A new group of young movers and shakers has formed in Baltimore, and the Institute had the pleasure of hosting one of their think-tank sessions last weekend. Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, is a network of city-based hubs that bring together young visionaries who have the spirit and drive to improve communities locally and globally. The new Baltimore Hub is composed of 15 dreamers and doers, including the Institute’s community programs coordinator, Alica Diehl.
Two of the hub’s current projects are #popscope and First Generation Baltimore: A Community Conversation.
#popscope is a series of free, pop-up public astronomy nights, aimed at generating excitement about science education. The location will be shared to Facebook and tweeted out by @vivadadwal before the event, and Shapers will be there with telescopes to activate the public space. Get details at their Facebook page, or by following @baltimorepopscope on Instagram. Look out for more of these events as the weather warms up!
First Generation Baltimore: A Community Conversation, a project of Baltimore Shaper Verlando Brown, was created to provide support for first-generation college students. The March 27, 2015, event will bring together students as well as representatives from academia, government, non-profits, businesses, and foundations to work towards defining and addressing challenges specific to first-generation students. The day will feature discussion panels, breakout sessions, and keynote speaker Eric Waldo, executive director of Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative.
We’re excited that Global Shapers now has a Baltimore hub, and applaud this group of young innovators as they work to build stronger communities.