Richard Pasta · Trident Wealth

John Edward Pastalow III · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jonathan Moses Pearlstein · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

William Shipley Persons · Morgan Stanley

Robert Deshields Petty · Morgan Stanley

Elizabeth Ann Plunkett · Janney Montgomery Scott

Ariel Popel · Morgan Stanley

Christopher Edward Portner · Heritage Financial Consultants

Benjamin Gooding Proctor III · Morgan Stanley

Lauren Michelle Rebbel · The Prosperity Consulting Group

Dennis Gary Reisher · LPL Financial

Brian Thomas Rosenbaum · Melnick Rosenbaum Wealth Management

Mark Anthony Rossbach · Chesapeake Financial Planners

Brian Howard Rubin · Benjamin F. Edwards & Co.

Christopher Michael Ruspi · Applied Financial Wisdom

William G. Ryon · Ryon Wealth Strategies

Greg Paul Salvucci · Equitable Advisors

Robert Edward Saunders III · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Susan Mccormick Scarborough · Morgan Stanley

Michael William Schenking · SCO Wealth Management

Robert John Schmitt · Verdence Capital Advisors

Christine Rutt Schmitz · Glass Jacobson

Ethan David Schuchman · Cross Country Wealth Management

Jonathan Ronald Shimaitis · Morgan Stanley

Michael Roger Shuck · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Marina Sidelnikova · Glass Jacobson

Brian Edmund Sigwart · MML Investors Services

Victor Simon · Lifetime Wealthcare Family Office

Navarone Fernando Simpson · Armstrong Dixon

David Allen Sizemore · Scarborough Capital Management

Nicholas Michael Smeresky · Morgan Stanley

Clay Bryant Smith · Equitable Advisors

David Karl Solomon · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Matthew Donald Spedden · Lincoln Financial Advisors

Benjamin David Spiker · Shore To Summit Wealth Management

Thomas W. Spray-Fry · Heritage Financial Consultants

Robert Harry Stahler · RH Stahler Jr., P.A.

Ryan E. Staton · StatonWalsh

Malcolm Edgar Steigerwald · Morgan Stanley

Michael Samuel Steinhardt · Clear Path Advisory

James Andrew Straut · Wells Fargo Advisors

Douglas Stuart Sunday · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jonathan Walter Szostek · Scarborough Capital Management

Vernon Allen Thomas · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jeffrey Keith Troll · Congress Wealth Management

Aaron Tsukasa Troup · Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Ryan Matthew Turner · Pruco Securities

Clayton Bernard Ulman · Ulman Financial

Luis Alejandro Velez · Morgan Stanley

Gregory Charles Vermeulen · LPL Financial

Eric Arrieta Villamater · Morgan Stanley

Lori Alyson Villegas · Morgan Stanley

Kevin Andrew Voelling · Murphy & Associates

Lee Walters · Wells Fargo Advisors

Jeffrey Neal Weiner · Benjamin F. Edwards & Co.

Benjamin Adam Whitacre · Wynn Point Financial

Gary Stuart Williams · Williams Asset Management

Pamela Leonard Williams · NBC Securities

Jennifer Lowe Winslow · Harbor Investment Advisory

Michael E. Winter · Shore to Summit Wealth Management

William Ryan Winterstein · Morgan Stanley

Robert Michael Wooden · Wooden Investments

Randall Clark Zinn · MML Investors Services

David Kirk Zirretta · Morgan Stanley

Morry Arthur Zolet · Morgan Stanley

This award was issued on 01/01/23 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/18/22 through 10/21/22. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,126 Baltimore-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 256 (12% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period.

Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner™ and federally registered CFP (with plaque design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. The Chartered Financial Consultant® credential [ChFC®] is a financial planning designation awarded by The American College.

20 23 B

R AurANTS

Experience some of the best spots in Baltimore’s restaurant scene — all at one table.

To celebrate our Best Restaurants issue, Baltimore magazine is bringing together the city’s biggest chefs and best restaurants for two unforgettably delicious nights. Enjoy signature courses from a selection of the spots we honor in the issue along with cocktails, live entertainment & more!

MARCH 15TH & MARCH 16TH THE GARAGE AT R. HOUSE

6-10 P.M.

LEARN MORE AND PURCHASE TICKETS AT BMAG.CO/BESTRESTAURANTS

EDITED BY JANE MARION

Marta breathes fresh life into the former Salt Tavern space in Butcher’s Hill.

BY JANE MARION

NEW ROMANCE O

pening a new restaurant in a once-beloved space can be a tall task—after all, comparisons to the former spot are inevitable. Such could have been the case with chef Matthew Oetting’s Marta, a 62-seat boîte set inside the old Salt Tavern, once a neighborhood mainstay with its duck fat fries and Wagyu burgers crowned with foie gras. But that hasn’t happened. In fact, on a late fall night, as patrons poured into the place, the memory of Salt, which closed in 2018, has worked in Marta’s favor. “People have so many great memories of Salt,” says Oetting. “The neighborhood was salivating at the idea of something opening back up in the space and being an anchor for that community again—it was a huge help.”

Gone are the lime-green globe lights that were the hallmark of Salt. In their place are trendy table lights, a gleaming new bar, and granny-chic, floral wallpaper chosen by Oetting’s wife Mar-

tha, the restaurant’s namesake (translated into Italian to reflect the menu mission). “Being a chef is hard,” says Oetting. “Being a chef’s wife is much harder. It was important to me to show her how much I appreciate her support.”

After more than two decades in hospitality, Oetting’s career has taken him all over the Big Apple, from Danny Meyer’s famed Union Square Café to Scarpetta, where he learned the intricate art of pasta-making. Before arriving in Baltimore in 2015 to open Loch Bar as executive chef (and later The Bygone), he ran the back of the house at Stephen Starr’s martini bar, The Continental, in Miami. After such varied experiences, the peripatetic chef was ready to be his own boss. “It was time for me to finally do something of my own,” he says.

Marta has provided him a place to pursue his passion for taking classic dishes and trans-

forming them with his own sophisticated spin, which includes employing luxury ingredients. To wit: a cacciatore dish substitutes the chicken for lobster and onion dip is jazzed up with caviar.

Beyond the food, Oetting envisioned, in his words, “a neighborhood eatery that has a warm glow even before you walk in. I wanted a place that the community would cherish.” (While it does aim to serve as a neighborhood place, the chef’s reliance on luxury, albeit authentic, Italian ingredients can make eating here a pricey proposition.)

