May 2019 - Page 7 of 7 - The Archive Site for The Baltimore Times

It’s Murder She Wrote, Not Marijuana

“It’s counterproductive for us to continue to pursue and prosecute marijuana cases when we have the level of violence that is plaguing our communities, when we have homicide clearance rates that we still have to tackle,” was the response of Baltimore City States Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, to the ruling of judges from Baltimore’s District and Circuit courts denying her request to dismiss 4790 pot convictions.

Last Friday, Judges, W. Michel Pierson of the Circuit Court and Kathleen Sweeney of District Court denied the request Mosby made last January. The 1000 cases pending in Circuit Court and 3790 before the District Court were rejected out-of-hand by the jurists without allowing Mosby’s office to defend or refute the court’s decisions.

Judge Sweeney’s comments had a strident tone, bordering on personal: “Now, this same State’s Attorney claims that drug enforcement in Baltimore City, presumably her own efforts, have had a disparate impact on African-Americans,” Sweeney opined, referring to reports that Mosby’s policy immediately after assuming office was to crackdown on street drug sales in West Baltimore.

The judge further stated: “With 3,778 opportunities, the State fails to identify any actual single consequence suffered by any of these individuals,” noting that these same people would be eligible to possibly have their convictions expunged from their records by other means.

The City States Attorney has several valid arguments that refute Judge Sweeney’s claims. First, the issue of whether or not drug enforcement by Baltimore police has a ‘disparate impact on African Americans.’ It has been widely reported that despite former Governor Martin O’Malley’s decriminalization of Cannabis in 2014, the police department— not Mosby’s office— stepped-up arrests significantly.

Cannabis citations in Baltimore went from 44 in 2015 to 200 in 2016 to 544 in 2017. In 2017, according to FBI data, all but 18 of the 544 suspects arrested for Marijuana were African American— 96.7 percent, even though usage by African Americans and Caucasians has been determined to be essentially the same. The arrest results reflect the policy of Baltimore police to concentrate their enforcement in communities of color as substantiated by the Department of Justice’s 2015 investigation, which resulted in a consent decree.

Next, Judge Sweeney incredulously asserts that ‘the State fails to identify any actual single consequence suffered by any of these individuals.’ This position ignores the legitimate reason Mosby offered regarding how pot convictions inhibit citizen’s employment prospects.

This stigma is so pervasive that the city passed “ban the box” legislation restricting private employers from inquiring into criminal history of job applicants. Recognizing that three Baltimoreans are being arrested every two days on Marijuana charges, Marilyn Mosby was spot on in her request to the courts.

The City States Attorney’s most cogent explanation, which any Baltimore municipal judge should recognize and support, is the necessity to redirect resources from an activity which is on its way to becoming completely legal in the United States to address murder and other violent crime. Consider the homicide clearance rate that Mosby warns about:

The homicide clearance rate in 2018 was 43.4 percent, with 309 murders committed— meaning 175 killings went unsolved. In 2017, 51.3 percent versus 343 murders, 167 unsolved; 2016, 38.7 percent versus 318 murders, 195 unsolved; 2015, 30 percent versus 344 murders, 241 unsolved. In other words, Marilyn Mosby is sounding the alarm that there are as many as 778 murderers walking the streets of Baltimore and every resource, human and monetary, must be marshaled to solve these murders and protect citizens.

Keeping Your Sanity: Getting Started in the Music Business, Part IV

As most of us may already know, crafting and mastering a skill takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. Over three different periods in my life, I have had the opportunity to delve into the book “Outliers,” written by author Malcolm Gladwell. In this book, I read about the theory of the “10,000-Hour Rule,” which has stuck with me since I was 10 years old. Gladwell writes that if you practice a craft for 20 hours a week over a time span of 10 years, you will become a master at that skill.

However, I have come to realize that you don’t always have to be on task to be on task. In Part IV of this series, I want to focus on how using other mediums of art can influence, inspire and enhance whatever your current art form may be. By that I mean I don’t always have to use music as my only resource to becoming a better musician. My father has always told me, “You don’t have to eat hair to grow hair.”

