After cornrows controversy, Baltimore Rock Opera Society’s new leader is out

The Baltimore Rock Opera Society fired its executive director weeks after she was hired following controversy over a video that showed her wearing cornrows.

The nonprofit arts group has been dealing with fallout after Kelly Carnes, a white woman, wore the hairstyle at a recent event for the group, sparking concerns of cultural appropriation.

The Baltimore Rock Opera Society — which has staged original, live rock-and-roll theater in Baltimore since 2009 — informed volunteers of the new leader’s firing in a Sept. 23 email obtained by The Banner. In the same email, the group announced four of its six board members, including its chair, will step down Dec. 31.

The email’s language, whose subject line included a “call to action,” suggests the organization’s future depends on quickly filling the open board positions.

“For BROS to continue, There is an URGENT NEED for qualified people to step up and take these responsibilities from the current board immediately,” the email stated in bold.

Carnes confirmed her termination to The Banner on Wednesday. In an email, she said she was “stunned that an arts organization that publicly celebrates radical self-expression, individuality, and creative freedom would respond to discomfort with how its Executive Director looked by removing her.”

Carnes said she’s considering legal action.

“I believe the circumstances surrounding my termination raise serious questions about discrimination, governance, and whether the values BROS presents publicly are actually extended to the people it employs. I am exploring those issues with counsel,” she said.

In an email, Cat Litten, marketing and communications director for the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, declined to answer questions.

“Right now, our leadership and community are entirely focused on doing the necessary internal work of improving the overall experience for our community and dedicated volunteers for now and the future,” Litten said.

Carnes said her hair was temporarily braided for Burning Man, the weeklong arts event held annually in the Nevada desert, in “a protective style” to combat the windy, dusty conditions. She said she cleared the decision with her fellow campers, who included people of color.

The style featured cornrows at the top before transitioning into long, freestanding braids and hair extensions, according to Carnes.

“That is the same context I shared with BROS when concerns about my appearance were raised,” Carnes said in an email. “I was also clear that I was willing to listen and speak directly with anyone who was genuinely confused or concerned.”

The four board members set to exit at the end of the year are Chair Naomi Davidoff, Treasurer Aran Keating, Secretary Dom Cerquetti and Dana Carr, according to the email. Keating, who did not respond to a request for comment, is one of the founders of the arts group.

The leadership changes resulted from a three-hour meeting of the board Sept. 22, according to the email to volunteers.

“We had a lengthy discussion about the current board members’ involvement, past and present, with the organization. We believe that the best outcome for BROS current volunteer community is to consider new organizational structures, business models, and methods of leadership,” the email stated. “We heard you, and the future of BROS in your hands.”

The email to volunteers did not address why Carnes was no longer executive director or mention the cornrows video.

Prior to the Sept. 22 meeting, the board posted a message to its social media accounts that addressed the controversy “regarding a video circulated on social media showing our new Executive Director, who is white, wearing cornrows at a recent BROS public event,” including its subsequent removal of the video.

“We regret removing the video without an explanation and take responsibility for the confusion that caused. More importantly, we are taking action,” the post read.

The board said it would revise the Baltimore Rock Opera Society’s anti-discrimination policy “to more clearly address cultural representation and dress” and enforce anti-racism leadership training, according to the post. It would also create a working group “for Culture, Community Voice, and Racial Equity.”

The board, according to the email, also welcomed two new members in August: Kerry Brady and Joe DuChane. They will remain on the board.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Baltimore Rock Opera Society continued to promote its upcoming production, “The Orb of Pondering,” which is scheduled to run Oct. 30 to Nov. 7 at Zion Church of the City of Baltimore.

When her hiring was announced, Carnes, an arts public relations specialist with decades of experience, said her goal was to create a more sustainable future for the group.

“BROS has already proven that Baltimore and beyond will show up for bold, original, innovative art,” Carnes said in a statement this month. “The next chapter is about building the capacity to keep saying yes to that ambition: loudly, safely, sustainably, and with the same creative heart that brought this community together.”