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Happy Earth Day! As we gather this week to honor our planet, we’re given the opportunity to highlight the intersectionality of environmental issues and social justice. This week, let's broaden our understanding beyond traditional eco-actions like tree planting and plastic reduction. Let's acknowledge that a sustainable future requires equitable environmental policies that address the disparities faced by marginalized communities. While we are greatly disappointed by the legislature's failure to enact key environmental laws this year, like the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act, our fight for environmental justice continues. Let's use this Earth Week to raise awareness, take meaningful steps, and advocate for inclusive environmental policies. Click here to find ways to get involved with environmental events this week.

 

Now that the legislative session has come to an end, we’re pivoting to focus on organization building, expanding our task force work, and the upcoming elections. Look out for more announcements as we continue to advocate for progressive policies and create positive change in our state.

 

Read on for important updates, events from local chapters & allies, and news you can use.

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Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

    • Election Announcements
    • PM Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates
    • Local Chapter Updates
    • Ally Events
    • State & National News
 
 

Election Announcements:

 

We are happy to share that we have endorsed Zakyia Goins-McCants in the Prince George’s School Board Race!
 

PM Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates

Healthcare Justice: Showing Up to Demand An End to Denials - Last Week at UnitedHealth Group HQ!

 

Please check out the amazing and powerful action our national Care Over Cost campaign put on at United Health Group’s Minneapolis area Headquarters. The late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, a long time progressive leader and single payer healthcare champion, would have been proud! 

 

People across this country are fed up with the profiteering, the greed, and the corruption in the private health insurance industry. United Health Group is one of the worst when it comes to denying our care. We need you in  this fight! Tell us your story/experience with denials and delays, support our work by becoming a  member. Your involvement means we will  build  a more powerful grassroots movement. Thanks for joining or volunteering.  

 

Take a few minutes now to watch a short clip of last Tuesday’s inspiring action  available here. 

 

Do it for the people you’ll see in the video, Progressive Maryland’s own Mike Walsh and people like Jenn, Cate, and Robel who have insurance horror stories and for all the healthcare providers and workers who braved bad weather to turn out and tell United that they don’t get to decide who lives and who dies!

 

Our ongoing organizing against the industry, our pressure campaigns and the protest  forced them to talk with us on site last week and to agree to a meeting with advocates, policy holders, and community leaders. Onward!

 

Environmental Justice Task Force - Goes Back to the Drawing Board

 

Anger still remains in the bellies of members of the EJTF, after legislators, for the 6th year, failed to schedule the Reclaim Renewable Energy for a vote--this killed the bill. A significant amount of paltering [by legislative opponents of the bill] caused significant damage, also.

 

In response to this loss, over the next two weeks, the EJTF is planning tabling events in high-traffic areas Cherry Hill and Brooklyn to activate more frontline community members to the EJTF, which will be connected to a future direct action in South Baltimore.

 

We are still awaiting confirmation from Mayor Brandon Scott’s office on the day/time for our virtual meeting with him, which involves a discussion about the Baltimore trash incinerator. In addition, the EJTF is also planning a listening session with the Maryland Department of the Environment— stay tuned for details.

 

Lastly, I would like to give a heartfelt shout out out to one of Progressive Maryland’s most dedicated activists, Kurt Stand, as he retired last Friday. It was an honor to have collaborated with you last year at Young People for Progress’s “ Community Control of Safety and the Environment” community meeting in Silver Spring on December 15th. 

 

Kurt the memories we made will forever be etched in my heart, and you have now become my lifelong mentor. I have much love and am forever grateful for the wisdom you have given me thus far!! 

 

SirJames and the EJTF need your support with the upcoming planned tabling events, so if you would like to help, reach out here.
 

Local Chapter Updates: 

Progressive Harford County & Lower Shore Progressive Caucus

Speakers have been announced for Progressive Harford County and the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus' joint fundraiser.

 

Speakers include:

  • Harford County Councilman Jacob Bennett — District F
  • Dylan Laconich — City of Salisbury Sustainability Specialist
  • Kristen Harbenson — Maryland League of Conservation Voters Policy Director

 

The fundraiser will be this Saturday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at Concord Point Coffee in Havre de Grace, 217 North Washington Street, Havre de Grace, MD 21078.
 

Events from Allies:

An invite from our friends at the Prince George's County Peace & Justice Coalition:
 

News You Can Use: Health worries in the ER and elsewhere

Some of the news in Maryland is not great, and a lot of it concerns health -- both the wait times in Maryland's ERs, among the nation's worst, and the poor value of behavioral health coverage in many insurance plans. And even though Maryland has a firm right to reproductive health on the books, nobody should overlook how some Supreme Court cases under way might threaten those rights (without a constitutional amendment, that is).On the good side, despite the looming costs, polls show "overwhelming support" for the education reforms in the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. How about good news elsewhere? The UAW pro-union vote at the Chattanooga VW plant was a very big deal in the right-to-work South, but it shouldn't throw shade on still another Starbuck's union win right here in Maryland.
 

Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:

We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design, etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator Woody.

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

 

 
 
 

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Progressive Maryland
P.O. Box 6988
Largo, MD 20792
woody woodruff

About

M.A. and Ph.d. from University of Maryland Merrill College of Journalism, would-be radical, sci-fi fan... retired to a life of keyboard radicalism...