MEDIAWORKS 2019: PHOTOJOURNALISM TEAM

Journalism Team’s field trip to The Richard Eaton Broadcast Center at the University of Maryland, home to UMTV and the Maryland Capital News Service (CNS) Broadcast Bureau. From left to right: Otto, Justice, Katia, Justin, and Sonia.

MediaWorks Journalism Team, led by Emma Bergman, worked with the Capital News Service at University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism, to write five blog posts and create a photojournalism package about climate change, environmental racism, and health. This summer collaboration was a continuation of partnership that started in the 2018-2019 academic year.

See excerpts and links to published blogs below, and stay tuned to Wide Angle’s social media channels for links to the next round of published posts later this month!

Blog Posts

1. Kids Will Do Anything to Cool Off by Justice Georgie

   Lieutenant Jimmy Artis of the Baltimore County Fire Department agrees that kids need places to cool off. "There is an outreach to the community,” he said, "because where are people going to go? We understand it is hot and playing with fire hydrants is an outlet they can use to cool off.” But it is important to remember that not all fire departments feel the same way. "Most cities might not understand the lengths kids are willing to go to because they’re not from the hood and may not know what struggle is,” Artis said. 

2. Summer Heat in ‘94 by Otto Blais-Nelson

   "I didn’t sleep very well most nights, and it affected my ability to function during the day. I didn’t have a car, so I walked to work. One day I was so out of it that I stepped off the curb to cross the street without looking and came within inches of getting hit by a speeding car,” Nelson said.

3. Living and Working in the Heat, A Youth Perspective by Katia Crawford

   High temperatures in urban centers like Baltimore City affect residents in negative ways. Dominant narratives about heat inequity center stories of people in poor communities, adults who pay bills, and the elderly. While these are valid perspectives, youth voices should be heard as well. I interviewed several high school students to get their opinions on how heat conditions affect them in school, at home, and in their communities.

4. Hotheaded by Justin Marine

   We have to find a way to cool off the city. If we don’t, climate change will continue to worsen and it’s just going to get hotter. It is clear that rising temperatures will continue to result in increased violent crime. Global warming is real and it is affecting our world and lives in ways we don’t always see.

5. Sickening Heat by Sonia Hug

   In 2018, Maryland suffered 28 heat-related deaths following 11 Code Red Extreme Heat days. Half of these occurred in Baltimore City, where many people live without air conditioning or an alternative way to cool off. Exposure to this extreme heat especially poses a danger to children, elders, and those with chronic medical illnesses.

Photojournalism Package: 55 Captioned Images

Here is a sample of the final package. (Select the image or select the right and left arrow keys to scroll through the images.)

McElderry Park Landscapes

Many blocks in McElderry Park have long stretches with no shade, due in part to the limited tree-cover in the neighborhood (Justice Georgie).

The many murals of McElderry Park brighten public spaces (Sonia Hug).

A large group of McElderry Park residents hanging out in the shade call this duck their mascot (Justin Marine).

The abandoned houses in McElderry Park act as brick ovens, contributing to the heat in surrounding occupied homes (Sonia Hug).

People We Met

Environmental activist Glenn Ross leads Toxic Tours of Baltimore, where he discusses environmental racism and the consequences of climate change (Otto Blais-Nelson).

Rosie Bowen works at Rose’s Bakery in Northeast Market. “I didn’t believe in climate change until maybe a couple weeks ago,” she said. “My generation didn't take care of the environment the way we should have. We got lazy” (Otto Blais-Nelson).

When asked what he would say if given the chance to speak with a public official, Donte’ Clark said, “Honestly when you speak to these officials some of them don’t even listen... they’re just on their phones” (Justin Marine).

Safe Streets Baltimore is an evidence-based, public health program that works to reduce gun violence among youth. This Safe Streets volunteer, who goes by Son of Baltimore, organizes weekly block parties in McElderry Park to uplift the community (Katia Crawford).

Amazing Grace Church

This sign welcomes McElderry Park residents to the only public green space in their neighborhood (Justin Marine).

Natalie Cohen, Environmental Educator/Coordinator for the Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, picks up used needles behind the church in the neighborhood’s only public green space (Justin Marine).

The only public shaded bench in McElderry Park is located behind Amazing Grace Lutheran Church (Justin Marine).

No Shoot Zone

Violent crimes in Baltimore spike in the hotter months and fall in the cooler ones (Justice Georgie).

Safe Streets Baltimore originated on the East Side, in several communities including McElderry Park (Otto Blais-Nelson).

In McElderry Park, shrines mark locations of the death of loved ones (Justin Marine).

Attempts to Stay Cool

On one of the blocks of McElderry Park with no tree cover, residents install AC units in an effort to keep their homes cool (Justice Georgie).

This local businesswoman notes that SnoBall sales rise with the temperature (Otto Blais-Nelson).

Ice bags litter the streets of McElderry Park in the summer as residents attempt to cool off (Justin Marine).

---

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hannah Shaw is the Communications Assistant at WAYM. She is a multidisciplinary designer and received her BS in Marketing from UMD and MA in Social Design from MICA.