May Day—celebrated on May 1 as International Workers’ Day—is just four days away. It’s a global day of action rooted in the labor movement, honoring the fight for workers’ rights and the power of collective organizing. For years, those in power have tried to erase and suppress the history of May Day, but movements like ours are keeping it going. This week, we’re joining people across the country to take action—whether that’s stepping away from business as usual or showing up in the streets. Take the pledge and check out the events section below for ways to participate in person.

As our spring organizing ramps up, this moment is bigger than one day. From election volunteering to issue campaign organizing, there are so many ways to get involved and build power in your community, and we need you with us.

Read on for upcoming events, updates on our issue campaigns, and state and national news you can use.

In solidarity,
The Progressive Maryland Team 

 

Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

  • Get Involved
  • Campiagn Updates
  • Local Chapter Updates

  • May Day Events
  • State & National News

 

 

 

Get Involved: Build the #ProgressiveWave

This year’s primary election is critical. At a time when our communities are facing rising costs and real attacks on our rights, we need leaders who will actually fight for us, and win. That only happens if we organize.

We need more folks to step up right now. Our Throwdown Thursdays phonebanks are how we reach voters, build momentum, and make sure our voices are heard.

Throwdown Thursdays Phonebanks

Join us every Thursday at 6 PM through Primary Election Day to call voters and help elect progressive champions. Even one shift makes a difference.


Sign up and join us this week →

Canvassing Opportunities

We’re hitting the ground in Baltimore, Upper Marlboro and Gaithersburg on May 16th. Join us to knock doors, talk to voters, and build the #ProgressiveWave:

Come out, bring a friend, and help us connect with voters across the region!

 

Issue Campaigns Updates:

Healthcare Justice: Getting the Health Care We Deserve!

Organize to pass the Medicare For All Act in Congress 

Actions to Take:

Make Health Care A Deciding Issue in the Primary Election! 

Support champions like Wala Blegay who is running for Congress in District 5 right here in Maryland! Help us elect someone who will fight to take our health care system back from greedy, unaccountable insurance and drug companies. Our leaders, supporters and Medicare For All allies put on a great Town Hall last Wednesday. Wala heard from community members and pledged to fight for a better health care system through Improved Medicare For All. Many thanks to the leaders and staff at Greater Mt. Nebo A.M.E Church in Bowie for hosting us!

Get involved in our election work 

Voters need to know that the June 23rd Primary will likely determine who goes to Congress. We’re making phone calls and door knocking to talk to voters about Wala, healthcare issues and why their vote matters.

 Urge Sen. Alsobrooks to be a sponsor — use this link to email her today!

 

Local Chapter Updates:

Gaithersburg: Tenant Union General Body Meeting

Join the Gaithersburg Tenant Union on Wednesday, April 29 from 7–8:30 PM (101 Education Blvd) to discuss key issues impacting the community, including the city budget, utilities, rent stabilization, and upcoming actions. Make your voice heard. RSVP here →

Temple Hills: Community Union Meeting

Join us on Thursday, April 30 from 7–8:30 PM at Hillcrest Heights Elementary School (4305 22nd Pl) for a community meeting on local elections, housing conditions, public safety, rising utility costs, and more. Connect with neighbors, share your concerns, and get involved in building solutions. Sign up to join →

Harford County: How to Start A Union and "Union" Documentary Screening

Saturday, May 2, from 2 – 5 pm at Charm City Books, 426 W Franklin St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Join our partners with the Working Families Party Maryland Wolf Pack for a presentation on how to start a union at your workplace by Progressive Harford County founder and union organizer Zack Frink, followed by a screening of Union. Register Today

 

MAY DAY EVENTS:

Annapolis

Join Indivisible Maryland on May 1 at 3:30 PM at Annapolis Mall. Stand with workers and communities across the country demanding an economy that works for people—not billionaires.

Sign up here

Washington, DC 

Join the MD Living Wage for All Coalition, workers and allies on May 1 at 12 PM at the Washington Monument for a major rally featuring federal bill sponsors and movement leaders. Stand in solidarity and push for policies that uplift working people across the country.

Baltimore 

Join the organized labor movement and allies for rallies on May 1 in Baltimore's Druid Hill Park. Community programming starts at 2:30 pm, followed by a rally/march starting at 4 pm. We demand an end to the US's endless wars. We demand ICE out of our communities. We demand money for people's needs instead of the US war machine.

Register here.

 

News You Can Use: Truth and Consequences on Assembly session, local and national doings

After the General Assembly session came to a raucous-caucus close (was it just a few weeks ago?), we see that lots of Assembly members (25 at this count) are seeking other positions or maybe just some personal peace. Not all Marylanders, though, among those who were victimized by the DOGE frenzy are finding new positions themselves, roughing up the state's employment/unemployment status. Energy and its costs continues to be a major concern to Marylanders, and not only at the pump. We have news and explainers on the way the state is trying to bring those giant multistate energy corporations to heel, here at least. Other states are trying to clamp down on the uses of Artificial Intelligence and its potential harm to the (mental and physical) health of kids (let alone adults!) The total lack of national or state regulation of social media -- a decades-old failure -- has left us all in a defensive crouch and will require more backbone than most officials can muster to put the clamps on these purposely addictive and highly monetized "free" offerings.

In other words, it's an ordinary day in the USA, where making change has to start from the community level up. Look around, make your plans and find your allies. News You Can Use aims to be one of them, and Progressive Maryland is where you will find them.

 

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

 

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...