Letter from the editor – Issue 75
We are not living in peaceful times. As we wrapped up this issue, many people took to the streets here in Baltimore and beyond to express grief and outrage over the death of Renee Good. Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent named Jonathan Ross on January 7 in Minneapolis. At the time of her death, Good and her wife had been out protesting ICE’s activity in Minneapolis. Since President Donald Trump took office last year, the federal agency has ramped up its activity, pursuing the administration’s goals of eliminating nonwhite immigrants from this country. …
News
The women upholding Baltimore’s tradition as a quilt city
The African American Quilters of Baltimore, a vibrant guild of artists and craftspeople, is a crossroads for master quilters, fine artists, hobbyists, textile collectors, and beginners to gather and exchange knowledge that keeps these traditions alive and evolving.
Ahead of a brutally cold winter, Baltimoreans honor unhoused residents who have died as advocates worry about city’s preparedness for the season
Last year, 20,000 people called the shelter hotline for help, and city officials have confirmed that people had to be turned away.
Statewide harm reduction training to resume amid concerns about delay, implementation
HealthHIV, a national nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., opened registration for the new curriculum on December 12, but classes won’t start until January 20. State officials and HealthHIV had previously said it would begin this fall.
After a fire destroyed their office, Community Law Center is raising money to carry on its mission
The Baltimore-based organization is Maryland’s only nonprofit law firm dedicated to providing free legal services to community organizations and nonprofits.
Baltimoreans commemorate those they’ve lost at World AIDS Day vigil
This year was the first since 1988 that the U.S. did not officially commemorate World AIDS Day as the federal government slashes public health spending globally and domestically.
Arts & Culture
abdu mongo ali makes a triumphant return to Baltimore as the BMA’s first composer in residence
With “between every breath, there is atmosphere,” the artist explores the relationship between ecology and culture in a “musical-ass city” like Baltimore.
Best Beats 1/14/26 – 1/28/26
Best Beats highlights some of the best local music that has caught the attention of Baltimore Beat’s staff.
Dwayne Johnson’s brand identity holds back ‘The Smashing Machine’
One man’s thirsty gambit to win an Oscar fumbles one of the best performances he’s delivered in years.
John Akomfrah’s “Hour of the Dog” at the BMA explores the way apathy halts progress
Sir John Akomfrah’s “The Hour of the Dog: Five Parables on Fugitivity and Trespass” at the BMA takes images we think we know and complicates them.
Scenes from the skate park
By Urijah Parran
January 2026 Tarotscopes
Find out what’s in store for you this year with Iya Osundara’s Tarotscope forecast. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
OP-ED: Tenants Building Power in a Broken System
“When tenants come together, slumlords lose their ability to intimidate. The truth is simple: they need us far more than we need them,” organizers from Baltimore Renters United write.
Black Crossword Puzzle: January 7, 2026
Black Crossword is a free mini crossword puzzle that places emphasis on terms and clues from across the Black diaspora.
Baltimore Government and Community Events 1/14/26-1/28/26
Here’s our list of government and community events around the city.
Baltimore Arts and Culture Events 1/14/26-1/28/26
Here’s our list of arts and culture events around the city.
Never-ending Nightmare
Baltimore Beat publishes poems from participants in the group Writers in Baltimore Schools, which offers programming that builds skills in literacy and communication while creating a community of support for young writers.
Community Resources
This Baltimore Beat section aims to help the community with resources and support they may not know are…
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