Community Day: Turn Again to the Earth

Bring friends and family to celebrate Turn Again to the Earth, the BMA’s city-wide initiative and series of exhibitions focusing on the environment, climate change, art, and culture. Among the series is Black Earth Rising, an exhibition of compelling artworks by contemporary African diasporic, Latin American, and Native American artists who are inspired by the splendor and fragility of the natural world.

Community Day is an outdoor event for all ages. This event will feature a Qigong mindful movement session in the Ryda and Robert H. Levi Sculpture Garden led by Mary Pinkard, a live musical performance by composer and multi-instrumentalist Jamal R. Moore, and family-friendly interactive activities. Connect with local environmental organizations, such as the Natural History Society of Maryland, Bikemore, Blue Water Baltimore, and Acres4Change. Enjoy a selection of delicious food and beverages from Juicing with Jazz and Our Time Kitchen members Chachu’s Chai, The Veggie Table, and Somethang Delicious.

The afternoon also includes free timed-entry tickets to see Black Earth Rising. Reserve free tickets for Sunday, May 18.

Schedule

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Start Community Day with Qigong in the Garden led by Mary Pinkard

This activity may be performed standing or seated.

Location: Ryda and Robert H. Levi Sculpture Garden (Rain plan: Fox Court)

12–4 p.m.

Meet local organizations and makers
Enjoy food and beverages

Acres4Change
Baltimore Tree Trust
Bikemore
Blue Water Baltimore
Chachu’s Chai
Femme Prints
Green Street Academy
Juicing with Jazz
My Lor Greenhouse
Natural History Society of Maryland
Personal Best Ceramics
SCRAP-To-Go Kits! Raffle generously provided by SCRAP Bmore
Somethang Delicious
The Veggie Table

Location: West Lawn (Rain plan: Antioch Court, Fox Court, and Joseph Education Center)

12–4 p.m.

Family artmaking

Location: West Lawn (Rain plan: Joseph Education Center Studio)

1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Reading of We Are the Builders! with author Deepa Iyer

What role will you play for Community Day? We Are the Builders! is a gentle introduction to community organizing for children and their caregivers.

Location: West Lawn (Rain plan: Joseph Education Center Insight Lab)

2–2:30 p.m.

Performance of Ma’at Nadjartat Nun by Jamal R. Moore

A sonic journey through the natural world and the balance we must restore.

Location: West Lawn (Rain plan: Fox Court)

3:30 p.m.

SCRAP-To-Go Kits! Raffle winners announced

Location: West Lawn

Participants

Acres4Change

Acres4Change (A4C) was founded in 2020 to create meaningful pathways to land ownership for aspiring BIPOC farmers in Baltimore. Through our Stewardship Program and Charm City Caps Mushroom Farm, we provide hands-on training in mushroom farming, farm business planning, and cooperative ownership.

At Charm City Caps, we cultivate specialty mushrooms, selling them at local markets to help fund land acquisition efforts. In addition to fresh mushrooms, we also sell dried mushrooms, tinctures, and nutrient-rich spent mushroom compost, expanding our impact on local food systems.

In October 2024, alongside our first Stewardship Program graduates, we secured our first parcel of land—home to Sankofa Farm Collective—a community-driven incubator for sustainable micro-farm businesses.

Through education, advocacy, and direct action, A4C ensures land remains in the hands of those who cultivate it. Visit our website (www.acres4change.org) to learn more and join us as we revitalize our communities—one micro-farm at a time.

 

Baltimore Tree Trust

The Baltimore Tree Trust (BTT) is a Black-led nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental justice and community empowerment. Driven by a dedicated team, BTT works to restore Baltimore’s urban forest and create a healthier, more equitable city for all residents. Its culture is based on collaboration, respect, and a profound appreciation for the environment. BTT serves the diverse communities of Baltimore, focusing on those neighborhoods with the lowest tree canopy coverage to ensure that everyone benefits from a greener, more sustainable future.

Baltimore Tree Trust’s mission is to restore Baltimore’s urban forest through increased tree planting, community engagement, advocacy, and workforce development. BTT plants and cares for trees, empowers residents through education on tree stewardship, and trains the next generation of urban foresters.

Since its founding in 2008, BTT has planted nearly 20,000 trees, which, when mature, will cover approximately 4.1 million square feet. Baltimore Tree Trust has significantly impacted the community by providing cleaner air, reducing urban heat, improving stormwater management, increasing biodiversity, and fostering healthier, more resilient neighborhoods.