That said, there are many ways to enjoy a night at Marta. As you enter the circa-1904 building, turn to the left if you’re looking for a space that feels intimate and a world away from the city streets. Go right and snag a barstool or a table in the bar for a more boisterous vibe and a lovely view of the early 20thcentury architecture and the twinkle of string lights hung between the rowhouses.

OETTING TRANSFORMS CLASSIC DISHES USING LUXURY INGREDIENTS.

Whatever experience you choose, there’s something to match the mood. If you sit at the bar, consider one of five Negronis on offer or pick from an array of apéritifs. Pair your potion with the addictive truffle and Parmesan potato chips or an indulgent piece of grilled ciabatta smeared with ricotta and truffle honey. If you go with a group and sit at a table in the bar, make a meal out of shareable starters and crudos. Favorites include the tuna cannoli—a fried shell encrusted in sesame seeds, pistachios, and garlic chips, and stuffed with yellowfin—and the prettily plated yellowtail with its thin pieces of sashimi and slivers of green apple scattered across the plate like a collage and doused with apple-hibiscus sauce. An array of antipasti, including the chicken wings stacked like a modern sculpture, is also a nice way begin a meal. The wings were coated in a hot-honey glaze, then paired with pickled vegetables as a cooling counterpart. The

Clockwise, from left: The gnocchi; the fried chicken; an array of Negronis; chef Matthew Oetting. Opener: Yellowtail crudo with applehibiscus sauce.

roasted beet carpaccio drizzled with truffle vinaigrette, topped with whipped goat cheese, shaved fennel, and gooseberries, and capped with crushed hazelnuts was bright and beautiful and a great vegetarian option.

As for entrees, there’s an excellent Roseda Farm-sourced skirt steak served with dabs of an herbaceous olive salsa verde (think Italy’s version of chimichurri) and a must-order pan-seared scallop piccata dish, bathed in butter sauce and studded with capers and artichoke hearts.

But the real star of the menu is the house-made pasta section. Over several visits, everything we sampled was excellent, including a tangle of carbonaracoated spaghetti entwined with blue crab and miso egg yolk for added umami; the Sardinian-style gnocchi (made from pasta dough not potato) slicked with tangy tomato sauce; and an intensely earthy tagliatelle coated with truffle butter and shaved king trumpet mushrooms.

Plating is paramount here and most dishes are flecked with flowers or herbs or a handful of microgreens to add a pop of color and texture. This artistry was not lost on diners, as every dish seemed caught up in the social media klieg lights across various tables.

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. In a city like Baltimore, with its loyal foodies who tend to fall back on their favorite hangouts, change isn’t always welcome. But nearly five years after Salt’s closing, Marta seems a worthy successor. This feels like the beginning of a beautiful new relationship.

MARTA

11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9 p.m. PRICES: Starters: $14-28; pasta and entrees: $18-55; dessert: $10-12. AMBIANCE: Elevated casual.

ARCHIVES

5-10 p.m.;

To read more dining reviews, check out our archives online at baltimoremagazine.com.

2127 E. Pratt St., 443-708-5962. HOURS: Tues.-Thurs.,

Fri.-Sat.,

RULING THE ROOST

Chachi’s in Old Goucher puts its own spin on rotisserie chicken.

BY SUZANNE LOUDERMILK

Promising a “chicken for every pot” may have been a political slogan back in Herbert Hoover’s day, but today that chicken, a symbol of prosperity, would have to be prepared in a rotisserie. The owners of Chachi’s in Old Goucher came to that conclusion when choosing on-the-spit birds as a signature dish for their restaurant. We’re glad they did. Husband-and-wife team Karl and Stephanie Diehn, both restaurant veterans—he of Dylan’s Oyster Cellar; she of Clavel, among others—went a step farther by placing potatoes in the bottom of the rotisserie to catch drippings from the 3 ½-pound juicy chickens, resulting in chunky mounds of roasted deliciousness. They also added seasonal salads and soups to a tightly scripted menu. In case you’re wondering if the restaurant is named after the character played by Scott Baio in the TV show Happy Days, it’s not. Chachi is a nod to Stephanie Diehn’s family nickname.

Finding the place, which opened in September in the former Larder space, can be a little like finding train platform 9 ¾ in a Harry Potter movie if you’re a muggle. But persevere.

Even though the address is 2223 Maryland Ave., the entrance is off West 23rd Street, where the tiny storefront with about 20 seats shares a courtyard with the wine-and-beer tavern Fadensonnen. You can also eat outside, where cafe tables are scattered among ivy-tendrilled walls. There is also covered, communal seating with several heaters and a main fire hearth. On our visit, we nestled close to the blaze, awaiting our meal with mugs of hot mulled cider.

Before being seated, diners place their orders at Chachi’s indoor counter. A cute menu, formed with magnetic alphabet letters, is on the wall. Salads and soups change seasonally, but year-round, you can choose a whole, half, or quarter chicken, all of which have been drybrined for 24 hours and seasoned with herbs and spices before cooking. The dish is accompanied by several house-made sauces from the four that are offered: garlic mayo, sweet and sour, ranch, and green anchovy.

We opted for a succulent half bird with ranch and green anchovy sauces, which are served separately and packed with flavor. We couldn’t resist sampling a bowl of schmaltz potatoes (the ones cooked in the rotisserie) sprinkled with coarse salt, which shouted comfort food. A staff member brings the dishes to your table as they’re ready. In addition to the chicken, we were impressed with a beetcured salmon salad with cannellini beans, cubed beets, pickled green beans, and feathery dill sprigs. The carrot-apple salad, tossed with Dijon mustard, was also a standout.

A Hubbard squash soup—the vegetable is named after one of the first farmers to grow the winter squash in the U.S.—was a knockout, with ginger, star anise, and a swirl of optional sour cream atop the orange elixir.

The Diehns have elevated their PAsourced birds to star status with their own style of trimmings. Forget the pot. Go for Chachi’s rotisserie.

CHACHI’S 2223 Maryland Ave., chachi@chachisbaltimore.com

HOURS: Tues.-Fri., 5-10 p.m.; Sat.Sun., 3-10 p.m. PRICES: From the rotisserie: $8-27; from the kitchen: $6-15; drinks: $5.

ARCHIVES

To read more dining reviews, check out our archives online at baltimoremagazine.com .

Left: Rotisserie chicken with sauces and sides.

Q&A

CRUNCH TIME

A local pretzel company spices up Baltimore.

BY JANE MARION

YOU COULD SAY THAT the food service industry is in Carolyn Talucci’s blood. Her grandparents, Charles and Edith Harrington, owned Harrington’s Market in Ruxton before it was purchased by the Graul family in the early ’70s. So, it was only a matter of time before the former international recruiter, who worked at Harrington’s in high school, turned once again to food.

