Freddie Gray’s death, the Uprising that followed, and the city’s response to police violence deeply altered the way I thought about journalism. I felt pushed to think seriously about the way class comes into account in a city governed by mostly Black politicians. It caused me to think about the way media can be used to sell the police to citizens, as opposed to educating them about the police as a powerful entity in the city — one that residents help fund. It made me look for the people and organizations who were working to build real solutions to the problem of police violence.
This issue seeks to recognize the 10 years that have passed since Gray was first chased down by Baltimore City police and thrown into the back of a police van. He died on April 19, 2015. His death set off a series of protests throughout the city.
Journalist Baynard Woods talked to some of the people who were on the ground during that tumultuous time in 2015, leading up to and after the death of Freddie Gray.
“My feeling right now is that the police killed more people last year in the United States, despite crime being dramatically lower than it was in 2015,” Jenny Egan, co-founder of the Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT) told Woods. “Despite all of the changes in the United States, cops are still killing people.
Logan Hullinger and Jaisal Noor wrote about the work BALT is currently doing.
“A decade later, BALT is among the few initiatives launched in the wake of the Uprising that continues to operate. What started as an emergency legal response has transformed into a long-term fight for systemic change both through the courts and through grassroots organizing,” they write.
Our photostory shows rarely seen photos by award-winning photojournalist and artist Devin Allen, who used his camera to help bring light to what was happening at the time in Baltimore.
Our cover, which features one of Allen’s photos, was designed by Wide Angle Youth Media.
You’ll also find a poem written by Writers in Baltimore Schools participant Piper Matthews and a list of events happening throughout Baltimore to recognize this moment in history.
Be sure to go to baltimorebeat.com for even more content.
We hope this issue encourages you, the reader, to keep the issue of police violence at the front of your mind, even as so many things about this country feel uncertain and challenging. We hope you remember the lives of Freddie Gray, his family, and his community. We hope you think about all the people who work tirelessly to create a better, safer world for all of us.