Our Baltimore Comprehensive Plan will guide equitable neighborhood development over the next ten years.
Community Engagement Leadership Team (CELT)
The Community Engagement Leadership team was composed of community based organizations.
This team focused on amplifying the voices of residents often unheard in the civic process. They offered engagement opportunities that go beyond traditional neighborhood meetings and public events, by offering a broad range of engagement opportunities to meet their community where they are.
The selection rubric for this team can be viewed here.
Clergy United for the Transformation of Sandtown goals were to focus on community asset mapping, to generate a picture of the resident experience in their community using an asset-based model, and to work closely with the Sandtown Winchester Harlem Park (SWHP) Master Plan Committee to coordinate efforts around public engagement.
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Creative Nomads goals were to organize mindfulness and music workshops around Baltimore city to engage parents of young children, and to engage the families served via academic partners in the Penn North, Park Heights / Arlington, Curtis Bay, Moravia, and Liberty Heights areas. Creative Nomads' mission is to advocate for the professional development of arts entrepreneurs and to provide access to art, music, and cultural education and programming for youth and families.
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The Door (Baltimore Leadership Foundation) goals were to coordinate engagement opportunities with food box distribution events at their community site in East Baltimore, also a City Resiliency Hub, and to engage residents through partnerships with other organizations in East Baltimore, including the Boys and Girls Club at their facility. The Door is located in East Baltimore and have served the Oldtown/Middle East, Madison/East End, and Patterson Park North & East neighborhoods with community-based programming for over 35 years.
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HARBEL goals were to host public engagement opportunities throughout Northeast Baltimore, and to engage people through youth programming at Furley Recreation Center; a Pop Up at a community wide flea market and celebration; a back to school giveaway; a special focus group event for Spanish speakers and more. HARBEL’s member organizations include 24 community associations and 20 business and religious associations in northeast Baltimore.
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The Immigrant Outreach Service Center (IOSC) golas were to host focus group conversations with immigrant leaders across six different geographic areas, and use the data collected through the focus group conversations to inform the design of a broader survey, distributed throughout the immigrant community served by IOSC. Neighborhoods served include: Highlandtown, Cedarcroft, Good Now Hill, Eastbury, Moravia, Idlewylde, Frankford, and Cedonia.
Luvs Art Project goal was to organize barber shop and beauty salon owners and staff – through the More than a Shop network and initiative. More Than A Shop (MTAS) is a network of barbershops and beauty salons across the city of Baltimore that connects customers to resources – including art, health, workforce development, conflict resolution and more. Another goal was to promote Our Baltimore through a series of “Shop Talk” events, providing an opportunity for partners to engage residents and neighbors in a trusted and comfortable environment on topics of relevance to the planning process.
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McElderry Park Community Association goal was to engage youth in their East Baltimore community through the creation of a community hub to offer young adults opportunities to participate in workshops and workforce development.
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No Boundaries Coalition organizes residents from seven different neighborhoods in 21217 including Bolton Hill, Madison Park, Reservoir Hill, Upton, Penn North, Druid Heights and Sandtown. No Boundaries Coalition's goals were to engage youth through their annual Youth Issues Assembly to identity topics and ideas and to lead service learning opportunities for young people related to urban planning and Our Baltimore themes.
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The Outcast Food Network goal was to engage seniors and residents through food distribution events and directly through one-on-one food deliveries to seniors living in affordable housing. Outcast Food Network (OFN), established in 2017, located in Park heights, currently is deeply engaged in food distribution efforts, providing mobile services that travel to where they are most needed. Outcast Food Network amplifies the voices of clients through advocacy work on behalf of seniors, youth, and the homeless.
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Pathway Forward goal was to focus on engaging the Poppleton community in Baltimore, via a cohort of resident Ambassadors to connect with their peers through one-on-one conversations, in-person discussions and online meetings. Pathway Forward is rooted in a community affected to this day by the highway to nowhere. Pathway Forward will focus on serving communities on both sides of this highway, and by focusing on local engagement led by familiar faces in the community.
Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm was born out of a group of Caribbean/American citizens’ desire to effect change and have a positive impact on the lives of young adults that reside in the Park Heights community. Their goal was for the Farm leadership team to engage youth and their families directly through the hands on programming offered at the Farm year-round, in partnership with area schools.
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Rebuild Johnston Square goal was to engage residents using art, music and more, and organize “Paint and Conversation” events in partnership with senior and family apartment complexes in the community. Additionally, have engagement pop up opportunities at community events such as the Sunflower Garden Festival. Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization was formed in 2013 with a mission to develop Johnston Square by building community Power, creating open spaces and recreation opportunities, improving local beautification and public safety, and supporting revitalization of the community without displacement.
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Southwest Partnership goal was to engage existing stakeholder groups across Southwest Baltimore at neighborhood, school and community events, including pop ups at established community events with high neighborhood turnout such as the Sowebo Festival (May), the Pigtown Festival (October), the B&O Farmer’s Market (May-September) as well as smaller community and neighborhood events such as Mount Clare Mother’s Day and our April Bike Rodeo.
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Westport CEDC goal was to host pop up music experiences to engage the community at community gathering points, including interactive exhibits to engage residents in a conversation. The mission of the Westport Community Economic Development Corporation (Westport CEDC) is one that directs a focus to social and economic development in lower income communities throughout the South Baltimore region.
The Youth Resiliency Institute goals were to develop an opportunity to engage youth through the Cherry Hill Arts and Music Festival at Cherry Hill Town Center, and have community youth and elders lead engagement at the Festival. Additionally, through the Youth Resiliency Institute, integrate conversation around urban planning into a documentary to be developed as part of the Cherry Hill film festival. The Youth Resiliency Institute is dedicated to inspiring realization of the authentic self in children, youth and young adults in Baltimore.