Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

• MPLI
• PM Events
• Issue Campaign Updates
• Local Chapter Updates
• Events from Allies
• State & National News
• PM Job Openings

Maryland People’s Leadership Institute: Nominate a Future Leader by December 31!

As we gear up to finish 2024 strong and launch bold initiatives in 2025, we’re focused on growing the movement with passionate, visionary leaders ready to fight for our communities. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that applications for the Maryland People’s Leadership Institute (MPLI) will open soon!

MPLI empowers everyday people with the courage, vision, and skills to lead. Do you know someone who’s ready to make a difference? Nominate them today (nominations are due by December 31). Let’s build the next generation of leaders rooted in the power of the people.

Nominate a Leader Now!

PM EVENTS:

Making Meaning in Maryland - Virtual Event

Tonight: Monday, December 16th | 6:00 – 7:30 PM EST

Join us this evening for Making Meaning in Maryland, our final statewide event of the year. Together, we’ll reflect on 2024, celebrate our victories, and recommit to the fight for justice. Hear from inspiring guest speakers Sulma Arias (People’s Action) and Will Jawando (Montgomery County Council) as we strategize for the road ahead.

Don’t miss this chance to find clarity, purpose, and connection as we close out the year.

SIGN UP HERE

Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates: 

Healthcare Justice Campaign: People are demanding - Stop Denials, Cover Our Care! 

Extensive media coverage of the crisis that health insurers are creating in our health system continues. The online response of anger and frustration that people are feeling because of insurance delays and denials is getting well deserved attention. Our Care Over Cost (COC) campaign has been talking about and working to do something about this problem for the past two years! We need to respond to this moment and the call for reforms by accelerating our organizing! Elected officials have got to act! 

Come to our national call on Wednesday to learn more about what we can all do to channel our anger to win the changes we need.  Livestream Registration Link

Deepen your involvement now!

• Support our organizing: Donate or become a member of Progressive Maryland.  

• Share your Story

Environmental Justice: EJTF Ends the Year with a Bang!

In preparation for the 2025 legislative session, the Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF) held its final event of the year at Enoch Pratt Library Cherry Hill Branch last Saturday. EJTF leaders Zack Buster, Aaron Knishkowy, and PM’s Environmental Justice Organizer SirJames executed an impactful lobby demonstration. Frontline community members from Pigtown, Cherry hill, and Westport were in attendance. In total, 20 people attended, and signed up to become new members of PM and to advocate in support of the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (RREA) of 2025, which if passed will end public funding for incineration. 

There was a lot of positive feedback on the event, and many shared they could better visualize a lobby visit with an elected official. 

Since Senate President Bill Ferguson will be the lead sponsor of the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act of 2025, the EJTF expects the bill to drop very early in session. Therefore, the focus will be to recruit frontline community members to take action with us in Annapolis. All told, corporations aren’t people, and community members will continue to be activated through our outreach efforts–-this spells doom for big polluters like Win Waste Innovations, formerly known as Bresco.

With that, the EJTF would like to wish everyone a relaxing, therapeutic and safe holiday and new year!! If you would like to support the EJTF at a future tabling event reach out to SirJames.

Local Chapter Updates:

Oxon Hill / South Prince George’s County

We brought 7 members to the superintendent’s office to put pressure on the administration to demand that we get every financial opportunity for the students of Prince George’s County. We are continuing this campaign of Power Our Schools by ensuring we make wealthy millionaires and their businesses who manipulate the tax accountable, and take control over our public money for our schools! Join us in Annapolis by filling out this form. 

Landover / Central Prince George’s County

We are coming together this Thursday at 7:30 to strategize about how we are going to organize for vital resources such as public schools, health departments, and better infrastructure for our Kentland community! We are having a meeting at our Progressive Maryland office to take action for our communities by holding wealthy folks accountable. Come make your voice heard and sign up here 

Frederick County

Over the past year, Frederick County Progressives made great strides advocating for the Trains Not Tolls campaign to expand MARC train service. It appears hopeful that the county will soon see the addition of two afternoon trains in 2025—marking progress toward more equitable transit options.

Looking ahead, our 2025 priorities include tackling affordable housing, pushing for the Maryland Blueprint implementation, advocating for higher business property taxes on resource-intensive data centers, and addressing healthcare challenges.

Congratulations to Chair Bill Reid for his recent appointment to the Rural Maryland Council executive board—an exciting opportunity to work on important policies for rural Maryland. 

Shore Progress

Salisbury is at a critical crossroads in addressing its housing crisis, and your voice is needed tonight! The Salisbury City Council will meet this evening, Monday, December 16th, at 4:30 PM (125 N Division Street, Room 301) for a work session on a crucial density amendment to allow more housing in downtown Salisbury.

This amendment is a bold step toward ensuring safe, quality, and equitable housing for all residents, but it faces opposition. Show up tonight to demonstrate community support for this vital development.

Events from Allies:

PG County Educator's Association

PGCEA will be hosting a community brainstorming session on December 17th at 7pm. The meeting will be virtual and will include a quick overview on what bargaining for the common good is and provide an opportunity for the greater community to provide their ideas on how to improve our public schools.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Money Doesn't Talk, It Screams as MD fights budget woes and incoming TrumpWorld forces promise less than no help

Money is on everyone's mind in the Maryland power structure after Gov. Moore's appearance at the Maryland Association of Counties' winter conference this past weekend. He did not bring good news about the state budget, and that was gloom-inducing among the counties that, to various extents, depend on state aid -- especially for schools. The companion story about implementing the state's ambitious Blueprint for school improvement is, as the reader might expect, also endangered. And news on the state's climate goals is not good either, as an administration that does not see climate change as a problem prepares to take charge in D.C. We wish that there were less depressing news cascading down during the holiday season, for sure, but that what we've got to offer. Marylanders, we note with hope, are good at finding their own good cheer -- we're counting on that. Twenty Twenty-Five will be an interesting year and one in which organized fight-back may be on the agenda. Enjoy your holidays but count yourselves all in for 2025. As ever, it’s still News You Can Use.

PM Careers

Chapter/Membership Organizer

District 8 Community Organizer

Racial and Economic Justice Organizer

Social Media Coodinator

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.

• NEW TODAY – Money Doesn't Talk, It Screams as MD fights budget woes and incoming TrumpWorld forces promise less than no help
• News You Can Use: Still More State and Local Action to Keep TrumpWorld at Bay
• News You Can Use -- Maryland and other Blue states ramp up defenses against TrumpWorld
• News You Can Use: Maryland, other states developing coping strategies for TrumpWorld

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

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