Having several visual artists in my circle, I’ve have been able to engage in many conversations in relation to the use of light— lighting in photography, film and even paintings. The trend that seemed to be consistent in these conversations was how one can convey a mood or message by the choice of lighting. Being a musician, I obviously don’t use light as a tool for setting the mood in a song but I have started to mold my sound by specific choice of timbre, tone and color in my voice. I am no longer just singing to “sound good,” I am now creating a more dense and complex sound, styled more dynamically than before.

Muammar Muhammad, a guitarist with a hub based in Baltimore has performed in New York, San Francisco, Florida, Denver and Chicago over these last few months. I caught up with him recently to ask if and how he uses other mediums of art to influence or propel his music.

“As a musician, my ultimate goal is to venture into world music. As the name implies, I wanna subject myself to various cultures and traditions around the world centered around music, Muhammad said. “I am a huge anime fan, and if it’s one thing I learned from anime, it would be the way their culture is always on front display. I learned about Japanese religion, their political system, their educational system, the food, their entertainment, and of course their music. A lot of the music played throughout anime is heavily western-based with heavy rock instrumentation. Not only that, but they also combine western music with their own traditional music to fuse what is known as J-pop or J-rock. I have been watching and listening to anime and the various soundtracks from them for well over a decade. It’s safe to say that it has been a major influence in the way that I create my own music.”

This exposure to other forms of art isn’t just important to musicians. I had an opportunity to catch up m.ello, a talented poet on tour in St. Petersburg, Florida, a few months ago. I asked her a very similar question to the one I asked Muhammad because I wanted to know how other art forms influenced her. This is what she had to say about the way music influences her poetry.

“Poetry and music are both about feeling something— anything. When I write, I write out of that internal movement, that same heavy feeling of a song, starting low, then ending with crescendo. There have been times where I hear the same chorus over and over in my head and I start singing it low in the kitchen, for example. Those words become a thread that finds it’s way gently from my heart, winding through my arms until it reaches the tips of my fingertips, electric. This is where I find a pen. This is where I scribble the lines until it becomes different, the shadow of a song. My heart, the generator will take the notes and flip them into poetry.”

So artists out there, the next time you see a movie, check out a painting or listen to song, do it with a purpose.

Follow Muammar Muhammad on Instagram @mim0630 and m.ello @by_m.ello

In the meantime… Stay Virtuous. Stay Idealistic. Stay Progressive. To contact Imani Wj Wright, email: iwright@btimes.com

Mack ‘Papi’ Allison IV Continues On Road To Boxing Greatness

When Mack Allison IV next steps inside the boxing ring at the Waldorf Cultural Center on Saturday, May 4, 201, the 21-year-old Baltimore lightweight hopes he’ll emerge with another victory that pushes him closer to a world title bout.

Known as “Papi,” the scheduled match will be the 13th of Allison’s young career, one that has been heavily influenced by his father, Baltimore legend Mack Allison III.

“My dad was the reason I started boxing,” Papi Allison said. “When I was four years old, I used to watch him work out and hit the bag, and it was love at first sight.”

With a professional record of nine wins, two defeats and one draw, Allison is seeking to solidify his reputation as a budding contender.

Fighting since the age of five, Allison finished his 121-fight amateur career with a 94-21 record and 15 amateur titles. Under the tutelage of his famous father and trainer Dave Sewell— both of whom are boxing hall of famers— Allison has also won numerous Golden Glove championships.

He made his pro debut on July 16, 2016 and quickly became the busiest first year fighter in the sport. He made history by jumping out to a 4-0 record within his first 21 days in the ring. Allison also earned the United States Boxing Union championship as a featherweight and he won the 2016 Rookie of the Year in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area.

Courtesy Photo

“My goal is to become the undisputed World Champion, a legend, and to be able to help the most people I can,” Allison said.

To that end, it only takes the opposition to further amp up the young gladiator.

“When I enter the ring, I know the person across from me is trying to keep me away from conquering my goals,” Allison said. “Any fighter can become successful by using his tools correctly and by listening to his corner.”

His corner, of course, is manned by his father who has guided so many at the Time 2 Grind Boxing Gym in East Baltimore. That’s where Allison III is referred to as “Coach Mack,” and where he has trained many Baltimoreans who also aspire to greatness in and outside of the ring.

Earlier, Allison III told The Baltimore Times that his main goal is to teach the value of having high self-esteem.

“I want them to be able to hold their heads up and say that they’re special and that they can achieve whatever it is they want to,” Allison III said, who can rest assured that his son is paying close attention to his every word.

“My coaches— my dad and Dave Sewell— know a lot about fighting. I pay attention to all their techniques and skills they show me because I know they’re valid,” Papi Allison said. “They both have a lot of experience in fighting, so I know they won’t steer me wrong. My manager James Hogan also teaches me a lot. He has a lot of experience with boxing too.”

Like his dad, Allison possesses a passion for helping others. He also offers sage advice:

“The advice I give young ones is that nothing in life is easy, especially the goals you want to accomplish. You can do it, just stay focused, and don’t quit no matter what,” he said.

Morgan Names New Dean For School Of Education And Urban Studies

Morgan State University (MSU) President David Wilson has named Glenda M. Prime, Ph.D. as the new dean for the School of Education and Urban Studies (SEUS).

The appointment comes following the retirement of the school’s long-serving dean, Patricia L. Welch, Ph.D. and upon the recommendation of the Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Anna McPhatter, Ph.D., after an extensive national search.

Dr. Prime, who most recently served as a full professor at Morgan and the chair of the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy, has been with the University since 1999. During her tenure at Morgan, she served in numerous professorial and administrative capacities, including as an associate professor and coordinator of Graduate Programs in Mathematics and Science Education (1999 to 2008) and as acting chair of the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy until assuming the position permanently in 2009.

“When we embarked on a national search to replace someone as renowned as former Dean Patricia Welch, I knew that we had our work cut out for us. However, sometimes the best person for the job is already working for you and on this occasion that person was Dr. Glenda Prime,” said President David Wilson. “Dr. Prime not only brings to the role of dean a wealth of experience and an intimate knowledge of what makes the School of Education and Urban Studies great, but also the respect of her peers and a shared vision for where the school should go in order to prepare the students of tomorrow.”

“Urban learners within the K-20 spectrum face a myriad of challenges—some old, some new— that demand bold and innovative approaches to teacher preparation, research that seeks answers to some of the most persistent problems of outcomes disparity, and the formation of effective partnerships between higher education and the K-12 sector,” said Dean Prime. “I am committed to unlocking the full potential of the faculty, staff and students of the School of Education and Urban Studies in the pursuit of these goals.”

The School of Education and Urban Studie sis comprised of three departments: Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy; Teacher Education and Professional Development; and Family and Consumer Sciences. The school has an enrollment of more than 1000 students in a total of 12 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and currently produces the largest number of doctoral degrees of any other department in the university. The school’s mission is to prepare a culturally and ethnically diverse student body to serve with distinction in the field of education and urban studies. SEUS graduates hold prominent positions in education in the state and across the nation, including community college presidents, university faculty and school administrators and classroom teachers.

For more information about Morgan State University, visit: www.morgan.edu.

Rambling Rose: A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That!

Hello everyone, I hope everything is well with you. There is so much going on in Baltimore for the next couple of weeks, so I’m just going to get started right away. I am going to warn you that you are going to need plenty of gas in your car. First, check out the pictures on my page and mark the dates of the events on your calendar.

I want to send out my deepest condolences to the Orange family for the loss of their loved one— Rodney Orange Jr. passed away last week.

Calendar of Events:

*The Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society concludes its 2019 season with a concert with the Christian Sands Trio on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Art located 10 Art Museum Drive, in Baltimore.

*Caton Castle presents the Dennis Chambers Band with Eddie Baccus Jr. & Craig Alston, a tribute to Stevie Wonder & Donny Hathaway on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 6 to 10 p.m. at 20 S. Caton Avenue in Baltimore.

*The Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio with Liberty Ellman on acoustic guitar, Jamie Fox on electric guitar and Stephan Crump on bass on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 7 p.m.; Rhizome D.C. presented by Transparent Productions, 6950 Maple Street NW in Washington D.C.

*Dance Baltimore presents “Ageless Grace” featuring former and current professional recreational dancers on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 4 p.m. at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. Check it out at: www.freativealliance.org.

*Charm City Tourism Awards Banquet & Fundraiser hosted by the African American Tourism Council will be held at the Forum Caterers, 4210 Primrose Avenue from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 2019. For more information, call Louis Fields at 443-983-7974.

*Moon Man Media Groups presents a “Pre-Mothers Day Show & Dance” on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Patapsco Arena located at 3301 Annapolis Road. Doors open at 5 p.m. featuring the Stylistics Review; Philly Intruders; The Ebonys; BADD; Jim Bennett; Lady YaYa; and Ten Karat Gold with Robert Shahid of WEAA 88.9 FM a emcee. For more information, call 443-857-2771.

Well, my friends, I am out of space and out of time. Enjoy your week, and remember if you need me call me at 410-833-9474 or email me at rosapryor@aol.com. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, I’M MUSICALLY YOURS.

Worldwide Gospel singer Hezekiah Walker will be performing at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charlestown, West Virginia on Friday, May 10, 2019 at 9 p.m. in the Event Center. For more information, call Emily at 410-986-1209 and tell her that “Rambling Rose” told you.

Dr. Louise Johnson, president of the Maryland Unified Licensees Beverage Association is hosting the Beer & Wine Liquor Expo Day Party on Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the 5thRegiment Amory. For more information, call Dr. Johnson at 410-925-4056.

Dr. Phil Butts 17 piece Big Band will perform at the Avenue Bakery, 2229 Pennsylvania Avenue in the Courtyard on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Baker Street on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. hosted by owner of Bakery, James Hamlin. It is free and open to the public. Bring your lawn chairs and come out and enjoy. Food and drinks are on sale.

The Baltimore Chapter of Bennett College Alumnae is hosting its Annual White Breakfast on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Pikesville. For more information, contact Kelly Cole Carter at 301-767-5295.

UV To Hold 1st Annual Pastor Sandra (Sandy) Johnson Theatrical Festival

As part of its 1st Annual Pastor Sandra (Sandy) Johnson Theatrical Festival, Unified Voices of Johns Hopkins (UV) will present Ursula V. Battle’s DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! The performances will take place Saturday, June 22, 2019 (2 p.m. & 7 p.m.); and Sunday, June 23, 2019 (5 p.m.) in Turner Auditorium, located in the Johns Hopkins Turner Building, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21205.

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DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! writer Ursula V. Battle and director Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch.

The gospel stage play is being directed by Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch (Theatrical), and Howard “Buddy” Lakins (Musical). Baltimore gospel singing trio Serenity will be performing in the production, which returns by popular demand.

The presentation is also part of UV’s 25th Anniversary Calendar of Events, which also includes the “25th Anniversary Concert” being held May 19, 2019. DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! is in loving tribute to the late Pastor Sandra (Sandy) Johnson, founder of Fresh Water Ministries, and a longtime member of UV. Johnson passed away on June 23, 2017. The beloved pastor was a member of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Pastoral Staff, and her many community outreach efforts included organizing Cease Fire marches in an effort to help stop violence.

“We are excited and honored to present The First Annual Sandy Johnson Theatrical Festival,” said Dr. Branch, who also serves as Executive Director of UV. “The Theater Festival is being presented in commemoration of UV’s 25th Anniversary and in memory of the late Rev. Sandy Johnson. Many knew her as a Women of The Cloth and a motivational speaker, but she was also a creative, talented, and inspirational singer and actress.”

He added, “The Festival also takes place during the time of Sandy’s birthday on August 11. We are asking everyone to come out and pay homage to this remarkable woman by supporting the Theatrical Festival and the Anniversary Concert, while also celebrating 25 years of UV’s great work of spreading hope, health, and healing through harmony at Hopkins. Through this presentation, people can expect to laugh, cry, and most of all, to be uplifted as Hopkins turns into the Hippodrome.”

