Artist, educator, and Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood joins to reflect on legacy, growth, and leading one of Baltimore’s most ambitious cultural preservation efforts.

Savannah has overseen major milestones—most notably, the $16M redevelopment of the historic Upton Mansion, future home of the Afro-American Newspaper (AFRO) archives. We talk about curiosity as a compass, how archives become creative tools, and why joy, movement, and cultural memory drive her work forward.

Topics Covered:

Activating history through artist commissions and intergenerational programs
Transforming the Upton Mansion into a public anchor for Black archives
The role of tennis and joy in creating grounding spaces
Understanding cultural stewardship as an inherited and intentional act
Collaborating across generations to develop meaningful public programming

🎧 Explore more conversations like this in our archive.

📸 Photo by Schaun Champion

Resources:

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
Edited by Daniel Alexis
Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

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#37 – Can Archives Shape What’s Next? Upton Mansion and a $16M Vision | Savannah Wood of Afro Charities