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Jessica

🌟 Victory Story: A Season of Elevation & Service

This year has been a turning point — a season of stepping deeper into purpose, leadership, and the work I was called to do in Maryland.

In the last few months alone, I’ve been entrusted with roles that shape our state’s climate future, strengthen community voice, and elevate the work we’ve been building for years:

✨ Appointed to the Maryland Clean Energy Center’s Climate Catalytic Capital Fund Investment Oversight Committee

I’ll be serving through June 2028, helping guide how Maryland invests millions in clean energy deployment and innovation. Equity, community impact, and strategic investment will be at the center of my contribution.

✨ Serving on the Baltimore County Commission on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

As a commissioner, I advocate for clean water, environmental justice, green infrastructure, and stronger climate preparedness across Baltimore County. This role has strengthened my commitment to local environmental policy and community-driven solutions.

✨ Appointed to the Maryland Comptroller’s Climate Advisory Council

This statewide advisory group works to align climate policy, economic resilience, and equity across Maryland. I’m honored to bring a lens of inclusive innovation and community impact to such a critical table.

(Listed on tbeffect.co/about)

✨ Selected for Leadership Maryland’s Emerging Leaders Class of 2025

As one of 36 rising leaders, I’m joining a powerful statewide network committed to building a more resilient, equitable, and economically vibrant Maryland. The experience has already expanded my leadership in ways I’m deeply grateful for.

✨ Growing the Greater Baltimore Climate Summit (GBCS)

What began as a vision two years ago is now a regional force. GBCS has brought together hundreds of leaders, 20+ partners, and a shared commitment to ensuring Baltimore’s environmental future is community-centered and climate-ready. The momentum is only growing as we prepare for our next year of programming and expansion.

Altogether, these appointments and platforms reflect one story:

Maryland is ready for bold, equity-centered climate leadership — and I’m grateful to play my part.

This season has affirmed that the work we’ve been building is needed, valued, and making a real impact.

Onward. More service. More purpose. More impact.

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In 2026, I hope to not only complete my 3rd and 4th marathons, but continue to be a voice in the running space for Black people. I also have plans to complete my RRCA certification to become a coach for those looking to begin running, and to continue to advocate for health and wellness.

Those delays didn’t break me; they refined me. I learned discipline when progress was slow, resilience when results didn’t come easily, and purpose when validation was nowhere to be found. I stopped chasing timelines and started building endurance.

Now I’m here. Locked in, focused, and driven. I don’t take this seat lightly. Every rejection, every setback, every doubt became fuel. I didn’t arrive by accident, I arrived by refusing to stop. This is only the beginning.

That transition was difficult. I was used to a certain level of stability, freedom, and forward momentum. More than the lifestyle itself, I had plans for my future, for growth, for the person I was becoming. Losing that foundation forced me to pause and confront uncertainty head-on.

The victory came in how I responded. I had to recalibrate, strip things back, and focus on what truly mattered in the present moment. I learned to operate with intention instead of excess, gratitude instead of fear, and resilience instead of panic. Most importantly, I reminded myself that no situation is permanent, everything has a season.

Navigating that period strengthened my discipline, sharpened my priorities, and rebuilt my confidence from the inside out. What once felt like loss became clarity. And that clarity gave me the belief that I can adapt, rebuild, and rise again, no matter the circumstances.