2020 Fellow Cohort

2019 Fellow Cohort

Baltimore native Tony Scott’s path to the Mayoral Fellowship program:

I love Baltimore. My grandmother migrated here from rural Virginia back in the 1950’s and worked several jobs to support her six children. She worked for the Maryland Department of Labor helping black families get jobs, and later got involved in the city politically, campaigning for Mayor Schaefer and eventually becoming a neighborhood advocate for summer youth programming.  

Meanwhile, my dad was born and raised in West Baltimore, experiencing the city before and after the 1968 riots. He saw the glory and demons of the city, and always made it a priority to remind me of what once was as we rode by blocks of vacant homes. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to working on issues surrounding economic and community development in my hometown.  

After studying political science at Georgetown University and getting a job in Washington D.C., I couldn’t leave Baltimore, instead choosing the long commute from Midtown-Edmondson. After a couple years, I moved to New York to pursue my master’s degree from Columbia University. Although I was a few states away, I still remained involved in beautifying vacant lots in my community back home and frequently traveled back to work with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council on the Opportunity Collaborative’s Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.

This summer I am working with the Finance Department to help evaluate the City’s profit-sharing PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) programs, to understand whether the City is getting a good deal on its profit-sharing investments, and to ensure the City is putting its money where it is needed the most. 

I saw the Mayoral Fellowship not only as an opportunity to continue serving my city, but also to gain a better understanding of city government. 

I am thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to improving the city I love.