Stories for Change Premiere

Thank you to everyone for making the Stories for Change Premiere a beautiful success! On March 18th, 2023 over 40 residents, partners, and elected officials attended the screening and panel discussion at the Parks and People Stone House. Created by filmmaker Kurt Orderson with The Access Projects for Druid Hill Park (TAP Druid Hill) and the New Auchentoroly Terrace Association (ATA), the three short films of Stories for Change highlight the experiences of local residents’ love for Druid Hill Park and their challenges getting to the park on foot and bicycle. These films are a call to action for local, state, and federal partners to fund transforming the highways surrounding Druid Hill Park into neighborhood-serving streets, safe and accessible for all. Thanks to Mayor Brandon Scott for joining us and sharing his support.

Stories for Change is an Azania Rizing Productions film series by Director, DP, and Editor Kurt Otabenga Orderson. Find out more about Orderson’s work at azaniarizing.com.

Special thanks to the Baltimore Community Foundation for their support funding this series.

The Films

Stories for Change, Two Blocks Diallo

Stories for Change, Each One

Stories for Change, Kwamya’s Run

Background

Since 2017, the Auchentoroly Terrace / Mondawmin community has been involved in supporting a revision of the existing Druid Park Lake Drive. This work began through Councilman Leon Pinkett’s office and has continued through Councilman Torrence. It reached a significant milestone when the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) released their Druid Park Lake Drive report in early 2022. The full report is available online. In summary, the report presents 3 redesign options for the road around Druid Hill Park (from 83 all the way around to the northwest corner of the park), all of which would be significantly more pedestrian friendly and community friendly than the existing infrastructure.

While our community is excited about these results, there has been concerns about the funding for the re-design. Given the scope of the project, this redesign will likely require state or federal monies. We believe that its essential that lawmakers on all levels hear from community voices regarding the existing infrastructure and the importance of redesigning the existing roadway. The history of the existing roadway, both the politics of its build and the racism of its placement, is further described online in editorials in the Baltimore Sun and through the website tapdruidhill.org.

To help encourage local and federal government representatives to support the redesign through to completion by securing its funding, we produced these short videos to highlight local community members talking about their history in relationship to the park and the associated challenges in getting into the park. Having now premiered the films, ATA and TAP Druid Hill will continue to meet with the mayor’s office as well as state and congressional offices to advocate for funding for the redesign.

The goal of this film series to uplift local voices and secure funding to complete work that began 5 years ago, and will according to DOT least seven more years of work to see it through to completion. While each member in our community may have their own opinion on what re-design option is best, these films are focused on the bigger value of making the corridor safe for everyone; including drivers, pedestrians, transit users, wheelchair riders, and residents who rely on bicycles and dockless scooters for transportation.

Premiere Photos