What would Baltimore be like if:
•The plans announced to advance development in Park Heights become reality?
•Our publicly funded drug treatment system continues to build capacity to make substance abuse treatment available to every city resident who wants and needs it?
•Public housing allows returning citizens to legally reside there as permitted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development?
•Fathers are encouraged and supported to stay connected to their children without interruption?
•The Port Covington project realizes its full potential to create new jobs and businesses?
•Parental involvement in all schools becomes a top priority for the community, school administrators and policy makers?
•The Justice Reinvestment Act achieves its full potential to reduce recidivism and end an over-reliance on incarceration without meaningful rehabilitation?
•Affordable and quality child care is made available to all parents?
•Structural and institutional racism is acknowledged, dismantled and we truly become One Baltimore?
•We create a world class mass public transportation system?
What if we the people, who care so deeply and passionately about Baltimore, embraced the above and other constructive opportunities and ideas as if our existence deepened on it?
Joseph T. Jones Jr., Baltimore
The writer is founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Families.