BEMORE GOOD NEWS HOSTS
JUDY TEMPLETON - HOST
Judy Templeton was drawn to the Performing Arts at the tender age of 5 as she tapped on Baltimore steps for money for the poor. She has been teaching, directing, managing and advocating for the Performing and Serving Arts ever since…She became a Social Worker and Supervisor of Healthy Families in Howard County and fulfilled her desire to help the underserved. She became a CASA-Court Appointed Special Advocate and a helpline counselor for Domestic Violence Center now known as Hopeworks. She began her career in Columbia instructing Jazz and Tap Dance and Theatre for children and adults at the Other Barn and all over the county for Recreation and Parks. She hosted and directed cable television shows-“Kidstuff”, “Fun Fitness” and “Wellness Works” while free-lancing in commercials and film as well as radio shows-“It is All Natural” at WCBM radio. Presently she continues to teach musical theatre, dance and acting to children through adults as well as promote the power of the Performing Arts in her “Creative Arts Class” and “Fundamentals of Public Speaking” at Howard Community College as well as her podcasts- “Razzle Dazzle” Radio and “BeMore Good News”. She has been honored to serve as Baltimore’s Best Hon 2021 serving and performing for her beloved city. She will continue to Instruct, Inspire and Heal using the Power of the Performing and Serving Arts through our beloved Podcast, BeMore Good News!
BONNIE HOCKSTEIN - CALENDAR GIRL
Bonnie Hockstein grew up in the Fells Point/Highlandtown neighborhoods of Southeast Baltimore. Her Mom was a waitress at famous local restaurants like Haussner's and Ye Olde Obryki's Crab House. Her Dad was a Chesapeake Bay pilot, a tugboat Captain and Baltimore's First Inner Harbor Dockmaster. With a desire to honor her working class roots, in 2007 Bonnie became the Main Stage Manager of Honfest, an iconic Baltimore street festival where she recruited a diverse and entertaining group of performers. Together with her BFF, Judy Templeton, she continued the legacy of Baltimore's Best Hon Contest, adding anew community service component. In 2016 she founded The Baltimore Hon Hive, a dedicated group of Baltimore Hons and friends who provide philanthropy, community service and special appearances in and around the city. Bonnie was nominated Baltimore's Best Hon 2020, and just like that she would be the Queen of Hon-ness with Ms. Judy continuing the tradition the following year. Together Bonnie and Judy celebrate their love of Baltimore to anyone who will listen and on their "BeMore Good News" podcast. Bonnie is "The Calendar Girl," promoting all the fun and festivities our "Charm CIty" has to offer. So get out your calendars, hons. You won't wanna miss all the Good News showcasing our city's rich history and cultural heritage.
CHRIS RIEHL - CHRIS’ CORNER
Chris Riehl is a lover of all things Baltimore; past, present, and future! As the owner of Rent-A-Tour (www.rentatour.com) he has had the privilege of showcasing our city and sharing our stories with guests from all over the world. He's served on the boards of the Baltimore Tourism Association, Federal Hill Main Street, Maryland Tourism Coalition, and the Maryland Tourism Development Board. He's also emceed special events (virtual and in person) around the region and facilitated courses in hospitality and tourism for the Maryland Center for Hospitality Training and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. His original composition "Baltimore!" is the theme song for BeMore Good News.
DESMOND JOHNSON -TENTACLES & TIARA’S
Desmond Johnson is an amateur photographer passionate about capturing all aspects of the beauty of wandering life. He's an organizational leader in the Department of Defense with a background in process automation and machine learning. Fond of hiking, target shooting, comic books, outrageously colorful attire, tentacles, tiaras, and food so spicy it'll melt your face off, he lives life out loud…constantly.
YONG TAING - THIS IS SMALLTIMORE
Yong Taing is a native (recovering) New Yorker that has finally found a home in Baltimore. My day job is a technologist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, the organization that operates the James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. In other pursuits, I am on the Board of the Hampden Family Center, actively bettering the Baltimore community by volunteering time and resources to local causes, and getting people together for awesome events around town. I adopted the flamingo as my spirit animal and have since grown to embracing all things pink!
WORDSMITH - WHAT’S THE WORD
Wordsmith is a songwriter, poet, recording artist, actor, playwright, entrepreneur and philanthropist from Baltimore, MD.
He earned a full athletic scholarship to play football at Morgan State University, however it was his transfer to Salisbury University that shifted his focus to entertainment. Studying radio & TV at Morgan State University, Wordsmith earned a Bachelor's Degree in Performing Arts (Music & Theater Arts) at Salisbury University in 2002.
Opening his independent label NU Revolution Entertainment in 2009; distribution and licensing deals with Ingrooves, United Masters, Redeye, and APM Music helped the company flourish!
Wordsmith has released 8 albums during his career, earned winner of Best Rap/Hip Album for Perspective Jukebox at the 16th Independent Music Awards and joined the Grammy Voting committee in 2017. His music has been featured on prominent networks and shows like Russian Doll (Netflix), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Preacher (AMC) and many more!
Continuing to expand his reach, Wordsmith partnered with the US Department of State to fund performances and workshops in Azerbaijan, Haiti, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Angola, Ukraine, Namibia, Cote D’ Ivoire, Panama, Tunisia and Tanzania over the years.
Wordsmith’s career took a new direction in 2018 when he was hired to write new narration for Carnival of the Animals with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. A second opportunity came when Wordsmith was asked to host the 2018 BSO Gala with special guest Cynthia Erivo. Officially becoming an Artistic Partner with the BSO in September 2020, Wordsmith & composer James Lee III debuted two commissioned pieces; “Destined Words” for the BSO Gala Celebration in honor of Marin Alsop and the Fredrick Douglass inspired piece “Freedom’s Genuine Dawn.” Wordsmith followed up these performances with landmark reinterpretations of Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale” and “Beethoven Ninth” in 2022.
The future looks bright for Wordsmith as he officially opened his nonprofit “Rise with a Purpose, Inc.” and delivered his first TED Talk via Johns Hopkins University. Always looking to expand his horizons, Wordsmith collaborated with composer/pianist Kory Caudill for a project called “Progressions” and an event dubbed “Concert for the Human Family” sponsored by the Episcopal Church. Recently, the two have appeared on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour and WDVX 89.9 FM Blue Plate Special.
Still, with Hip Hop being Wordsmith’s first love he has also collaborated with notable acts like Chubb Rock, Skyzoo, Camp Lo, Sadat X, Jaz-O, Ruste Juxx, Grand Daddy I.U. & his cousin Roc Marciano over the years.
NAOMI BURRELL - PRODUCER
In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Naomi Burrell is currently a teaching artist. She has served as a professor at University of Baltimore and is currently teaching elementary and middle school students creative arts. Naomi is the CEO and founder of Be Inspired Global, LLC, a digital media start-up, providing digital production services to veteran and public service organizations. She is a published author and journalist and has interviewed celebrities such as Master P, New Edition, and renowned actor Jeffrey Wright; in addition, she is a faithful member of the beloved and philanthropic Baltimore Hon Hive.