Get to Know Ms. Quaneita Queen, Lead Youth Development Coordinator at our Brooklyn O’Malley Club
Quaneita Queen, or Ms. Queen as most people call her, has been committed to serving young people from early on in her adult life. This passion, supported by her own knowledge of growing up in Baltimore City, makes Queen well-suited to equip our young people as a Youth Development Coordinator at our Brooklyn O’Malley Club. Before her time with Boys & Girls Clubs, Queen took on professional challenges, ranging from being the only woman to graduate from firefighter training in her class to working as a teacher’s assistant in a local teen treatment center. Her dedication to youth empowerment reaches beyond her professional life and into her home, where she’s been a foster parent for more than 40 kids over the course of 20 years and counting.
Queen said that her commitment to service was inspired by her mother: “She was the first person to introduce me to the idea of fostering. I admire her because she is always willing to give.” Queen and her mother both continue fostering children to this day.
When Queen came across the job opportunity at BGCMB earlier this year, she recalled, “I didn’t know about the organization,” but upon research, she found that the values of BGCMB aligned with her own. Queen believes "programming sets Boys & Girls Clubs apart. It is much more than a rec center because people take a lot of time and care creating programming.”
Even in just a brief observation of Queen’s interactions with members, her strong relationship with the kids is undeniable. When asked why she makes such a good role model for our members, Ms. Queen explained,
“I am well-grounded and feel like I can empathize with most people throughout the city. I know the issues they face every day.”
Queen said that because she grew up in Baltimore City, she can better relate to the youth and “point them in the right direction to not make the same mistakes that I made.” Queen believes another key to her success with youth is that she doesn’t “treat every kid the same way; kids learn and show emotions differently. You never know where people come from.”
Tianda Hendricks, Club Manager at our Brooklyn O'Malley Club, said
“Ms. Queen is exceptional! Every day she brings an enthusiastic presence into our Club, which I, our team, and our members look for. Queen’s commitment to helping us all understand, learn, and grow is invaluable.”
Ms. Queen’s strength and commitment are apparent to everyone she interacts with, and we are lucky to count her as one of many talented youth development professionals and caring mentors to our youth at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore.