Black Lives Matter

The Overlea Community Association stands with the Black community in Baltimore and nationwide. We stand against police brutality. We want all of our neighbors to know we are listening, we are here, and Black Lives Matter.

Overlea is a diverse community, and the Overlea Community Association strives to ensure all Overlea residents feel valued and included. We have work to do. This work starts with better reflecting the richness and diversity of our community in the OCA leadership and membership, and amplifying the voices of our marginalized neighbors. Our community’s unique position, spanning both sides of the Baltimore City/County line, means we can work toward change on many levels.

Recognizing our country and our community’s racist history, we have committed to better educate ourselves and our community in order to actively practice anti-racism. We commit to highlighting Black-owned businesses in community discussions, at our events, and on social media. We want and need the opinions of Black and Brown community members about OCA activities and actions; we commit to creating meeting spaces that welcome Black and Brown neighbors’ voices at board meetings, general meetings, and in our daily communications. We commit to actively consulting Black and Brown community leaders, and centralizing Black and Brown voices in important discussions about community identity, advocacy, and planning. If accessibility is making it difficult for you to attend OCA meetings, we are ready to help.

We also ask our current OCA membership to join us in committing to work against racism, and to create a community association that truly welcomes and represents our entire community.

Want to learn more about the current BLM movement and its historic context?

Check out these resources:

• Baltimore County Public Library’s Anti-Racist Booklist
• Baltimore Magazine article, “How to Show Support for Black Lives in Baltimore”
• Baltimore Sun article, “Two Baltimores: The Black Butterfly and the White L”
• Baltimore Fishbowl BLM News Archive
• Local non-profit community-led coalitions
• About the Black Lives Matter Global Network