Public asked to vote on their top five Heroes between July 15 and August 15
Baltimore Homecoming announced today the 10 semi-finalists for its second annual Homecoming Hero Awards program presented by T. Rowe Price, which highlights community and nonprofit leaders, activists, artists and other innovators who have made an impact on Baltimore.
“Baltimore has so many people doing amazing things for the betterment of the city, and those people deserve to be recognized,” said Baltimore Homecoming executive director Dan Schochor. “The group of ten semi-finalists were nominated by the community and the final five will be voted on by the community – that’s what makes this awards program so special.”
This year’s Homecoming Hero Award semi-finalistsinclude:
- Leonor Blum - Founder & Executive Director, ¡Adelante Latina!
- Van Brooks - Executive Director, Safe Alternative Foundation for Education
- Heber Brown - Pastor, The Black Church Food Security Network
- Kayenecha Daugherty - Executive Director, Creative Nomads
- Blair Franklin - Executive Director, YES Youth Drop-In Center
- Marlo Hargrove - Co-Founder, Freedom Advocates Celebrating Ex-Offenders FACE
- Nneka N’namdi - Founder & Director, Fight Blight Bmore
- Shantell Roberts - Founder & Executive Director, Touching Young Lives, Inc.
- Ana Rodney - Founder & Executive Director, MOMCares
- Jamye Wooten - Founder, CLLCTIVLY
Now through August 15, the public is being asked to vote on their top Homecoming Heroes at baltimoresun.com/heroes2019. The five Heroes with the most votes will receive a $3,000 cash prize as well as the opportunity to share their story on-stage at the Baltimore Homecoming event in October. In addition, T. Rowe Price will invite all 10 semi-finalists to partake in the T. Rowe Price Foundation’s capacity building program, a cohort that meets several times a year focusing on specific challenges and makes use of leadership development resources.
“In a city of amazing stories, we are excited to help propel the work of these inspiring semi-finalists toward reaching new heights,” said John Brothers, president of the T. Rowe Price Foundation. “T. Rowe Price is a proud sponsor of Homecoming Heroes. We look forward to continuing our relationship and using our resources to help them realize their full potentials and continue their missions of moving our city forward.”
In June, the public was asked to nominate individuals that have had a significant impact on Baltimore. More than 90 nominations and over 50 individuals were nominated this year. The program was designed to be community-driven with nominations being publicly sourced and the final Heroes being decided by the community at-large through public voting.
Nominations were narrowed down by members of the Baltimore Homecoming host committee representing prominent business, nonprofit and community leaders, including last year’s Homecoming Heroes. The semi-finalists were selected based on criteria of impact, inspiration and mobilization and creativity. The committee also took into account the challenges and/or issues the nominee has sought to address and their progress in doing so; capacity to transform the lives of individuals or touch the lives of many; the geographic area of impact; how each nominee has inspired others to take action; and the potential of the nominee’s work to break new ground or create a new model for change.
“It is an honor to be involved on the host committee for Baltimore Homecoming. There was an overwhelming number of worthy individuals nominated to be a Homecoming Hero. It is incredibly moving to see so many people in Baltimore doing such great things and taking action to improve a city we all call home. It keeps me hopeful there will be change,” said Dara Schapiro Schnee, vice president of philanthropy at the Baltimore Community Foundation and Baltimore Homecoming Host Committee member.
The Homecoming Hero Awards launched in advance of the inaugural event last year with the goal of celebrating individuals in Baltimore and bringing to light the stories and people that are making an impact on Baltimore’s future. The 2018 Homecoming Heroes were: Erricka Bridgeford of Baltimore Ceasefire 365, Major Monique Brown of the Baltimore City Police Department, Alphonso Mayo of Mentoring Mentors, Waterfront Partnership Healthy Harbor Initiative’s Mr. Trash Wheel and Brittany Young of B360.
“Being named a 2018 Hero meant exposing Baltimoreans to the great work we are doing at Mentoring Mentors, expanding our impact and most importantly, building valuable relationships. I wanted those individuals who had gone off to change the world, come back and be filled with the positive that Baltimore has to offer and eliminate the negative stereotypes. Lastly, it meant telling my story – the good, the bad, victories and why I am in this fight to make Baltimore City better,” Alphonso Mayo, founder of Mentoring Mentors, 2018 Homecoming Hero and 2019 Baltimore Homecoming host committee member.
