The We Are Civic Media Fellows and friends gathered in Baltimore, Maryland for a two-day retreat and convening that wove together community, creativity, and collective visioning. The event brought fellows into the heart of a city long celebrated for its artistic resilience, offering an immersive experience that balanced deep intellectual work with joyful, generative play.

The retreat weekend kicked off on the evening of May 29th with a welcome dinner catered by Chef Christina of The Exotic Chef, whose menu set a warm, culturally appreciative, and celebratory tone for the days ahead. Fellows and friends gathered around a table at The Last Resort, to connect, share stories, and settle into the spirit of the convening — grounded in the belief that food, like media, has the power to build community and sustain the work.

The full day of May 30th opened with a sound bath, breakfast, and was followed by an intensive, a world-building session led by Latoya Peterson, journalist, futurist, and cultural strategist. Peterson guided fellows through frameworks for imagining and constructing alternative futures — challenging participants to think beyond critique and toward creation. 

The session drew on speculative practice, narrative theory, and the long tradition of Black and Brown artists who have used storytelling as a tool of liberation. Fellows left the day energized, equipped with new language and new imaginative muscle for their work. 

The Fellows and friends then left for a tour of Baltimore's vibrant creative spaces, giving fellows an up-close look at the organizations, studios, and community hubs that make the city a living laboratory for culture-driven change.

The retreat culminated that evening with a public-facing event at Mama Koko's (Fueling the Imagination: The Power of Art, Culture & Media in These Times) organized by Fellow Jenn Roberts. During the evening, fellows and participants from the community engaged in hands-on collage making, screened short films, and contributed to a collective inspiration board envisioning our shared futures. 

The evening was as much about making as it was about reflecting; a reminder that imagination is not a luxury but an essential tool for the times. Guests shared a meal catered by Mama Koko's, whose kitchen brought warmth and flavor to close out a weekend defined by nourishment in every sense of the word.