Talucci, above right, has run a catering business for 22 years now, but her most recent side hustle, along with her daughter, Downey Dupont, above left, has been selling pretzels inspired by a bar snack that Edith invented. The pretzels, branded Carey’s Fine Foods (and available at The French Paradox in Stevenson, Eddie’s in Roland Park, and Graul’s Market in Ruxton and Mays Chapel), have become something of a trademark for her catering company

of the same name. And while the recipe is proprietary, it’s fair to say after taste-testing that the flavor profile combines sweet and heat. “My grandmother made this bar snack that was spicy and hot,” says Talucci. “And this is a derivation of that beloved snack.”

How did you come to sell Carey’s Pretzels? Twenty-two years ago, we started making these as bar snacks, but we never thought about bagging and marketing them. And then one day when we were at our house at Dewey Beach, our next-door neighbor who is a patent attorney said, “These pretzels are the bomb. You should patent them.” That got us thinking and we started the process, but had to shelve it due to the pandemic.

The pretzels aren’t whole but broken bits. Why did you decide to make them that way as opposed to selling whole pretzels? They are just meant to be a small snack. Ironically, the way we break them was by accident. We get the whole pretzels in a huge tub. It used to be time-consuming to break them up by hand. But one day I had a temper tantrum. I was so angry with everyone, and I threw a barrel across the kitchen, and they broke— everyone was like, “This is genius.” So now we drop the barrel three times a certain way on the floor, and they break up easily.

I hear these pretzels have had at least 15 minutes of fame. When we were trying to get these off the ground, I’d ask my friends and family, “Does anyone know Oprah?” One lady said, “No, but my friend’s husband is a cameraman on Today.” We got lucky. They were featured in a segment on June 28, 2021—and that was huge.

What’s on the pretzels? They are soaked in bourbon and other spices. There’s also cayenne pepper in them. They are completely addictive.

Any funny fan stories? A lady in Roland Park told me that every time she and her husband went to one of the parties I’d catered, her husband would go over to the bar, and he would dump all the pretzels into his pockets. And then she’d do the laundry and forget they were in there and, “I’d have pretzel pieces floating in my laundry.”

RAISING THE BAR

AJ’s on Hanover fills a void in South Baltimore.

BY MIKE UNGER

BAR EXAM

handful of places do them right, and AJ’s is among them. The key is the ice.

“We have a special crusher that takes it down to almost snowball consistency,” Carter says. “It’s just a little thicker.”

There are several interesting varieties, including Key lime pie and a seasonal apple cider version, but the most popular is the SoBo lemon stick crush. Made with Deep Eddy Lemon vodka, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water, it’s served with a peppermint stick. Crushes are often associated with summertime, but this one has a comforting sweetness that makes it feel like a great drink for the winter holidays, too.

ONCE UPON A TIME, the area south of Federal Hill but north of the Hanover Street Bridge was basically a no-man’s-land for those seeking fine food and drink. Sure, there were odd corner bars here and there (which we love), but to get an expertly mixed cocktail or a beer other than a Boh, you’d have to go elsewhere.

In 2018, Andrew Carter and his business partner, Jesse Selke, recognized that void, and wanted to fill it. AJ’s on Hanover was born.

“At the time there wasn’t really a push for food in the neighborhood,” Carter says. “We decided to capture the niche market with an upscale tavern—not the experience if you went to a Cindy Wolf or an Atlas Group restaurant, but not stuff that’s dropped out of a bag.”

Four years later, AJ’s has become a popular spot, maintaining its feel as a neighborhood gathering place while offering a menu that is a bit elevated. When we stopped in on a cold Tuesday night in November, it was hopping. Trivia, no doubt, was a big draw, but so were the crushes and crunch wraps that make AJ’s unique.

First, the drinks. Crushes are a Maryland favorite, and thus almost every bar feels compelled to offer them. However, only a

Also perfect for cold weather is the Cool Bean, made with Jameson Cold Brew, Kahlua, hazelnut liqueur, brown sugar simple syrup, and cold brew coffee. It’s tasty even for a non-coffee drinker, but fair warning: If you consume one at night, your bedtime could be affected.

After the pandemic, Carter and Selke wanted to change AJ’s approach to food. With the help of a consultant, they came up with an idea we find inspiring. Along with the requisite burger and four varieties of decadent mac and cheeses (the bacon broccoli one is excellent), they added crunch wraps to the menu. If that term sounds familiar, it should.

“I love them, I get them from Taco Bell all the time,” Carter says. Now, many of his customers get them from AJ’s. Essentially a sandwich stuffed into a tortilla, the crunch comes from a fried tortilla strip in the middle. The salmon version we tried also had bacon, which provided even more crunch. It’s a fun riff on fast food, taken to the next level.

Carter estimates that about 75 percent of AJ’s customers live within walking distance of the bar. If they were thirsty or hungry back in the day, they’d have to hoof it a lot farther.

From left: Apple pie, Key lime pie, and lemon stick crushes.

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS

The Dining Guide is a reader service compiled by Baltimore’s restaurant reviewers. These are our recommendations, based on recent visits and reviews. The list will change periodically to reflect other restaurants that merit recognition. The magazine does not accept advertising or other compensation for the listings. For a complete restaurant list, visit baltimoremagazine. com/dining-guide. Send listing information to Jane Marion at mjane@baltimoremagazine.net.

and Nancy Hart Mola put wordly spins on local ingredients at this visually stunning spot with knockout New American fare. L, D daily, brunch Sat-Sun. $$$$

HUCK’S AMERICAN CRAFT New American. 3728 Hudson St., 443-438-3380. Charlie Gjerde’s venture offers upscale tavern fare, a slew of local and national brews, comfort foods, and breakfast-all-day staples. L, D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

Canton

ATWATER’S Bistro Fare. Multiple locations, including 3601 Boston St., 667-309-7146. Whether you’re craving homemade seasonal soups, salads, or inventive sandwiches, this local cafe satisfies. B, L, D, brunch daily. $

IRON ROOSTER Breakfast Fare. 3721 Boston St., 410762-2100. Aside from the house-made pop tarts, enjoy warm monkey bread and Belgian waffles. A variety of sandwiches, salads, and burgers are also on offer. B, L, D daily. $$

VERDE Italian. 641 S. Montford Ave., 410-522-1000. Dig into wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, panini, and calzones at this bustling hangout featuring communal tables, Edison light bulbs, and marble accents. L Sat., D daily, brunch Sun. $$