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Dr. Branch and gospel group Serenity, who will be performing.

DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! is inclusive of soul-stirring singing, side-splitting comedy, gripping drama, and powerful ministry. The musical’s riveting storyline centers around the dramatic chain of events which follows the sudden death of The United in Victory Tabernacle on the Hill Freewill Baptist Catholic and Episcopal Church of God’s longtime musician, “Dr. William Nelson Madison, III”.

The production also touches on addiction – particularly the struggle of a youngster named “Junior Jacobs” who becomes addicted to crack cocaine after running with the wrong crowd. Through ministry and song, this production illustrates how we can overcome addiction. DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! features a powerful cadre of some of Baltimore’s most talented musicians, singers, actors, actresses, and other performers.

Ursula V. Battle’s “DisChord in The Choir” was last presented at Hopkins in 2015, and drew sell-out audiences and rave reviews. The reprised production – DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! returns with several original cast members along with many new faces and even more hilarious, unforgettable characters.

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Leonard Stepney, Jr. returns as the charismatic preacher “Pastor Wright Just”.

Founded in 1993, UV is a gospel choir that consists of a diverse group of individuals with different personalities, lifestyles, and backgrounds working together to bridge the gap between the medical institution and the historic East Baltimore community.

Dr. Branch has directed numerous productions including The Wiz and A Raisin in The Sun. He also serves as Director of Health and Human Services for Baltimore County. Playwright Ursula V. Battle is a journalist, Public Relations professional, and CEO of Battle Stage Plays.

DisChord in The Choir: Pitch Please! is the latest work by Battle to be presented by UV and directed by Dr. Branch. Other productions include Ursula V. Battle’s The Teachers’ Lounge, Serenity House: From Addiction to Deliverance, FOR BETTER OR WOR$E and My Big Phat Ghetto FABULE$$ Wedding.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. To purchase tickets or for more information call Unified Voices at (410) 955-8888, or visit www.unifiedvoices.com. You can also call Battle Stage Plays at (443) 531-4787 or visit www.battlestageplays.com.

What You Need To Know About Dog Bites

This article is part of the #STCPreventionMatters campaign from the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland. For more information about the campaign and the Center for Injury Prevention and Policy, visit www.umm.edu/PreventionMatters

Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the United States and they are the top choice of pets among children. In 2001, an estimated 68 million homes had a dog. Between 30-40 percent of households in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. own a dog.

Owning a dog can have many benefits. For children, it can help teach responsibility and encourage social development. For families, dogs can help provide a sense of security and companionship. Even more, service dogs help countless people with physical and emotional disabilities.

However, an estimated 4.7 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs every year. About 800,000 of them need medical treatment, and roughly 2,000 have to stay in a hospital overnight. Roughly 15 people every year are killed by dog bites. Bites most commonly affect the arm/hand (45.3 percent), leg/foot (25.8 percent), and head/neck (22.8 percent).

Even worse, over half of all people who are seriously injured are children between five and nine years old. Children are also the most likely to die following a dog-bite than any other age group.

Each year, these injuries result in $51 million in healthcare costs, and over $500 million in homeowner’s insurance claims.

What can we do to prevent these injuries?

The CDC recommends three ways to decrease the risk of dog bites:

•Owner and community education

•Animal control at the community level

•Dog bite reporting

For those interested in owning a dog, here are a few helpful tips:

•Ask a vet for advice before bringing a dog into the home

•Do not bring dogs with a history of aggression into a home with children

•Get to know the dog before you buy it

•If the child(ren) seem afraid of the dog, consider waiting a few months

before you buy it

•Spay/ neuter the dog (this will make it less aggressive and unable to have

babies)

•Do not “rough house” or wrestle with the dog

Like any animal, dogs will show certain warning signs when they feel like someone or something is going to hurt them.

Signs that should alert, that the dog maybe more likely to bite include:

•Growling

•Bearing its teeth

•Hair standing on end

•Laid back ears

•Lowered head

•Rigid posture on all fours

Children should be taught not to

approach an unfamiliar dog, and if threatened by one, not to make direct eye contact. Do not run and scream;

instead stand still “like a tree.” If attacked, they should curl into a ball, and lay “still as a log.”

