As a native Marylander and current Baltimore resident, my relationship with “Charm City” has always been complicated.

I appreciate my hometown for its rich history, culture, and grit — but its longstanding history of violence and crime often make it a tough city to love. These deeply social and economic issues were never more apparent to me than during time working at Baltimore's largest psychiatric healthcare facility, where I watched patients make real progress in their struggles with behavioral disorders, only to be readmitted to the hospital weeks — sometimes days — after discharge.

Over time the cause of this recidivism (which parallels that of the criminal justice system) became painfully clear: many of the “frequent fliers” within the psychiatric care system lacked the psychosocial support and infrastructure necessary to sustain recovery after returning home. Despite committing themselves to their treatment while in the hospital, these patients quickly regressed to old behavior patters once back in their communities. Ultimately, we're all shaped by our environment more than we like to believe.

That’s why the mission of Living Classrooms Foundation resonates with me so deeply. When I was first introduced to LCF during a graduate school fellowship in 2024, I learned about Operation Respond — a community-centered crisis intervention program that provides on-site psychosocial support to Baltimore's highest-risk neighborhoods. I was amazed to learn that Operation Respond deploys a dedicated team of resource navigators, case managers, and licensed therapists to help individuals transform their lives in the hearts of their own communities. By providing these communities with exactly the sort of support that the patients I worked with so desperately needed (but rarely had access to), this program was designed to address the root causes of community violence, rather than just the symptoms. Operation Respond and other initiatives like it are largely responsible for the 20% and 23% reductions in Baltimore homicides in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

A year later, I was saddened to learn that the federal grant supporting Operation Respond had been withdrawn, and that the program had been terminated. However, Operation Respond was just one of LCF's many impactful but underappreciated programs that help bring out the best in Baltimore and its communities. Between hands-on education, workforce development, mentorship, and health/wellness programs, LCF is committed to empowering individuals of all ages as they pursue personal and professional goals — ultimately contributing to a stronger, more resilient Baltimore.

As a 2025 LCF Rising Star, I’m honored to help raise funds to support LCF’s mission; their work creates meaningful change across Baltimore and I hope you’ll join me in supporting this vital organization.