It's not easy making a difference in communities that are touched by crime. But the first step to a better way of life is made easier when you have friends beside you. Getting to know your neighbor, your local police officer, the pastor from the church down the street, or the businessowner of the corner grocery store can help make you feel that you are not alone. Our hope is getting to know your Baltimore Guardian Angels will help too.

The Baltimore Chapter is constantly growing and adding to our team of concerned citizens. We are proud to represent a variety of backgrounds, histories, and experiences. Whether it be a concerned citizen wanting to rid her neighborhood of drug dealers, a young man who has turned his life around and now serves as a role model for at-risk-youth, a Dad who wishes he could sit on his front step and watch his children play without fear, or a business owner who worries how the recent increase in crime will affect his livelihood, all of us are committed to serving the City of Baltimore.

When we ask ourselves what we can do to help make a difference, we have a chance to create positive change. When we ask our neighbor how we can help, we have a chance to create positive change. When we come together and speak out against those things that concern our neighborhoods, we have a chance to create positive change.

Communities that communicate — neighbor to neighbor, citizen to police officer, neighborhood group to elected official — have started on the path towards a better future. Positive questions lead to powerful answers. And so we encourage everyone in Baltimore to start walking down the road together, to start talking and taking part. We encourage everyone to get out there, introduce yourself, and stand up for safer streets, safer schools, and safer communities. And know that a team of Guardian Angels will be with the communities of Baltimore City every step of the way.

Listed below is an ongoing series of articles introducing the key players of the Baltimore Chapter of the Alliance of Guardian Angels. Check back in the coming months to meet more of your Baltimore Guardian Angels.