CONNECTING THE WIRE: A Series Dedicated to the Men and Women of Maryland Who Make the Difference
Profile: Diane Bell-McKoy
(BALTIMORE – October 9, 2008) – David Simon’s HBO series ‘The Wire’, in my best estimation, needs a bit of augmenting. As a native Baltimorean committed to doing my part to make Baltimore a better place to live, I would be terribly remiss if I failed to help tell about the good here.
In addition to Ray Haysbert, another person that the world should know about – especially when passing judgement on Charm City, is Diane Bell-McKoy. With her husband, Richard, at her side, this queen of a woman has dedicated her professional career to serving the people. Raised in Gorgeous Prince George’s County, she spent some of her early days toiling in the nation’s capitol during the Marion Barry Administration.
Honing her skills and perfecting her craft, she learned the true meaning of service from the absolute best.
Afterwards, she would come to work for another black mayor. This time it was Kurt L. Schmoke, the man who was elected the first black mayor of Baltimore.
Having sat down with her earlier this week, I learned something about her that I never knew. While I worked for her at Empower Baltimore Management Corporation for about 3 years and have had a cornucopia of conversations with her – particularly about my career and future, she shared something terribly personal but incredibly inspiring.
She told me that she was once charged with putting together a humongous event for the administration. The short of it is this: She said she missed her goal.
Given that experience, she said that members of her support system essentially told her to learn from that failure and move forward.
And guess what? She did. The lesson I got was similar to those learned from Ray Haysbert, the Dean of Business. If at first you don’t succeed, try until you do.
She went on to become President and CEO of a $100 million federally-funded HUD initiative popularly known as the Empowerment Zone. At the Zone headquarters, she managed to hold together six Empowerment Zone Village Centers in East and West Baltimore with the utmost professionalism and integrity. She dealt with some of the most prominent people in this city and state, and led the Baltimore program to national acclaim. In fact, the Baltimore Empowerment Zone was viewed by those around the country and the world as the absolute best.
Interestingly, this woman I look at as a surrogate mother is to speak before the United Nations tomorrow regarding working with Liberia and helping to empower its people.
I could go on and on about this local icon. However, I’ll end by stating that Baltimore and Maryland is blessed to be graced by Diane Bell-McKoy.
By the way, she is currently the President and CEO of Associated Black Charities of Maryland and is doing what she loves to do: Help people help themselves!
I’ll leave you with some sage words she always shares with me whenever I seek her guidance on a difficult decision: Follow your heart!
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