BALTIMORE — Music from the Connexions African Dance Team set the stage for pomp and circumstance surrounding a second inauguration for Mayor Brandon Scott.
Growing up on the mean streets of Park Heights, Scott says his motivation for change came after he witnessed his first fatal shooting in a church parking lot before he reached the age of nine.
“It was only 20 seconds away from home,” recalled Scott, “It was impossible for me to get there. All I could do was jump into the bushes and hope the bullet didn’t jump in there with me."
Scott says he was frustrated by indifference to the killing, and his mother told him if he wanted to see change, he would have to do it himself, which led to his successful effort to curb violence in the city decades later.
“It’s easy to talk about the work that has happened in Baltimore since him becoming mayor to bring crime to historic lows within the City of Baltimore—-violent crime and non-fatal shootings,” said Gov. Wes Moore, “and let’s be clear. That doesn’t happen by accident. That happens because of intentionality.”
It’s now Scott’s intention to continue the city’s renaissance—-continuing to address crime, vacant houses and a lack of opportunities, but unlike he mother’s advice so many years ago, he says he can’t do it alone.
“That seed my mom planted three and a half decades ago about service and needing to take on responsibility to change our city is still there growing stronger everyday,” said Scott, “Nurturing it and ensuring in continues to grow takes many hands. That’s what we’re called to do over these next four years.”
