Mobilizing Change in Annapolis: The Coalition for Atonement & Repair Announces Plans to Hold City Council Candidate Forum, Promoting Reparative Justice and Empowering Community Voices in the Electoral Process
This upcoming forum will allow Annapolis voters to engage directly with candidates for City Council and Mayor regarding reparative policies.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 2, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, at the First Baptist Church, located at 31 W. Washington Street, Annapolis. All candidates have been invited to speak directly with the citizens most impacted by past and present harms in the City. This forum will allow voters to hear candidates' plans for advancing meaningful and impactful reparative policies.
Hosted by local residents and reparative justice advocates, the discussion will cover key issues such as affordable housing and displacement, economic equity and job access, community violence and criminal justice reform, cannabis justice, and repair. Community members will also have the opportunity to present their concerns, aspirations for solutions, and expectations for leadership.
Reverend Dr. Mark A. Wainwright, First Baptist Church minister, CAR Member, and Forum moderator, emphasized, "When justice is at the heart of politics, the community becomes more engaged, informed, and motivated to participate—not just in voting, but in holding leaders accountable long after the election." As of July 16, 2025, all certified candidates for the City of Annapolis Mayor and City Council were invited. The following candidates have confirmed their attendance:
Mayoral Candidates: Jared Littmann and Rhonda Pindell-Charles
Ward 1: Ben Bramsen and Harry Huntley
Ward 2: Karma O’Neill
Ward 3: Debbie Odum and Keanuú Smith-Brown
Ward 4: Janice Allsup-Johnson and Coren Makell
Ward 5: Brooks Schandelmeier
Ward 7: Rob Savidge
Ward 8: Frank Thorp
The forum will feature moderated questions and community testimony, with timed candidate responses to questions about municipal action. The event will be held in-person with a Zoom option available (registration here). On-site voter registration will also be provided. Our esteemed panelists, who are reparative justice experts and community advocates, include:
Briayna Cuffie: Generational Annapolitan, Public Historian & Genealogist, co-founder of Reparations 4 Slavery, Lynda Davis: Core member of CAR, Coming to the Table Annapolis, Showing Up for Racial Justice Annapolis & Anne Arundel (SURJ3A), Timothy Boston: Clay Street Native, Lifelong Ward 2 Annapolitan, Report Annapolis News Publisher and Community Advocate, Ahsun Powell: Facilitator and strategist of CAR, Capitol Accountability Project (CAP)
The planning team also includes experienced grassroots community leaders such as Renetra Anderson, Argo Duenas, Bishop Charles Carroll, and Toni Pratt, ensuring that the voices of those affected by decades of institutional neglect are heard. The Honorable Cynthia Carter, CAR Chairwoman, noted, "CAR has become a trusted voice for the descendants of the Old Fourth Ward—those harmed by the City’s actions of Urban Renewal. Past injustices are linked to the present-day issues, and this election forum includes a new generation of organizers committed to truth, justice, and repair.”
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