BALTIMORE CITY Bolton Hill

THE TILTED ROW New American. 305 McMechen St., 443-552-1594. Enjoy creative plates from charred octopus with smashed potatoes to Moroccan salmon with saffron aioli at this adorable neighborhood hangout. D Wed.-Sun., brunch Sun. $$

COOKHOUSE New American. 1501 Bolton St., 410225-9964. This neo-Victorian spot features innovative fare in a gorgeous setting. Plates rotate weekly but you can’t go wrong, whether you decide on the chicken breast with wild rice, the pub burger with bacon jam, or the crabcake on a homemade brioche. Cocktails are equally inspiring. D Wed.-Sat., after-hour cocktails on Sat., brunch Sun. $$

Brewers Hill

BLUE HILL TAVERN New American. 938 S. Conkling St., 443-388-9363. Blue Hill’s owners have carved out a two-level warren of stunningly beautiful and intimate spaces with entrees such as duck confit gnocchi and mushroom Wellington. L Mon.-Fri., D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$

GUNTHER & CO. New American. 3650 Toone St., 443-869-6874. Seasoned restaurateurs Jerry Trice

Charles Village

GERTRUDE’S CHESAPEAKE KITCHEN Chesapeake. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., 410889-3399. Chef/owner John Shields is well-known for his traditional Chesapeake fare. Gertie’s crab cake, honoring the recipe of Shields’ grandmother, is a favorite, along with fried oysters and rockfish. L Tues.-Sat., D Tues.-Sun., brunch Sun. $$

Downtown

B&O AMERICAN BRASSERIE New American. 2 N. Charles St., 443-692-6172. There are so many reasons to visit B&O: the gorgeous design, the clever cocktails, and, of course, the excellent food preparations. Don’t miss the delicious flatbreads. B, L, D daily. $$$$

Federal Hill

RUSTY SCUPPER Seafood. 402 Key Hwy., 410-7273678. Panoramic waterfront views and a plethora of seafood dishes make for a recipe for success at Rusty Scupper, which has been in business for more than 30 years. L Mon.-Sat., D daily, brunch Sun. $$$$

SOBO CAFE New American. 6 W. Cross St., 410-7521518. The focal point of this bright Federal Hill fixture is a chalkboard menu that lists rotating, seasonal dishes such as rosemary hummus, Korean

chicken-fried steak, and seared duck breast. L, D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$

Fells Point

BARCOCINA Mexican. 1629 Thames St., 410-5638800. Glass and aluminum garage door-style walls encompass this Fells Point hangout, making it an ideal spot to grab a cocktail and tacos while enjoying the waterfront views. L, D daily, brunch Sat.Sun. $$$

THE BLACK OLIVE Greek. 814 S. Bond St., 410-2767141. It’s pricey, but who else gives you fresh Dover sole on a regular basis and a picturesque fish case full of other offerings, while also serving elegant renditions of rack of lamb and beef tenderloin? L Mon.-Fri., D daily. $$$$

THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE Seafood. 1728 Thames St., 443-449-7726. This Oyster House turns out impressive Maryland, Mid-Atlantic, and New England seafood. As you would expect, the selection of juicy oysters– and other raw bar items is a joy. L Wed.-Sun., D daily. $$$

Greektown

SAMOS Greek. 600 Oldham St., 410-675-5292. Don’t be put off by the line of people waiting for a seat at this cozy restaurant, which doesn’t accept reservations. The Old World food, from the tzatziki appetizer and Greek salad (of course) to the traditional souvlaki platter, is well worth the wait. L, D Mon.Sat. $$

Hampden/Clipper Mill

BIRROTECA Italian/Pizza. 1520 Clipper Rd., 443708-1934. Persevere to find this tucked-away spot in a beautifully restored mill house. The stone-fired pizzas and pastas are terrific. But you don’t want to miss the selection of tempting crudo, salumi, and cheeses either. D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$

DYLAN’S OYSTER CELLAR Seafood. 3601 Chestnut Ave., 443-759-6595. This intimate oyster bar offers some of the best shucks in the city. The simple menu is full of hits, from seasonal salads and crudo to nostalgic coddies to one of the best burgers in the city. Dylan’s is the kind of warm and inviting neighborhood spot that patrons travel to—even if they don’t live in the immediate environs. $$ D Tues.-Sun.

THE FOOD MARKET New American. 1017 W. 36th St., 410-366-0606. Chef/co-owner Chad Gauss showcases comfort cuisine. The Amish pretzels are a local legend. D daily, brunch Fri.-Sun. $$$

LA CUCHARA Basque. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., 443708-3838. Chef Ben Lefenfeld delivers a rotating menu inspired by the Basque region of France and

Home Is Where the Heart Is

BY JOHN FARLOW

Valentine’s Day has traditionally been a night out on the town for a romantic dinner or maybe a gathering of friends at a bar to laugh (or cry) over the year’s dating disasters. But it’s also wonderful to celebrate with the one you love at home. If you prefer cooking at home, here are three drinks to pair with three courses on the 14th.

Founders Rubaeus

Raspberry Ale

($13, 6-pack bottles, Legends)

Let’s get this meal started with a hearty salad——baby spinach, pecans, a little goat cheese, some sliced strawberries, and a drizzle of fruit vinaigrette. You’ll need something to stand up to the intense acidity of dressing, while also supporting the delicate fruit notes. Enter Rubaeus, a delightfully fruity ale from Founders Brewing Co. in Michigan. It’s rich enough to handle the dressing, fruity enough to support the berries, and at 5.7 percent ABV, it won’t leave you wishing you were at the end of the meal rather than the beginning.

San Valentino Lambrusco

Amabile “Bruscus” NV

($16, Kysela Pere et Fils)

Next up is a fresh pizza, whether you’ve made the dough yourself——or rolled out a fresh ball from the gourmet grocer. Add a smear of tomato sauce, some spicy Italian sausage, fresh basil leaves, and enough mozzarella to get the cheese bubbling and the crust crunchy. Pesto pizza with a balsamic drizzle is another good way to go. Either way, Lambrusco has you covered. This frothy, fruity, delicious wine from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region is a utility player packed with fruit notes and a jovial demeanor that plays well with all these flavors.

Xila Licor de Agave

($40, Free Run Wine Merchants)

This is a slightly smoky, mezcal-based Mexican liqueur that marries the mezcal culture of the Oaxaca region with the chiles of Puebla. The result is a wildly tasty and left-of-center liqueur that includes flavors of caramelized pineapple, lavender, ancho chiles, hibiscus, clove, cinnamon, and black pepper. It’s exotic, yet enticing, and a great match for anything with chocolate, especially dark chocolate mousse, and a wonderful way to end your meal.

