Baltimore Children & Youth Fund Launches “Living the Dream” Black History Month Campaign

Campaign Spotlights Youth Leadership Powering Baltimore’s Youth Master Plan, a Youth-led Blueprint for Expanding Opportunity, as Stage B Launches with a Citywide Call for Community Input

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Children & Youth Fund (BCYF) is commemorating Black History Month with the launch of its “Living the Dream” campaign, a spotlight honoring Black Baltimore’s legacy while elevating the young people and community organizations shaping its future. Inspired by the enduring call to build a better future in MLK Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, “Living the Dream” highlights grantee stories and youth leadership tied to the Baltimore Youth Master Plan, the city’s youth-led blueprint for future opportunity, and centers on a core idea: the work of honoring Black history is inseparable from the work of building Black futures.

Developed through youth listening and community input, the Baltimore Youth Master Plan is designed to translate youth-identified priorities into coordinated action, aligning organizations and decision-makers around shared priorities that expand opportunity and wellness across the city. Living the Dream spotlights the community members putting that plan into motion, with stories that connect legacy to visible, meaningful progress across Baltimore.

With the Youth Master Plan now entering its second stage, BCYF is inviting young people, community members, and youth-serving organizations to help shape the priorities that will guide the work ahead.

“The Youth Master Plan is grounded in the belief that real progress starts with listening,” said Alysia Lee, President and CEO of BCYF. “When priorities are informed by the people closest to the work, the result is more meaningful action and a clearer path to progress across Baltimore.”

‘Living the Dream’ rolls out throughout the month with a public series of story-driven spotlights and youth-focused content, including:

• Signature story spotlights featuring BCYF-funded organizations and youth leaders expanding opportunity and youth voice across Baltimore
• A new, short-form video series that centers young people and shows how the Baltimore Youth Master Plan connects to everyday experiences, real priorities, and visible progress
• A featured conversation with BCYF leadership and grantees that unpacks legacy, responsibility, and the youth-led work shaping Baltimore’s next chapter
• Community engagement moments that help Baltimore follow the stories, share them, and connect more directly with the leaders behind the work

“The ‘Living the Dream’ campaign is our way of honoring the Black community’s legacy in Baltimore, while lifting up those who are turning it into forward momentum,” added Lee. “Baltimore is building a bright future for its young people every day, and that effort is being led from the ground up.”

Stage B of the Baltimore Youth Master Plan is now underway.

To learn more about the plan and the Stage B engagement process, visit: https://bcyfund.org/baltimore-youth-master-plan/

To share input as part of Stage B, please use the appropriate form below to sign up to be a Youth Master Plan Builder:
Individual Builder: https://forms.bcyfund.org/252517089698877

Organization Builder: https://forms.bcyfund.org/252516613892057

About the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund
The Baltimore Children & Youth Fund (BCYF) is a nonprofit, city-funded initiative dedicated to improving the lives of young people across Baltimore. BCYF employs a dual investment strategy—pairing direct funding for youth-serving organizations with training and learning supports that promote long-term sustainability and strengthen Baltimore’s youth ecosystem. Through this approach, BCYF delivers vital financial and educational resources to community-based organizations in education, health, safety, and enrichment, ensuring every young person has access to the opportunities they need to thrive. To learn more, visit http://www.bcyfund.org.