Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School Marks 10 Years with “Women of the Movement” Celebration

BALTIMORE — Baltimore’s Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School (LMCJ) will celebrate a decade of educating and empowering young women with its 4th Annual Women of the Movement celebration on Saturday, March 28, 2026.

The milestone event, held during Women’s History Month, will also mark the school’s 10th anniversary and honor three influential women whose work in the arts and culture has shaped communities locally and globally. This year’s theme, “Arts in Motion: Voices of Change — She Moves, She Creates,” highlights the school’s belief that creative expression can be a powerful catalyst for leadership, identity, and civic engagement.

The evening will begin with an Honoree Reception from 6:00–7:15 p.m., featuring remarks and special recognitions. Guests will then move into the Art Immersion experience from 7:15–10:00 p.m., where the school building will be transformed into a vibrant gallery of student installations, visual art, spoken-word performances, and live music.

Organizers say the immersive format is designed to celebrate creativity while placing LMCJ students at the center of the experience.

“Our Women of the Movement event places our scholars inside the living traditions of Black women who have shaped culture, challenged systems, and moved communities forward,” said Kristina Kyles-Smith, CEO of Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School. “When our girls see the women we honor, they are seeing the path they are being prepared to walk. As we celebrate our tenth year, we are proud to honor women whose lives show our scholars what it means to move with purpose and create with courage.”

Honoring Women Who Move Culture Forward

The 2026 celebration recognizes three trailblazers whose work reflects the theme of arts, leadership, and social change.

Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, recipient of the Legacy Award, is a renowned artist, curator, and scholar who served as Graduate Dean Emeritus and founding director of the Center for Race and Culture at the Maryland Institute College of Art. For more than five decades, she has championed artists of color and women in the arts while shaping Baltimore’s cultural landscape. Her contributions have earned numerous honors, including lifetime achievement recognition from the Studio Museum in Harlem.

Lady Brion, Maryland’s Poet Laureate and the youngest person ever appointed to the role, will receive the InspireHer Award. An internationally recognized spoken word artist and educator, she is both a National Poetry Slam Champion and Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion, using her voice to uplift communities and inspire young people around the world.

The Visionary Vanguard Award will be presented to Dr. Myrtis Bedolla, founder of the acclaimed Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore. Through her gallery and curatorial work, Bedolla has spent more than two decades elevating artists of African descent and bringing groundbreaking exhibitions to international stages, including the Venice Biennale.

A Legacy Rooted in Baltimore’s Civil Rights History

LMCJ is named for Dr. Lillie May Carroll Jackson, the legendary Baltimore civil rights leader often referred to as the “Mother of Freedom.” Established under the leadership of founding board chair Monica Mitchell, the school has spent the past decade educating young women in grades 5 through 8 through a curriculum grounded in rigorous academics, project-based learning, leadership development, and arts integration.

Located at 2200 Sinclair Lane in the historic Laurence G. Paquin Schools building, the institution continues a long tradition of educating young women in East Baltimore.

Today, the school stands as both an educational institution and a community anchor—one led by Black women educators dedicated to preparing the next generation of leaders.

As the school celebrates its first decade, the Women of the Movement celebration serves as both a tribute to trailblazing women and a reminder of the young scholars being prepared to follow in their footsteps.

Event Details

Women of the Movement 2026
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School
2200 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, MD

Honoree Reception: 6:00 – 7:15 p.m.
Art Immersion Event: 7:15 – 10:00 p.m.More information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities is available at www.lilliemay.org.