From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
- Associated Black Charities presents The Cookout, a free community celebration honoring Black culture, unity, pride, and collective resilience.
- Day blends joy and justice with a movement march, rally for equity, performances, children’s activities, and traditional cookout vibes.
- ABC works to dismantle race-based structural barriers via programs, education, advocacy, and community partnerships.
- Support the mission: attend, give, volunteer, or fundraise to directly empower Black communities across the region.
- Priority on economic equity using data driven strategies, targeted investments, and convening nonprofits to close persistent wealth gaps.
You’re Invited to The Cookout!
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Pikesville Armory
Associated Black Charities is proud to present the 3rd Annual Cookout—our signature event and awareness campaign celebrating the strength, spirit, and resilience of Black communities. This free, family-friendly gathering is more than a celebration—it’s a bold statement of unity, pride, and collective action.
The Cookout is where joy meets justice. It’s a vibrant outdoor experience filled with entertainment, community resources, and activities for all ages. From a powerful movement march and rally for equity and inclusion to performances, children’s games, and traditional Cookout vibes—it’s a day that feels like a family reunion with purpose.
ABC is on the front lines, working every day to dismantle race-based structural barriers through programs, education, and advocacy. Your support—whether you attend, give, volunteer, or fundraise—fuels this mission and directly helps empower Black communities across our region.
Show up. Speak out. Stand with us.
Together, we’ll celebrate culture and champion equity.
Corporate partnership opportunities available. Contact Chrissy Thornton at cthornton@associatedblackcharities.org to get
involved.
Associated Black Charities is a racial equity organization that works as an educator, advocate, supporter, and convener to address and eliminate the barriers created by structural racism and to advance long-term solutions that create new opportunities for Black people to thrive.
A world that prioritizes measurable change in the lives of Black people and works actively toward the elimination of racial disparities resulting in improved outcomes for all.
Associated Black Charities was founded in 1985 to represent and respond to issues of special significance to Maryland’s African American communities. Concerned that needs within these communities were not being adequately addressed, a group of area ministers and businessmen came together. They envisioned an organization that would raise and distribute funds in support of efforts that targeted the needs specific to African Americans in Maryland. As a result, ABC was born with a $100,000 planning grant from the United Way, three staff members, a dedicated Board of Directors, and a cadre of volunteers and donors committed to giving their time, talent and resources to making a difference in Maryland communities.
Today, ABC is still advocating for people of color. We are leading the charge to close the wealth gaps that put so many African American families at a disadvantage in achieving the American dream. We are continuing to assertively and unapologetically address structural racism and to have positive impact on the African American Community.
We have a particular focus on economic equity because we believe that ultimately the outcomes benefit all citizens. We push for systemic investments and innovative data driven strategies; we influence and galvanize other organizations; and we convene and build the capacity of community-based organizations and nonprofits that are in pursuit of the same goal.
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