On April 9, 2016, members of the bar, bench and community, including partner Samantha P. Rodier, gathered at the University of Baltimore for an one-day symposium entitled “It Takes a Village: Moving Baltimore Youth Forward Together;” the community service project created by the 2015-2016 Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Academy Fellows. Under the mentorship and guidance of the Leadership Academy Committee Chairs, the Honorable Lisa Hall-Johnson and Wm. Carl Isler, Esq., and with the support of many other formal and informal MSBA mentors, the Fellows designed their community service project to address juvenile delinquency and recidivism and focused on the City as a result of their concerns about youth exposed to the uprising and unrest that occurred in Baltimore in April of 2015.

The Fellows sought input from young people as to the unique issues and challenges faced by those growing up in Baltimore City as well as solutions to improve those outcomes and created an original short film discussing focusing on those conversations which was debuted at the event.  Two engaged and energizing panels of speakers addressed “issues” and “solutions” and community organizations that focus their efforts on Baltimore Youth participated in a resource fair which enabled audience members and the fair participants to interact with one another and share opportunities and ideas.

The event, held during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, brought together a diverse group of leaders, community organizers and Baltimore youth for a successful day of collaboration and discussion.  Honored guests of the event included the Honorable Pamila J. Brown, the Immediate Past President of the MSBA, the Honorable Harry C. Storm, President of the MSBA effective June 2016, the Honorable Hassan El-Amin and Magistrate David Addison.