 

Bikemore

Bikemore is a nonprofit advocating for safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation. We champion protected bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly streets, and multimodal solutions that connect communities. Our mission is to shape policies that prioritize people over cars, ensuring cities are designed for everyone—cyclists, walkers, transit riders, and families alike. Through grassroots organizing, public engagement, and collaboration with policymakers, we push for infrastructure that makes cycling safe and convenient, supports public transit, and fosters thriving, interconnected neighborhoods. We believe that well-designed streets improve quality of life, boost local economies, and create healthier, more resilient communities. Whether it’s advocating for protected bike lanes, pushing for traffic calming measures, or promoting transit accessibility, we work toward a future where people of all ages and abilities can move safely and efficiently. Join us in reimagining our streets for a more sustainable and vibrant city.

 

Blue Water Baltimore

At Blue Water Baltimore, we are dedicated to restoring and protecting the waterways of the Baltimore region. Since our founding in 2010, we have worked to improve water quality in the Patapsco River, Baltimore Harbor, and Chesapeake Bay through advocacy, education, and hands-on restoration efforts. Our team leads initiatives like tree plantings, stream cleanups, and stormwater management projects to combat pollution and urban runoff.

We also operate the Herring Run Nursery, providing native plants to support local ecosystems. Through water quality monitoring, community engagement, and policy advocacy, we strive to create lasting change for Baltimore’s waterways. By empowering residents and businesses to take action, we aim to build a healthier and more resilient environment for future generations. At Blue Water Baltimore, we believe that clean water is a right, and we are committed to making it a reality for our community.

 

Deepa Iyer

Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Deepa’s work is focused on supporting organizations and networks in the nonprofit sector. She is the author of two books that focus on how individuals and organizations can engage in sustainable and effective social change.

 

Femme Prints

Femme Prints is a Baltimore-based print studio created by printmaker and illustrator MC Carey (they/them). MC creates limited edition hand-carved linoleum and woodblock prints inspired by themes of natural wonder, liberation, and what they call afro-whimsy. Using nature as a tool for storytelling, MC carves textural block prints that explore our relationship to the earth, our community, and ourselves.

 

Green Street Academy

Anchored in West Baltimore City, Green Street Academy is a public charter school serving approximately 875 middle and high school students, offering hands-on experimental learning opportunities through several career-based programs including Construction Design and Management, Pre-Nursing, and Urban Agriculture. Our newly renovated Innovation Center opened during the height of the pandemic, providing state of the art fabrication equipment used to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and innovation. GSA scholars have access to interscholastic sports, arts programming, STEAM enrichment, before and after school programing, and one of the most robust internship programs in Baltimore City. Green Street Academy was awarded “Green School of the Year” for 2018 by the USGBC’s Green Schools National Network and its facility holds LEED Platinum energy-efficient status.

 

Jamal R. Moore

Jamal R. Moore is a native of Baltimore Maryland and a multi-instrumentalist, composer/performer and educator. His background includes California Institute of The Arts (M.F.A. 2012), Berklee College of Music (B.M. 2005), Eubie Blake Jazz Orchestra (2000) under the direction of Christopher Calloway Brooks and historical acclaimed Frederick Douglass Sr. High whom notable alumni Thurgood Marshall, Cab Calloway, and Ethel Ennis graduated from.

Some notable luminaries Jamal has worked and recorded with are Wadada Leo Smith, Roscoe Mitchell, Nicole Mitchell, Archie Shepp, David Ornette Cherry, Tomeka Reid, Dr. Bill Cole, DJ Lou Gorbea, George Duke, Sheila E, David Murray, JD Parran, Ras Moshe, Hprizm, (Antipop Consortium) Tatsua Nakatani, Hamid Drake and the late Yahyah Abdul Majid (Sun Ra Arkestra). He is an affiliate of The Pan African Peoples Arkestra of the late Horace Tapscott, Black Praxis of David Boykin, and member of Konjur Collective.

Jamal currently leads his own groups, Akebulan Arkestra, Napata Strings, Black Elements Quartet, Organix Trio, and Mojuba Duo.

