Women Bettering Baltimore

By Sophie Christoff

Women have a pivotal role in improving the well-being of people in Baltimore. This article highlights four powerful women in Baltimore whose stories and work have positively contributed to a more equitable and beautiful future.

Lynne B. Kahn is the Founder and Executive Director of the Baltimore Hunger Project. Khan spent her childhood in Baltimore. Part of Khan’s goal is to empower children in Baltimore to live and learn. Khan says, “Studies show kids who don’t eat over the weekend, it takes them [until] Wednesday when they can focus on their studies.”

Kahn began pursuing her efforts to solve local child hunger when she started Lynne’s Garage in 2009. One Sunday a month for nine years, Khan and a group of friends made lunches for two shelters for women and children, and Kahn delivered the meals. When she realized the significance of these meals to these families Monday through Friday, she worried about the hunger gap from Friday afternoon to Monday mornings. Kahn founded the Baltimore Hunger Project in 2014. The donations continued through the pandemic. Khan said, “One of my proudest accomplishments is knowing the impact that we’re having in the community, one where we’ve created awareness that this problem exists and that we are serving thousands of children every week.”

Shan Wallace is a nomadic award-winning visual artist, photographer, and educator. Wallace grew up in Baltimore and has found inspiration for her art in the little things that make up everyday life. In Baltimore, she feels that she learned the powerful effects of service, collaboration, and social change. Her work expresses cultural and political narratives of the Black community in Baltimore. Her website also explains that her work also “confronts oppressive politics and histories within communities of the African diaspora, and challenging ideas surrounding existing collections, culture and archives of Blackness.” Wallace’s painting and photographs serve as a display of legacy and history in the Black Community.

Shan Wallace has received the Baltimore Best for Best Solo Show, the City Paper for Best Photographer, and 2nd Place - Small Outlet Feature from the Association of Health Care Journalists for her photojournalism piece “Losing Conner’s Mind.” Her work has been showcased in The Daily Beast, Essence Magazine, Black Entertainment Television (BET), The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore City Paper, VICE, Red Bull Amaphiko, The Charlotte Observer, and The New York Times. Her art is displayed in museums and cultural centers in Los Angeles and Baltimore.

Lady Brion is an international spoken word artist, poetry coach, activist, organizer, and educator. Brion started performing poetry when she was 12 years old and performed around the world, including in London, Ghana, and Zanzibar. She started teaching creative writing to middle and upper school students to compete in poetry competitions. Brion has represented Baltimore in many national poetry competitions, including the Individual World Poetry Slam and the Women of the World Poetry Slam.

Now, Brion is a Cultural Curator for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), which her website describes as “a grassroots think-tank which advances the public policy interest of Black people, in Baltimore, through youth leadership development, political advocacy, and autonomous intellectual innovation.”

Julia Fleischaker is the owner of Greedy Reads bookstores in Fells Point and Remington. Fleischaker studied marketing and publishing, but she opened her first store after realizing that she craved human connection. Her bookstores foster a warm and welcoming environment. Her dog, Augie, loves hanging out in the shops and interacting with customers. She once witnessed a marriage proposal in one of her bookshops.

During the pandemic, she continued to connect with her customers through virtual book clubs. She also spearheaded “A Virtual Variety Show,” which provides creative writing workshops for students in Baltimore City. She said, “Even before COVID hit, there was a reevaluation happening in what people consider important and what brings value to their lives.” She continued, “As more people crave personal and meaningful experiences, I think small businesses are going to thrive.”

These women are working to effect a palpable impact in this community: from leading philanthropic efforts, to creating spaces, both physical and otherwise, that reflect and serve the people of Baltimore. Often unnoticed, it is important to acknowledge that it is the cumulative effort of those who take care and pride in their work for this city that make it a great place to live.