ASF.proof

Edna Manns-Lake, Timothy Bridges, and Sterling Brunson have spent decades trying to ensure that Baltimore keeps its Charm.Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Southwest Baltimore was impoverished and suffering the negative consequences of its losing battle against drug abuse and drug trafficking. In the midst of this tumultuous era, Manns-Lake and some local community members met at her mother’s house to devise a comprehensive plan to combat the flow of narcotics and restore order and safety.That meeting ultimately led to the creation of a nonprofit organization called Fayette Street Outreach (FSO) in 1993. “Our first ever project was the youth beautification,” Manns- Lake, who also serves as FSO’s president, recalled. “We cleaned up the neighborhood and boarded-up houses. We also began working with the police to identify drug hot spots in the area. Back in the mid-’90s through the middle of the TO REACH BALT IMOREANS Outreach continues Fayette Street

2000s, drug trafficking was very heavy on the west side and

the community came together to fight against the drug activity that was going on. We actually stood in front of payphones to disrupt the dealers’ business. We didn’t eliminate it, but it’s down to a crawl. People feel much safer.There is also some new development underway in the area.” Bridges, who graduated from Southwestern High School and serves as FSO’s vice president, discussed the state of local drug dealing. He also applauded the community as a whole and noted the importance of funding to support their mission. “Currently, a lot of drug activity is being done by youngsters who we watched grow up,” Bridges said. “Many of these children were always counted out and told that they wouldn’t amount to anything. Some of the kids feel like they have no other options, and the street corners are always hiring. Basically, because some feel like they don’t have an alternative to drug dealing, we aren’t on an even playing field. Fortunately, one thing that makes our community strong is the resilience of the people. We have people who will put them to work and aren’t afraid to teach them different trades, but we need the funding.”