Theories:

Ubuntu. I am because we are.

In Lak'ech  Ala K'in.  Tú eres mi otro yo. You are my other me.

In this article, Dr. Saul McLeod defines transcendence needs as “values which transcend beyond the personal self (e.g., mystical experiences and certain experiences with nature, aesthetic experiences, sexual experiences, service to others, the pursuit of science, religious faith, etc.).”  I believe that self-transcendence is understanding that we are all one. The more you understand yourself, the more you see yourself in other people. When you see other people as human, as another version of yourself - you will see them as whole, just as you see yourself as whole. You will see the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, their brilliance and their flaws, and all the gray in between.

Here is a powerful quote by writer and activist Audre Lorde: “​You do not have to be me in order for us to fight alongside each other. I do not have to be you to recognize that our wars are the same. What we must do is commit ourselves to some future that can include each other and to work toward that future with the particular strengths of our individual identities. And in order for us to do this, we must allow each other our differences at the same time as we recognize our sameness.”

To learn more, I recommend that you engage with the following:

• Understanding Empathy (video)

• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable by Luvvie Ajayi Jones (TEDWomen)

• How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them by Vernā Meyers (TEDx)

• BODIES AS RESISTANCE: Claiming the political act of being oneself by Sonya Renee Taylor (TEDx)

• How judges can show respect by Victoria Pratt (TEDx)

• Don't call people out---call them in by Loretta J. Ross (TEDx)

• Let's Replace Cancel Culture with Accountability by Sonya Renee Taylor (TEDx)

• Why I, as a black man, attend KKK rallies by Daryl Davis (TEDx)

• Empathy is not endorsement by Dylan Marron (TEDx)

• How We Judge Others Is How We Judge Ourselves by Mark Manson (article)

• What We See in Others is a Reflection of Ourselves by Sara Brossman (article)

• I Don't Know How to Explain To You That You Should Care About Other People by Kayla Chadwick (article)

• The Role of Kindness in Survival by Dr. David Hamilton and Bonnie Ware (podcast)

• The Science of Self-Transcendent Experiences by David Yaden and Scott Barry Kaufman (podcast)

The purpose of communication is to increase understanding. Please note that understanding is not the same as excusing. It is important to hold folks accountable for the impact of their actions. While communication with oppressors can be effective, people should not feel compelled to sacrifice their physical, mental, or emotional safety. We should not rely on victims of oppression re-traumatizing themselves to enact social change.

We must all bear the responsibility of educating ourselves. We must all listen and learn. We must all change our behavior to create a more equitable, just, and peaceful society. Why? Because we need each other to improve our chances of surviving and thriving. We benefit every day from the contributions of others, and we suffer unnecessarily when we let people fall through the cracks.  Here are my recommendations:

• Work on your own self-actualization first. I recommend that you start here.

• Stay informed. Conduct research. Consult experts. Read articles and books. Watch videos and films. Listen to podcasts. Engage on social media.

• Find meaningful ways to engage in civic and social justice work:

• Vote

• Volunteer

• Protest

• Donate

• Boycott

• Speak

• Write

• Share

We have made a lot of progress as a society AND we still have a lot of work to do:

• The Political System

  • Our democracy's founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true. by Nikole Hannah-Jones

  • What Frederick Douglass Knew that Trump and DeSantis Don't by Jamelle Bouie (article)

  • The Only Question to Ask About These House Republicans by Jamelle Bouie (article)

  • More Black Women Run for Office but Prospects Fade the Higher They Go by Jazmine Ulloa

  • What democrats put in their voting rights megabill - and what got left out by Zach Montellaro (article)

  • 'Tragedy Upon Tragedy': January Brings Dozens of Mass Shootings So Far by J. David Goodman, Amy Harmon, and Adeel Hassan (article)

  • America's unique gun violence problem, explained in 16 maps and charts by German Lopez (video/article)

  • The U.S. is a global outlier for gun deaths among children by German Lopez (article)

  • More Guns Do Not Stop More Crimes, Evidence Shows by Melinda Wenner Moyer (article)

  • It Is a Delusion to Think Having a Gun in the Home Makes Us Safer by Nicholas Kristof (article)

  • What Are 'Stand Your Ground' Laws, and When Do They Apply? by Adeel Hassan (article)

  • In the Gun Law Fights of 2023, a Need for Experts on the Weapons of 1791 by Shawn Hubler (article)

  • The Child Welfare System Needs an Overhaul by Hina Naveed

  • We Should Give Up the Fantasy of Solving the Border Crisis by Dara Lind

  • Federal Judge Again Rules DACA Is Illegal by Miriam Jordan (article)

