Celebrating the 2024 Bunting Fellows: Champions of Community Leadership

The Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute proudly congratulates the 2024 Bunting Fellows for completing the transformative 30-week Bunting Neighborhood Leadership Program. This milestone was celebrated on Wednesday, December 11, with inspiring final presentations that reflected the Fellows’ growth and commitment to their communities.

The program’s comprehensive curriculum is designed to empower them as community leaders by emphasizing key areas like leadership development, relationship building, community organizing, and dismantling systemic barriers such as racism and unconscious bias. Throughout the program, Fellows had the privilege of learning from seasoned Baltimore leaders. This mentorship helped refine their abilities and deepened their understanding of how to create lasting community impact. Many of the fellows highlighted the impact of learning from Dr. Lawrence T. Brown and his groundbreaking novel, The Black Butterfly. Reflecting on his experience, 24’ Bunting Fellow, Yarah Yaahla shared, “[Dr. Brown] gave us so much knowledge and detail about how racism is so entrenched in Baltimore. And you really got to see how systemic racism has affected everything that we see now in Baltimore.” 

For the Fellows, the program has gone far beyond the curriculum. It was a life-changing experience that reshaped their perspectives and inspired their paths forward. Over the past 10 months, these emerging leaders honed practical skills in self-awareness, policy advocacy, communication, financial decision-making, and, above all, advancing health equity. This rigorous training has prepared them to confront challenges and affect meaningful change within their communities.

Their graduation presentations, which showcased their acquired knowledge and ongoing efforts in our community, were a testament to their dedication and readiness to drive meaningful change.

The Fellows’ reflections, reveal the power of personal growth and collective inspiration. Dana Carr shared, “My AHA moment was overcoming social challenges with other Fellows,” highlighting the resilience and mutual support fostered by the program. The value of shared learning within the cohort was also emphasized, with Curtis Warren noting, “We had an awesome group of presenters, but the network was so awesome, and what I learned from my Fellow cohort members was so impactful. I think they were almost equivalent in terms of the learning process and the takeaways.” 

For Wesley D. Hawkins, the program offered a powerful affirmation of purpose: “I realized I was meant to be in this program. Often, we second-guess ourselves, but this journey reaffirmed my place.” Minju Zukowski echoed this sense of empowerment, inspired by the collective brilliance of his peers: “When I looked around the table, I saw everyone’s talents and superpowers. Their passion helped me recognize my own talent as a visionary.” Together, these reflections weave a picture of growth, confidence, and interconnected leadership. Beyond the curriculum, the program cultivated unanticipated outcomes such as self-efficacy, community and tribe building, collaboration, and interconnected leadership—elements that always surprise and profoundly impact the Fellows. As the journey came to a close, the Fellows united around a shared motto for their cohort: “Driving Change Together.”

As these twelve extraordinary individuals step forward into the complex world of community leadership, we are confident they will apply their newfound tools, insights, and networks to create the equitable change Baltimore urgently needs. Their commitment to advancing health equity and addressing systemic barriers has already begun to ripple outward, promising a brighter future for our communities.

Once again, congratulations to the 2024 Bunting Fellows! Your journey is an inspiration, and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact you will make in our communities.

Click here to hear more about the Fellows' “AHA” moments during the program.