Local Educator Leonor Blum Receives State AARP Award

Leonor Blum: “I want our students to have better lives than their parents, who are living hand-to-mouth and really sacrificing." (Wide Angle Youth Media)

The Maryland office of AARP recently presented Leonor Blum its State President’s Award for Community Service.

Blum is the founder and director of ¡Adelante Latina!, a free afterschool academic enrichment and college preparatory program for underprivileged and promising Latina sophomores attending Baltimore City public high schools.

“The award really goes to all the participants of ¡Adelante Latina!, not just referring to our wonderful, motivated students but to all our dedicated teachers and generous volunteer tutors, two-thirds of whom, like me, are senior citizens,” said Blum, 74.

The award comes with a prize of $1,000, which was donated to ¡Adelante Latina! for operating expenses.

A nonprofit based in East Baltimore’s Highlandtown community, ¡Adelante Latina! has been awarded prizes from the Latino Providers Network, the Ole! Group at Exelon and was a 2018 finalist for the National Excelencia in Education Award.

Last year, Leonor Blum was named one of five “Baltimore Homecoming Heroes.”

A Baltimore Hebrew congregant, Blum, founded ¡Adelante Latina! in 2013 after working for three decades as a history and political science professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University. 

Click here to read Jmore’s 2019 profile on Blum and ¡Adelante Latina!

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