In our experience at Shock Trauma, the worst injuries happen when an owner tries to break up a dogfight. No one should ever use their own body to break up a dog fight. Cases have

resulted in near amputation, disfigurement and even death. In one situation, a woman’s forearm bone was completely removed by the powerful grip of the dog bite, and both of her forearms and one of her hands became nearly useless.

Dogs that are in a heated battle will

attack whatever is in front of them. Trying to use your hands to grab the collar or the dog’s head or neck will only lead to a severe bite. Instead, stay clear! If you witness a serious dogfight, many vets recommend distracting the dogs with a loud noise, throwing cold water or spraying the dogs if a hose is available, or possibly throwing a blanket over the dogs. People should realize that placing themselves in between fighting dogs will almost always result in serious bodily harm.

When a dog bite occurs:

•Get information on the dog’s immunization status and ask for its records from the owner

•Seek medical attention immediately

•Notify animal control. In some states, the law requires reporting any dog bite that requires medical attention.

Raymond Pensy, MD, is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and an Orthopaedic Surgeon with the Division of Orthopaedic Traumatology at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He specializes in hand and reconstructive microsurgery and a substantial portion of his practice is committed to limb salvage.

Cardin Lauds Election Of Maryland’s First Female And First African-American Speaker Of The House Of Delegates

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, former Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates (1979-1986), congratulated Adrienne A. Jones after she was elected by her fellow delegates to serve as Maryland Speaker.

“This is an exciting day for all of Maryland as we mark the election of Adrienne Jones – a true public servant – as Speaker of the House of Delegates. Having served for more than a decade as Speaker Pro Tem and chair of the Capital Budget Subcommittee, she will be a strong successor to Mike Busch, whose legacy will be a presence in Annapolis for many years to come.

“Adrienne is a friend and has worked her way up through the years, building alliances statewide and showing her skills in getting things done to better our state and local communities. Her historic election as the first female and first African-American speaker makes this moment even more meaningful.

“I fully expect Speaker Jones to bring the same intensity and skills with which she navigated the Capital Budget Subcommittee to the full House of Delegates. She will be the leader we need to prioritize a quality public education for our students, create opportunities for all Marylanders, strengthen our economy, and protect public health and our natural resources. As the leader of Maryland’s federal delegation, I look forward to continuing the close collaboration of our federal-state Team Maryland.

“I thank Delegate Maggie McIntosh and Dereck Davis for their ongoing leadership and dedication to the people of Maryland.”

Joy Bramble

Baltimore Times’ Publisher Joy Bramble & Maryland Speaker Adrienne Jones

Mayor Jack Young’s Statement On Resignation Of Catherine Pugh

I was informed today at 3:35 p.m. by City Solicitor Andre Davis of Catherine Pugh’s resignation as Mayor of Baltimore.

The resignation is effective immediately. I believe this action is in the best interest of the City of Baltimore.

In accordance with the city’s Charter, I will serve as Baltimore’s 51st Mayor.

For the past month, I have traveled the city and worked hard to keep government’s focus on providing essential services to our citizens. I have spent time in classrooms working with some of the brightest minds our public school system has to offer. I have unveiled a number of development projects that stand as symbols to the commitment that many people have to our city. I have convened several meetings of the Mayor’s cabinet, where I have stressed the importance of teamwork in delivering for the citizens that we’re privileged to serve.

I pledge that my focus will not change. I have listened to the concerns of our citizens and I will continue to work diligently to address those concerns.

Although I understand that this ordeal has caused real pain for many Baltimoreans, I promise that we will emerge from it more committed than ever to building a stronger Baltimore. Charm City is wonderful and is full of resilient people who are working hard every day to move our City forward. You all deserve recognition, and I will spend my time as mayor working alongside you.

I’d like to also give special recognition and thanks to the thousands of public servants who’ve come to work each day under challenging and uncertain circumstances and put forth their best collective effort.

To the people of Baltimore, thank you for your faith in me and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and continuing to work on your behalf.