FUN FACT: Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna became popular in America in the 1980s as yuppie culture latched on to the sweetest version of the wine. Lambrusco was shunned as a sweet throwaway.

In fact, Lambrusco comes in different levels of sweetness: secco (dry), amabile (off dry), and dolce (sweet). Secco wines are tart. Dolce wines offer dessert levels of sweetness. But Amabile wines walk a line that is just sweet enough to handle salty salumi and dry enough to carry pizzas and burgers.

TRENDING

HOW SWEET IT IS

A Columbia native lands a baking gig on Magnolia Network.

BY JANE MARION

BAKER AND FOOD INFLUENCER Elise Smith credits her late grandmother, the owner of a bake shop in Prince George’s County, for introducing her to baking. “My grandmother, Winnie, always smelled like butter,” says the Columbia native. “I have photos of her making wedding cakes—and I helped her with small tasks when I was as young as six or seven.”

For Smith, 32, baking is about way more than the finished product. “I learned from my grandmother that baking isn’t just about baking—it has the potential to be so much more. It can be a way of expressing grief or love. It can be a way to order your thoughts or provide sustenance. My grandmother used to get me to divulge all my secrets just by talking to me when we were in the kitchen—that’s when I learned how meaningful baking could be.”

After high school, Smith studied sign language at Gallaudet University, but she soon realized she was way more interested in baking. “I was supposed to be studying,” she says, “instead I was obsessed with this brownie recipe.”

Fast-forward to 2021. Smith—by then the owner of her own sweet shop, WinniE’s Bakery—was out walking her beloved pit bull, Sienna, when she realized that the vegan, gluten-free granola recipe she had posted to her Instagram stories was gaining traction. “By Sunday, my story had really blown up,” she says. “Thousands of people were looking at the story.”

One of the people who reached out was none other than design queen and Magnolia Network co-owner Joanna Gaines. “Once again, I was out walking my dog,” says Smith. “I screamed in the street, then I ran home and called my mother.” Smith wrote on her Instagram account, “I want to share this good news. You won’t believe who was all up in my story, Miss Joanna Stevens Gaines! I would like to bake with her one day.”

Twenty minutes later, Smith heard from Gaines through direct message. “She was like, ‘I’d like to bake with you.’” By November, Smith was on her way to Waco, Texas, where Gaines lives with her husband, Chip, her business partner (and co-star on the former HGTV show, Fixer-Uppers). Smith didn’t realize it at the time, but Gaines was auditioning her for hosting duties on a digital learning series for the Magnolia Network/Discovery+. “I made her my lemon lavender cake with honey mascarpone buttercream. I thought she was just indulging a fan on a whim,” she says, laughing.

A week later, Smith was offered her own six-part baking workshop as part of the Baked from Scratch series. (The show is airing now and streaming on the Magnolia Network app.) “I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity and to be living out part of one of my dreams,” Smith says. And what would Winnie say of her success? Says Smith, “She’d say, ‘I am so proud, but this is only the beginning.’”

BLOOD ORANGE TARTS WITH MERINGUE

Makes 12 tarts

Ingredients:

1 package frozen, unbaked pie dough

Directions: Allow the pie dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Butter or spray a 12-cup muffin pan. Set aside. Lightly dust a clean surface and rolling pin with flour. Gently roll out dough to even out the surface. Next, cut (12) 2”-2 1/2” rounds. Place rounds in pan. Prick holes in base. Bake according to package directions. Remove. Set on wire rack to cool.

BLOOD ORANGE CURD:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup blood orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

¾ cup granulated sugar

4 whole eggs

2 yolks

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

Directions: Create a double boiler by placing a medium-sized pot on low-medium heat. Fill 1/3 full of water. Bring to soft boil, then reduce heat to low. In a heat-safe bowl, add blood orange and lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs, and yolks. Whisk. Place bowl on simmering pot. (Make sure water in pot is not touching bottom of bowl.) Continue whisking mixture for 10 minutes. (Keep base mixture moving to distribute heat throughout. If base sits too long, the egg will cook at bottom of bowl.) After 10 minutes of whisking, add in cold pieces of butter, one tablespoon at a time until melted in base. Continue whisking for 5 minutes, then use a candy thermometer until mixture reaches 175 degrees F. Remove double boiler from heat. Pour out water. Return pot to low-medium heat. Add curd. Stir for five minutes until mixture thickens. Place a fine metal sieve over a clean bowl. Press mixture through to capture any cooked egg. Using a 1/4-cup scoop, pour curd base into tart cups while still warm. Cool at room temperature. Refrigerate.

MERINGUE

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: In a medium pot, whisk egg whites and sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved over medium heat. Using the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment (or hand mix), add egg mixture. Beat mixture on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for a minute. Using a spoon, apply to top of each tart.

Broil tarts for 10 to 20 seconds, until the tops are toasted. Remove and cool for 20 minutes.

THESE ARE THE PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY TREATS.

Spain in this revamped industrial space, which offers pintxos (bite-size tasting dishes) and small plates, as well as heartier entrees. D daily. $$

Harbor East

AZUMI Japanese. 725 Aliceanna St., 443-220-0477. Slick décor and lively house music make this trendy spot a must-try for Japanese fine dining. From colorful sushi rolls and rock shrimp to flashfried Sawagani crabs and A5 Wagyu beef, the inventive takes on classic Far East delicacies are plentiful. The menu also boasts a sizable sake collection, so be sure to order a bottle or two for the table. L Mon.-Sat., D daily. $$$$

THE BYGONE. Nouvelle Cuisine. 400 International Dr., 443-343-8200. You’re in for a luxe experience when you head to The Bygone on the tippy-top 29th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. Bygone is truly haute cuisine, with a nod to the nouvelle cuisine of the ’60s. On the menu you'll find vintage dishes like duck flambé and baked Alaska. Go at sunset and enjoy a classic Old-Fashioned and a panoramic view of Baltimore. B, L, D Daily. Sunday brunch. $$$$

CHARLESTON Low Country. 1000 Lancaster St., 410-332-7373. This award-winning restaurant keeps the accolades coming under the careful guidance of James Beard Award-nominated chef/coowner Cindy Wolf. The multi-course tasting menu, paired with wines if you like, features stellar preparations of seasonal foods. The conscientious service is legendary. D Mon.-Sat. $$$$

CINGHIALE Italian. 822 Lancaster St., 410-5478282. Part of the Foreman Wolf group, this restaurant takes its signature cuisine seriously. Pastas are made in-house, the salumi are carefully selected, and the ingredients are top-notch. Executive chef James Lewandowski delivers exquisite fare whether you opt for the more casual enoteca (wine bar) or the osteria (dining room). D daily. $$$$

