The young reporter prepared to turn off her recorder but she was curious. She asked one last question, “What makes you so passionate about Baltimore”? 

I was taken aback and my laughter got caught in my throat. As I choked, I realized that no one has ever asked me that question. Hell, I had never asked MYSELF that question. “Why do I care so damn much?”

I’ve experienced a couple of countries and a few cities and I’ve traveled off beaten paths. I’ve met characters, jokers, presidents and mayors. But, when I account for the moments that have impacted my life the most--personal experiences that touched me and pushed me, I seem to always find myself talking about Baltimore.

And, for the first time, I was being asked, “Why?” 

After my sputtering subsided, I tried to compose myself and gather my thoughts. One last snort and I opened my mouth. The words flowed, revealing a stream of consciousness that surprised even me.

My home was Harriet’s first stop on a railroad forged by pain and hope. With a bounty on her head and a pistol in her hand, this woman tempted fate and risked her life to lead hundreds of enslaved people to freedom.

And, as if this didn’t already solidify her as the “Moses of her people”.

<Come on now, they called her “Black Moses”, do you know how dope that is?>

Tubman served as a scout, spy, guerrilla soldier, and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War. She is considered the first African American woman to serve in the military (the entire military).  Basically, Harriet Tubman was all that and a bag of chips.

I love Baltimore like a sister and I am my sister’s keeper.

In the face of revelers, and those who mean her harm, she has never backed down from a fight. Even when her hands are tied behind her back and the odds are not in her favor, she continues to prevail.

This is why I can’t help but look out on Baltimore in utter amazement. Despite her cuts and bruises, she is sophisticated and discerning. Despite the world’s discontent and cruel nature, she never ceases to find ways to grace us. She expands her space to make room for everyone. 

They say that life is a sum total of your experiences and choices. I’m passionate about the city of Baltimore because I am Baltimore.