Joe Tropea earned a Master’s in Historical Studies with a concentration in Public History from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is currently the Curator of Films & Photographs at the Maryland Historical Society, where he creates exhibits, writes and edits the blogs underbelly and Aspect Ratio, and runs the Imaging Services department. He co-founded and serves as the project manager for Preserve the Baltimore Uprising Archive, a digital repository that seeks to preserve and make accessible materials related to the killing of Freddie Gray and related subsequent events in Baltimore City. Tropea is the co-director of the award-winning 2013 documentary, Hit & Stay, and the director of 2018’s Sickies Making Films.  His interests include doing research, watching movies, and spending time with dogs.