Community members; partner organizations; and UMB faculty, staff, and students discuss the growing issue of social isolation in the city.
Photo: From left, Yolanda Ogbolu, Ashley Esposito, and Anthony Sartori.
On April 24, 2025, the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) hosted “Conversations in Community: Reducing Social Isolation” at the 4MLK building in the University of Maryland BioPark. The event brought together 49 attendees, including community members; partner organizations; and UMB faculty, staff, and students. The goal was to foster dialogue and collaboration around the growing issue of social isolation in Baltimore.
Who Attended?
- Community members made up 49 percent of attendees and 61 percent of registrants, with 70 percent residing in target West and Southwest Baltimore ZIP codes.
- UMB-affiliated attendees accounted for 51 percent, though student participation was low.
- The School of Nursing was well represented, thanks to Dean Yolanda Ogbolu’s role as panel moderator and co-sponsorship from the West Baltimore RICH initiative and Community and Public Health Nursing.
- The School of Medicine contributed 11 percent of UMB attendees thanks to a partnership with its Public Health program.
- Other schools, including Social Work, Law, Dentistry, and Pharmacy, had minimal or no representation.
These results show promise for future events and highlight opportunities to engage more students and faculty across UMB. Additional outreach to faculty in the schools that were not well represented could strengthen OCCE’s ability to coordinate service-learning initiatives and community-based research. Additionally, the event missed a chance to track participation from community partner organizations like Innovation Works — an area for improvement in future planning.
What We Learned
Survey responses from people who registered for the event revealed that the top motivation for attending was a shared commitment to improving social connectedness in Southwest Baltimore.
Part of the event featured a powerful panel discussion moderated by Dean Ogbolu of the School of Nursing. The panel brought together both experts and individuals with lived experience of social isolation:
Panelists
- Terry Burr: Community member whose disability led to isolation until he received proper mobility support
- Ashley “Ash” Esposito: Baltimore City School Board member and part of “Weave: The Social Fabric Project” of the Aspen Institute
- Alfredo Santiago: Social worker and counselor at Chase Brexton
- Anthony Sartori: Founder of Evolving Minds and also part of “Weave: The Social Fabric Project"
- Charlotte Wilson: Community member living with blindness
- Yolanda Ogbolu (Moderator): Dean of the School of Nursing and researcher on social isolation, who shared her own story of growing up isolated in Southwest Baltimore
Panelists were recruited through OCCE’s community networks and partners, including the CEC Health Suite, UMB faculty, and the Foundation for Social Connection.
Key Takeaways from the Panel
- Social isolation is a serious public health issue — comparable in impact to smoking.
- It differs from loneliness: Isolation is the lack of social contact, while loneliness is a feeling that can occur even when surrounded by others.
- Isolation affects people of all backgrounds and ages; there is no single “look” to it.
- The effects of COVID-19 continue to linger, especially among vulnerable populations.
- Children and teens may experience isolation in subtle ways — adults must stay engaged and observant.
- While social media can connect, it often deepens feelings of loneliness and hinders real-world interaction.
- Disabilities without proper accommodations can lead to severe isolation, as seen in Mr. Burr’s story.
- Cultural, language, and identity differences also can contribute to isolation; finding and joining supportive communities is essential.
Breakout Session Highlights
After the panel discussion, attendees were invited to join breakout sessions focused on four groups: children/teens, seniors, immigrants, and people with chronic illness. In the breakout groups, facilitators guided participants through a series of interactive activities, including paired shares and individual reflections. While facilitators adapted the activities as needed, the breakout sessions were lively and engaging. Many attendees expressed a desire for more time and suggested follow-up sessions to continue the momentum.
Children and Teens
- Neighborhood violence disrupts established connections.
- Gratitude and nurturing family traditions help maintain bonds.
- Recreation centers are vital but need extended hours and better parent engagement.
Immigrants
- Cultural norms around socializing differ; American scheduling can feel isolating.
- Isolation stems from both internal and external factors.
- Language and cultural barriers contribute to feeling “othered.”
Seniors
- Isolation often results from mobility issues, loss of a spouse, fixed income, and lack of transportation.
- UMMC’s Senior University offers a chaperone program for medical visits.
- Bringing community to isolated seniors is key.
People with Chronic Illness
- ZIP codes influence mental health outcomes.
- Trauma can hinder connection; barriers include pride, anxiety, and fear of rejection.
- Solutions include mentorship, community visits, bulletin boards, and digital platforms such as Facebook.
Despite time constraints, the breakout sessions were a success, with strangers connecting deeply and expressing interest in future programming and partnerships.
Some of the feedback OCCE received from attendees included:
“Great event. Enjoyed the speakers, and the event in general. Need more events like this for West Baltimore residents and providers.”
“This event was fantastic. A great balance of academic partners and community partners. Only improvement may have been earlier repeated advertising and the initial hour of meet-and-greet was a bit long. ... Folks were ready to start the next thing around 5:40 and ready to leave/go home a bit earlier — but that is inconsequential/does not take away from the value and good experience of the event.”
“Just felt very privileged to have an opportunity to be involved as a panelist sharing thoughts concerning the topics.”
OCCE would like to thank the event host and co-sponsor, the BioPark, and the following partners, collaborators, and volunteers:
- Communications and Public Affairs: Dana Rampolla and Micah Murphy
- School of Graduate Studies: Iyabo Obasanjo
- School of Medicine: Bethea Kleycamp, Erin Walters, Laundette Jones, Tim O'Connor
- School of Nursing: Dean Ogbolu, Lori Edwards, Marik Moen, Janette North of the West Baltimore RICH Collaborative
- School of Social Work: Julia Scott, Lane Victorson
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Thomas Cudjoe
- Innovation Works: Jay Nwachu, Lamontre Randall
- Foundation for Social Connection: Frances Kraft