housing – UB Visions

Hello and Welcome!

Hi! My name is Sonce Reese and I am a Class 6 alum and Class 7’s On-Site coordinator. I graduated from UB in Spring 2015, with a Bachelor’s degree in Forensics and am now working towards a Masters in Global Affairs and Human Security.

LeaderShape: I had never heard of LeaderShape and didn’t even know what the program was about, but thought it would be a great opportunity to build up my leadership skills, so I signed up. Keeping an open mind, I signed up for the program. LeaderShape, for me, was transformational. My vision, to fill the 16,000 vacant homes in Baltimore City, was met with encouragement, support and probing questions, such as “How will this vision be completed?” and “Is it even possible?” I was more determined and more inspired than I had ever been before. I met and interacted with some wonderful people whose visions I support and who support mine. My vision, which hangs on my wall in my home office, has evolved to include creating healthy, vibrant communities, but fill vacant home In Baltimore City is still my top priority.

I am pleased to travel on this journey with you and will be with you until your LeaderShape graduation next semester. Looking forward to your posts and a great year with you!

My Leadershape Vision – Building from the Inside Out – Sonce

By: Sonce Reese, Class 6

Healthy, vibrant communities begin from the ground up and from the inside out. Oftentimes, because the problems are so prominent and so widespread, we forget about solutions. Solutions can be large or they can be small, the size of the solutions do not matter. What does matter are the actions that we take. Actions are the difference between change and stagnation. My vision is to create healthy, vibrant communities. Will you join me as I help to make a difference and rebuild our Baltimore.

My Leadershape Vision – Sonce

By: Sonce Reese, Class 6

Hello. My name is Sonce Reese. I am a graduate student studying Global Affairs and Human Security and the Graduate Assistant for the Divided Baltimore Dual Enrollment course at the University of Baltimore.

When I moved to Baltimore City three years ago, I saw many vacant homes in the city and people experiencing homelessness and wondered why we couldn’t use these vacant homes to create housing opportunities for the people who really needed them (in Baltimore City there are approximately 16,000 vacant homes and 13,000 empty lots).

My Leadershape vision is to rehab and fill the vacant homes in Baltimore City, to create housing opportunities for those who need them and to encourage the creation of healthy, vibrant neighborhoods and city schools within the communities. I believe that the issues and problems we see have valuable solutions and can be solved.