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#37 - Can Archives Shape What’s Next? Upton Mansion and a $16M Vision | Savannah Wood of Afro Charities
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Artist, educator, and Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood joins to reflect on legacy, growth, and leading one of Baltimore’s most ambitious cultural preservation efforts.
Savannah has overseen major milestones—most notably, the $16M redevelopment of the historic Upton Mansion, future home of the Afro-American Newspaper (AFRO) archives. We talk about curiosity as a compass, how archives become creative tools, and why joy, movement, and cultural memory drive her work forward.
Topics Covered:
- Activating history through artist commissions and intergenerational programs
- Transforming the Upton Mansion into a public anchor for Black archives
- The role of tennis and joy in creating grounding spaces
- Understanding cultural stewardship as an inherited and intentional act
- Collaborating across generations to develop meaningful public programming
🎧 Explore more conversations like this in our archive.
📸 Photo by Schaun Champion
Resources:
- Silent Auction
- Wildest Dreams Benefit for Afro Charities – June 7 Tickets
- Afro Charities Website
- Instagram: @afrocharities, @savannahinpublic
Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:
- Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
- Edited by Daniel Alexis
- Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor
Photos:
- Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
- Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.
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