"We have lived in the Baltimore area since 2000. My strongest memory is driving home from work and seeing the fishermen over the Hanover Street Bridge. I wondered who they were, and how long they had been fishing there. Where was their community? I am always thinking of what could be possible. We have so many gems here in the city, but people can’t get to them, or are afraid to access them. Baltimore is full of good people. Friendly, down to earth, and very authentic.

The Baltimore ecosystem is quite impaired because of pollution from stormwater due to impervious surfaces, highways/cars, occasional sewage discharges. But we cannot give up on our waterways any more than we can give up on our neighborhoods. They deserve a fighting chance. Improving the water quality will enhance the neighborhoods, and allow residents to take advantage of the rivers they have lived so close to but could not access.

I envision a bike trail, along the river, that stretches from the Middle Branch, through the Jones and the Gwynn Falls (a loop), up to Mt. Washington, through Hampden, and all the way to Towson and then connecting to the NCR trail and then all the way to PA. You could bike from Harrisburg to DC - people would do it! With a river view almost the whole way, with historical markets showing the routes that many enslaved people took going to PA. I envision a beach, a big one, that is easy to reach, accessible to all, and on a bus line and a train line. I envision a MARC or similar train that goes from the suburbs to the Middle Branch. Connecting all the places that have been disconnected. With kayaks, bikes, and canoes available to rent and river cruises for the more fancy among us.

EJJI has had a positive impact on the community at the Middle Branch and beyond. We’ve been teaching at Baltimore schools and we have scientists and students at work at our marina, which we are fixing up. I think we have a chance now to help those communities get a fair share of a coming renaissance. My partner, Donzell, is committed to making sure that happens.

Our goal is to give communities a voice, tell their stories, and make sure no one leaves them behind. Thus far, the story of Black, Latino, and indigenous communities in Baltimore has not always had a happy ending. A large part of the reason for that are the laws, policies, and customs that continue to discriminate against our fellow citizens. But this story is not over. And if we can include disenfranchised groups in the Middle Branch renaissance, and help them benefit from homeownership, water access, cleaner air, more trees, and parks, we can change the trajectory. There is still time to write a happy ending in the Middle Branch, but only if we listen.”

- Rona Kobell

This interview was originally published on the Reimagine Middle Branch website as part of an interview series celebrating leaders, activists, and community members of the Middle Branch area.