Episode Summary: Feeling Seen & the Future of Ellicott City

In this episode of I Grabbed the Branch, I share a deeply personal reflection on what it means to feel seen—as a survivor of the 2016 Ellicott City flood and as part of a community that has fought to be heard.

For a long time, the experience of that day—and everything that followed—felt invisible outside of those who lived it. But recently, something shifted.

I talk about the progress of the North Tunnel project in Ellicott City and what it represents. This isn’t just infrastructure—it’s acknowledgment. It’s proof that stories, losses, and voices are being recognized through real investment and action.

This episode connects the emotional and the tangible: healing, validation, and the ongoing work of flood mitigation. Because being “seen” isn’t just about words—it shows up in policy, progress, and a commitment to doing better.

🔗 Read my story featured on CBS News Baltimore:
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/howard-county-ellicott-city-progress-key-flood-mitigation-project-tunnel-north/

🔗 Learn more about the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Program:
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/ellicott-city-safe-and-sound