Baltimore, MD

Baltimore has a long history of community based efforts and leaders working to improve life outcomes of Black men and boys. Organizations such as the Center for Urban Families under the leadership of Joe Jones, a 2014 Black Male Achievement Innovator, has been a beacon of hope and best practice for the broader Black Male Achievement field. Despite the reality of challenges facing the city in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray and resulting protests and uprising, there remains a strong philanthropic presence with investments from such foundations as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Open Society Institute-Baltimore which have helped to foster a sense of entrepreneurship among community members to address the barriers facing Black men and boys. In 2014, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement partnered with BMe Community to bring the first BMe community grants to the city and the city embraced the call from President Obama to launch My Brother’s Keeper-Baltimore, which is focused on improving outcomes for boys and young men of color by influencing and strengthening policy and practice, promoting positive images, and building partnerships among organizations and communities throughout the city. For these reasons, Baltimore earned a score of 78 out of 100 points.