BMA Presents 21 Community Portraits in Baltimore Heroes from Belair-Edison and Johnston Square

BALTIMORE, MD (March 10, 2025)—The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) today announced it is hosting an exhibition featuring 21 portraits of community and civic leaders who are working to strengthen two east Baltimore neighborhoods: Belair-Edison and Johnston Square. The works were created as part of artist Mary Jo Messenger’s “Beacons of Light” series, launched with the support of Maryland State Senator Cory McCray. McCray has represented both communities as a delegate and senator since 2015 and Messenger is a Howard-County-based realist painter who was inspired to convey her appreciation for the selfless people in these communities who share an unwavering dedication to serving others. Baltimore Heroes from Belair-Edison and Johnston Square is on view at the BMA March 29–April 6, 2025.

“This exhibition is a powerful reflection of the heart and soul of Belair-Edison and Johnston Square—communities built on dedication, grit, and an unwavering commitment to service,” said Senator McCray. “These portraits honor individuals who lead not for recognition but for the love of their neighbors and the future of Baltimore. Their work—whether in education, activism, mentorship, or public service—ensures that these neighborhoods continue to thrive. I’m grateful to Mary Jo Messenger for capturing their stories through art and to the Baltimore Museum of Art for shining a light on the real heroes shaping our city.”

Belair-Edison in northeast Baltimore is nestled between the 300-acre Herring Run Park, Lake Montebello, and Clifton Park. The neighborhood contains more than 6,900 homes, a revitalizing business district, shopping centers, and a micro-brewery. Messenger’s Belair-Edison portraits include Delegate Jackie Addison, design entrepreneur Stepanie Bradshaw, BE Transformed founder Michelle Chase, Baltimore City Police Officer Monica Jones-Cooper with athletic coach and mentor Marlon Harty, Pastor Ray Cotton, Belair-Edison Community Association president Rita Crews, Ayfa Public Charter School Principal Tiffany Halsey, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and The Belair School Social and Emotional Director Brenna Williams.

Johnston Square is a small neighborhood in central east Baltimore bordered by Greenmount Cemetery, I-83, and Eager Street. It has many rowhomes and apartments, a park with a view of downtown, and a public swimming pool. Messenger’s Johnston Square portraits include Senator Cory McCray with late U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, Johnston Square Community Association founder Regina Hammond, community volunteer Keith Hammond, Living Classrooms Foundation Director of Community Safety Initiatives Danté Johnson, community school coordinator Scott Johnson, Bishop Douglas Miles, Sister Brenda Motte, Johnston Square Elementary School Principal Baba Ayinde Olumiji, Green Team organizer Ida Lynn Powell, Sinclair Lane Elementary School Principal Roxanne Thorn-Lumpkins, community activist Lillian Trotman, Zion Baptist Church Turn Around Tuesday founder Tyrell Williams, and marching band founder Peggy Winder.

“Like LaToya Ruby Frazier’s portraits of Baltimore’s Community Health Workers, this exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate remarkable individuals who are the cornerstones of their communities, said Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director. “Their collective dedication to creating safer, stronger, cleaner, and more cohesive communities for all ages is truly inspiring. I am also inspired by Senator McCray’s enduring commitment to the well-being of these communities as well as his support for art and artists.”

Baltimore Heroes from Belair-Edison and Johnston Square is organized by Maryland Senator Cory McCray.

The exhibition and its closing celebration are generously supported by CareFirst, Johns Hopkins University, Rebuild Metro, B.U.I.L.D., and Baltimore Gas & Electric.

Mary Jo Messenger

About the Baltimore Museum of Art

Founded in 1914, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) inspires people of all ages and backgrounds through exhibitions, programs, and collections that tell an expansive story of art—challenging long-held narratives and embracing new voices. Our outstanding collection of more than 97,000 objects spans many eras and cultures and includes the world’s largest public holding of works by Henri Matisse; one of the nation’s finest collections of prints, drawings, and photographs; and a rapidly growing number of works by contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds. The museum is also distinguished by a neoclassical building designed by American architect John Russell Pope and two beautifully landscaped gardens featuring an array of modern and contemporary sculpture. The BMA is located three miles north of the Inner Harbor, adjacent to the main campus of Johns Hopkins University, and has a community branch at Lexington Market. General admission is free so that everyone can enjoy the power of art.