Creativity. Community. Purpose.

Since 2020, Rise with a Purpose has empowered young people and strengthened communities through theater, music, film, education and service. What began as a vision to create meaningful opportunities has grown into a Baltimore-based nonprofit reaching thousands of students and hundreds of community members locally and beyond.

Our Impact at a Glance

5,000+ Students Served Worldwide
Young people have participated in performances, workshops, rehearsals and creative learning experiences.

1000+ Community Members Served
Our community-service initiatives have provided meals, essential items and compassionate support to Baltimore residents.

Original Stories Brought to Life
Students have developed and performed original works exploring history, culture, family, identity and social change.

Local and International Reach
Rise with a Purpose has delivered programming in Baltimore and collaborated on international arts initiatives serving communities in Germany and Russia.

Empowering Young Creators

Through the My Brilliance Shines Theater Troupe, young people build confidence, creativity, discipline and leadership through acting, playwriting, filmmaking and live performance.

Students do more than memorize lines—they explore history, develop original characters, examine important community issues and discover the power of their own voices. Their work has been presented at prominent Baltimore institutions, including the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore City College, Motor House and SNF Parkway Theatre.

Original and reimagined productions have included The Purple Tape, Black Woman Genius, Interviewing Thurgood Marshall, Gloria Richardson & the Jet Cover, Uncle Bey’s Will and a reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost.

These experiences give young artists opportunities to be seen, heard and celebrated while developing skills that extend far beyond the stage.

Serving Our Community

Our impact is also rooted in direct service.

Community Lunch Lines brings volunteers and partners together to provide meals, essential supplies and encouragement to people experiencing homelessness and hardship. Partnerships with organizations such as Underground Pizza Baltimore have helped us serve community members with dignity, compassion and consistency.

Our Baltimore Blessing Bag events have distributed essential items to neighbors in need, while generous community supporters have contributed resources—including hundreds of pairs of socks—to extend our reach.

In 2024, Rise with a Purpose launched a community garden in West Baltimore. The garden creates opportunities for young people and neighborhood residents to grow fresh food, learn practical skills and experience the connection between healthy living, environmental responsibility and community pride.

Creating Access Through Partnership

Partnership has been central to our growth. Rise with a Purpose has collaborated with schools, museums, theaters, libraries, cultural institutions, businesses and community organizations to bring programming directly to young people and families.

Our partners and presenting organizations have included:

• Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

• Reginald F. Lewis Museum

• Enoch Pratt Free Library

• Baltimore City College

• Baltimore School for the Arts

• New Song Academy

• Motor House

• SNF Parkway Theatre

• Baltimore Rock Opera Society

• The Fitzgerald

• United States diplomatic missions abroad

These relationships help remove barriers to participation and connect young people with professional artists, historic institutions and meaningful performance opportunities.

Building a Record of Growth

Rise with a Purpose has received more than $50,000 in documented grants, sponsorships and institutional support from organizations including the France-Merrick Foundation, Nora Roberts Foundation, William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, PNC Bank, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Miles White Beneficial Society of Baltimore City, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, community foundations and other generous supporters.

This investment has helped us purchase equipment, strengthen our programs, secure rehearsal and performance spaces and expand the opportunities available to participating youth.

Our work has also been highlighted by The Baltimore Sun, WBAL-TV 11 and WYPR’s Midday with Tom Hall, helping amplify the voices and accomplishments of our young artists.

Extending Our Reach Beyond Baltimore

Although Baltimore is our home, our mission has reached beyond the city.

Rise with a Purpose has collaborated with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and DA Exit NGO to present virtual music classes and concerts for participants in Moscow and Ufa, Russia. We also partnered with the U.S. Embassy in Frankfurt to provide programming for Joblinge, underserved youth, aspiring musicians and members of the German public.

These experiences demonstrate that creativity can cross borders, connect communities and give young people new ways to understand themselves and one another.

The Impact Continues

Every workshop, rehearsal, performance, meal and community gathering moves us closer to our purpose: helping people recognize their brilliance and use it to create positive change.

As Rise with a Purpose continues to grow, we remain committed to expanding access to the arts, developing original youth-centered work, serving our neighbors and building spaces where creativity, compassion and community can thrive.

Help Us Create What Comes Next

Your support helps provide instruction, transportation, meals, equipment, rehearsal space, production resources and transformative opportunities for young people and families.

Donate. Volunteer. Partner. Attend.

Together, we can inspire the next generation of creators and help more communities rise with purpose.