  • How a Campaign Against Transgender Rights Mobilized Conservatives by Adam Nagourney and Jeremy W. Peters (article)

  • G.O.P. State Lawmakers Push a Growing Wave of Anti-Transgender Bills by Maggie Astor (article)

  • Biden Plan Allows Limits on Trans Athletes' Participation in School Sports by Sarah Mervosh, Remy Tumin, and Ava Sasani (article)

  • Yes, We're in an L.G.B.T.Q. State of Emergency by Charles M. Blow (article)

  • Talk of Race Proves Thorny for G.O.P. Candidates of Color by Jonathan Weisman and Trip Gabriel (article)

  • The Federal Government Should Not Waste an Opportunity to Address Algorithmic Discrimination by Marissa Gerchick (article)

  • Holding Facebook Accountable for Digital Redlining by Linda Morris and Olga Akselron (article)

  • N.C. Supreme Court rules it can't weigh in on partisan gerrymandering by Zachery Eanes and Lucille Sherman (article)

  • Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston by J. David Goodman (article)

  • The Supreme Court Finally Strikes the Right Balance on Voting Rights by David French (article)

  • A Transformative Term at the Most Supreme Court in Nearly a Century by Adam Liptak (article)

  • The Major Supreme Court Decisions in 2023 by Adam Liptak and Eli Murray (article)

  • House Votes to Limit Abortion Access in the Military, Bowing to the Right by Karoun Demirjian (article)

  • Tired of Fighting About Third Parties? Just Enact Ranked Choice Voting. by David Daley (article)

• The Education System

  • With home visits, mentorships and sneakers, Baltimore City schools program aims to bring students back to class by Sabrina LaBoeuf

  • Maryland students see gains in English; math scores remain low, especially in Baltimore, per new testing by Sabrina LaBoeuf and Annie Jennermann

  • The 'Unseen' Students in the Affirmative Action Debate by Sarah Mervosh and Troy Closson (article)

  • I Teach at an Elite College. Here's a Look Inside the Racial Gaming of Admissions by Tyler Austin Harper (article)

  • Supreme Court Rejects Affirmative Action Programs at Harvard and U.N.C. by Adam Liptak (article)

  • The ruling could benefit historically black colleges, but medical schools are worried by Stephanie Saul (article)

  • With Supreme Court Decision, College Admissions Could Become More Subjective by Anemona Hartocollis (article)

  • For Book Fairs, Scholastic Will Separate Titles That Deal With Race and Gender by Dana Goldstein (article)

  • Book Bans Rising Rapidly in the U.S., Free Speech Groups Find by Alexandra Alter (article)

  • Everyone Likes Reading. Why Are We So Afraid of It? by A.O. Scott (article)

  • What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? by Madeline Will and Ileana Najarro (video + article)

  • What Culturally Responsive Teaching Looks Like: A Native Educator Explains - Education Week (video)

  • Bringing Cultural Context and Self-Identity into Education by Brian Lozenski (Tedx talk)

  • Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Mathematics: A Critical Need by Shelly Jones (Tedx talk)

  • Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy by Gloria Ladson-Billings (article)

  • Unpacking the Indigenous Student Experience by Matthew Provost (Tedx talk)

  • High school textbooks fall short on teaching Latino history, experience, Johns Hopkins analysis finds by Sabrina LeBoeuf

  • For Black students, unfairly harsh discipline can lead to lower grades - American Psychological Association

  • More Black men are need in the classroom, diversity advocates say by Nicquel Terry Ellis (article)

  • Black men make up just 4% of teachers in Maryland, leaving a shortage of mentors in education by Sabrina LaBoeuf (article)

  • Nearly a third of Baltimore County Public Schools are at or over capacity, frustrating parents, educators by Sabrina LaBouef (article)

  • 'Kids Can't Read': The Revolt That Is Taking On the Education Establishment by Sarah Mervosh (article)

  • An Old and Contested Solution to Boost Reading Scores: Phonics by Dana Goldstein (article)

  • Students Lost One-Third of a School Year to Pandemic, Study Finds by Emily Baumgaertner (article)

  • It's Not Just Math and Reading: U.S. History Scores for 8th Graders Plunge by Sarah Mervosh (article)

  • Blueprint for Maryland's Future: Inside the state's massive plan to reform public education by Lillian Reed (article)

  • New York City Offers Free Preschool. Why Are 30,000 Spots Empty? by Troy Closson and Raúl Vilchis (article)

  • Could Black Flight Change a Model of Integration? by Debra Kamin (article)