KEYSTONE KORNER New American. 1350 Lancaster St., 410-946-6726. Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier oversees an inventive menu of upscale favorites at this jazz/supper club. Fish tacos and deviled eggs with beet-pickled quail hit the high notes. D daily. $$$

LEBANESE TAVERNA Lebanese. 719 S. President St., 410-244-5533. Sure, you can order entrees, but choosing from the staggering selection of mezes (small plates) is the way to go from pungent

ONLINE DINING GUIDE

cheeses and briny capers to smoky grilled vegetables and meats. L, D daily. $$

OUZO BAY Greek. 1000 Lancaster St., 443-7085818. It’s worth going here just for the gorgeous interior and the big-time people-watching. The fact that the food (do try the charcoal-grilled whole fish) is superb, is icing on the cake. L, D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$$

Inner Harbor

THE CAPITAL GRILLE Steakhouse. 500 E. Pratt St., 443-703-4064. The well-appointed, luxurious dining room suits the thick, dry-aged-in-house beef, impeccable seafood, massive side dishes, and deeply rich desserts. L Mon.-Fri., D daily. Brunch Sun. $$$$

Little Italy

CAFÉ GIA Italian. 410 S. High St., 410-685-6727. This charming family ristorante with colorful murals inside and out delivers homey, hearty Sicilian cuisine. The atmosphere is gracious, unpretentious, and friendly. L Mon.-Sat., D daily. $$

LA SCALA Italian. 1012 Eastern Ave., 410-783-9209. This longtime favorite, with its own indoor bocce ball court, is one of a kind. Owner/executive chef Nino Germano delivers standout dishes like the grilled Caesar salad and spaghetti con funghi. L Sun., D daily. $$$$

SABATINO’S Italian. 901 Fawn St., 410-727-2667. This Little Italy mainstay takes a no-strings-attached approach to its old-school Boot Country dishes. The delicacies range from generous portions of gnocchi, fettuccine, and lasagna to its claim-tofame Bookmaker Salad, topped with shrimp and a house dressing. L, D daily. $$$

Locust Point

1157 BAR + KITCHEN Bar Fare. 1157 Haubert St., 443-449-5525. This microsize neighborhood spot from chef/owner Jason Ambrose encourages sharing, with standout small plates. Korean fried chicken wings are a must, as is a selection of craft beer and cocktails. D daily. $$$

LIMONCELLO ITALIAN RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR Upscale Italian. 900 East Fort Ave., 443-708-1540. This Italian hotspot in Locust Point wows with its Amalfi Coast-inspired seafood dishes (think headon shrimp, delicious calamari, and octopus) and fantastic homemade pasta dishes. Uber there and

For a complete list of area restaurants that you can search by cuisine, location, price, and more, visit baltimoremagazine.com/restaurants.

think about ordering a flight of limoncello. L, D daily. $$

Mount Vernon

THE BREWER’S ART New American. 1106 N. Charles St., 410-547-6925. As the name suggests, you’ll find some sophisticated homebrews here. But that’s just part of the restaurant’s attraction. The fare matches the ales, whether you’re seated in the bar or the dining room. D daily. $$$$

DOOBY’S Korean. 802 N. Charles St., 410-609-3162. Modern white chandeliers and wooden communal tables abound at this one-of-a-kind coffee shop. The menu offers Korean-inspired fare such as pan-fried dumplings, steamed pork buns, and build-your-own bowls. B, L daily, D Mon.-Sat., brunch. $$

THE HELMAND Afghan. 806 N. Charles St., 410-7520311. This long-standing Baltimore wonder has introduced scores of diners to the joys of Afghani cuisine, from the kaddo borwani (baked pumpkin in yogurt-garlic sauce) to the aromatic ice cream. Shockingly reasonable prices are a treat. D daily. $

MAGDALENA, A MARYLAND BISTRO International.

205 E. Biddle St., 410-514-0303. This fine-dining den inside The Ivy Hotel emphasizes Chesapeake cuisine based on seasonal availability. Enjoy entrees in one of several dining areas, including the Garden Room, which overlooks The Ivy’s picturesque courtyard. D Tues.-Sat. $$$$

THE PRIME RIB Steakhouse. Horizon House, 1101 N. Calvert St., 410-539-1804. The restaurant is worth the splurge when you’re in a celebratory mood and even if you’re not. With its leopard-print carpets and baby grand, this is the perfect place to get your swank on. D daily. $$$$

RESTAURANTE TIO PEPE Spanish. 10 E. Franklin St., 410-539-4675. This Baltimore classic continues its legacy, with white-washed, subterranean dining rooms, pitchers of fine sangria, and an unwavering menu that never disappoints. Even the waiters seem to have been there forever. L Mon.Fri., D daily. $$$$

SOTTO SOPRA Italian. 405 N. Charles St., 410-6250534. The regal dining room, with stately murals and expansive mirrors, sets the stage for the gratifying Italian food. The servers are charming, too. And the monthly multi-course opera dinners are always fun. L, D. $$$$

TRINACRIA FOODS Italian. 406 N. Paca St., 410685-7285. Affordable deli fare shines on a menu full of old-school Italian staples. Pre-made lasagnas, imported canned tomatoes, dried pastas, and house-made baked goods are also available to-go. B, L, D daily. $

Mt. Washington

THE CORNER PANTRY Light Fare. 6080 Falls Road, 667-308-2331. Chef Neill Howell showcases his British heritage with a wide variety of light fare, including house-made baked goods and sandwiches. A buffet-style cold bar boasts a spread of grab-and-go options if you’re in a hurry. B, L, D Mon.-Fri., brunch Sat. $$

THE MT. WASHINGTON TAVERN Bar Fare. 5700 Newbury St., 410-367-6903. Crab dip and slowroasted Buffalo wings often take precedence at the bar on game days, but this neighborhood haunt also boasts a menu full of elegant entrees fit for any occasion. Sip cocktails in the top-floor sky bar during warmer months. L, D daily. $$$

Remington

CLAVEL Mexican. 225 W. 23rd St., 443-9008983. Inspired by owner Lane Harlan’s beloved Oaxaca, Mexico, Clavel emphasizes zesty ceviches, affordable tacos on handmade tortillas, and an exhaustive list of mezcals. D Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$

Roland Park

JOHNNY’S New American. 4800 Roland Ave., 410-773-0777. Stop in this Foreman Wolf restaurant to get a little taste of the Chesapeake by way of Roland Park. Open for lunch and dinner, Johnny’s offers everything from fried oysters to grilled hanger steak. L Mon.-Fri., D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$

