As we count down to the Critical Social Justice: Baltimore 365 keynote event “Baltimore in Action: Always Rising” on Tuesday, October 20th, we’ll be profiling all of our keynote speakers in our “What You Need to Know” series. This specific post will focus on a Baltimore neighborhood that plays an important role in the activism work of keynote panelist, Marisela B. Gomez. 

Middle East Baltimore 

Middle East Baltimore

Once a healthy working-class community, Middle East Baltimore has suffered from decades of disinvestment resulting in poverty, drugs, and violence. Just north of Johns Hopkins Hospital, the area occupies 20 square blocks within East Baltimore. It is bordered by Madison on the south end, Broadway on the west, the Amtrak railroads in the north, and Patterson Park on the east end. Most of its community members identify as African-American and low-income.

In 2001, the neighborhood was targeted for rebuilding and the expansion of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution complex and would use the city’s powers of eminent domain to take over the properties to do so. Residents were not consulted about the proposed project and learned of it only through an article in the Baltimore Sun. Marisela B. Gomez and several others in the community organized together and formed the Save Middle East Action Committee to ensure the voices and experiences of residents being forced to move would be heard and considered by key stakeholders moving the project forward.

Quick Facts about Middle East Baltimore in the early 2000s: †

• Between 1990 and 2000 the population in the Middle East Baltimore community decreased by 45%. This was the greatest decline in population compared to any other area in Baltimore.
• In 2001, the reported rate of abandoned houses in East Baltimore was 13% but in Middle East rates were as high as 80%. Only 3 out of 10 houses were occupied in the area.
• Middle East residents had some of the worst health indicators in the United States.
• The local area public schools enrolled more than 70% of children qualifying for federally assisted free and reduced-price school meals.
• In Baltimore City, 25% of its residents had not graduated from high school. In Middle East, 49% of its residents had not graduated.
• The average household income for a Middle East resident was $29,000 compared to the Baltimore average of $55,000.

Depending on who you are or who you ask, you will receive a different story about Middle East Baltimore and its John Hopkins neighbor. Some will call it an investment, revitalization, and urban renewal. Others see it as destructive and unfair gentrification with deep racist and classist roots. To some it provides hope and to others it provides loss of community and a loss of home. It is a story worth unpacking and one that calls for a critical social justice lens.

“They argued that the law was allowing the city to take private property ‘for the pubic good.’ But exactly who is was the ‘public’ who would benefit if its residents were being forced to relocate with no plan for how they could return to benefit from this good?”†

Middle East Baltimore

For more on Middle East Baltimore, check out:

• Race, Class, Power, and Organizing in East Baltimore by Marisela B. Gomez (which is the source for all stats and information for this post) 
• Rebuilding the Middle East – a November 2008 article
• The Great East Baltimore Raze-and-Rebuild – a July 2013 article
• A Baltimore Brew take on Gomez’s book and the history of Middle East’s dislocation
• To learn more about Marisela B. Gomez, visit her #CSJ365 What You Need to Know post

As we count down to the Critical Social Justice: Baltimore 365 keynote event “Baltimore in Action: Always Rising” on Tuesday, October 20th, we’ll be profiling all of our keynote speakers in our “What You Need to Know” series. 

Jacqueline Robarge  

As a feminist, survivor, and activist, Jacqueline Robarge has spent more than two decades working to end gendered violence and oppression. Her work has included trauma healing and justice projects, white anti-racism organizing, action research, and a range of human rights advocacy.

I love the people here [in Baltimore]. I love the history of resistance here. †

Jacqueline is currently the executive director of Power Inside, a Baltimore harm reduction and human rights organization that she founded in 2001. Power Inside serves women and girls impacted by incarceration, street life, and abuse by providing direct client services, advocacy, leadership development, and public education to work toward systemic change.

I keep going back to that vow that I’ve committed my life to service. I think how lucky I am that I know what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life. †

In her role as an appointed member of the Maryland Statewide Prisoner Reentry Task Force and the Governor’s Commission to Reform Maryland’s Pretrial System, she advocated for reform of policies that give rise to preemptive arrests and mass incarceration of people of color and people with disabilities.

For more on Jacqueline, check out:

• This fantastic activist profile on Unsung Baltimore
• Volunteer opportunities with Power Inside

There are only two days left until the Fall Internship and Career Fair! Join us from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14th in the RAC to meet 130 employers that want to hire you. Before then, don't forget to take a look at the Career Fair Directory to find out more about who will be attending!

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Perfect Pitch: How to Nail Your Elevator Speech

You ride the subway, grab a coffee, and get to the office—it’s your typical Monday morning, until,bam! You step in the elevator and find yourself face-to-face with the CEO of your dream company or the client you’ve been dying to land.

She smiles and says, “Hi. What do you do?”

Scary? Absolutely. But it could happen to you—tomorrow—and you’ll want to be prepared.

The aptly named “elevator speech” or “elevator pitch” is a concise, compelling introduction that can be communicated in the amount of time it takes someone to ride the elevator to her floor.

Even if you’re never caught heading up to the 39th with someone important, this is an good skill to master when you’re introducing yourself during an interview, a sales pitch, or a networking event. People are busy, and being able to communicate who you are and what you do quickly and effectively will ensure that you get your most important points across, no matter how short the conversation.

Not quite ready for the elevator ride of your life? Check out our step-by-step guide to crafting—and perfecting—your pitch.

1. Start with a Blank Canvas

Take a blank piece of paper and number it from one to 10. Then, fill in the most important bits of information that you want to convey about yourself, your service or product, or your company. What, exactly, do you do? What have you achieved, and what are your goals? Who does your company serve and why? Focus on the most interesting or memorable facts—the ones that really make you stand out from others.

2. Red Pen It

Using a different color pen, edit what you’ve drafted with a critical eye. Eliminate any redundancies, unnecessary or unclear information, and broad business jargon. More importantly, hone and enhance the good stuff. “I’m great at sales” isn’t likely to pique anyone’s interest, but “I’ve exceeded my sales goals every quarter for the last two years” sure might.

3. Pick a Card

Grab five index cards, and label them “Who I Am,” “What I Do,” “How I Do It,” “Why I Do It,” and “Who I Do It For.” Add each item on the list you've created to the card where it fits best. Ideally, you’ll have two compelling sentences underneath each heading, so fill in any gaps if you need to.

4. Get in Order

Organize the cards in a logical order, making sure the most important information is first. Remember, you often only have a few seconds to communicate with someone. If you get cut off, what would you want her to walk away remembering?

5. Add an Attention-Getter

Add an interesting fact or stat to use at the beginning of your speech. Your goal is to immediately engage someone so that he or she is intrigued and wants to learn more.

6. Practice!

Recite your pitch to close someone who can be objective, and ask for constructive feedback(although we love our friends and families, sometimes they think we can do no wrong!). What may seem clear in your mind might come across as convoluted, long-winded, or fragmented to an outside observer.

7. Record Your Pitch

Once you’ve gotten feedback and honed your pitch even further, record yourself saying it. Listen to your tone—make sure it’s friendly, non-threatening, and that you’re not talking a mile a minute (knowing you only have a few moments to speak may subconsciously increase your pace). Really listen to what you’re saying—make sure you’re not repeating words and that you’re sending the message you really want to convey.  

8. Ride the Elevator

The next time you ride an elevator (alone), practice your speech. First, giveyourself some time by going to the highest floor. Then, try giving your pitch from a middle floor and from the first to the third floor, too. Having to make just a few brief moments count will help you to hone the words you need and scrap the ones you don’t!

This week, set aside some time to craft your elevator pitch (or dust off the one you’ve used before). You just never know who you might face tomorrow morning.

Photo of woman in elevator courtesy of Shutterstock.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

4:00 p.m., Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery

Ari Ne’eman will discuss the history of disability policy in the United States, how social attitudes and government policy towards people with disabilities have changed over the last fifty years and articulate how policymakers, activists and others can help set the stage for a more inclusive 21st century America.

Ari Ne'eman, UMBC and Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars alumnus (Political Science ‘10) is President and Co-Founder of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a national advocacy organization run by and for autistic Americans. Mr. Ne'eman recently completed a 5 year term as one of President Obama's appointees to the National Council on Disability. Earlier this year, Ne’eman was awarded the $100,000 Ruderman Prize, which recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Jewish world and the greater public.

Name: James Gallagher 

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Lockheed Martin

Position Title: Communications Intern in the Ethics Department

Major(s)/Minor(s): English, Media & Communications Studies

Expected Graduation Year: May 2017

Briefly describe your internship, co-op,  or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

I didn’t have clearly defined job duties or anything like that. More or less, in the words of my supervisor, I'm there to "wordsmith." Wherever the Ethics department needs it, I work with words to create a solid, usable product. That could be infographics, memos, news articles, social media posts, reports, presentations, talking points, or any number of other assignments. My responsibility is to help wherever I can by creating effective and engaging ways of communication. 

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

This internship came to me completely out of nowhere. I spent tons of time on UMBCworks, but for whatever reason I didn't end up at any of the places I found there. My mom actually forwarded me the Lockheed Martin intern application page, but I have no idea how she found it. I came so, so close to not applying because I didn't have much passion to work for a tech company. I wanted to work somewhere artsier, somewhere smaller, somewhere with more creativity. But at the last minute, I did apply, because I was applying to as many places as I could. After putting in my name for a "non-tech" internship, I received a phone interview, and it was a good ride since. I'm so happy I applied and gave it a chance, because it's been such a great experience. Sometimes you find a fit where you don't expect it, so never rule anything out. 

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

It's a very supportive workplace. Everyone stops to talk to me, everyone says hi in the hallway, and we have a lot of group lunches. That support isn't just social–it's also professional. I've had coworkers bring my resume places without me ever asking; I've been introduced to more people than I can count for the sake of networking; no one's ever too busy to answer a question that I have. As an intern, it seems like you're supposed to stay quiet and stay out of sight, but at Lockheed Martin it's the opposite. Every one of my coworkers is actively trying to create learning and professional opportunities for me, and I'm very grateful. 

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

It would be easy to talk about the overarching big picture impacts of improving Ethics and ethical conduct in a formerly corrupt field. But that's not really where I see my impact. Sure, the daily tasks that I completed contributed to that broader mission, but my impact was much more immediate. Just by being there, by providing my feedback in conference calls, by helping facilitate training sessions, by putting more time into tasks than a “real” employee ever could, I helped my team do their jobs. I built some great relationships at Lockheed Martin, so that's a great impact for me, but it goes both ways. By being helpful and willing to work, I helped my team accomplish so much and I made their summer a little easier. 

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

The biggest thing I would say is never to dismiss an opportunity. There were all kinds of things I didn't want to do this summer. I was never really interested in script writing, I didn't want to attend a trade conference, and I was too shy to want to spend time with my VP. But I did all of them and I learned from them, and I think I'm in a better position now than I was before. I love my comfort zone more than anyone, but I'm realizing that it's true–you have to leave your comfort zone sometimes. I wouldn't have gotten anything out of this summer if I hadn't. 

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