The tiny island country of Haiti has suffered - and survived - many hardships: Earthquakes, hurricanes, political chaos. But the tight-knit Haitian community in Baltimore reflects a resilient spirit, eager to share its culture. Komite Ayiti’s ‘Haitian Caribbean Community Day’ on Sunday will feature food, performance, and handmade products. Garry Bien-Aime, Komite Ayiti’s founder and president, previews the festival and reflects on what music means to Haitians.

Links: Komite Ayiti, Haitian Caribbean Community Day event.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Here's a Stoop Story from Dr. Cholet Josué about how not to celebrate Christmas, and the fierce love of family. You can hear his story and others at stoopstorytelling.com.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Maryland’s protections against evictions expire Sunday, but a new federal order will forestall evictions for some tenants in areas where COVID is spreading fast. WYPR’s health and housing reporter Sarah Y. Kim fills us in. And Aaron Greenfield, representing a trade group of landlords, says his members are working to engage tenants to fill out applications for federal eviction-prevention money.Check out this list of state and local eviction prevention resources. Then, Kathy Koch, who leads Arundel Community Development Services, says they’ve added staff and partnered with community groups to get the funds to landlords. Apply for assistance through ACDS here.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Business travel is dead. Consumer Privacy? no more. But we’ve learned to be more adaptive … and more willing to plan for uncertainty in the future.

These are a few of the takeaways Amy Webb, founder of the Future Today Institute, sees resulting from more than a year of living with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Webb also describes some tech trends she anticipates for 2021 and beyond … and they may surprise you!

“The focus will be much less on a tiny screen that we hold in our hands, and instead to a constellation of devices that we will wear, and at some point we will start embedding, or ingesting, even.”

Links: Future Today Institute 2021 Tech Trends Report

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

In Elissa Brent Weissman’s novel Renegade Reporters, Ash and her best friend Maya get sacked from the daily newscast at their middle school in Federal Hill, so they start their own news team, and soon discover that the software company with the contract for all the public schools in Baltimore is collecting a lot more data about pupils than anyone knew. Join Weissman virtually this Thursday for her book launch with the Ivy Bookshop. Details here.Then we ask a real-life legal expert--UB Law Professor Michele Gilman--what privacy protections kids have online.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Who is at risk for hunger in Maryland? Where? What help is there? The Maryland Food Bank has done a deep data drive to create a new statewide “Hunger Map” that pinpoints areas of need and exposes gaps in assistance. Meg Kimmel, the non-profit’s Executive Vice President, lays out key insights:

“Our estimates at the Maryland Food Bank are that as many as two million Marylanders will face food insecurity this year. And that’s one in three. Which is a staggering, staggering, statistic.”

Plus, we hear how Meals On Wheels provides much more than nutritious food to its clients and how the pandemic changed its work and why the University of Maryland Medical System is working to eradicate food insecurity across the state.

Links: Maryland Hunger Map, Meals on Wheels.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Sharks are the fierce top dogs of the ocean … yet they’re also one link in a delicate environmental system. When it’s tossed out of balance ... the result can be disaster.

The Natural History Society of Maryland hopes to change how the public looks at sharks and to underscore their critical role in the world’s waters. That’s what Shark Fest is about— featuring presentations by experts, hands-on activities and even a shark-tooth hunt! We get a preview from naturalist Nick Spero and biologist and underwater photographer Nick Caloyianis:

“As fearsome a reputation that these sharks have, they are more fragile than you can possibly imagine, which goes along with the fragility of the planet.”

Links: Natural History Society of Maryland Shark Fest, Nick Caloyianis productions.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

In honor of the ‘dog days’ of summer, Here’s a Stoop Story from Lynn McDonald about love that comes from furry paws and a cold nose. You can hear her story and others at Stoopstorytelling.com.

This weekend, starting today, is the Baltimore Ceasefire Peace Challenge. There are lots of ways to honor it; one is to visit the photo exhibit ‘Peace in Motion: Baltimore Ballet Boys.’ It’s on view today through Sunday at Motor House, 120 West North Avenue . This is also National Farmers Market week, so stop by your favorite market and load up on the summer harvest.

Links: Baltimore Ceasefire 365, Baltimore Farmers Markets Guide, Motor House Peace in Motion: Baltimore Ballet Boys exhibit.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Using federal pandemic rescue funds, Coppin State University will wipe out $1 million in student loan balances and offer a $1200 credit for the fall semester. We speak with the HBCU’s President, Dr. Anthony Jenkins. He says the pandemic pushed some students to pause their education or drop to part time, "We saw one constant factor and that was finances. And so we wanted to use these dollars to help put our students in a stronger position and allow them to do something that is very important to them, and that’s finish what they started.” Plus, Scott Jaschik, editor of Inside Higher Ed, with an update on college enrollment and COVID safety measures.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

As the Delta variant drives up the number of residents with COVID, Baltimore’s public health web is hard at work, running vaccination clinics and deploying community ambassadors.Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa talks about what it takes to dispel vaccine myths, "It’s different for different communities, but what has been relatively universal is having a trusted messenger. And that’s not always the government. I think that’s really how the concept of VALUE ambassadors were born."We hear how the VALUE project offers culturally responsive outreach and education, including to some who may have felt ignored by the health system.And Evan Serpick, of Open Society Institute-Baltimore, tells how grants are supporting vaccine equity and outreach to marginalized groups.If you have a question about COVID-19 or the COVID vaccines, you can reach the city’s COVID Call Center at 443 - 984 - 8650. Find a local vaccination site here. Check out this weekend's Ceasefire Block Party - vaccinations available Saturday - here.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472