The Baltimore Crescent is an independent publication covering civic life in Maryland from the vantage of its Muslim communities.
We report on state and local government and politics; on the masjids, schools, businesses and families that make up the Greater Baltimore Muslim community; and on the food, culture and daily life that hold it together. We do not speak for the community. We help it hear itself.
The crescent in our mark is the visible part of something whole. That is the idea: a community that has always been here, made visible in the civic life of its state.
Our Mission
وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى ٱللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ وَسِرَاجًۭا مُّنِيرًۭا
We exist because our community’s stories are too often left out of the conversation, our institutions are too often otherized, and decisions that shape Muslim life in Maryland are too often made without grassroots Muslim voices in the room. Our answer is to do our small part to illuminate where we find darkness. We believe that being well informed is a prerequisite for meaningful civic engagement; it is how leadership is held accountable and how our collective interests are advanced and respected. The Crescent’s job is to put accurate information in front of our readers early enough for them to act on it: the grant window before it closes, the candidate’s record before the vote, the public meeting before the decision is made.
What We Cover
We report news and politics with a focus on what matters to Muslims in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, and across Maryland: elections and the races that will shape them, government affairs, Islamophobia and the communities confronting it, and the civic life of our masjids, schools, and organizations. Alongside our reporting we maintain practical resources: a directory of Maryland’s masjids and Muslim businesses, a community events calendar, guides to public programs, and a daily wire of headlines from Maryland and the wider world, with particular attention to Palestine.
How We Work
Our reporting is built on the public record and primary sources: state reports, filings, budgets, and sources. When we republish the work of others, we do so under license, with full attribution, and by their rules. When we express an opinion, we label it opinion. When we get something wrong, we correct it and say so. The Crescent accepts no funding that would compromise its independence, and our coverage decisions are made with a focus on the interest of the Muslim Ummah in the Greater Baltimore region and Maryland.
Who We Are
The Baltimore Crescent was founded in 2026 by Sharif Silmi, an attorney and advocate for Maryland’s Muslim community. Sharif has spent his career representing immigrants and building civic capacity in the community the Crescent serves, and he writes for the publication as its Founding Editor. The Crescent is preparing to build a team so that this work can outlast any one person. Interested in joining the team? Write to Us.
Write to Us
We want to hear from you. News tips, corrections, community events, and story ideas: tips@baltimorecrescent.com. Opinion submissions are welcome through our Opinion page. Community events can be submitted from the Event Calendar. The Baltimore Crescent, 5705 Calverton St, Catonsville, MD 21228. (443) 885-0222.