- 104 W. North Avenue Baltimore, MD 21201
- info@valeriejmaynardfoundation.org
- 410-900-8484
The Valerie J. Maynard Foundation
Newsletter 001
Re: August is a month of beginnings
Beloved community,
The intersections between Black revolutionary history and August are many. Black August commemorates these connections. A remembrance of the freedom fighters and political prisoners who have been martyred in the struggle for liberation. A time from which the Haitian Revolution burst forth. A month which hid fugitives in Maryland swamps as they freed themselves. The alignment of sun and earth which allowed the births of Nat Turner, Marcus Garvey, and our very own, Valerie J. Maynard. We give thanks for the sacrifices of our ancestors, and honor them with our continued discipline toward the work of freedom.
It is with this jubilant warrior-spirit that we launch the Valerie J. Maynard Foundation newsletter, a place to connect with the life and legacy of this fierce artist, activist and teacher as it reverberates from her home in Baltimore and across the planet. May this site of virtual exchange always hold fast to the Black August pillars of culture, community and education that held up Valerie Maynard’s sky.
Please share this newsletter widely and lovingly with anyone who may be touched by it. Those who are able may also support us directly with a tax-deductible donation.
We are excited to grow our community and share what we are working on in Baltimore and beyond. We will continue to share newsletters quarterly to offer unique insights into the Foundation’s legacy work, Black art history, and ways you can participate in this growing organization.
We are grateful for your presence – thank you for joining us as we celebrate some massive milestones for our organization.
Warmly,
MacKenzie River Foy
Archival Associate
The Valerie J. Maynard Foundation
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcoming new staff!
This year The Valerie J. Maynard Foundation hired its first staff members: Antonio Lyons and MacKenzie River Foy. This is a huge milestone for VJMF, and as community members we’re excited to be a foundational part of the growth of the organization.
Creating Future Memory Conf
We represented our work as part of the Creating Future Memory Conference in New York, hosted by the Joan Mitchell Foundation from May 14 – 16, 2025. We are proud to be part of this vibrant ecosystem of memory workers, artist-endowed foundations, and legacy specialists defining the future of cultural heritage.
Frankenthaler Grant
The Valerie J Maynard Foundation is honored to have been selected to receive an award through the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, a grantmaking program established by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners and RMI to catalyze climate action in the visual arts.
Funds will be used to install solar panels on the roof of our North Avenue headquarters, and update our historic building with central air and heating. This project will help us reduce our
energy use and operating costs as we work to create and maintain a climate-controlled environment that is archivally sound for the artworks, photographs, sculptures and ephemera contained in the home.
ARCHIVAL PROCESS
This summer, we welcomed our 3rd cohort of interns. as we continued our work inventorying and cataloging Valerie J. Maynard’s art and archival materials at her home in Baltimore’s Station North neighborhood. This summer also saw the expansion of our internship partnerships to include the Studio Institute, Bloomberg Arts Internship and Arts For Learning.To our five new interns: Christopher Reaves, Kelis George, Ke’Ara Page, Meridian Kinney and A’mirah Wallce – thank you for joining us on this journey! Read more about what the summer internship experience was like from one of 2025 Legacy interns, Meridian.
WE ARE EACH OTHER’S HARVEST
Honoring our partners in the work.
Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts’ Digital Humanities Lab
Centre For Art Research and Alliances
LEGACY IN MOTION
Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Valerie J. Maynard
Valerie J. Maynard Foundation gathered in Baltimore with dear friends on Valerie’s birthday, August 22nd, 2025. The day included a reunion luncheon to connect with close friends and chosen family followed by a community celebration of Valerie’s life and legacy. We built altars, told stories, laughed and listened at the feet of our elders. Our work to preserve this piece of Black art history continues. It is the work of many hands. We give thanks to all who joined us, and send love to those who couldn’t.
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