#FixBaltimore

On select Friday nights, music blasts from Keith “K.C.” Cooper’s second-floor suite, where hip-hop fans, emcees and dancers gather for Be Civil Battles, one of the most anticipated rap and dance battles in the city.

On other days, it’s a gathering space for community leaders, workshops and backto-school drives for school supplies and haircuts. And it’s always a showcase of art.

Cooper’s organization, #FixBaltimore, aims to improve city neighborhoods through artistry, volunteer work, workshops and community gardening.

The South Baltimore resident and a group of friends formed the urban-empowerment group in spring 2015 after seeing damage from the uprisings that followed the death of Freddie Gray and after Cooper himself had a near-death experience when a pothole ripped a tire from his car.

The group began cleaning up around the city and filling potholes with flowers, now the organization’s signature program, which promotes awareness of dangerous street conditions.

“The flowers don’t last that long, not even 24 hours,” said Cooper, 30, who has helped fill more than 150 potholes since his organization’s inception.

“But it’s not about the actual flower. It’s about the community. … You can’t control everything, but you can do your part.”

The organization has since evolved, aiming to educate and teach members of