Winners will be announced on October 14 prior to Baltimore Homecoming, which takes place October 16-18, at baltimorehomecoming.com/heroes
The second annual Baltimore Homecoming is expected to build upon the inaugural event’s success by connecting new and returning alumni with the city’s outstanding leaders and changemakers. Over the course of the event, which will run from October 16-18, 2019, Baltimore alumni will hear, see, meet and interact with social innovators, neighborhood revitalization projects, entrepreneurs, small business owners, talented young people and more. These experiences are intended to introduce Baltimore alumni to Baltimore’s social, economic and artistic landscape to inspire and mobilize investment.
Co-Chairs for this year’s Baltimore Homecoming include: Food Network personality and chef Duff Goldman; local philanthropists Mark and Patricia Joseph; WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Angel McCoughtry; Senator Barbara Mikulski; actor Lance Reddick; former host of Discover Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” Mike Rowe; and CEO of Soulcycle Melanie Whelan.
In addition to T. Rowe Price’s sponsorship of the Homecoming Hero Awards, the progress of Baltimore Homecoming is further illustrated by the commitments of Baltimore companies and individuals’ support of the event. Lead sponsors for Baltimore Homecoming 2019 include Continental Realty Corporation, M&T Bank and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Other sponsors include France-Merrick Foundation, BGE, Mark & Patricia Joseph, Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds, Aaronson Family Foundation, The Straus Foundation, The Baltimore Ravens, Earl Linehan, MileOne Holdings, Atapco Properties and Pearlstone Family Fund.
About Baltimore Homecoming, Inc.
Baltimore Homecoming, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered in the State of Maryland. It was founded by Nate Loewentheil and JM Schapiro, who serve respectively as President & Chair of the Board and Board Treasurer. The Board of Directors also includes Brandon Etheridge, General Counsel at The Baltimore Ravens, Sophia Silbergeld, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Adeo Advocacy, and new this year, Ganesha Martin, Director of Criminal Justice for the Mayor’s Office. The organization’s 2nd annual event, the Baltimore Homecoming, is scheduled for October 16-18, 2019. More information is available at www.baltimorehomecoming.com.
Baltimore Homecoming Host Committee
Christine Aspell (KPMG), Nichole Baccala Ward (TBC), Christopher Bedford (Baltimore Museum of Art), James Bond (Living Classrooms), Erricka Bridgeford (Baltimore Ceasefire 365), John Brothers (T. Rowe Price Foundation), Monique Brown (Baltimore Police Department), Marc Bunting (Blue Jar Family Council), John Cammack, Jed Dietz (Maryland Film Festival), Amy Elias (PROFILES), Michael Fader (MileOne Holdings), Matt Gallagher (Goldseker Foundation), Tom Geddes (Plank Industries), Mike Gill (Evergreen Advisors), J.P. Grant (Grant Capital Management), Fagan Harris (Baltimore Corps), Tim A. Hodge, Jr. (Nelson Mullins), Samuel Hoi (Maryland Institute College of Art), Brett Ingerman (DLA Piper), Joe Jones (Center for Urban Families), Jon Laria (Ballard Spahr), Samantha Manekin (University of Md., St. Joseph Medical Center), Alphonso Mayo (Mentoring Mentors), Bill McCarthy (Catholic Charities), Jamie McDonald (Generosity Inc., Light City), Patricia J. Mitchell (The Center Club), Lydell Mitchell (Former Colts Running Back), Anthony Moag (The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company), Kevin Pearson (M&T Bank), Jay Perman (University of Maryland, Baltimore), Debbie Phelps (Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools), Rhonda Pringle (Baltimore Business Journal), Shanaysha Sauls (Baltimore Community Foundation), Bishop Willard Saunders, Jr. (Created for So Much More Worship Center), Donna Sawyer (Baltimore Office Promotion of the Arts), Dara Schnee (Baltimore Community Foundation), Joyce Scott (Artist), Jim T. Smith, Jr. (Maryland Stadium Authority), Jessica Solomon (Robert W. Deutsch Foundation), Craig A. Thompson, Esq. (Venable LLP), Kisha Webster (Greenmount West Community Center), David Wilson (Morgan State University), Christy Wyskiel (Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, JHU), Brittany Young (B360).
