Decided to write a letter to Baltimore City Papers editors because of this ridiculous cover graphic: citypaper/blogs/the-news-hole/bcp-our-scapetastic-new-cover-20140716,0,5933902.story Heres what I wrote if youre interested: Dear City Paper Editorial Team, Youve lost my respect. The front page cover art on the July 16 - July 23 edition of the City Paper is a prime example of our local medias role in perpetrating institutional racism and structural biases in our City. Not only is this graphic ignorant, it is outright offensive. Sure, I bet there were a few laughs in the editorial room about the stereotypes of various neighborhoods across the City. And, sure, a cartoonish sketch of widely inaccurate generalizations is a good, cheap way to cause a bit of controversy, maybe it even garnered a few more page views or clicks to sell to advertisers. But, the outright labeling of entire communities to perpetuate negative, inaccurate, and racist stereotypes is wrong. Its simply wrong. While there are plenty of concerns to point out in this cover graphic, the one that strikes me as the most infuriating centers on the graphics labeling of South Baltimores neighborhoods of Cherry Hill, Lakeland, Mt. Winans, and Westport as Scaryscape. While I happen to represent these communities in the Maryland Senate, I write this letter as a citizen of Baltimore City, one who actually spends time with the people and families who live, work, and play in these communities. Havent been there lately? Because if you had spent any time in these neighborhoods at all in the last few years, youd know like I do, just how wrong you are. I wish you could have joined me last Saturday, when a community leader (one who happens to also coach the Cherry Hill Eagles youth football team and who grew up in Cherry Hill) used his own, personal money to throw an all day community outreach cookout to offer healthy, fun activities for neighborhood children. He even threw in a full, 45-minute magic show. I also didnt see you at the many gatherings this summer hosted by area churches or civic groups like the Spelman Road Gentlemans Club, a group of men who grew up in Cherry Hill (surprisingly, on Spelman Road) and for years have been dedicating their personal time and money to giving back to their community by sponsoring awesome events for the neighborhoods youth. I guess you were busy. Or maybe you could have joined me at Lakeland Elementary / Middle School a month ago for the eighth grade promotion ceremony, where the audience was visibly moved by the remarkable young men and women preparing for the next chapter in their lives. Did you know that Lakeland ES/MS happens to be one of the fastest and most dramatically improving public schools in the City? You must have missed the news of the transformative partnership that Lakeland has launched with UMBCs Sherman Scholars Program to infuse high-level STEM learning opportunities across all grades and accessible to all students. I guess those promising facts dont easily fit in the Scaryscape narrative. Or maybe you happened to miss the remarkable work that Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake is doing with and among community leaders in Mt. Winans. Remember that old public school that sat vacant and dilapidated for over 20 years right in the middle of the neighborhood, and those concrete-blocked vacant public housing units? Maybe those were scary. Well, theyre all gone. They were demolished this year and are being replaced with recreational green space and remarkable opportunities for positive economic development in communities that have been too long ignored. You must have tuned out to the word of community organizing happening in Cherry Hill around the construction of two brand new public schools, slated to open for the 2016 school year. And I guess you missed news of the brand new citywide recreation and cultural center being built in Cherry Hill, planned to open next summer. Itll even have a pool. Maybe thats scary, but we can probably find you a life vest if you promise to stay in the shallow end (note: the cover graphic of this weeks edition gives me plenty of reason to think youll have no problem with that last part). Do these neighborhoods have challenges? Yes, of course. But so does every neighborhood in Baltimore. And, lets be clear, that these predominantly lower-income, majority black neighborhoods also have these challenges does not make them scary. Particularly not so when the families who live in these neighborhoods are doing unbelievable, tireless work every single day as a community to overcome these challenges. Thats not scary. Thats inspiring. Oh, you were just kidding? The graphic was just a joke, a cartoon? Well, it wasnt funny. In fact, for future reference, perpetrating offensive stereotypes, especially wholly inaccurate ones, generally isnt funny. Its just wrong. And you should apologize. I used to think I could count on the City Paper to provide an alternative analysis, a contextualized perspective of City life. I guess I was wrong. Bill Ferguson
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 03:21:13 +0000
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