John Ellsberry
Lionel Foster
Peter Quinn
Combining the creative talents of writer Lionel Foster with multidisciplinary artists Peter Quinn and John Ellsberry sparked dialogue about race and the current environmental movement. With Baltimore communities and sustainable living as their focus, Ellsberry, Foster, and Quinn propose a greater convergence of race, class, and environmentalism. Although these Baltimore natives come from disparate backgrounds, their work represents a singular perspective: Our basic need for clean, livable spaces, they say, can undercut any social division. This idea led to the title of their own campaign, "Black + White = Green."
photo by Mitro Hood
What if you had to duck every time you heard the sound of a firecracker or a backfiring motorcycle because it was more likely to be a gun?
What if your kids walked through alleys strewn with trash and dead animals on their daily route to school?
What if your drinking water was poisoned by lead?
Our city is divided by race and class. But there is hope. The same language and energy we use to protect our natural resources can produce healthier lives for the city's people.
The Premise
The slogan represents one step towards a broadening of what we commonly call "environmentalism" by emphasizing the ways in which it undercuts race and class. Clean, livable spaces are a necessity for all human beings, and we shouldn't have to go far to enjoy them. We work hard to protect certain species and their delicate natural terrains. A truly green philosophy maintains that human beings deserve the same consideration.
The Event
A collaborative spectacle during Baltimore Green Week's EcoFestival in Druid Hill Park on May 5 at 2 p.m. will dramatically illustrate this point. Two parading groups made up of the people on hand will converge into one vibrant burst of green as cameras positioned high above the scene record the event.
The Impact
Photos of the event will be made into postcards that will be sold by local merchants. In a follow-up to the event, proceeds from those sales will be used for greening and beautification projects in neighborhoods surrounding the site.
Get Involved
To volunteer for the Black + White = Green event or to be involved in one of the many other EcoFestival events, please visit Baltimore Green Week's site at www.baltimoregreenweek.org. Let's make our differences fade to green.
-John Ellsberry
Lionel Foster
Peter Quinn