Many subscribers have expressed their interest in learning more about local energy resilience programs that serve the community. In honor of Earth Month, we are sharing the following article which highlights Baltimore’s resilience planning efforts and upcoming opportunities for Montgomery County residents to participate in local efforts. SharePower was created to improve access to the benefits of clean energy — improving the affordability of solar energy and community resilience. As a SharePower subscriber, you actively contribute to improved energy resilience in your community:
It's undeniable that the "Maryland Tough, Baltimore Strong" motto has resonated through social media, news outlets, and conversations lately, especially after the devastating collapse of the Key Bridge on the early morning of March 26th. This resilient spirit reflects the challenges and hardships Marylanders, particularly those in Baltimore, have weathered throughout history.
However, describing Baltimore as "strong" only begins to capture the dedication I've witnessed firsthand working with residents over the past six months as the Resiliency Program Manager for Resilient Communities Maryland (a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience Project). These individuals are not only strong but also devoted, resolute, and unwavering in their commitment to ensuring Baltimore's continuous growth and prosperity. They genuinely want to see their communities overcome local disparities and elevate Baltimore to the success it deserves. This local insight into community needs at resilience meetings in Baltimore is already evolving into plans to ensure the greatest needs are met.
This experience working with Baltimore residents has allowed me to learn from the participants and witness firsthand what it means to be Maryland Tough, Baltimore Strong. Our participants have shown remarkable resilience and a willingness to learn what it takes to be a catalyst of change in their own neighborhoods. They provided invaluable guidance, shared personal experiences, and offered the opportunity to "deposit" our knowledge of resilient energy. By showing them how it directly relates to their community, we empowered them to create an equitable clean energy future.
The conversations resonated deeply with me, reflecting the rich diversity of the participants. I fondly remember discussions around the lack of trust and the constant theme of others coming into their community to extract resources without giving back. The Baltimore is community, like many others across Maryland, is ready for investment and collaboration. Their survival and future depend on this.
I look forward to building relationships across the state and being a "depositor," not an "extractor,” as we work with Montgomery County and Eastern Shore residents in the next few months to identify new ways to build resilience together with Resilient Communities Maryland.
Thank you, Baltimore, for all you have endured. You are truly Baltimore Strong.
And thank you, SharePower subscribers, for your ongoing commitment to building community power.