  • As Some States Restrict Black Studies, New York City Expands It by Troy Closson (article)

  • Inside AP African American Studies class piloted at Baltimore's Poly and sparking national controversy by Sabrina LaBouef (article)

  • Critical Race Theory: A Brief History by Jacey Fortin (article)

  • The 1619 Project and the Long Battle Over U.S. History by Jake Silverstein (article)

  • 'We are committing educational malpractice': Why slavery is mistaught - and worse - in American schools. by Nikita Stewart (article)

  • Disputing Racism's Reach, Republicans Rattle American Schools by Trip Gabriel and Dana Goldstein (article)

  • Lessons Learned from Our Classroom Censorship Win Against Florida's Stop W.O.K.E. Act by Leah Watson (article)

  • Ron DeSantis Wants to Erase Black History. Why? by Janai Nelson (article)

  • DeSantis Takes On the Education Establishment, and Builds His Brand by Stephanie Saul, Patricia Mazzaei, and Trip Gabriel (article)

  • A Black professor defies DeSantis law restricting lessons on race by Lori Rozsa (article)

  • Florida Scoured Math Textbooks for 'Prohibited Topics.' Next Up: Social Studies by Sarah Mervosh (article)

  • Florida Rejects Dozens of Social Studies Textbooks, and Forces Changes in Others by Sarah Mervosh and Dana Goldstein (article)

  • Bans on Critical Race Theory Threaten Free Speech, Advocacy Group Says by Jennifer Schuesler (article)

  • Disputing Racism's Reach, Republicans Rattle American Schools by Trip Gabriel and Dana Goldstein (article)

  • The College Board Strips Down Its A.P. Curriculum for African American Studies by Anemona Hartocollis and Eliza Fawcett (article)

  • DeSantis Faces Swell of Criticism Over Florida's New Standards for Black History by Sarah Mervosh (article)

  • What You Need to Know about Affirmative Action at the Supreme Court - ACLU (article)

  • How do colleges use affirmative action? Even some activists don't understand by Oiyan Poon (article)

  • If Affirmative Action Ends, College Admissions May Be Changed Forever by Stephanie Saul (article)

  • Elite High School's Admissions Plan May Face Supreme Court Test by Adam Liptak (article)

  • What is Holistic Review in College Admissions? by Michael Bastedo, Nicholas A. Bowman, Kristen M. Glasener, Jandi L. Kelly, Emma Bausch (policy brief)

  • Brown v. Board of Education and the Interest-Convergence Dilemma by Derrick A. Bell, Jr. (article)

  • Reflections on my White Privilege and Understanding It: Thoughts From a Teacher Educator by Todd S. Cherner (article)

  • When the rules are fair, but the game isn't by Muthka Jost, Edward L. Whitfield, & Mark Jost (article)

  • Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools by Jonathan Kozol (book)

  • Toward Excellence with Equity: An Emerging Vision for Closing the Achievement Gap by Ronald F. Ferguson (book)

  • For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood...and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin (book)

  • The Social Organization of Schooling by Larry V. Hedges and Barbara Schneider (book)

• The Economic System

  • Where Reparations Stand in the U.S. by Adeel Hassan (article)

  • Affirmative Action Ruling May Upend Hiring Policies, Too by Noam Scheiber (article)

  • Baltimore's Hope Village could be an affordable housing model for the nation by Dan Rodricks (article)

  • America Is in a Disgraced Class of Its Own by Matthew Desmond (article)

  • Homeless in America by German Lopez (article)

  • Rising grocery prices, food stamp cuts and summertime amplify hunger in Baltimore food deserts by Dillon Mullan (article)

  • In Southeast Baltimore, a nonprofit struggles to buy vacant homes from investors by Giacomo Bologna (article)

  • The Resilience of New York's Black Homeowners by Stefanos Chen (article)

  • The devaluation of assets in Black neighborhoods by Andre M. Perry, Jonathan Rothwell, and David Harshbarger (report)

  • How racial bias in appraisals affects the devaluation of homes in majority-Black neighborhoods by Jonathan Rothwell and Andre M. Perry (report)

  • 'Excuse After Excuse': Black and Latino Developers Face Barriers to Success by Colette Coleman (article)

  • Black Homeowners Face Discrimination in Appraisals by Debra Kamin (article)

  • Home Appraised With a Black Owner: $472,000. With a White Owner: $750,000 by Debra Kamin (article)

  • How Three Black Women Hope to Change the Home Appraisal Industry by Debra Kamin (article)

  • The Programs You'd Have to Cut to Balance the Budget by Alicia Parlapiano, Margot Sanger-Katz, and Josh Katz (article)

