The Voices of the Middle Branch interview series aims to celebrate the communities around the Middle Branch through visual storytelling.
Courtney (cj), Reimagine Middle Branch Fellow
"When I’m attending Morgan State University, I live in the Idlewood neighborhood. My favorite memory at the Middle Branch was when me and another fellow got a tour of the Middle Branch by boat. That was really impactful as my first time on that body of water in the 5+ years I've been living in Baltimore. The Middle Branch has a peaceful and beautiful presence. In the future I would love to see it as something that's much more integrated into the community. I think there's a broken trail system there, so something that's much more connected would be a great start.
I love to see ecological programming to educate people on the significance of the water (like the types of fish and vegetation there). Climate is such an important topic now and in order to be able to protect what we have, there should be an understanding of what is already there. Being in nature kind of slows the world around you down and teaches you how to be more observant of what's around you. You're more in tune with your senses and, as a result, more in tune with yourself.
I had no real knowledge of the Middle Branch before the fellowship and now it is a place that I still visit because it is accessible via public transit from my school. When I tell my friends, “Hey, there’s this cool spot in South Baltimore” some people know about it but most don’t. I want to see the Middle Branch as more of a social spot. Not necessarily just for people that live there, but for everyone. Through more facilities like additional playgrounds, the park could turn into more of a destination. Programming like movie showings and free concerts at the waterfront could also help foster interaction and bring more young people to the Middle Branch.”
“Being in nature kind of slows the world around you down and teaches you how to be more observant of what’s around you. You’re more in tune with your senses and, as a result, more in tune with yourself.”