Mandala Enterprise Corporation was formed and incorporated in 1984 by Walter Lomax, and revived in 2009 by a group of students and professors at American University.
Clarinda Harriss, President Pro Tem, is a professor emerita of Towson University, where she chaired the English Department for a decade and taught a full forty years. For an equal number of years, she has worked with prison writers. The publishing company she directs--BrickHouse Books, Inc., Maryland's oldest independent literary press--has brought out books by former MHC residents including Walter Lomax, John Mingo, and Baari Shabazz. She also works with female inmates or former inmates nationally. A widely published writer of poetry and short fiction, her most recent collections of poetry are AIR TRAVEL, MORTMAIN, and DIRTY BLUE VOICE.
Laurie Bezold (aka Polly Riddims) is currently the Managing Partner of Fusion Partnerships, Inc, a nonprofit organization in Baltimore. In that position, she oversees all program, financial, and administrative functions. Fusion provides incubation and fiscal sponsorship services to over forty grassroots community based projects and programs working for social justice in Baltimore. Laurie brings over 15 years of community organizing, facilitation, administrative and program management experience with social change organizations. She has worked with community leaders and organizations on fundraising, conference organizing, program implementation, client development, marketing, project management, community outreach, project facilitation, and event planning. She has helped to design and facilitate a variety of educational programs on racial equity, white privilege, diversity and community building.
Her community involvement includes serving on the following Boards and Committees:
- Executive Committee – American Friends Service Committee – Mid Atlantic Region, Peace with Justice Program
- Member – Grassroots Criminal Justice Advocacy Network
- Facilitator – Fetzer Campaign for Love and Forgiveness
The Weinberg Foundation has provided funding for a number of programs incubated and sponsored under Fusion Partnerships, Inc.
Contact:
Laurie Bezold
Fusion Partnerships, Inc.
1601 Guilford Avenue, 2 South
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-889-4700
Mandala Enterprise Corporation
We are members of the Grassroots Criminal Justice Advocates Network, The Correctional Round Table, the MSBA Correctional Reform Section Council, we work closely with the Justice Policy Institute, and the ACLU Baltimore Legislative Department.
We are affiliated with: Safe & Sound, Case Maryland, Fusion Partnerships, Inc., (MRJI fiscal sponsor) Maryland CURE, Morgan State University Dept. of Social Work, The Sentencing Project, and Community Conferencing.
Walter Lomax, President,
Mandala Enterprise Corporation,
mandalaenterprise.org
1111 Park Avenue, Suite 151
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
443-413-6076
