Just days before the start of my administration, artists who worked and lived in the Bell Foundry were displaced as a result of housing and code violations. This disproportionately impacted artists of color and members of the LGBTQ community, who rely on spaces like the Bell Foundry for practical and cultural value. While public safety is a non-negotiable imperative, I also recognize the intrinsic value of DIY-spaces – which offer resources that artists, especially emerging artists, need.

In the spring of 2015, the White House established a special Taskforce for Baltimore City. The Taskforce was charged with marshalling Federal funds, programs, and expertise to address some of the city’s social and economic challenges, like violent crime, high levels of unemployment and limited economic opportunity in low-income neighborhoods.