  • Gender pay gap in U.S. hasn't changed much in two decades by Carolina Aragáo (article)

  • Baltimore has a vacant housing crisis. Could a land bank help solve it? by Giacomo Bologna (article)

  • 'Ghost homes' haunt Baltimore's housing market. City officials think they have a creative solution. by Giacomo Bologna (article)

  • Fixing Baltimore's vacant housing crisis will take $7.5B, new government agency, BUILD says by Giacomo Bologna (article)

  • In order to understand the brutality of American capitalism, you have to start on the plantation by Matthew Desmond (article)

  • A vast wealth gap, driven by segregation, redlining, evictions and exclusion, separates black and white America. by Trymaine Lee

  • What Is Redlining? by Candace Jackson (article)

  • Mapping Baltimore Apartheid by Lawrence Brown (Prezi)

  • Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped A Great American City by Antero Pietila (book)

  • How Redlining's Racist Effects Lasted for Decades by Emily Badger (article)

  • The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates (article)

  • California Panel Calls for Billions in Reparations for Black Residents by Kurtis Lee (article)

  • Chicago Suburb Shapes Reparations for Black Residents: 'It Is the Start' by Julie Bosman (article)

  • Bruce's Beach Was Hailed as a Reparations Model. Then the Family Sold It. by Clyde McGrady (article)

  • What Gentrification Means for Black Homeowners by Jacquelynn Kerubo (article)

  • What does a traffic jam in Atlanta have to do with segregation? Quite a lot. by Kevin M. Kruse (article)

  • Black Americans Are Much More Likely to Face Tax Audits, Study Finds by Jim Tankersley (article)

  • The Secret Bias Hidden in Mortgage-Approval Algorithms by Emmanual Martinez and Lauren Kirchner (article)

  • Is There Racism in the Deed to Your Home? by Sara Clemence (article)

  • Erie Insurance unlawfully rejected Baltimore auto customers in minority neighborhoods, state agency finds by Lorraine Mirabella (article)

  • The most cost-effective way to help the homeless is to give them homes by Matthew Iglesias (article)

  • Study: Maryland public transportation fails to reach jobs by Dillon Mullan (article)

  • Should Public Transit Be Free? More Cities Say, Why Not? by Ellen Barry (article)

  • Standardized exams keep Black social workers out, activists say. These Marylanders want to change that. by Maya Lora (article)

  • Black Unemployment Tumbled to a 50-Year Low in March [2023] by Mack Wilowski (article)

• The Justice System

  • Slavery gave America a fear of black people and a taste for violent punishment. Both still define our criminal justice system. by Bryan Stevenson

  • 'If you see something, don't say something': Morgan State researchers examine Maryland State Police culture, diversity by Darcy Costello (article)

  • How did Baltimore's Brooklyn Day mass shooting happen? Key takeaways from report on police, Housing Authority, others by Darcy Costello (article)

  • Baltimore's youth being shot at highest rate in a decade as 'new type of violence' takes hold by Lee O. Sanderlin (article)

  • Addressing some Baltimore teens' belief they 'need' a gun is at the heart of new efforts to reduce youth violence by Darcy Costello (article)

  • Verdict in Baltimore squeegee shooting trial renews debate over teens charged as adults by Alex Mann, Darcy Costello, Cassidy Jensen, and Hannah Gaskill (article)

  • Much to be sorry about in Baltimore squeegee tragedy, including the missed opportunities to prevent it by Baltimore Sun Editorial Board (article)

  • State report details bias in Minneapolis Police Department by Steve Karnowski (article)

  • Tyre Nichols's Death Is America's Shame by Charles M. Blow (article)

  • Police Violence – Amnesty International (article)

  • What the data say about police brutality and racial bias - and which reforms might work by Lynne Peeples (article)

  • After Baltimore Police shooting, some question: What does 'displaying characteristics of an armed person’ really mean? by Darcy Costello, Alex Mann, and Cassidy Jensen

  • Unpacking Stop-and-Frisk: The Daily Show by Trevor Noah (video)

  • A Look Back at The Legacy of Stop-and-Frisk in New York City - Between the Scenes:The Daily Show by Trever Noah (video)

  • NYPD's Stop-and-Frisk: Racial Profiling or 'Proactive Policing' - ABC News (video)

  • Why Many Police Traffic Stops Turn Deadly by David D. Kirkpatrick, Steve Eder, Kim Barker, and Julie Tate

  • Louisville police repeatedly violated civil rights, DOJ review finds by Jacob Knutson

