Then & Now | Black Enterprise in Baltimore

Bridging historical narratives and contemporary industry.

Delve into “Then and Now”, a captivating program that bridges historical narratives with contemporary industry. Inspired by our dynamic galleries and exhibitions, these multidimensional presentations and moderated discussions illuminate the profound connections between our past and present. 

OCTOBER 16 | Black Enterprise in Baltimore

Inspired by The Daily Hustle: Photographs of I. Henry Phillips Sr., join us for a dynamic conversation exploring the past and present of Black-owned businesses in Baltimore! Delve into the rich history of Black enterprise, especially during the 1940s—a time of both profound discrimination and deep community investment. We’ll examine the systemic barriers Black business owners faced—including redlining, predatory lending, and disinvestment—and the creative, collective strategies they used to overcome them. We’ll connect these historical patterns to ongoing efforts today, offering powerful insights for the future.

This program includes live music and complimentary refreshments.

Program Highlights:

Live Jazz | Xpansion Youth Jazz

Poetry Reading | Akilah Divine

6:00 pm – Doors Open & Check-In | Xpansion Youth Jazz

6:30 pm – Welcome

6:35 pm – “The Daily Hustle”: Understanding The Past

7:00 pm – Poetry Reading & Break

7:30 pm – Systemic Barriers & Disinvestment

8:00 pm – Open Networking

8:30 pm – Program Ends

Lisa Snowden is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Beat, a digital and print-based news outlet based in Baltimore City. Passionate about storytelling and community empowerment, Snowden has dedicated her life to journalism, seeking to elevate underrepresented voices and drive meaningful conversations around pressing societal issues. With over 15 years of rich experience in local journalism, she’s shaped Baltimore Beat into an innovative and inclusive platform, focusing on literary reportage and insightful, impactful reporting.

Webster Phillips is a third-generation photographer and storyteller, and curator of  The Daily Hustle: Photographs of I. Henry Phillips Sr.

 Lady Brion is an international spoken word artist, activist, organizer and educator. Lady Brion currently serves as the executive director of the Black Arts District. In 2024 she was appointed by Governor Wes Moore as the Poet Laureate of Maryland, making her the youngest Poet Laureate in Maryland’s history and the only spoken word artist to ever hold this position.

Dr. Linda Loubert is a Political Economist with a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Dallas.  She is an Associate Professor in the Economics Department at Morgan State University and a certified Geographical Information Systems (GIS) professional, having utilized GIS for over 20 years to support her spatial analysis of socioeconomic data approach, now commonly referred to as Geodemographics.  She is one of the founding members of the HBCU-Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative (HEJTC), focusing on issues related to climate and environmental justice.

 Jerrell Baker is an educator and instructional designer with more than two decades of experience in teaching, curriculum development, and community engagement. As a founding teacher at Talent Development High School in West Baltimore, Baker helped launch innovative initiatives that connected learning to students’ lived experiences and community stories. His work emphasized critical thinking, cultural awareness, and empowerment through dialogue. 

Angel is the co-founder and CEO of tech startup The Equity Brain Trust (TEBT), where she created a patent-pending methodology for measuring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in companies and government agencies. TEBT packaged this methodology into a software platform that allows companies to measure and improve racial equity, facilitate financial returns on DEI investments, mitigate risk, and communicate the value and impact of their DEI efforts to all their stakeholders.