The unrest in our community following the arrest and untimely death of Freddie Gray has been very upsetting to those of us who are residents of Baltimore and who have worked very hard for many years to address the disparities in our city. One favorable outcome of the last several weeks has been to bring to the forefront the inequalities in Baltimore and other cities across the nation ("Parents see protests as a teaching moment for their children," May 2).
Now it is time for all of us to awaken to the problems we face in our country and to work together to bring equality and justice to every citizen no matter his or her sex, color, religion or national origin. The recent demonstrations have renewed the consciousness of our community and have challenged our public institutions and elected officials to take responsibility for changing policies that are unfair and have complicated the prospect for justice.
For the third year in a row, I have raised funds to sponsor a Free Outdoor Art Show around the reservoir in Druid Hill Park. The show has been supported by many of Baltimore's foundations and generous individuals who love our city as I do. The raison d'etre for the show is threefold — to bring the citizens of Baltimore together, to highlight the beauty of Druid Hill Park and to encourage the burgeoning art community to exhibit and, hopefully, sell their works. This year we are thrilled that over 100 Maryland artists have registered to be a part of the show.
We have strong hopes that this wonderful day in the park will bring our citizens together and show the nation that "we are all on the same page — working toward equality, justice and solidarity." At this crucial time in the history of our beloved city, I encourage the residents of Baltimore to join me and all of our artists for a memorable day around the reservoir in Druid Hill Park on Sunday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be a special time for us to get together and celebrate our beloved Baltimore!
Barbara Shapiro, Baltimore