Weaving Together Leadership, Healing & Art: U2030 Partners with TurnAround & Art with a Heart

The U2030 RADIATE Women’s Leadership Program is proud to announce a special partnership with two remarkable Baltimore nonprofits—TurnAround and Art with a Heart—to co-create a community art installation that honors the resilience of women and survivors of violence in Baltimore, Maryland, during a site visit to Baltimore Gas & Electric.

A Tribute of Hope

TurnAround is a comprehensive provider of services to survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. They will open a facility and a sanctuary for healing in their new building in Dundalk. One space in that building will soon display a significant art piece: a tribute to Jacobi, a four-year-old boy who tragically lost his life to domestic violence.

This project, developed in collaboration with Art with a Heart, combines trauma-informed art practices with community service. The medium—yarn painting—was intentionally chosen. Yarn, made by intertwining fibers, symbolizes how individuals and communities are woven together through shared experience and mutual support. Its warmth evokes security and healing.

The final installation will feature dozens of hand-crafted butterflies, designed and created by RADIATE participants. Assembled into a flock in flight, these butterflies will represent transformation, freedom, and collective strength—echoing the journeys of TurnAround clients.

A Partnership with Purpose

Art with a Heart, founded in 2000, has enriched Baltimore's underserved communities through visual arts for over two decades. With a proven track record of over 16,000 classes annually and 300+ public art projects, they know how to translate healing and empowerment into breathtaking visual stories.

TurnAround, a pillar in the Baltimore community, provides comprehensive services for women and families facing trauma. Their new space in Dundalk is more than a building—it's a step forward for countless survivors.

U2030's RADIATE program is donating $1,500 to fund this project and volunteering its time and creativity to bring it to life during a leadership development site visit to Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) this May. The project represents a cornerstone of U2030's ethos: leadership isn't just professional—it’s personal and purposeful.

Empowering Leaders, Empowering Communities

The RADIATE Women's Leadership Program helps women in the utility industry grow in influence, confidence, and capability. However, as the program emphasizes, leadership isn't measured solely by career advancement but by the ability to create lasting impact.

"Supporting survivors, honoring Jacobi's memory, and bringing beauty into a healing space—that's leadership in action," says Vanessa Edmonds, founder of U2030. "Our participants won't just walk away with stronger leadership skills. They'll walk away having made a difference."

To learn more about U2030’s charitable giving projects, visit www.utility2030.org.

Be Part of the Story

Jacobi’s memory and the resilience of every survivor who walks through TurnAround’s doors deserve to be honored with beauty, dignity, and care. If this project moved you, we invite you to support the incredible work of our partners:

• TurnAround empowers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking every day. Donate or learn more at www.turnaroundinc.org.

• Art with a Heart brings color and connection to communities through transformative public art. Support their mission at www.artwithaheart.net.

Together, we can turn pain into purpose—and art into action.