The Lewis Museum, Baltimore National Heritage Area to hosting screening and panel discussion on squeegee worker doc

BALTIMORE, Md. (October 13, 2022) – The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture (The Lewis Museum), in partnership with the Baltimore National Heritage Area, (BNHA) will host a free screening of the documentary By Any Means Necessary: Stories of Survival. By Any Means Necessary contextualizes the squeegee worker sector against the history of “hustle” or gig economies in the Black community. The screening will be followed by a discussion moderated by The Lewis Museum’s executive director Terri Lee Freeman and including panelists Shauntee Daniels, executive director, BNHA; Jason Bass, Director of Culture and Impact, Hotel Revival; Leon Bey-Smith of the Arch Social Club Community Network and former squeegee worker Walker Gladden who are featured in the documentary; and Faith P. Leach, Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services, City of Baltimore.

The documentary provides interviews with those who participate in the industry, allowing for first-person accounts of the “why” behind squeegeeing and presenting the concept that the reasons and the participants are not monolithic. The event’s goal is to foster a solutions-oriented conversation that brings greater understanding of the people and circumstances beyond the headlines. It is a film by El Mar y Él, LLC; presented by the BNHA; and co-produced by Just Stunt Productions, LLC.