  • Cities Try to Turn the Tide on Police Traffic Stops by David D. Kirkpatrick, Steve Eder, and Kim Barker

  • Police Officers Shouldn't Be the Ones to Enforce Traffic Laws by Dr. Sara A. Seo (article)

  • Police Brutality, Misconduct and Shootings – The New York Times (articles)

  • Report: Baltimore Police use less force, but serious cases and flawed agency response are still issues by Darcy Costello

  • Letter To Your Flag by Royalty (Poetry)

  • Shots Fired by Get Lit (Poetry)

  • Youth at Baltimore County jail kept in cells for 23 hours a day in poor conditions, state public defender says by Cassidy Jensen (article)

  • Should Some Criminal Records Be Wiped Clean After 7 Years? by Grace Ashford (article)

  • Group violence strategy offers 'second chance' in Baltimore. 'I'm just grateful," participant says by Darcy Costello (article)

  • A man served 34 years for killing another teen. Now he mentors Baltimore Youth to avoid his mistakes. by Alex Mann (article)

  • Demographic Differences in Sentencing - United States Sentencing Commission (report)

  • What if Algorithms Worked For Accused People, Instead of Against Them? by Aaron Horowitz, Kristian Lum, Erica Marshall, and Mikaela Meyer (article)

  • A massive review of the evidence shows letting people out of prison doesn't increase crime by German Lopez

  • The case for capping all prison sentences at 20 years by German Lopez

  • 300 Years Ago, There Was a Brutal Murder. We Could Learn From the Treaty that Followed. by Dr. Nicole Eustace (article)

  • We Suffer Too Many Fools Who Start Wildfires by Clare Frank (article)

• The Healthcare System

  • He Was 'Losing His Mind Slowly, and I Watched It' by Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Kimberly (podcast)

  • "We've lost our compass." For California's most mentally ill, is a return to forced treatment a solution - or a false promise? by JocelynWiener

  • California Is Fighting to Make it Easier to Put People Under Conservatorships by Henry Grabar

  • Are Abortion Pills Safe? Here's the Evidence. by Amy Schoenfeld Walker, Jonathan Corum, Malika Khurana, and Ashley Wu (article)

  • A New Goal for Abortion Bills: Punish or Protect Doctors by David W. Chen (article)

  • Most Abortion Bans Include Exceptions. In Practice, Few Are Granted. by Amy Schoenfeld Walker (article)

  • Childbirth is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They're Rich, Expansive Study Finds by Claire Cain Miller, Sarah Kliff, and Larry Buchanan (article)

  • Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021 - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (report)

  • Breast Cancer Death Rates Are Highest for Black Women - Again by Sandy McDowell (article)

  • Myths about physical racial differences were used to justify slavery - and are still believed by doctors today. by Linda Villarosa (article)

  • Higher Bills Are Leading Americans to Delay Medical Care by Reed Abelson

  • Why doesn't the United States have universal health care? The answer has everything to do with race. by Jeneen Interlandi (article)

  • Racism and Health - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (article)

  • As new HIV diagnoses continue to fall in Baltimore City, disparities remain in the Black community by Billy Jean Louis (article)

  • She Says Doctors Ignored Her Concerns About Her Pregnancy. For Many Black Women, It's a Familiar Story. by Duaa Eldeib (article)

  • 'I Don't Want to Die': Fighting Maternal Mortality Among Black Women by Erica L. Green (article)

  • Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Health Care by David C. Radley, Jesse C. Baumgartner, Sara R. Collins, Laurie Zephyrin, and Eric C. Schneider

  • Algorithms Are Making Decisions About Health Care, Which May Only Worsen Medical Racism by Crystal Grant (article)

  • Baltimore researchers say AI could help reduce disparities, improve access in health care by Angela Roberts

  • Health inequities and their causes - World Health Organization (article)

  • New pediatric guidelines aim to treat obesity without stigma. Critics say they'll make bias worse. by Maya Lora and Angela Roberts (article)

  • Opiod Settlement Hinders Patients' Access to a Wide Array of Drugs by Christina Jewett and Ellen Gabler

  • They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost? by Megan Twohey and Christina Jewett

  • 'We can do better': What's behind Maryland's long ER wait times? by Angela Roberts (article)

Remember that you can’t do everything (that is why we ALL need to step up), but you can do something. We make progress as individuals and as a society by continuously finding the answers to our questions and creating solutions to our problems. We can create an equitable society by centering those who are most impacted and listening to their needs. When we stand up for what we believe and act courageously, we can create lasting and real change in the world. For more inspiration, here are 25 Black Marylanders to Watch for 2023, plus 5 Living Legends.