Birdland Community Heroes: Melody Baron

The Birdland Community Heroes program recognizes individuals in our community who are going above and beyond in fields that care for, serve, teach, protect, and improve the lives of others around the corner or around the globe. Our next award winner was nominated on behalf of Living Classrooms, an organization that disrupts the cycle of poverty and helps the community become safer, stronger, and healthier by meeting individuals where they are, and building skills for life. Living Classrooms inspires children, youth, and adults to achieve their potential through hands-on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and violence prevention programming.

The Orioles and Living Classrooms have chosen to recognize Melody Baron as the Birdland Community Hero. Melody was recognized as a Rising Star with the foundation in 2017 and currently serves as co-chair of the Associate Leadership Council. Melody is also a co-host of LinkedIn Local Baltimore, which raised over $19,000 for Living Classrooms last year. Throughout the pandemic, Melody has gone above and beyond in securing donations of essential items and providing food for our families.

Melody was asked to describe the importance of her work at Living Classrooms and share her experience with the organization.

Can you explain Living Classrooms and the importance of the work being done in the organization?

Living Classrooms confronts and humanizes issues that many of us are uncomfortable with. Too many of our community members, neighbors, and the people we pass every day on the street need our help. It can be convenient for those of us who don't need help to look the other way but that approach will never bring change. The civil injustice we are witnessing now, the frustration, the voices of the unheard, are all a product of us not addressing issues that impact cities like Baltimore.

Living Classrooms Foundation offers direct impact, and hands on, positive change in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. They help educate our children, teach them life skills, and give them tools so that they have a better chance in the world. They also help adults who need a second chance, because they first had the odds against them. This work is important because it's OUR community, and OUR responsibility.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Living Classroom’s programs?

Through my organization, LinkedIn Local Baltimore, I raise awareness for Living Classrooms. Proceeds from our monthly event series directly benefit the Foundation. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted my platform immensely. The movement of LinkedIn Local Baltimore was designed to bring people together, in person. Our events are focused on meeting the people behind the profile, all while listening, learning, and experiencing together. Not being able to congregate at a new venue on a monthly basis with hundreds of special community members is hard. BUT, it hasn’t stopped us. We have hosted several successful virtual events and continue to pursue our fundraising mission. Although our projected annual donation was severely impacted, we will still be able to give something back to the community this December. COVID-19 has made us more aware of what is important and our need as people to be with other people and feel that sense of community we so desperately thrive on.

What does it mean to be recognized as a Birdland Community Hero?

For our LinkedIn Local Baltimore 3-year anniversary virtual event this summer, we hosted The Bird as a special guest. He had recently been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. He showed off his fresh, fancy ring, and danced and whistled for us! That was an amazing highlight for me this year and now I can’t wait to see him, give him a hug, and thank him for the honor. Being recognized as a Birdland Community Hero is a beautiful Baltimore stamp to put in my passport of life I have developed here in this city. I share this honor with all of the community members who have helped me achieve my goals in supporting Living Classrooms Foundation. They are my heroes. Being a Birdland Community Hero just shows me that the more we tackle and coordinate this effort together, the stronger we will be.

As part of your recognition, Living Classrooms is receiving a $2,500 donation from the Orioles Charitable Foundation. What does that mean to you?

This donation makes me think of several individuals that have been through a Living Classrooms program that I have had the opportunity of meeting. They were brave enough to share their story with me and I have been fortunate enough to get to know them better. This donation makes me reflect on those stories and remember the importance of what I work to achieve for them. I love that the Orioles are so involved with the community. This donation will help people in our city with food, education, job training, health and wellness, and violence prevention programming.

Is there anything else you’d like our fans to know about yourself or Living Classrooms?

In 3 years, LinkedIn Local Baltimore has raised over $40,000 for Living Classrooms Foundation. To me, it’s not much, and I wish I could raise so much more. However, WE, the Baltimore community, did this TOGETHER. That is what makes our donations meaningful. There is never enough help, or resources for those that need it. Everyone is facing their own challenges right now and we all need something. Whether it’s a hug, an ear, or a few dollars, if you have anything to spare, I encourage everyone to do so and help your community in any way you can.

The Orioles are proud to recognize Melody Baron as a Birdland Community Hero. We thank her for her commitment to the Birdland Community and her hard work in raising essential funds for Living Classrooms. To learn more about Living Classrooms, please visit Orioles.com/CommunityResources.