Over the last three months, WYPR’s On the Record has interviewed each of OSI-Baltimore ten 2016 Community Fellows about their projects. The interviews are collected here.
Melissa Badeker (aired Nov. 17) will expand the efforts of the Baltimore Teacher Supply Swap to equip and assist teachers and families with re-purposed supplies essential to student learning. Badeker will also work with schools to get the unused stockpiles of supplies they discard at the end of each school year into the hands of families who need them. (Read her full profile.)
Isa Olufemi (aired Dec. 14), in partnership with Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, will establish the Poets Pride Run Club as a vehicle to unify students through collective physical activity, engage them in service learning opportunities, and help to develop academic skills to ensure college access for all participants. (Read his full profile).
Katie Miller (aired Dec.14) will work in partnership with We are CASA to establish the Latino Food Alliance, an effort to increase engagement and participation in initiatives related to food access and food justice among Baltimore’s Latino immigrant community. (Read her full profile).
Jennifer Will-Thapa (aired Dec. 16) will partner with the Community Conferencing Center to establish The Common Ground Farm Project, targeted to youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The program will connect the youth to job opportunities on urban farms. (Read her full profile).
Jermaine Bell (aired Dec. 19) will work in partnership with Exit the Apple, an artist-run, multipurpose creative production space, to create and establish programming for the unsupported—primarily African- American—artist community. Bell will partner with some of Baltimore City’s lesser known cultural institutions to support his efforts.(Read his full profile).
Gianna Rodriguez (aired Jan. 2) plans to expand on her work with Baltimore Youth Arts to establish an arts and employment program for youth ages 16-21, with a focus on youth transitioning out of the juvenile and adult detention centers. (Read her full profile).
Deborah Ramsey (aired Jan. 2), a former police officer, will establish the Penn North Violence Prevention Youth Center to provide west Baltimore youth in grades K-12 with free structured programming during out-of-school time. Through this program, youth will have access to academic and leadership development as well as civic engagement opportunities.(Read her full profile).
J.C. Faulk (aired Jan. 2) will expand on his work with An End to Ignorance/Circles of Voices conversation series to engage Baltimore city residents in consciousness raising discussions around racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism and other challenging issues. (Read his full profile).
Eliseba Osore (aired Jan. 6) will establish Baltimore City’s first baby pantry—ShareBaby Baby Pantry—to collect diapers and other essential baby items for distribution to underserved families. (Read her full profile).
LaMarr D. Shields (aired Jan. 12) will work in partnership with Connexions Community Based Arts School to establish the Teacher Exchange, a student-to-teacher coaching program designed to address teacher retention, effectiveness, and efficacy while developing student leadership skills. (Read his full profile).
