Baltimore mayor appoints director of LGBTQ affairs office

Hannah Epstein, The Baltimore Sun on Jun 25, 2025

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BALTIMORE – Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott appointed Melanie Bryant as the director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, according to a Wednesday news release.

The interim director, Alexis Blackmon, will now serve as deputy director.

“Dr. Bryant is joining the City at a critical moment in the fight for equity and LGBTQIA+ rights — and I can’t think of a better leader to bring on board,” Scott said in the release. “All Baltimoreans, regardless of who they love or how they identify, deserve to live their lives freely and without fear or judgement.”

In her new role, Bryant will work to “expand resources, advocate on behalf of community stakeholders, and enhance service delivery and opportunity access for residents citywide,” the release says. “Bryant brings a powerful blend of expertise in African-center and gerontological practice, ex-offender reentry, social justice, addictions, and culturally grounded policy development.”

A Philadelphia native, Bryant’s career in social justice has focused on combatting “the systemic inequities impacting Black, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ communities,” according to the release. She has worked in an array of advocacy fields, addressing issues ranging from gun violence prevention to improving foster care systems.

Bryant was previously the founder and CEO of Ujima Consulting Group, a company that aids nonprofit start-ups, raising more than $10 million for more than 30 organizations, according to the release.

She also held the position of executive director of the Beautiful Gate Outreach Center, an HIV/AIDS organization, according to its website. There, she launched a program called “The Hub” that offered a safe space for BIPOC LGBTQIA+ individuals, according to the release. She also served as national program director of the National Association of Black Social Workers.

Bryant, who holds a B.A. in psychology from Albright College as well as a Ph.D. in social work from Widener University, said in the release that she was proud to be joining Scott’s administration.

“I look forward to working with Deputy Director Alexis Blackmon and the entire team to provide institutional programs, structures, and policies that support, nurture, and protect the LGBTQIA+ community,” Bryant said.

Scott said he was grateful to Blackmon for her service as interim director. She said in the release that she was “thrilled to welcome” Bryant.

“Her lived experience, bold leadership, and unwavering commitment to justice will be transformative for our city. I look forward to working alongside her as we deepen our impact, uplift our most vulnerable, and continue building a Baltimore where every identity is not just seen — but celebrated,” Blackmon said.

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