MISS SHIRLEY’S CAFE Southern. Several locations including 513 W. Cold Spring Ln., 410-889-5272. At Miss Shirley’s, it’s perfectly acceptable to order a basket of sweet potato and russet shoestring fries as an appetizer. The tempting menu also lists chicken and waffles and coconut creamfilled French toast. B, L daily. $$

PETIT LOUIS BISTRO French. 4800 Roland Ave., 410-366-9393. You can count on exemplary service and superior French bistro fare (onion soup, whole roasted chicken) at this Roland Park charmer. The cozy dining room is noisy but friendly. L Tues.-Fri., D daily, brunch Sun. $$$

Station North

ALMA COCINA LATINA Venezuelan. 1701 N. Charles St., 667-212-4273. Caracas-born restaurateur Irena Stein takes diners on a journey to her home country with offerings like arepas, empanadas, and ceviches, all against a backdrop of lush greenery. D Mon.-Sat. $$$$

JOE SQUARED Italian/Pizza. 33 W. North Ave., 410-545-0444. The square-shaped pizzas would be nothing more than a clever gimmick if they

weren’t so darn good, with plentiful toppings piled on top of a charred crust. The creative risottos are excellent. L, D daily. $$

LE COMPTOIR DU VIN Natural Wine Bar. 1729 Maryland Ave., 443-297-7384. Ever since its opening in 2019, we’ve been saying what now everyone knows, including Bon Appétit, which recently named this Station North spot a Best New Restaurant: Le Comptoir is truly special. Look for a concise menu of French-inspired favorites like chicken liver, the signature lentil dish with labneh, and a killer pork pâté. D Tues.-Sat. $$

TAPAS TEATRO Small Plates. 1711 N. Charles St., 410-332-0110. As its name suggests, mini Spanish dishes meant for sharing take precedence at this artsy eatery equipped with brick archways and a marble-top bar. D Tues.-Sun. $$

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Brooklandville

THE VALLEY INN New American. 10501 Falls Rd., 410-828-0002. The jockey-themed décor of this historic building reflects its reputation as a hangout for the Greenspring horse-riding elite. Featured menu items cater to any level of hunger, and the crab soup is stellar. L, D daily. $$

Catonsville

CATONSVILLE GOURMET Seafood. 829 Frederick Rd., 410-788-0005. The dining rooms have a seasidecottagey feel, which makes perfect sense in a restaurant that serves some of the freshest seafood in town. There are also meat dishes on the menu for landlubbers. L, D daily. $$

Cockeysville

PAPPAS RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR. Seafood. 550 Cranbrook Rd. 410-666-0030. This decadesold, family-owned, Cockeysville crab joint features killer (little-filler) crab cakes that are a local legend. The restaurant serves more than 40,000 crab cakes a month. And it’s no wonder why—in 2015, they received the ultimate imprimatur from Oprah, who deemed them a “favorite thing.” But the menu features other can’t miss gems, as well, from Chesapeake fried oysters to local rockfish. That said, if you live out of state, and you’re still thinking about those crab cakes, Pappas ships nationwide. L, D daily. $$

Hunt Valley

THE OREGON GRILLE Steakhouse. 1201 Shawan Road, 410-771-0505. This elegant restaurant fits the scene with its displays of burnished saddlery and a trove of Maryland memorabilia. The clubby feel extends to the menu, with oysters Rockefeller, beef tenderloin, and New York cheesecake. L, D daily, brunch Sun. $$$

Lutherville/Timonium

BLUESTONE SEAFOOD American. 11 W. Aylesbury Rd., 410-561-1100. With its multiple rooms and rambling space, this brick hulk of a restaurant features all kinds of fish, an outstanding cioppino, and, oh, those crab cakes. L, D daily. $$$

CUVINO TRATTORIA Italian. 31 E. Padonia Rd., 410853-7484. This homey Italian haunt serves classics like spaghetti carbonara, eggplant parmigiana, and veal piccata. L Mon.-Sat., D daily. $$$

LIBERATORE’S RISTORANTE Italian. 9515 Deereco Rd., 410-561-3300. Don’t be fooled by its location in an industrial park. Inside the restaurant, you’ll find a lovely Tuscan setting, where you can enjoy traditional favorites such as veal saltimbocca and shrimp fra diavolo. L Mon.-Sat., D daily. $$$

STONE MILL BAKERY New American. 10751 Falls Rd., 410-821-1358. Husband-and-wife owners Alfie and Dana Himmelrich present this neighborhood cafe that highlights their scratch-made breads, baked goods, soups, salads, and sandwiches. Always order the lemon squares. B, L, D Mon.-Sat. $$

Monkton

MANOR TAVERN New American. 15819 Old York Road, 410-771-8155. The owners have infused new life into the quaint, pre-Colonial stone-houseturned-restaurant. It’s now a place that grows its own vegetables and sources its meats and dairy products from local farmers. L, D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

Owings Mills

LINWOODS New American. 25 Crossroads Dr., 410356-3030. Chef/co-owner Linwood Dame’s high standards for well-prepared food and stellar service haven’t fallen by the wayside after 30 years. You’ll feel pampered, whether you’re tucking into a crab cake, a wood-fired pizza, or house-made pasta. L Mon.-Fri., D daily. $$$

Pikesville

CITRON New American. 2605 Quarry Lake Drive, 410-363-0900. Veteran caterer Charles Levine presents this fine-dining den, featuring sophisticated plates, dressy dining rooms, and al fresco seating overlooking Quarry Lake. L Tues.-Fri., D daily, brunch Sun. $$$

Towson

THB BAGELS & DELI Cafe. Multiple locations including 16 Allegheny Ave., 410-337-0006. This nearly 20-year-old neighborhood bagelry is a routine destination for hungover college kids, moms, and basically anyone who likes a good bagel with schmear. B L daily. $

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

Annapolis

PRESERVE New American. 164 Main St., 443598-6920. As its name suggests, this farm-totable gem makes use of pickled and fermented ingredients, listing dishes like sauerkraut cakes and gnocchi with kimchi broth. L Tues.-Fri., D Tues.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

VIN 909 New American. 909 Bay Ridge Ave., 410-990-1846. Brick-oven pizzas paired with international wines are the highlight of chef Justin Moore’s seasonally inspired menu at this Eastport restaurant. L Wed.-Sat., D Tues.-Sun. $$

