Dorothy Cunningham
Neighborhood: Irvington
“In order for us to get anything, we’ve got to do it on our own. And we gotta fight for it. And I’m always willing to put up a good fight with anybody and I don’t care who you are, I will give you a good fight.”
Dorothy Cunningham was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and foster mother. While working at Coppin State University, she led the effort to organize the first AFSCME local union on campus. She has lived in Irvington for 24 years and has been the Irvington Community Association President for 17 years. In 2016, she opened the Irvington Community Center. While working to make her community a cleaner and safer place to live, she developed a relationship with I AM MENtality Youth Group, Miracle City Church, Steel Meadow Church, Broken Wall Church, Mount Saint Joseph High School and My Brother’s Keeper with Saint Agnes Hospital. She has been awarded the Hometown Hero award from the Red Cross, received the National Alliance Award, AARP Andrus Award, Community Health Advocate Award, and Citation from the Mayor and Maryland House Of Delegates for her efforts to make her community safer and stronger.
