This platform is an opportunity to showcase and highlight people of African decent in the field of social work in addition to individuals working towards social justice.
Makayla Gilliam-Price Makayla Gilliam-Price embodies a strength and presence that commands attention and is powerful. A Baltimore native who is no stranger to demanding political change and activism, as she is a part of a family of other strong change agents who advocated to abolish the death penalty in Maryland. Then at seventeen years of age, Makayla took her advocacy to address racial injustice and police brutality within the city of Baltimore to multiple settings, including City Hall. The murder of Freddie Gray propelled her activism even further. One of the organizational vehicles that she created and utilized to spearhead her activism was that of City Bloc, a coalition with Baltimore United for Change. Learning and understanding the political architecture that perpetuates and encourages police brutality and racial oppression has been vital to her work. As she advanced her knowledge of Baltimore’s political architecture, Makayla shares this knowledge with other youth in order for them to be able to use their voice within the political arena. www.mpt.org/digitalstudios/voicesofbaltimore/makayla/
Dayvon Love Dayvon Love is a Baltimore native who has passionately and unapologetically addressed policies that predominantly oppress African Americans since high school. Prior to being accepted into Towson University, Dayvon began learning and enhancing his eloquence of political debate. Commitment and aptitude for political debate, afforded him an opportunity to earn a scholarship to Towson University and to make history in the arena of debate. Dayvon and his debate team member Deven Cooper, became the first all-Black team to win the Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship. Determined to not allow his oratory skills and influence to end following his successful matriculation through his undergraduate studies, Dayvon and many other phenomenal activist co-founded Leaders of A Beautiful Struggle (LBS). Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle is 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” (Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, 2018). lbsbaltimore.com Makayla and Dayvon’s unapologetic activism and determination to address both police brutality and racial discrimination was documented in the acclaimed documentary “Baltimore Rising” produced by Sonja Sohn. Stay tuned in throughout the month of February as we continue to highlight African Americans and organizations, who have made an impact within the Social Work Profession as well as those who fight against racial injustice.