For years, Fox 45 News, Sinclair Broadcast group network, has reinforced narratives of white supremacy and racism by disproportionately portraying Black youth as dangerous. Their repeated use of terms like “juvenile” to describe our black youth, is intended to signal criminality and feeds into a broader system that conditions the public to view Black children as threats and inherently criminal rather than as normal young people. 

That same ecosystem extends into where we eat and spend our money. In 2020, a Black child was denied entry to Ouzo Bay over a dress code that was not enforced equally. This incident at an Atlas Restaurant reflects how Black people are perceived and aligns with the narratives repeatedly promoted by Sinclair that criminalize Black people in our community. 

They are connected through a network of power and influence. The Smith family, including David Smith of Sinclair Broadcast Group, is tied to both media narratives and business developments that shape Baltimore’s social and economic landscape. From Harbor East Development to Atlas Restaurant Groups to Fox45 local news, this network has benefited from public resources, including massive tax breaks from the city, while continuing to contribute to systems that marginalize Black residents. In a 2024 article from the Real News Network, Stephen Janis writes “ The Atlas Group…operates roughly 10 locations within the boundaries of Harbor East. Among them are four eateries in the ritzy Four Seasons Hotel, which… received $10.8 million in tax breaks from a Brownfields remediation program. Between 2012 and 2022, the [Harbor East] development was granted roughly $115 million in direct tax abatements, making it one of the most-subsidized developments in the city….” 

One way that we respond to this is by choosing not to spend our money in spaces that actively contribute to policies that harm our community. We respond by being intentional about where we show up this summer and every season after. Baltimore is a majority-Black city with a rich, vibrant culture and no shortage of Black-owned restaurants, businesses, and experiences that deserve our continued support. There are countless spaces, across every price point and neighborhood, where Black people are not just welcomed but celebrated. Black Baltimore has a growing and sophisticated art, food, fashion, and music scene where no matter what you are celebrating or what you want to experience there is no shortage of options here. And because of that, we must be firm, we will not support Atlas Restaurant Group or any businesses associated with it. We will not support any media outlets or businesses associated with Sinclair Broadcast Group. And we will not invest our dollars in spaces designed to exclude us.