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Hey hey, Baltimore. Now that we're into February, we can stop saying "Happy New Year" and start looking at what 2023 will actually present us.

Speaking of, today, you'll see an article below that introduces our February editorial calendar theme: Big Tech + You Month. Dedicated coverage throughout the month will focus on the many ways that the world's best-known tech companies, as well as titans in other industries whose employment of tech workers puts them in league with the Big Five, make their mark on our geographic markets. Take a look below, and if you have some ideas of who we should talk to or what we should talk about, please don't hesitate to hit us up.

Big Tech certainly has a major impact on Baltimore and Maryland at large, felt most obviously in how many Marylanders use these companies' platforms. But we know the impact is felt even more deeply, from our educational institutions to the remote offices in which some of you do work for these companies. And as we hear about these companies enacting rounds of layoffs, I think about these words from Gov. Wes Moore's first State of the State address yesterday:

"Marylanders are worried about our economy, and whether it can keep pace with the cost of living. We worry about safety in our communities. Families struggle to find affordable child care and Pre-K. People of all ages get lost in the maze of behavioral health crises and trauma. Yet, despite the challenges, the Marylanders I talked to were not only fast to offer solutions but expressed a deep desire to be part of the solution."

They're slick words, to be expected from someone used to the public eye. But I certainly feel aspects of this whenever I talk to many of you. There's a sense of knowing we have the solutions to make our cities and state better.
What I ask of you today is: Can Big Tech be a part of that solution? Should it be?

Let us know your thoughts by emailing [email protected], and have a great weekend.