Many of us want to make a difference but few of us are willing to risk our comfort to make it happen; that is not the case with  Br MacDonald, a veteran who is using his war experience to change what leadership looks like.  Please read his article below about the upcoming event that the organization he founded, Veteran Artist Program and The 6th Branch , founded by fellow veteran Rich Blake, have worked hard to make possible.  Together they have teamed up to undertake a community wide revamp project, Operation Oliver, in Oliver neighborhood in Baltimore, MD.

It truly is my pleasure to feature BR McDonald, as the veteran artist of this week.  His humble approach to organizing community wide events, networking, collaboration and sharing his passion exude servant leadership.  As a veteran myself, I appreciate his dedication to raising awareness to veterans in such a positive manner and leading by example. Thank you BR!

An untapped resource for Baltimore City

Written by BR McDonald

“Baltimore is the safest city I’ve lived in for the last 10 years.” That is my first response to anyone who cites crime, drugs and a failing city when questioning my decision to engage underserved neighborhoods in Baltimore City. To be fair, the other cities include Kandahar, Baghdad, Peshawar, and Islamabad (just to name a few), and represent 7 years in the Army, 3 years as an Intelligence Consultant and 7 combat deployments.

As a veteran, I have been fighting a war since 9/11 that has taken my skills as a linguist, intelligence professional, and special operator to communities and neighborhoods on the other side of the world, yet returning after every trip to see the city I live in needing the same attention and care I spent the last decade giving people I will probably never see again.

Why do people thank me for my service? I understand why people say it, and I appreciate the intent because I too am very proud of my time in the Army. However, what I want them to ask is “What are you doing to continue to serve?” Most veterans will say of their service that they wanted to be part of something larger than themselves. I know that was definitely the case in my decision to step away from being an Actor/Singer and become an Arabic linguist. That mindset doesn’t just end after you “get out” of the military.  There is often a stigma associated with veterans returning from combat that we all suffer from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or we don’t have the tools necessary to properly reintegrate back into society. Not only is that not true for the majority of veterans, it also doesn’t acknowledge the tremendous skillset which can be applied to our communities back home.

I moved to Baltimore City because I saw potential amidst the reputation that it could never overcome its stigma as a second-class city. As a veteran, I fight everyday to confront the misunderstandings associated with my service and attack the status quo in an effort to make change. I believe we need to bridge the gaps in between our “charmed” neighborhoods and realize many citizens of our great city are living in the same conditions, if not worse, than the communities and neighborhoods I saw in combat zones of the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

My fellow Baltimore-based veterans and I are proving the concept of a Veteran Sponsored Community (VSC) and have the necessary drive and perspective to help transform underserved neighborhoods of this great city. It’s not because we have the secret or because we know something the rest of Baltimore doesn’t, but rather we aren’t afraid of the consequences of taking the first step. We recognize the need for action amidst simply talking about it.

On October 1, 2011, fellow veterans and I from The 6^th Branch (T6B) will begin proving the VSC concept by launching “Operation: Oliver”. This is a one-year aggressive service project in the East Baltimore neighborhood of Oliver, a community known for its crime and drugs, and made famous by television’s The Wire. Under the direction of Executive Director and former-Marine Rich Blake, and through local partnerships, T6B will launch the first of four major service projects which will be augmented by ongoing efforts in the community.

This is not a one-off project or a drive-by public relations stunt. In order to make this work, the community has to be engaged in the successful transformation of this neighborhood. We reached out to find local veterans who wanted to be part of this project and found Earl Johnson, a former-Army ranger and Executive Director of One Green Home at a Time, whose mission of physical renovations is directly tied to social activism and creating a safe and livable environment for the Oliver residents.

Another important aspect to “Operation: Oliver” is the creative component and leaving a positive lasting impact on the community.  Who knew military veterans would lead this effort as well? When I got out of the military 3 years ago, my first instinct was to create a way to combine my two worlds of Arts and the Military. I founded the Veteran Artist Program (VAP) in an effort to give artists, who are veterans, an opportunity to showcase their skillsets in the mainstream creative arts community.

VAP artist Jake Warford and Baltimore Love Project muralist Michael Owen recently teamed up with boys from Baltimore Born, an Oliver-based after school program for boys, to design and paint a mural that represents the growth and opportunity in Oliver. These two artists will team up again on Oct 1^st for another mural in the Oliver community.

At the core of VSC is an intentional effort to collaborate and desire to put the community ahead of short-term individual or organizational goals. Many national and local organizations have come on board to support “Operation: Oliver”, including veteran and military organizations such as The Pat Tillman Foundation, Semper Fidelis Health and Wellness, and The Pentagon Channel.   Stevenson University is on board as well as local civic groups Amplify Baltimore, Baltimore Center for Green Careers – Civic Works, and Tree Baltimore.