The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History launched “The Philanthropy Initiative” today – which, not coincidentally, is “Giving Tuesday” – along with a new exhibit on “Giving in America” and an all-day symposium called “The Power of Giving: Philanthropy’s Impact on American Life.” Among the speakers at the symposium are Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and OSI-Baltimore director Diana Morris, along […]
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Anna Deavere Smith brings “Notes From the Field” to Center Stage
Wednesday, November 25, 2015Actor, activist, and Baltimore native Anna Deavere Smith comes to Center Stage next month for two performances of her new work of documentary theater, “Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, The Baltimore Chapter.” OSI-Baltimore is proud to co-sponsor the production. The show is part of Smith’s “Pipeline Project,” which delves into the cycle of suspension from […]
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Talking About Addiction: Rethinking the Role of Law Enforcement
Tuesday, November 24, 2015Media Advisory Contact: Evan Serpick 410.234.1091 OSI-Baltimore hosts a conversation with a Massachusetts police chief and a former Baltimore City police officer about new law enforcement approaches to addiction BALTIMORE – On December 7, Open Society Institute – Baltimore will host a “Talking About Addiction” event with leaders within the law enforcement community who are looking for alternatives […]
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Urbanite returns with “Truth, Reconciliation, and Baltimore” issue
Monday, November 16, 2015Urbanite, the local magazine that earned many fans for its attention to civic life before folding in 2012, returned this month for a special issue to address the aftermath of the uprising. OSI-Baltimore, which sponsored Urbanite’s Learning Issue in 2009, was proud to support the new effort with a grant that helped make its production […]
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OSI-Baltimore funds legal support for activists
Tuesday, November 10, 2015Media Advisory Contact: Evan Serpick 410.234.1091 $50,000 grant to Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT) will support the group’s community education, legal observation and representation, and bail support services to advance police reform and accountability BALTIMORE-Open Society Institute-Baltimore announced today a $50,000 grant from its Baltimore Justice Fund to the Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT), a group […]
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Community Fellow decries Baltimore’s broken pretrial justice system
Friday, November 06, 2015Zina Makar, a 2014 OSI-Baltimore Community Fellow, is on the front lines of reforming Baltimore’s broken bail system. In Maryland, the legal standard for a “speedy trial” is 180 days, but many individuals are held for months or even years before going to court. Makar works as attorney at the Office of the Public Defender to challenge the wrongful […]
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What is the role of police officers in our schools?
Thursday, November 05, 2015The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA hosted a great discussion yesterday about the role of police in schools. Karen Webber, director of OSI-Baltimore’s Education and Youth Development program, joined the conversation, along with Nikki Glass, Operations Director and Facilitator for Community Conferencing, Monique Dixon, Deputy Director of Policy for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (and former director of […]
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Chris Christie surprises with speech about addiction
Wednesday, November 04, 2015Video of a speech by New Jersey Governor and Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie has gone viral over the past couple days, garnering more than 4 million views on YouTube. In the six-minute clip, Christie compares treatment of his mother, a lifetime smoker, to that of drug addicts. “When she was 71, [my mother] was diagnosed […]
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Obama’s “Ban the Box” policy for federal workers is a great first step
Monday, November 02, 2015President Obama announced today that applicants for federal jobs will no longer be asked whether or not they have a criminal record. This is a great step in the right direction that will help citizens returning from the criminal justice system find employment and will reduce recidivism, an important component in OSI-Baltimore’s goal of reducing the […]
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Introducing OSI-Baltimore’s 2015 Community Fellows
Monday, November 02, 2015Media Advisory Contact: Evan Serpick 410.234.1091 Social entrepreneurs working locally to address problems in Baltimore’s underserved communities will receive $60,000 each over 18 months BALTIMORE – In a press conference on Monday, November 1, Open Society Institute-Baltimore announced a new cohort of 10 Community Fellows who will use $60,000 grants to launch or expand projects designed […]