Glen Burnie

ARTURO’S TRATTORIA Italian. 1660 Crain Hwy. South, Glen Burnie, 410-761-1500. Beautifully plated Italian cuisine arrives at this trattoria’s tables. Classic pastas pappardelle, linguine, and the like as well as chicken and veal entrees, are plentiful. L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat. $$

CARROLL COUNTY

Taneytown

ANTRIM 1844 COUNTRY INN New American. 30 Trevanion Rd., 410-756-6812. A stone’s throw from Gettysburg, the inn’s restaurant is the very definition of a civilized experience. The whole affair begins in the parlor with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Classics like filet mignon in bordelaise are the main event. D daily. $$$$

HOWARD COUNTY Columbia

THE IRON BRIDGE WINE COMPANY New American. 10435 State Route 108, 410-997-3456. This neighborhood wine bar has become a destination for oenophiles and foodies alike with its soothing lighting and delightful menu. L Mon.-Sat., D daily, brunch Sun. $$$

ROYAL TAJ Indian. 8335 Benson Dr., 410-3811111. Feast on fare fit for royalty in the elegant dining room. A lunch buffet is offered daily, and dinner dishes include chicken mango curry, lamb chili, and lobster vindaloo. L, D daily. $$

VICTORIA GASTRO PUB Bar Fare. 8201 Snowden River Pkwy., 410-750-1880. This spot seduces diners with pub-style comfort dishes. Burgers get top billing. An extensive beer and wine list is also a draw. L, D daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

COMING IN MARCH

ON NEWSSTANDS 2/24

CRUNCH QUEEN

Meet Baltimore’s Michele Tsucalas, the owner of Michele’s Granola, and find out how she built a simple home recipe into a national obsession.

FAMILIAR FACES

Some restaurant hosts and waiters have worked at the same establishment for years, creating a sense of continuity and familiarity with their customers. We catch up with a few of your faves.

MARBLE MEMORIES

Our writer reminisces about a time when marble steps were a status symbol in Baltimore and people meticulously cleaned them with, yes, a toothbrush.

BEST RESTAURANTS

From neighborhood newbies to fine-dining stalwarts, the culinary scene is back in full swing–and stronger than ever. Here are the 50 best.

WALL FLOWERS

We Understand the Power of a Great Story.

A muralist makes a splash in her Roland Park home. SEE OUR WORK:

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LONESOME DEATH

Fifty-one-year-old Hattie Carroll typically worked as a server and bartender at the Emerson Hotel during special functions such as the annual Spinsters’ Ball, a charity affair benefiting the Baltimore League for Crippled Children and Adults. (The gala’s name was intended as tongue-in-cheek, referring to debutantes who remained unmarried at 25.) On Feb. 8, 1963, William “Billy” Zantzinger, a 24-year-old tobacco farm owner from southern Maryland, and his wife began their evening with a pre-ball dinner and cocktails at the swanky Eager House.

The couple arrived elegantly dressed to the 10 p.m. gala. He wore a top hat, white tie and tails, and a carnation in his lapel, and carried a “toy” cane, which he’d picked up at a carnival. He was boisterous and rudely drunk, elbowing his way through the two-and-three deep crowd at the Emerson Hotel bar. According to the grand jury testimony of a waitress working alongside Hattie Carroll, he came in hollering, “I just flew in from Texas. Give me a drink!” Zantzinger ordered a bourbon and ginger ale, returned, and demanded a second drink, then another. He banged his cane on the bar, repeatedly whacked a waitress on her backside, and generally abused the staff as he continued drinking, at one point falling on the dance floor with his wife, who was also intoxicated.

Sometime after midnight, the six-foot-two, 220-pound Zantzinger returned to the bar once again. He hurled racist slurs and ordered Carroll to fix him another drink. The church-going, married mother of 11, and grandmother of nine, replied, “Just a minute, sir,” which was not what Zantzinger was used to hearing on his 600-acre Charles County farm. He struck Carroll with a hard blow of his cane between her neck and shoulder. “Why are you so slow, you Black bitch?” he shouted. She struggled to remain on her feet and leaned heavily against the barmaid next to her. Moments later, she told the barmaid and another co-worker, “I feel deathly ill, that man has upset me so.” They helped her to the kitchen, where her speech became garbled and her arm went numb. She collapsed.

Hattie Carroll was pronounced dead of a brain hemorrhage at 9:15 a.m. the following Saturday morning at Mercy Hospital. Her autopsy revealed hardened arteries and high blood pressure. The reaction to her death was bitter and swift in the Black community. “I was so angry, I was ready to kill that man myself, that’s how visceral my response was,” recalls Avon Bellamy Sr., then a Morgan State student and later a city and state administrator, his voice rising at the memory. “She was doing what Black women did to get by—work

as a domestic in white people’s homes, work in a hotel or a restaurant serving white people. She was as good a citizen as anyone could be. She could’ve been any of our aunts or mothers.”

At Gillis Memorial Church, where Carroll sung in the choir, the Afro-American estimated 1,600 mourners turned out for her Valentine’s Day memorial service.

Zantzinger was charged with homicide, but that was reduced to manslaughter when the defense argued her health was a mitigating factor. Carroll’s death and Zantzinger’s controversial trial, which was moved to Hagerstown, a friendlier jurisdiction for the defendant, became a flashpoint in Baltimore. “It galvanized people, in terms of toppling the white power structure,” says Real News journalist Marc Steiner, a 17-yearold activist at the time. Hattie Carroll’s death and Zantzinger’s trial also made national headlines. Bob Dylan, who had written “The Death of Emmett Till” in 1962, penned “Only a Pawn in Their Game” immediately after the murder of Mississippi civil rights activist Medgar Evers in the summer of 1963—a few months after Carroll’s death. Reading about Carroll’s death during Zantzinger’s trial, the folk singer wrote “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll,” which many critics believe to be among his very best songs. (Dylan seems to agree, he still performs it.) He took a few artistic liberties, including removing the “t” from Zantzinger, but Dylan referred to it as a “true story . . . taken out of the newspapers.”

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll

With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger

At a Baltimore hotel society gath’rin’

On Aug. 28, 1963, the same day Zantzinger was sentenced to just six months in jail—and granted a release to help with that fall’s harvest—Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led 250,000 marchers to the nation’s capital in what The New York Times called “the greatest assembly for the redress of grievances that this capital has ever seen.” He gave his “I Have a Dream” speech that afternoon in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

“What I can’t believe, what befuddles me, is where we are today,” says Bellamy, highlighting the innocent deaths of Sonia Bland and Armaud Arbery, among others, as examples of ongoing racism. “When is it going to get better? I was 21 when Hattie Carroll was killed. I’m 81 now.”