Module 7: Shared Prosperity

Baltimore’s legacy of economic inequality continues to shape who benefits from the city’s redevelopment and who is left behind. Public markets such as Lexington Market and Cross Street Market illustrate this tension: they hold deep cultural and economic roots in working-class communities, yet they sit at the crossroads of revitalization and displacement. This fieldwork explores how market vendors, small business owners, and local residents act as empowered citizens-collaborating to create inclusive models of entrepreneurship and community wealth-building. Through mapping, interviews, and public data analysis, I aim to uncover how these markets contribute to shared prosperity while confronting systemic barriers to equitable growth. Understanding these dynamics reveals how local enterprise, social infrastructure, and civic participation can converge to build a more just and prosperous Baltimore.