What do Mike Rowe and I have in common? A hometown called Baltimore. I saw a post on Rowe’s Facebook page called Rewiring the Wire. He reflected on portrayal of Baltimore, Maryland as a gritty time, The Wire. Rowe made a valid point, millions of Americans see Baltimore as a city where you buy drugs, have sex with whores and get murdered, but there is so much more to the city. Or at least Rowe believe Baltimore’s reputation is far better than being The Wire.

I give kudos to his effort to look at the positive of Baltimore. Rowe is participating in a modest public relations campaign called “ My Baltimore” to remind the masses that there is so much more to Baltimore than heroin and gonorrhea. Nobody really wants to hear about the negatives of their hometown.

I just hope Rowe doesn’t only highlight privileged Baltimore because at the end of the day privileged Baltimore is not the entirety of Baltimore. It is one segment of Baltimore. Sorry Federal Hill and Fells Point, sorry I am not sorry.

If he is going to really highlight Baltimore – he needs to spotlight people from all walks of life and socio-economic levels.

I have mixed feelings about Baltimore. I was born in Baltimore and educated for the most part in Baltimore. I have seen the good and bad of Baltimore.

Just like Rowe, I wanted more opportunities so I searched for work and life out of Baltimore. Someday I hope to give back big to my hometown. Not as a thank you but to lift others with big dreams, big thoughts, big visions. I look forward to what Mike Rowe has in store for his episode Rewiring The Wire.