‘Baltimore Is Not A Monolith’: How Two Asian American Columnists Are Covering Baltimore Sports

Right-handed pitcher Trey Gibson made his major league debut on May 4, for the Baltimore Orioles in an 11-3 loss to the New York Yankees. For Sports Journalism Institute alumnus Kyle Goon (Class of 2010) and Josh Tolentino (Class of 2017), the result wasn’t important. They were more interested in whether or not Gibson, 23, was part Asian. 

“Kyle and I had this conversation with [Gibson],” Tolentino said. “And we're like, ‘As the two small members representing the Asian American sportswriting community here in Baltimore, we had a very pressing question… Are you Asian?’ And [Gibson] smiled and laughed and said, ‘Yeah, I'm Japanese.’” 

As members of the Asian American community themselves, Goon and Tolentino are part of a small minority in Baltimore. While Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic nationally, they account for just 2.6% of Baltimore's population, according to the U.S. Census. That reality makes their presence especially notable in Baltimore’s sports media landscape.

“Even prominent people, like sources, coaches, and NFL personnel, were pointing out how they don't know if they've ever seen two Asian sports columnists in the same city,” Tolentino said. 

Tolentino, a second-generation Filipino American, and Goon, who is part Chinese, work as columnists in a city that is primarily Black, with nearly 60% of its inhabitants identifying as such. Because their work revolves heavily around the communities connected to Baltimore’s sports teams, it often requires building relationships with people whose backgrounds differ from their own.  

“The Asian population, I believe, has quadrupled in the last 2 or 3 decades,” Tolentino said. “But Baltimore… is primarily still Black. So [it’s important] being in touch with the Black community here, and just also having a diverse source group.”

Writing in a majority-minority city is not a new experience for Tolentino. Before joining the Baltimore Sun, he worked as a beat reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer in Philadelphia, another majority-minority city. He credits that experience with helping prepare him for column writing in Baltimore.

For both writers, navigating those dynamics has required more than simply understanding sports. It has also meant understanding how race, identity and community shape the stories surrounding the teams they cover. 

Goon, before becoming a columnist for the Baltimore Banner,  covered the NBA bubble during the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd.

Bill Oram, Oregonian sports columnist and one of Goon’s close associates, made this observation:

“He (Goon) had a very empathic and intelligent approach where he was able to write about the intersection of basketball and what was happening with race in this country in a way that was not disrespectful.”

Goon has carried that approach to his column writing in Baltimore, earning first place in the 2025 APSE Division B column-writing contest. Growing up in Maryland has given him a deep familiarity with the region’s sports culture, allowing him to write columns rooted in shared memories and experiences that resonate across Baltimore’s communities. At the same time, Goon looks beyond moments of unity, seeking stories that reflect the different realities and identities that make up the city.

“There is this idea that the pro teams of the city can unite its disparate groups and identities,” Goon said. “At the same time, I try to look out for instances where I can represent the different layers of the experience of living in the city.”

Ultimately, both Goon and Tolentino emphasized that Baltimore cannot be understood through a single perspective or identity. Instead, their work as columnists centers on reflecting the many communities and lived experiences that shape the city beyond its teams and athletes.

Interactions like Goon and Tolentino’s exchange with Gibson offer a lighthearted example of that approach in practice. 

While no story has been written yet about Gibson’s heritage, moments like these reflect a broader effort to build genuine relationships with the people they cover, especially when they encounter athletes who share aspects of their background or experiences.

“Baltimore is not a monolith,” Goon said. “Baltimore is not one experience.”