August 24, 2022

Alumnus Receives National Urban League Young Professionals Honors

This prestigious award recognizes outstanding young professionals who exemplify the National Urban League mission through their professional and personal contributions to community and service.

"It's an honor to be picked with others in my organizations who are doing some amazing things," said Jackson, Health Equity Director for the City of Baltimore Health Department. "My biggest goal in life is to make an impact, particularly in my city of Baltimore."

Jackson is the first ever health equity director at the Baltimore City Health Department, which is the oldest in the country.

“This position was created by a mandate to review equity and inclusion and diversity issues within the agency,” says Jackson.

Jackson serves a conduit for multiple departments to utilize the equity lens, ensuring resources are equitably distributed to communities in need and that cultural competence remains at the forefront of decision making.

Jackson became a member of the Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL), which is an affiliate of the National Urban League, ten years ago. After becoming a member, he quickly became Community Outreach Director and ultimately transitioned to President, for which he was honored as National President in his fourth year for the GBUL.

Jackson, a Baltimorean born and raised, reflects on the beginnings of his passion for diversity and equity when he was a student at Archbishop Curley High School, where he served as an ambassador and resource for African American culture.

That passion was further fueled at Emmanuel where advisors and mentors challenged him to push beyond his intended career path of becoming a counseling psychologist. Through his involvement with organizations like the Emmanuel College Black Student Union and his internship with Wentworth’s Director of Multicultural Programming, he realized he was leaning toward roles centered on diversity and equity.

Jackson offers gratitude to his mentors at the College for representing the possibilities within this field of work. He reflects, “They didn't know it, but I was seeing how they moved, shaped and created, and it was impactful to me.”