How Lacie DeCosta became a leader in the Ravens flock via social media – Baltimore Ravens blog

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OWINGS MILLS Md. — Brie Brown is in her first year of teaching kindergarten in the Baltimore area, and she sent out a wish list for classroom items on Twitter, adding the hashtag “Ravens Flock.”

Brown received a package the next day that caught her eye.

“I was like, there’s no way,” Brown said. “I think someone’s playing a trick on me.”

Lacie DeCosta, wife of Baltimore Ravens Eric DeCosta was the general manager and had sent puzzles, educational toys, and tons of books. DeCosta even sent Lamar Jackson’s children’s book, writing on the first page: “Keep dreaming big! Always believe you can because you will!”

Brown directly messaged DeCosta and told her that she had more. Ten minutes later, DeCosta received two more deliveries.

“Our library is stacked,” Brown said. “[The children] call them our class family.”

Interactions like this are why some fans refer to DeCosta as “the mother of Ravens social media.” She wanted to be a social worker after graduating from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, but she landed in the Ravens’ marketing department, where she worked for four years.

DeCosta no longer works with the team but she has found herself in a position to impact lives and make a difference using her social media platform.

“There’s so many people out there on social media that are not kind,” DeCosta said, “so I try to be a representation of positivity.”

A month after contributing supplies for a kindergarten class, DeCosta volunteered for the food and clothing drive at Brown’s school. She spent the night loading boxes into people’s cars.

“There’s only so many black-tie things you can go to,” DeCosta said. “I want people to know me. I want to touch this person. I want to make a difference in the lives of others by being involved. You go to these big fundraisers where you’re not really connecting with people.”

A native of Baltimore, DeCosta is linked — literally — to the foundation of the city’s sports teams. George Litz, her father, was the founder of the brick company used in the construction of the Ravens’ and Orioles stadiums.

Eric and Eric DeCosta continued to be entwined in their family. The morning before Day 2 of the 2000 draft, Eric ran to the home of Lacie’s family, who lived a couple of miles from the Ravens’ facility. Lacie’s father thought Eric wanted to talk about the players the Ravens just drafted. Eric had other news. He was planning to propose on Easter to Lacie. Eric and Lacie were married in 2001. They have three children, Jane, Michael, and Jackson.

Twitter has allowed Lacie to create her own niche in Baltimore’s sports world. Her profile grew after she posted a picture by Will of Ravens quarterback Jackson. Will retweeted it. Soon, she had more than 18,000 followers.

‘It was definitely uplifting’

Jackson and Lacie are usually the two people that Ravens fans tag when they want to share their news with the rest.

Many of these instances involve fans sharing photos of their newborn babies. After his daughter broke her ankle, one fan asked Lacie for positive vibes. Others asked for prayers after the death of a family member or friend.

Michael McBride from El Paso (Texas), was diagnosed with colon carcinoma and set up a GoFundMe page. DeCosta was asked by McBride if he could spread the word.

DeCosta also donated and offered encouraging words. McBride has raised over $11,000.

“It really raised my spirits a ton, because at that moment is when there was so much uncertainty about my condition,” McBride said. “It was definitely uplifting, to say the least.”

DeCosta’s connections are far-reaching. Roman Tkach, a quality assurance engineer aged 29, lives in western Ukraine. When the long-distance Ravens fan wasn’t on social media for a while, DeCosta tweeted him to see how he was doing.

“I’m not sure whether this is normal in American culture, but I’m not used to such kindness,” Tkach said. “I am a total stranger living like 8,000 miles from Baltimore. I’m just a random person on twitter. This is a clear sign of who the person truly is. To remember me, and even have thoughts and prayers about my safety, it feels like this world still has a chance.”

‘She’s just been very real on Twitter’

Lacie may interact with Ravens players from time to time. She’ll playfully take shots at cornerback Marlon Humphrey For his views on coffee and the latest Batman movie, as well as dating.

For as much as Lacie deals with fans’ serious issues, she tries to keep social media fun. Every week, she gave away a jersey to the fans who correctly answered trivia questions and correctly guess the player who had recorded the first sack of each game. Two hours before the start of this year’s draft, she offered a gift card to the person who nailed the Ravens’ first-round selection. Fans are so invested in her Twitter account that they will direct-message her if she’s a little late with her daily morning message, which can include a quote from Kendrick Lamar or advice from her grandmother.

“She’s just been very real on Twitter,” Brown said. She’s not doing it for the appearances. She doesn’t want to be a socialite. She’s just a girl from Baltimore and she’s a fan, first and foremost.”

Eric knew that Lacie wanted to make a positive impact on people when he met her. He never imagined that Lacie would become such an iconic face of the franchise via social media.

“She never lost the thirst for getting involved, making a difference and helping families,” Eric said. “She’s been able to use the Ravens as a way of accomplishing what she wanted, which is to make this a better community.”


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