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Annapolis Home welcomes Maryland’s new First Lady, Dawn Flythe Moore, to Annapolis and to our pages!
We are especially proud to feature her on our cover during the very early days of her tenure. We are so glad to see her, Governor Moore, their children Mia and James, and their dog, Tucker Balti Moore, settling into the Governor’s Mansion and making it their very own. At the very least, all of us here at Annapolis Home hope to introduce her to the best crab cake Annapolis has to offer.
The First Lady drew our attention to some noteworthy changes to the interior of the Colonial-style Georgian mansion, which has housed governors and their families since 1870. More than it has been in the past, it is becoming a place that reflects our state and our nation’s African American heritage. For instance, the conservatory
is now referred to as the “Tubman Room.” Also, a portrait of Frederick Douglass is one of the first things people see upon entering the mansion.
Following are a few things we should know about our new neighbor. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in government relations, nonprofit work, building corporate partnerships, community organization, campaign strategy, and fundraising, she is passionate about empowering women, fostering economic opportunity, and championing the arts.
She has held positions at the highest levels of state government and has served on the board of nonprofit organizations such as Maryland’s State Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, and iMentor, which partners with high schools in communities where the majority of students served will be first-generation college graduates.
She also served as chair of the Moore-Miller Inaugural Committee, whose efforts to promote inclusion contributed to a 30 to 40 percent increase in business for Black-owned businesses during the week of Governor Moore’s inauguration, supported 34 jobs with minority-, women-, and locally-owned businesses, and generated more than $1.5 million in labor income.
Working together, the First Lady and Governor Wes Moore established the Moore Family Foundation to offer “impact grants” to local nonprofits, empowering them to provide thought leadership and organizational support. Under her leadership, the foundation has invested strategically in education, community enrichment, health research and development, veterans organizations, and the arts.
A graduate of the University of Maryland College Park, Dawn holds a degree in Government and Politics and a certificate in Women’s Studies.
Annapolis Home asked the First Lady about the influences that have shaped her journey through life. How did she become a devoted mother, businesswoman, and leader who is so wise and full of insight? Able to handle and manage power in its simplest and most complex forms with kindness, judicial balance, and grace? The woman we see today who extends a personal welcome to us all and reminds us that the Governor’s mansion is our house too?
In the following letter, the First Lady highlights the fact that she comes from a family of advocates who believe in the importance of unions. And how, as a young child, she observed her mother, Pandore Flythe’s vocations as an advocate and mother, with a huge and powerful heart.
Dear Annapolis Home Readers,
Thank you for welcoming our entire family to the beautiful city of Annapolis. We are grateful for your support and the many acts of kindness we’ve received since moving into Government House.
Like my husband, I have been a public servant my entire life, and it is my honor to serve as your First Lady. My priority is to lift up the progress made for Maryland during this administration. I’ll have a deep focus on my passions—advocating for women, economic prosperity for all Marylanders, and supporting opportunities through the arts.
My inspiration is my mother, Pandore Flythe. Her fight, her strength, and the love she has for her children and grandchildren is unmatched.
I come from a union family, and my parents stressed the importance of being involved and making a difference in the lives of others. From my mother, I learned the importance of advocacy which sparked my passion to be a champion for my community.
My mother continues to leave a lasting impact on my life. She is a wonderful example of a great woman, mother and civil servant.
My husband and I know how important this moment is for our state. As a family, we are honored to serve and we want to inspire others to do the same.
As your First Lady, I will fervently support this administration in its goal to leave no one behind, create a more equitable and inclusive state, and provide economic prosperity for all Marylanders.
I am honored to be part of this issue of Annapolis Home Magazine and allow readers a glimpse into our new home. It is my hope that Marylanders from every part of the state will have the opportunity to visit Government House and meet our family.
– Dawn Flythe Moore
A revered figure and an unintimidated force in American history, Harriet Tubman dedicated her life to the causes of abolition, suffrage, and human rights. Born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849 but made 20 return trips over the following decade to help more than 300 other enslaved people through the Underground Railroad. This bronze bust by artist Brendan O’Neill entered the Government House’s art collection in 2015 to celebrate Tubman’s legacy of fighting for freedom.
Photography, Office of the Governor: Patrick Siebert and Joseph Andrucyk
Credits: Maria Williams and Angelique Michelle for styling. Hair by Arianna Shields and makeup by Ashley Callaway
© Annapolis Home Magazine
The Faces of Annapolis 2023