#bcswws

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Where We Stand

As Where We Stand considers what it looks like to better our community, we can’t help but think of Baltimore, and in particular, that time in 2015 when the city rose up in solidarity for Freddie Gray. Jam out to this beautiful and hopeful protest song about the uprising, written by absolute icon Prince.

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The Good Place | Netflix

Due to an error, self-absorbed Eleanor Shellstrop arrives at the Good Place after her death. Determined to stay, she tries to become a better person.

Where We Stand

This seems random, but hear us out... This popular sitcom spins complex philosophical lessons into 30-minute episodes, following a group of humans navigating the afterlife as they ultimately ask the question “what do we owe to each other”? It is that same question that lives at the heart of Donnetta Lavinia Grays’ play Where We Stand. While you’re stuck at home, watch her play then binge this show and consider our individual responsibilities as members of larger communities.

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Baltimore’s bus benches are simple, utilitarian things: just two molded concrete end-pieces and seven wooden planks that you wouldn’t think much of were it not for the slogan embossed on the slats of the backrest: “Baltimore: The Greatest City in America.” [...]

Where We Stand

Freddie Gray’s death threw our definitions of community and accountability in Baltimore into question. Along with Where We Stand’s reflections on community, read these responses from a range of Baltimore authors. 

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Where We Stand

Grays’ play poses questions around mercy and forgiveness. How do we hold people accountable for their actions while rejecting tools of violence and moving towards collective liberation? This article from adrienne maree brown offers a framework of transformative justice.

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Where We Stand

Where We Stand asks us to consider what community means to us. This documentary, Baltimore Rising, follows activists, police officers, community leaders and gang affiliates, who struggle to hold this Baltimore community together, especially after the 2015 uprising.

Stream the whole thing here: https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/baltimore-rising

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"The Tragedy of Baltimore": Did the NY Times Get It Right?

Two weeks ago, an article appeared in the New York Times Magazine called “The Tragedy of Baltimore: How an American City Falls Apart.” It was written by

Where We Stand

After you read the NYTimes article, check out this radio piece. How are we valuing the soul of our town? What about what Baltimore gets right? Continue the conversation.

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The Tragedy of Baltimore

Since Freddie Gray’s death in 2015, violent crime has spiked to levels unseen for a quarter century. Inside the crackup of an American city.

Where We Stand

This city has gone through a lot in recent years. But is it fair to consider it a tragedy? Does it need to be “fixed,” like the Man’s town in Where We Stand? Read this New York Times article about the challenges that this community is facing and the various forces that have kept it down. 

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It's easy to talk about what's wrong in Baltimore. The challenge is to talk about what's next. Wes Moore takes on the challenge, with WYPR's Future City.In each episode, Wes looks at bright ideas that are working in other cities. And he asks the question: Can those ideas work for Baltimore?

Where We Stand

In the play, the Man tries to better his community, transforming his town from a “used-to-be” to a “still-could-be.” How can we think about bettering Baltimore? In this radio show, Wes Moore explores ideas for Baltimore’s future.