Our Mission
Clarion Call Baltimore serves as a connector and trusted information hub for community resources, programs, and services. Our mission is to bring organizations and information together in one accessible place, making it easier for families, youth, and elders to find the support, opportunities, and resources they need to thrive.
Our Story
On July 7, 2026, Baba Ade Oba Tokunbo, a 74-year-old community elder, Pan-Afrikan activist, and Black Panther veteran, was violently assaulted by six young people outside the 7-Eleven on Liberty Heights Avenue, across from Mondawmin Mall.
Video of the attack circulated online and on television news. Ujimma Masani was already disturbed by what she had witnessed when she received a call identifying the man in the video as Baba Ade—someone she knew well.
She called Sister Gwendolyn “Gwen” Levi with an urgent conviction: “There’s something we gotta do.”
Remembering that Baba Ade was the godfather of Sister Victory’s children, Ujimma then called Queen Mother Victory Swift-Gye Nyame, with Mama Gwen joining the conversation. She wanted to know how Baba Ade was doing—and how they could respond.
Sister Victory was already working to support him and had contacted Crime Stoppers. Ujimma proposed calling on organizations across Baltimore to come together. Mama Gwen agreed. The moment demanded a collective response from people and organizations ready to turn their concern into action.
They recognized what they were issuing: a clarion call.
From that conversation, Clarion Call Baltimore was born.
A Place That Held an Earlier Loss
For Sister Victory, the location of Baba Ade’s assault carried another painful history.
On March 26, 2017, her 19-year-old son, Victorious K. Swift—a young boxer and artist—was shot and killed during an attempted robbery after leaving that same 7-Eleven.
Baba Ade’s assault brought renewed urgency to grief and concerns that had never disappeared. The location’s history of robberies and violence underscored the need to come together, protect our people, and address the conditions that allow harm to continue.
On July 26, 2026, residents, elders, activists, and community organizations gathered in solidarity with Baba Ade. The gathering made the call public and created a foundation for continued organizing.
Accountability, Healing, and Transformation
Our response holds two commitments together: accountability for harm and a responsibility to help our people find a different path.
Standing with Baba Ade means supporting his recovery and seeking accountability for the attack. Standing with our community also means working to connect young people and families with mentorship, education, guidance, and meaningful opportunities.
Protecting our elders, supporting families, and investing in our youth are shared responsibilities. Lasting change requires relationships and commitments that continue beyond a single gathering.
Connecting Our Community’s Strengths
Baltimore is home to people and organizations doing vital work every day. Clarion Call Baltimore helps connect those efforts and make existing resources easier to find.
We are building an information bank and community resource directory connecting residents with organizations, programs, businesses, leaders, and knowledge. Through these connections, we create opportunities to collaborate, share resources, and respond to community needs together.
Our guiding tagline comes from Inward Journey, an empowering YOU tribe:
“There is no WE without an AGREEMENT.”
For us, that means making shared commitments—and following through on them. Our collective strength grows when we agree on how we will show up for one another.
Answer the Call
Whether you are a resident seeking support, an organization offering resources, a business ready to contribute, or someone willing to share your time and knowledge, there is a place for you in this work.
Connect with Clarion Call Baltimore. Help turn our community’s strengths into collective action.