Dear Mike Bloomberg: A request and an invitation

Dear Michael Bloomberg: Now that you’ve given another $43 million to Johns Hopkins University, on top of the amazing $3.55 billion you already gave your alma mater, maybe you can do something directly for Baltimore. I’ve suggested it before in my column. Here’s another try: Give $1 billion over 10 years to the nonprofit Baltimore Community Lending for affordable housing and small-business loans. That would be a huge stimulus for the city.

BCL will be hosting a fundraiser at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 2. Show up there with a check, Mr. B., and I’ll see that you’re first in line for the buffet.

Here’s what you need to know, some context, about BCL:

Investing in more of Baltimore, one small loan at a time

A reckoning for Baltimore banks, asking them to invest billions more to help Black and Latino families and businesses