“As musicians we are healers of humanity and have a responsibility to cleanse dis—ease through positive tones, frequencies and vibrations. Music is the nucleus and universal language of the oversoul, mind, body and spirit.” – Jamal R. Moore

 

Juicing with Jazz

Juicing with Jazz is a natural cold-pressed mobile pop-up juice bar owned by a small business woman from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, PA. Juicing with Jazz is a pioneering force in the health and wellness industry, wholly committed to providing an all natural, nutritionist, and tasty alternative to the traditional beverages on the market. Our focus is on cold-pressed juicing, a technique that enables us to extract the highest quality of nutrients from fruits and vegetables, while keeping the natural flavors intact.

We have a passion for providing health-conscious, on-the-go, and often neglected communities with healthy juice options. Each of our customizable juices are sugar and preservative free, bottled with a combination of 100% fruits and vegetables.

 

Mary Pinkard

Mary Pinkard has expertise in multiple wellness domains. She has studied under Qigong experts Dr. Kevin Chen from the University of Maryland, Daisy Lee, and Lee Holden. Mary is certified as a Level II Professional with the National Qigong Association. She also holds certifications in Feng Shui and training certificates in Yoga and Tai Chi. Mary teaches Qigong classes locally and has worked on wellness projects with University of MD Medical School, GBMC Hospital, McDaniel College, the Tuerk Conference on addictions, the CHEP Conference on addictions, Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services, St. Joe’s Hospital, the Nova Institute for People, Places, and Planet, and Walter Reed Hospital. She continues her affiliations with the American Aerobics and Fitness Association, National Qigong Association, and the American Dowsers Association. Mary has a degree in Music Education from Skidmore College and a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Towson University. The integration of music and wellness education influence her Qigong practice and teaching.

 

My Lor Greenhouse

My Lor Greenhouse, founded by Christine Hallenbeck, is a brick-and-mortar urban greenhouse situated in the historic Old Goucher neighborhood of Baltimore. The greenhouse integrates sustainable horticulture, environmental education, and community engagement by offering services and products that promote sustainable practices in urban settings.

 

Natural History Society of Maryland

Founded in 1929, the Natural History Society of Maryland (NHSM) is an inclusive hub for scientific research and discovery, a proving ground for the next generation of naturalists, and a playground for all who are driven by curiosity We have a museum that houses our collections, the state’s largest interdisciplinary collection of natural history specimens. Collections that tell the 4.6 billion year history of Maryland.

There is something for everyone at NHSM – workshops, speaker series, field trips, festivals, classes, and demonstrations. And for those who have a very specific interest, NHSM is home to four clubs that meet monthly: The Lepidoptera Club (moths and butterflies), The Herp Club (amphibians and reptiles), The Fossil Club, and The Archaeology Club.

NHSM is bringing a mini-version of the museum to the BMA. Come explore the wonders of nature with us.

 

Personal Best Ceramics

Whitney Simpkins makes functional pottery in Baltimore, Maryland as Personal Best Ceramics. As a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, she uses traditional ceramic forms as a canvas for painterly techniques.

 

The Veggie Table

Brittany Gilliam Fields is a passionate plant-based chef and the founder of the Bmore Vegan Block Party, a vibrant celebration of vegan food, culture, and community. Her culinary journey began in 2019 with a love for bold, soulful flavors and a deep commitment to wellness and sustainability. In 2022, she graduated from a Plant-Based Culinary School, sharpening her skills and turning her passion into purpose. Since then, she’s been on a mission to make plant-based eating more accessible, flavorful, and fun through her business, The Veggie Table. Brittany continues to create spaces that nourish both the body and the community—one delicious bite at a time.

This Community Day event generously sponsored by the Aegon Transamerica Foundation.

The Turn Again to the Earth initiative is generously supported by the Cohen Opportunity Fund, Baltimore Gas and Electric, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, the Eileen Harris Norton Foundation, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

Black Earth Rising is supported by the Hardiman Family Endowment Fund, The Dorman/Mazaroff Art Exhibition Fund, Baltimore Gas and Electric, the Sigmund M. and Mary B. Hyman Fund for American Art, and The Clair Zamoiski Segal and Thomas H. Segal Contemporary Art Endowment Fund.

 

Image: Alejandro Piñeiro Bello. Viajando En La Franja Del Iris. 2024. Private Collection. © Alejandro Piñeiro Bello, courtesy Pace Gallery and KDR. Photo: courtesy Pace Gallery