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Leslie Gray Streeter

Leslie Gray

Leslie Gray Streeter is a columnist excited about telling Baltimore stories — about us and the things that we care about, that touch us, that tickle us and that make us tick, from parenting to pop culture to the perfect crab cake. She is especially psyched about discussions, no matter how big or small, that we don't usually have. Open mind and a sense of humor required. When she was a sophomore at Baltimore City College High School in the 80s, she met her first newspaper columnist, and thought ""Wait? They'll pay you to write about your opinions? Sign me up!"" And since then, that's all she has wanted to do, and mostly all she has done. She went from City to the University of Maryland and then up and down the east coast until she found herself here as the lifestyle columnist for the Baltimore Banner. It's a perfect circle and honestly she's directing the emotional movie montage in her head right now. There's a lot of Janet Jackson in it. At the Banner, she wants to build on the expertise she has gained as a staffer at The Miami Times (weekly), York Dispatch and the Palm Beach Post, with freelance gigs including writing about for The Washington Post, opining about grief for O, The Oprah Magazine, to weekly recaps of ""The Bachelorette"" for the Seattle Times. That's a lot of ground to cover, but as a Features writer and columnist for almost 30 years she has learned that we, as humans, cover a lot of ground, too, so what we read should, too. We are what we care about, eat, watch, listen to and gab over Twitter about, and it means even more when it's about where we live. And that's what her column is going to be. She is the author of one book, the memoir ""Black Widow"" (Little Brown), and an international speaker about grief, culture, parenting and a lot of other stuff. She is also a widowed single mom of one son named Brooks Robinson, because as she said, they're really really really from Baltimore, which they returned to in July 2020. She is a very slow run-walker, a fan of true crime documentaries and podcasts, and a bad guitarist who sings loud over the chords she can't reach.

Latest content by Leslie Gray Streeter

Why Black parents are reconsidering homeschooling
A growing movement of Black parents are looking to homeschooling to take control over what and how their children learn.
In “Wicked,” Cynthia Erivo, left, plays outcast Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande as the popular Galinda.
‘Wicked’ reminds us that allyship is getting on the dang broom
At the end of the first half of “Wicked,” Elphaba asks her friend Galinda to join her on the broom and fly away to launch a movement. But Galinda can’t. That sounds a lot like real life.
Columnist Leslie Streeter has been collecting Black nutcrackers since she moved back to Baltimore. She looks for ones that she thinks look like celebrities.
Collecting nutcrackers that look like Black celebrities is my version of holiday joy
Since 2021, my happy place just happens to be among Christmas nutcrackers that resemble Black celebrities.
Absolutely nothing of real-life importance happens in “Hot Frosty,” starring Dustin Milligan, left, as a snowman with abs of steel and Lacey Chabert as a kind widow who takes him in.
‘Hot Frosty’ and 4 other stupid TV shows I’m thankful for in an uncertain year
The wars and racism aren't going anywhere, so I’m thankful for the inconsequential stuff I can escape with, like “Hot Frosty” and “Dancing With the Stars.”
Sean Gallagher works from his Hampden home as a cybercrime investigator.
He was a cybercrime journalist. Now he’s taking on the bad guys himself.
Former technology journalist Sean Gallagher wrote about cybercrime for years, until — at 55 — he decided to fight it himself.
I wasn’t ready to get my kid a phone, but this changing country means he needs one
Agonizing about the timing and reasoning for getting a cellphone for your child is pretty common. But recent events made that decision for me.
7 local goodies for stocking stuffers
Here's a list of locally available goodies to brighten up that lonely sock. Fabulous does come in small packages.
Rockville resident Joan Vassos found love with Chock Chapple on the first-ever season of “The Golden Bachelorette” — and taught us a few things along the way.
5 things we learned from Joan Vassos, Maryland’s ‘Golden Bachelorette’
The Golden Bachelorette found new, true love. Here are some lessons we learned from Rockville’s Joan Vassos.
The unapologetic Martha Stewart attends the premiere of her Netflix documentary “Martha.”
Powerful women are supposed to apologize, be humble. Martha Stewart says nah.
Martha Stewart is not sorry. And you’re going to have to deal with it.
The fictional Bartlet administration on "The West Wing" were a bit naive, a little too slick and not diverse enough. But for Leslie Gray Streeter, they're preferable to our current reality.
Rewatching ‘Scandal’ and ‘The West Wing’ hits a lot different post-election
After this election, the optimism in "The West Wing," "Parks and Recreation" and "Scandal" seems naive. The craziness feels a lot more plausible.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 06:  Supporters react as Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris concedes the election during a speech at Howard University on November 06, 2024 in Washington, DC. After a contentious campaign focused on key battleground states, the Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump was projected to secure the majority of electoral votes, giving him a second term as U.S. President. Republicans also secured control of the Senate for the first time in four years.
It’s not just the men who let us women down
Women were once asked to choose whether they felt safer with a man or a bear. After this election, I'd choose the bear over some women, too.
Supporters celebrate during Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks' election night party.
I’m proud of Maryland. I’m scared for the country.
Maryland voted well in the election. The rest of y'all ... Hope it was worth it.
Drowning out the noise is its own form of self-care
I have been focusing on light subjects and avoiding serious topics as of late because the election makes me think it’s all going to be serious very soon.
Memories of being that most shameful of neighbors: The bad candy house.
The horror of being the bad Halloween candy house
Halloween is a time of spooky generous behavior — and shame if you give out the wrong candy to trick-or-treaters.
A still from a video posted on Instagram showing a fight between Ravens and Commanders fans earlier this month.
This Florida Man is a Ravens fan, but he doesn’t reflect us
Jack Callis — the Ravens fan and now Florida man — who attacked two Commanders supporters brings shame to both states despite not being representative of either.

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