I was born and raised in Maryland. For me, this state has been home for the last 19 years and it holds a great importance in my life. This region is unique because it sits on the border between the North and the South. Depending on where you go in the state, you can see a medley of different traditions and cultures. Because of this, Maryland is a diverse melting pot of culture and history.
From the bustling city of Baltimore to the pastoral farms of southern Maryland and the beaches of Ocean City, Maryland is a state that has a lot to offer. However, Maryland’s complex history gives a lot to discuss and not all of our history is perfect. It’s important to recognize the mistakes made and ensure that the same do not happen again. For example, Maryland was originally a slave state. The main crop was tobacco and that required vast amounts of labor to cultivate. As a result, plantation owners turned to slaves and about 40% of Maryland’s population was black. Over time though, sentiment over slavery changed and by the Civil War, almost half were freed. After the Civil War, Maryland held a constitution convention and freed all slaves and extended non-white people the right to vote. This is part of a wrong past in Maryland history. Since then, Maryland has made great strides to change its thinking and to ensure that the state is a welcoming place for all people and that everyone must be treated fairly.
Maryland also differs drastically in terms of its urban, suburban, and rural divides. Each of these areas are distinct with their own culture and traditions. In the urban spaces such as DC and the Washington DC metro area, Maryland comes to life with night life, restaurants, and fun activities. They are you typical cities and for me, they are a lot of fun to visit for the wide variety of things to do. This is where you experience Maryland. There are restaurants that sell crabs and oysters and Little Italy where many Italian Americans live. Museums such as the Baltimore Aquarium, Museum of Industry, Science Museum and the inter harbor were places of fond memories for me.
I’m from the suburbs where many people in Maryland live. These are planned communities that are growing rapidly as more people come to Maryland. My home of Ellicott City is a small town with a history Main St along with more modern places like shopping center and lots of public spaces. The suburbs have offered people in Maryland the opportunity to raise families in places with good schools and neighborhoods.
Lastly, the rural parts of Maryland are the rolling hills and the farms. This is the true countryside that has small town center and more mom and pop style shops. Rural areas of Maryland represent one of the least populated areas and typically are not as well maintained as suburban and urban areas. They are typically more run down and, for me, were places to visit for a short amount of time. For me, rural places are nice to visit and we will do our best to ensure that they can be connected as well. As Maryland continues to grow, it will be important to ensure that the different customs of Maryland are not destroyed or at least preserved. Maryland is a diverse state with a complex history and different groups of customs and traditions. As I continue to grow, it’s important to make sure that the different parts of Maryland continue to work together and become every tighter. Maryland boasts some of the best variety of things to do and see and my home of Maryland will always have a special place in my heart.