ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Wes Moore, the first Black governor in 400 years of Maryland history, is wasting no time changing course.
“Our first-in-the-nation effort to end concentrated poverty at the state level aims to address communities in Maryland that have experienced multi-generational poverty and its consequences, which include higher rates of crime, less educational and economic opportunity, and decaying housing. Through place-based interventions in selected communities across the state, the ENOUGH Act will give communities the support and resources they need to identify the root causes of poverty in their neighborhoods and begin to address them. Because poverty does not look the same in every neighborhood, ENOUGH communities will work with community organizations, non-profits, anchor institutions, and other key community members to build a locally-focused plan of action for addressing poverty.”
It was the work he did before his election as president of the Robin Hood Foundation, providing economic mobility grants to grassroots organizations.
His background as a military officer came in good stead as the collapse of the Frances Scott Key Bridge tested his leadership. But the clearance of the wreckage in record time and a contract to rebuild has put the region in recovery mode.