These 10 Baltimore social innovators were nominated for Homecoming Hero Awards

Ten Baltimore leaders were named semifinalists for the Homecoming Hero Award, which highlights work being done to improve the city during a fall gathering that also brings influential Baltimore “alumni” back to town.

Through Aug. 15, community members have a chance to vote for nonprofit leaders, activists, artists and social innovators to be honored. Five winners who get the most votes, to be announced on Oct. 14, will receive a $3,000 cash prize, and will get to share their story onstage during Baltimore Homecoming, which takes place Oct. 16 to 18.

“Baltimore has so many people doing amazing things for the betterment of the city, and those people deserve to be recognized,” Baltimore Homecoming executive director Dan Schochor said in a statement. “The group of ten semifinalists were nominated by the community and the final five will be voted on by the community – that’s what makes this awards program so special.”

Nominees were submitted after an open call to the community, then narrowed to the 10 semifinalists by the event’s host committee, which is made up of local leaders in business, nonprofits and the arts.

During Baltimore Homecoming, which will be in its second year, notable names with Baltimore ties connect with work happening now in the city by meeting social innovators, entrepreneurs and neighborhood leaders with an eye toward potential investment.

The nominees for the Homecoming Hero Awards are:

• Leonor Blum, founder and executive director of ¡Adelante Latina!
• Van Brooks, executive director,  Safe Alternative Foundation for Education
• Heber Brown, pastor of The Black Church Food Security Network
• Kayenecha Daugherty, executive director of Creative Nomads
• Blair Franklin, executive director of YES Youth Drop-In Center
• Marlo Hargrove, cofounder of Freedom Advocates Celebrating Ex-Offenders
• Nneka N’namdi, founder and director of Fight Blight Bmore
• Shantell Roberts, founder and director of Touching Young Lives, Inc.
• Ana Rodney, founder and executive director of MOMCares
• Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY