A Baltimore Portrait

These photographs were made in some of Baltimore’s most dangerous and depressed neighborhoods. They can be thought of as individual portraits. I was accompanied by my photography students from Johns Hopkins University. JHU is a land unto itself. Students rarely venture off campus. Most of them come from great schools and privileged backgrounds. I want students to hear first hand the stories of people who live in these communities. I think the residents are the best teachers with a breath and depth of experience that students could only imagine but otherwise never encounter. We are always struck by the enthusiasm and excitement our visits create and the photos that we bring back to the neighborhoods are treasured by the residents. It is my hope that students will be inspired to lend a hand either now or in the future and that is exactly what has happened. Students have become involved with helping community leaders write a grant proposal and there is now a Peace Park on what was once a dug corner. It is a place for planting flowers, playing chess and having picnics. It is just one corner. But it is a start.