The Baltimore Children & Youth Fund celebrated the launch of the city's first Youth Master Plan during The Gathering 2025: Roots & Reach event on November 17, bringing together more than 350 community members, youth leaders, and grassroots organizers at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. This annual flagship convening served as both a celebration of Baltimore's community-led youth ecosystem and the official introduction of a comprehensive, youth-driven roadmap designed to elevate youth voice, strengthen grassroots leadership, and align citywide resources around priorities defined by young people.
The Youth Master Plan represents a significant shift in how Baltimore approaches youth development and community investment. Developed through months of collaboration, listening sessions, and community engagement, the plan reflects a shared commitment to building equitable systems of opportunity across the city. It will guide investments and policy alignment over the coming years, centering youth as key decision-makers in shaping Baltimore's future rather than as passive recipients of services or programs.
"To see hundreds of young people, elders, organizers, and partners all in one room learning, celebrating, and building together was powerful," said Alysia Lee, President and CEO of BCYF. "The Youth Master Plan is our promise that young people's voices will guide Baltimore's future. The Gathering 2025 was just the beginning." The event featured 27 interactive sessions led by youth, grassroots leaders, and practitioners across the city, covering themes such as health and wellness, storytelling, harm reduction, and youth rights.
Nearly half of all sessions were led or co-led by young people under age 24, underscoring BCYF's mission to elevate youth leadership in every facet of community-building. Throughout the day, attendees participated in workshops on grant management, creative self-care, and youth-centered program design, alongside showcases from The Marching Elite, Coach G Academy, and the Baltimore American Indian Center. The convening's theme—"Roots & Reach: Citywide Change From the Ground Up"—captured BCYF's philosophy that lasting transformation must begin with those closest to both the challenges and the solutions.
This initiative matters because it represents a fundamental rethinking of how cities engage with and invest in their youth populations. By creating a youth-driven master plan, Baltimore is acknowledging that young people possess unique insights into the challenges they face and the solutions that would most effectively address their needs. The plan's development through extensive community engagement ensures it reflects the actual priorities of Baltimore's diverse youth rather than assumptions made by adult policymakers.
The implications of this approach extend beyond immediate program funding to potentially transform how Baltimore allocates resources, develops policies, and measures success in youth development. When young people are positioned as decision-makers rather than beneficiaries, systems become more responsive, investments become more targeted, and outcomes improve because solutions are designed by those who understand the problems most intimately. Participants left the event with new connections, shared strategies, and collective commitments to carry the work forward. For additional highlights from the event and to learn more about BCYF, visit http://www.bcyfund.org.
