Black History

COMMENTARY: Baltimore Must Change

THE AFRO — The United States of America was birthed in White supremacy, which, for the greater part of U.S. history, was affirmed again and again through law and custom. That contradiction – “land of the free, home of the enslaved” – was also evident in Baltimore, a city – like the rest of the country – of racial disparities.

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2019

Oakland Post

A. Adar Ayira (Courtesy Photo: baltimorecity.gov)

By A. Adar Ayira, Special to AFRO

“… [people of African ancestry]…are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word ‘citizens’ in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them.”

~ Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice, United States Supreme Court, March 1857, Dred Scott vs. Sanford

The United States of America was birthed in White supremacy, which, for the greater part of U.S. history, was affirmed again and again through law and custom.

That contradiction – “land of the free, home of the enslaved” – was also evident in Baltimore, a city – like the rest of the country – of racial disparities, including:

African-American citizens being disproportionately victims of traffic stops, jail sentences, and use of force by police; African Americans carrying disproportionately more debt, including school loan debt; Housing segregation – and development to affordable housing – remains a seemingly intractable issue, stifling opportunities for asset development in Baltimore’s African American communities.

It is almost cliché at this point to continue sharing racialized disparities – because so many people either know or live them – or to offer theories of change. Many Baltimoreans are jaded, having seen change efforts come and go.

Along with jadedness, however, there is also hope and resolve. That is what Associated Black Charities continues to see in its partners and within Baltimore communities. ABC works with individuals and institutions that refuse to accept less than a vision of a Baltimore that includes everyone; where everyone has equitable opportunities to thrive; and where all our communities are not only valued but invested.

Because of this, ABC’s agenda incorporates both transactional and transformational strategies.

Many agencies and nonprofits focus on transactional strategies: those that meet immediate and concrete needs of individuals, families, and communities. These are the strategies that are funded by foundations and donors; the types of strategies that are well-understood and easily explainable and that offer “proof of works” (“..we fed 3,000 people this year…”; “we provided housing for 1,200 families…”; or “we trained 600 people who now have jobs…”).

Transactional strategies are fundable because donors can immediately see the impacts and outcomes of their financial support.

However, transactional strategies often bypass the transformational by maintaining and sustaining the status quo: current structures and systems and money and services. Transactional strategies serve a variety of purposes: meeting the basic needs of enough individuals to keep citizens from even more social unrest; giving financial supporters an outlet for charitable giving (and tax write-offs); and keeping social justice movements within the prescribed parameters of comfort of the monied class in exchange for grants/donations.

They keep a lid on social movements that look to address root causes; that serve to disrupt the way things are to create a more inclusive vision of equity that would essentially decrease the need for transactional programs.

ABC, while recognizing the need for transactional strategies that assist individuals and communities with current needs, also realizes that in order to achieve a more equitable society, we must address the root causes that create racialized inequities. Because of this, ABC also focuses on transformational strategies, using a Racial Equity Lens that acknowledges the structural and institutional race-based barriers that continue to operate in American society. We recognize that “silver rights” are just as important as Civil Rights and pursue an agenda to stabilize and expand economic viability in African-American communities in Baltimore. This includes:

Educational advocacy regarding the use of a Racial Equity Lens in policy. ABC understands that policy has never been “universalist” – assuming that everyone has equal access and opportunity – but has always been race-based, damaging not only those specific racial groups for whom policy has erected barriers, but also racial majority populations by generating losses on economic and material productivity,

Institutional support regarding the use of a Racial Equity Lens. The workforce in Maryland for workers 40 and under is now close to “majority-minority.” For businesses to thrive in Maryland, they must have more of an understanding of barriers facing workers of color, as well as opportunities for growth and productivity that those workers can afford them.

ABC’s charge is to change the future. Transactional strategies alone will only serve to support our present. Baltimore – and the state — must look ahead to transform our policies and practices if our children are going to thrive in the 21st Century, and ABC is there to lead and assist in those conversations and that work.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Afro-American Newspapers.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Seafarers: Historic Black Yacht Club

Don't Miss

COMMENTARY: Black Representation and Appearance in Japanese Pop Culture

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

Published

4 days ago

March 28, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Report Offers Policies, Ideas to Improve the Workplace Experiences of Black Women in California

The “Invisible Labor, Visible Struggles: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Workplace Equity for Black Women in California” report by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), unveiled the findings of a December 2024 survey of 452 employed Black women across the Golden State. Three-fifths of the participants said they experienced racism or discrimination last year and 57% of the unfair treatment was related to incidents at work.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

Shutterstock

By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Backed by data, a report released last month details the numerous hurdles Black women in the Golden State must overcome to effectively contribute and succeed in the workplace.

The “Invisible Labor, Visible Struggles: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Workplace Equity for Black Women in California” report by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), unveiled the findings of a December 2024 survey of 452 employed Black women across the Golden State. Three-fifths of the participants said they experienced racism or discrimination last year and 57% of the unfair treatment was related to incidents at work.

CBWCEI President and CEO Kellie Todd Griffin said Black women have been the backbone of communities, industries, and movements but are still overlooked, underpaid, and undervalued at work.

“The data is clear,” she explained. “Systemic racism and sexism are not just historical injustices. They are active forces shaping the workplace experiences of Black women today. This report is a call to action. it demands intentional polices, corporate accountability, and systemic changes.”

The 16-page study, conducted by the public opinion research and strategic consulting firm EVITARUS, showcases the lived workplace experiences of Black women, many who say they are stuck in the crosshairs of discrimination based on gender and race which hinders their work opportunities, advancements, and aspirations, according to the report’s authors, Todd Griffin and CBWCEI researcher Dr. Sharon Uche.

“We wanted to look at how Black women are experiencing the workplace where there are systematic barriers,” Todd Griffin told the media during a press conference co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media. “This report is focused on the invisible labor struggles of Black women throughout California.”

The aspects of the workplace most important to Black women, according to those surveyed, are salary or wage, benefits, and job security.

However, only 21% of the survey’s respondents felt they had strong chances for career advancement into the executive or senior leadership ranks in California’s job market; 49% felt passed over, excluded from, or marginalized at work; and 48% felt their accomplishments at work were undervalued. Thirty-eight percent said they had been thought of as the stereotypical “angry Black woman” at work, and 42% said workplace racism or discrimination effected their physical or mental health.

“These sentiments play a factor in contributing to a workplace that is unsafe and not equitable for Black women in California,” the report reads.

Most Black women said providing for their families and personal fulfillment motivated them to show up to work daily, while 38% said they were dissatisfied in their current job with salary, supervisors, and work environment being the top sources of their discontent.

When asked if they agree or disagree with a statement about their workplace 58% of Black women said they feel supported at work, while 52% said their contributions are acknowledged. Forty-nine percent said they felt empowered.

Uche said Black women are paid $54,000 annually on average — including Black single mothers, who averaged $50,000 — while White men earn an average of $90,000 each year.

“More than half of Black families in California are led by single Black women,” said Uche, who added that the pay gap between Black women and White men isn’t forecasted to close until 2121.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Trump Order Slashes Federal Agencies Supporting Minority Business and Neighborhood Development

The latest executive order targeted several federal agencies, including the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, ordering that their programs and staff be reduced “to the minimum presence and function required by law.” The executive order targeted more agencies that Trump “has determined are unnecessary,” the order stated.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Brandon Patterson

On March 14, President Trump signed an executive order slashing the operations of two federal agencies supporting growth in minority business and neighborhoods as he continued his attacks on programs supporting people of color and on the size of the federal bureaucracy.

The MBDA’s mission is to “promote the growth and global competitiveness” of minority business enterprises, or MBEs. In 2023, according to its website, the agency helped MBEs access $1.5 billion in capital and facilitated nearly $3.8 billion in contracts awarded to minority business enterprises. It also helped MBEs create or sustain more than 19,000 jobs nationwide. Similarly, the CDFI Fund supports economic growth in under-invested communities by providing funding and technical assistance to local CDFIs, including banks, loan funds, and credit unions, that support community development projects in cities across the country. In 2023, the fund supported more than 1,400 local CDFIs across the country, including more than 80 in California — among the highest number for any state in the country.

The MBDA has local satellite business centers operated by organizations that support minority clients with services such as business consulting, contract bid preparation, loan packaging, and accessing capital funding. The San Francisco Bay Area business center is San Jose, operated by San Francisco-based organization Asian, Inc. Meanwhile, local Oakland CDFIs supported by the federal CDFI fund since 2021 include Habitat Community Capital, TMC Community Capital, Gateway Bank Federal Savings Bank, Beneficial State Bancorp, Inc., and Main Street Launch.

“It is clear that the hollowing out of the CDFI Fund and MBDA is not being ordered because those programs have failed in their mission,” the CEO of Small Business Majority John Arensmeyer, a national organization that advocates for small businesses, said in a statement on Saturday. “Instead, it is yet another case of President Trump using DEI as a club to eviscerate programs that seek to level our economic playing field.”

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon also slammed the decision in a statement to the Oakland Post. “As a member of the House Small Business Committee who represents multiple CDFIs in CA-12, I believe Trump’s gutting of operations at the Minority Business Development Agency and at the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund is a direct attack on small businesses, communities of color and other underserved communities,” Rep. Simon said. “Both the MBDA and the CDFI Fund were created with bipartisan support to help historically underserved communities and small businesses — and both programs have helped to dramatically change the material realities of people and bolster entrepreneurship in the U.S. There is no logic to this decision. The point is discrimination and cruelty.”