Dr. Melanie Townsend Diggs was born in North Carolina but raised in Baltimore. She received her formal education in the Baltimore City Public School System. Upon graduation from Western High School, Melanie attended Towson State University on a full scholarship from BUILD (Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development). In 1998, five-years after graduating from TSU (1993), she received the Spectrum Scholar Award from the American Library Association (ALA). She attended and completed her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science in 2001 from The Catholic University of America. In 2016, for her heroism and tenacity during the Baltimore Uprising 2015, which occurred in response to the untimely death of a young Black male, Freddie Gray, who was under police custody, Melanie received yet another award from ALA-- The Lemony Snicket Prize for Librarians Faced with Adversity. During this time, Melanie served the Library community in Baltimore, nationally, as well as internationally, by giving interviews and speaking at various State Library conferences. Due to her health care advocacy in Maryland, beginning in 2007, which stemmed from the experience of her children being covered with Medicaid, specifically, CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) in Maryland, she received the honor of being appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of Families USA, a national voice for health care consumers, from 2014 until April 2021. During her tenure on the Board, she served as Chair of the Self-Evaluation Committee and was also instrumental in working with Human Resources to develop a DEI statement for the Board and Staff. In August 2024, Melanie received a Doctorate Degree in Humanitarianism from the Heart Bible International University (HBIU), Hartford Ct. She also received the President of the USA Lifetime Achievement Award and a Black Excellence Award from HBIU.
Although these secular awards and degrees are noteworthy, Dr. Diggs, highly regards the rewards and increase God has given her. God has always had his hand on Melanie’s life. She placed her life in his hands at an early age due to the ministry of a weekly “Good News Club '' at a neighbor’s home. Later, she joined the New Second Missionary Baptist Church under the late Pastor, Rev. Dr. Felton Williams, Jr. Melanie “grew up in the Lord'' and served in many capacities. She became a licensed Minister in 2004 and an ordained Elder in 2014, under the auspices of the United Council of Christian Community Churches of Maryland and Vicinity. She believes God has a special calling on her life “for such a time as this.” She endeavors to serve the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength, to share the knowledge of His gift of salvation to non-believers, and to edify the Body of Christ. With the love of Marketplace Ministry in her mind and heart, Melanie created an Online Group devoted to the Spiritual Growth of Women called Spiritual Care For A Woman’s Soul (SCFAWS) in 2015. SCFAWS holds a Weekly Prayer Room via Zoom, monthly, virtual Life-Changing Sessions on a variety of topics, and in-person or virtual Bible/Book Discussions.
Dr. Melanie is a philanthropist and global strategist, lending her expertise in Humanitarianism by being a Board Member of AWLPOF (Adiel’s Widows and Less-Privileged Outreach Foundation) in Abuja, Nigeria since June 2021.
In 2022, Melanie followed God’s voice and sanctioned Spiritual Care For A Woman’s Soul as a LLC and became the Founder and President of a 501C3 non-profit organization, Soul Of A Nation, to provide resources, programs, and activities that will empower, enrich, and inspire individuals of varying ages in the community with a holistic approach. In September 2023, under the auspices of Spiritual Care For A Woman’s Soul and in partnership with AWLPOF, Melanie traveled to Abuja, Nigeria. There, she ministered to and served widows and orphans. She was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of taking a Missionary journey to Africa and to deliver spiritual and natural food and substances to God’s people. In August 2024, Melanie completed her second Mission Trip to Guyana, South America. Since November 2022, Soul Of A Nation has provided over 600 hot, nutritious meals in their bimonthly service to a shelter in Baltimore, MD, has given out over 200 bags of fresh produce in their Pop-Up Produce Events, bringing produce from a local farm to the urban area, and partnered with a local organization, NJahiemMinistries and Events, to serve individuals experiencing homelessness on the streets of Baltimore. In March 2025, Soul Of A Nation embarked on their first program offering Financial Literacy Workshops/Homework and Tutoring Services to residents at Sarah’s Hope Family Shelter, in Baltimore, MD, in partnership with Operation Hope, Inc. and National Honor Society Students from her alma mater, Western High School.
Dr. Melanie Townsend Diggs is very grateful for her loving and supportive family--husband, Eric; daughters, Damaris, Christiana, and Eden; son, Christopher; and granddaughter, Jocelyn.