innovation : Featured Stories

Film directors usually depict small towns as either Norman Rockwell-esque fantasies or intellectually stifling places full of small-minded people. But life in these places has a distinct rhythm and is full of individual stories that present a much deeper picture to those who care to look. Baltimore filmmaker Josh Slates aims to bring a more robust image of small-town America to moviegoers with his first feature film, Small Pond.

What is design? It's a simple enough question with a far-from-simple set of answers. Answers that a dedicated group of volunteers are working hard to find for Baltimore at D:center, one of the city's most interesting grassroots organizations.

What's Working in Cities is a monthly series in which we take a closer look at people and organizations in cities across the country that are transforming neighborhoods and driving change in urban areas. What works in Portland, Austin, or Chattanooga will probably work here, too, in some form or another. Our series will ask why some things work, why some don't, and what big ideas and principles all cities should adopt as we move forward into an increasingly urbanized 21st century.

Education is often bandied about among those jockeying for political position as a vague notion in need of improvement. It's a quick, easy soundbite on which almost everyone can readily agree. But what does improvement look like, and how do we find it? One place to start looking is Fells Point's Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where low income students are beating the odds every day.

Innovation and growth in Baltimore are good things. This much is clear. That doesn't mean, however, there won't be problems. As the city and its people continue to forge a path into the future, we will more and more be faced with a question: what kind of city do we want to be?

We already know that Baltimore has a strong emerging entrepreneurial scene. For Heather Sarkissian, ensuring the growth and sustainability of these efforts is the secret to Baltimore's future success.

Entrepreneur Mike Subelsky has a challenge for Baltimore: to become as "obsessed with creating and growing businesses" as other cities are with sports. To help us get there, he offers six points of action.

As the BioInternational conference takes place down in Washington, DC, Bmore Media dives into Maryland's thriving biotech industry with an eye on what makes the state an appealing destination for biotech jobs, research, and talent.