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25 Black Marylanders to Watch for 2025

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Welcome to the fourth annual 25 Black Marylanders to Watch. Each Sunday in the month of February, The Baltimore Sun will showcase a selection of winners and their stories.

This year’s honorees include up-and-comers, established voices and people making marks in new careers. Each of them brings something special to the conversation.

The honorees were chosen by The Sun’s editors and reporters, who cover these topics and communities and see the progress these individuals are making in their fields.

Angela Alsobrooks

Maryland U.S. senator

Angela Alsobrooks, candidate for U.S. Senate, visits AFSCME Maryland Council 3 and the Alliance for Retired Americans at AFSCME headquarters in Baltimore. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

Kevin Anderson

Maryland Commerce secretary

Kevin Anderson, Maryland Secretary of Commerce. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Jody Davis

Fashion designer

Jody Davis is a Baltimore designer who created the dress worn by Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore for the inauguration ceremony of her husband, Governor Wes Moore. February 21, 2023

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

LaRian Finney

The Finn Group managing partner

LaRian Finney, managing partner of The Finn Group stands before a portrait bearing the likenesses of that late U.S. congressmen Parren Mitchell and Elijah E. Cummings, and current U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-MD07.

(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Marcus Harris

Howard County sheriff

Howard County Sheriff Marcus Harris at the Circuit Courthouse of Howard County. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)Howard County Sheriff Marcus Harris at the Circuit Courthouse of Howard County. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

Father Ako Walker

Sacred Heart of Jesus pastor

March 31, 2024: During his homily, Fr. Ako Walker spoke about the six Latino men who perished when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a container ship last Tuesday. A standing-room only crowd celebrated Easter Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus church in Highlandtown. (Amy Davis/Staff photo)

(Amy Davis/Staff)

Jeanette J. Epps

NASA astronaut

Jeanette Epps earned a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, which led to her acceptance into NASA in 2009. Here, she's all smiles after the Nasdaq Stock Market closing bell ceremony in New York on July 19, 2019. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images)

(Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images)
Read Jeanette J. Epps’ story
on Feb. 9

Dena Freeman-Patton

Morgan State athletic director

Dena Freeman-Patton, Vice-president and Athletic Director at Morgan State University, has been named one of 25 Black Marylanders to Watch. She is at the renovated Edward P. Hurt gymnasium on campus. (Amy Davis/Staff)

(Amy Davis/Staff)
Read Dena Freeman-Patton’s story
on Feb. 9

Billy Lyve

Find Your Purpose founder

(Staff)
Read Billy Lyve’s story
on Feb. 9

Sister Rita Michelle Proctor

Oblate Sisters of Providence leader

Sister Rita Michelle Proctor, the Superior General of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, a Catholic order of African American nuns based in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)
Read Sister Rita Michelle Proctor’s story
on Feb. 9

Zarena Sita

Baltimore County assistant state’s attorney

Zarena Sita, an assistant state's attorney with the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office, has been honored as one of the 25 Black Marylanders to Watch. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)

Kevin Richardson/Staff)
Read Zarena Sita’s story
on Feb. 9

Chad Williams

WNADA executive director

Chad Williams, executive director of WNADA, the West North Avenue Redevelopment Authority smiles during the third annual Baltimore Together Summit workshops at Baltimore Center Stage. (Karl M. Ferron/Staff)

(Karl M. Ferron/Staff)
Read Chad Williams’ story
on Feb. 9

Dr. Troy Abernathy

St. Joseph Medical Center pediatrics chief

Dr. Troy Abernathy is a pediatrician at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

(Kim Hairston/Staff)
Read Dr. Troy Abernathy’s story
on Feb. 16

Derrick Dickens

BGE executive

Derrick Dickens, SVP and Chief Operations Officer at BGE.

(Handout)
Read Derrick Dickens’ story
on Feb. 16

Nekoro Gomes

GBC communications VP

Nekoro Gomes, vice president of communications for the Greater Baltimore Committee, spreads messages about the region being a place on the rise. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

(Kim Hairston/Staff)
Read Nekoro Gomes’ story
on Feb. 16

Messay Hailemariam

St. Frances Academy football head coach

St. Frances football coach Messay Hailemariam has been chosen as one of the Baltimore Sun's 25 Black Marylanders to Watch in 2025. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)

(Lloyd Fox/Staff)
Read Messay Hailemariam’s story
on Feb. 16

Marvin Hayes

Baltimore Compost Collective founder

Marvin Hayes is Executive Director of Baltimore Compost Collective. The collective is a local service that collects food scraps from residences in Baltimore and composts the material at local urban gardens. It is also a youth entrepreneurship program. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)
Read Marvin Hayes’ story
on Feb. 16

Sean Hull

PNC executive

A portrait of Sean Hull, market leader of PNC Private Bank. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)
Read Sean Hull’s story
on Feb. 16

Kerry Watson

Orioles public affairs VP

Kerry Watson, Orioles vice president of public affairs, is among the 25 Black Marylanders to Watch. (Courtesy of the Baltimore Orioles)

(Handout)
Read Kerry Watson’s story
on Feb. 16

Amanda and Joseph Burton

Rooted Rotisserie owners

Amanda and Joseph Burton are the owners of Rooted Rotisserie, a restaurant near Hollins Market. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)
Read Amanda and Joseph Burton’s story
on Feb. 23

Jinji Fraser

Jinji Chocolate owner

Jinji Fraser is owner of Jinji's Chocolate in Waverly. She makes hand-crafted vegan chocolates. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)
Read Jinji Fraser’s story
on Feb. 23

Dr. Taofeek Kunle Owonikoko

UMMS cancer center director

Dr. Taofeek Owonikoko, executive director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, announcing a new partnership with AstraZeneca, which will contribute $8 million over the next five years to efforts at the cancer center to improve lung cancer screening rates. (Angela Roberts/staff)

(Staff)
Read Dr. Taofeek Kunle Owonikoko’s story
on Feb. 23

Chandra Smith

Disability advocate and IT engineer

Chandra Smith won the Ms. Wheelchair America title for 2024. November 2, 2023

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)
Read Chandra Smith’s story
on Feb. 23

Jafar Taru

Towson University Police officer

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(Handout)
Read Jafar Taru’s story
on Feb. 23

Stevie Walker-Webb

Baltimore Center Stage artistic director

(Kim Hairston/Staff)
Read Stevie Walker-Webb’s story
on Feb. 23