The Assembly is in session, elections are approaching and our work is percolating in Annapolis and throughout the state as we contact voters about a progressive agenda for change and people’s empowerment.
The Assembly is in session, elections are approaching and our work is percolating in Annapolis and throughout the state as we contact voters about a progressive agenda for change and people’s empowerment.
STATEWIDE ACTION
First: Mark your calendars for Progressive Maryland’s Lobby Night in Annapolis, the evening of Monday, February 26, 7 to 10 p.m. We’ll tell our legislators why they should get on board with our justice for working families agenda. Get more details here.
Contest the State of Trump’s Dis-Union’s Agenda of Hatred – Two Events
People's Action is joining with National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), Color of Change, MomsRising, the National Farmworker Women's Alliance, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Girls for Gender Equity and Rep. Jayapal to host a counter event for the state of the union next week (Tuesday the 30th), in Washington DC.
While Trump is advancing his agenda of hatred, gutting the working class and giving handouts to his billionaire buddies, we will be holding our own State of the Union. We will tell stories from our movements, share our vision for a better world and start planning how we build the power to win in November and beyond. Â
We are inviting your organization to join us in representing People’s Action at the event. Event hosts are expecting a turnout of about 700 people. We would like for 75 of them to be from People’s Action. Bring a carload of folks to DC and stand among and plan with the national leadership poised and committed to advancing racial, gender and economic justice across the country.
The event will be in DC at the National Press Club (7pm-10pm EST). People’s Action can provide assistance with travel to all attendees, and lodging to those who don’t live in the local area and need it.
ADDED BONUS! In the spirit of building our movement with a focus on gender and race, on Wednesday morning, January 31, we will be hosting a 4-hour political healers training to the first 25 people who sign up to attend!
The Political Healers training provides a race, gender and class analysis that contextualizes the talents, strengths and inherent contributions of womxn of color in this movement in an asset-based, healing, and power-building frame. This half-day training, which is geared specifically for womxn of color, will explore this analysis with a particular focus on concepts such as cultural trauma, the relationship between public memory and power, and how ritual plays a critical role in building public collectivity. Participants will use this analysis to develop base building and leadership development proposals for womxn of color within their organizations. Location of training TBD.
Please RSVP NOW to attend! Questions? Contact Mich Lovegood - [email protected] or (773) 425-4784
The time is now for Public Campaign Financing to come to Prince George's County! Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 30th, a bill to create a small donor matching program will be introduced to the county council. In support of this, Thursday, January 25th, the Prince George's County Sierra Club hosted a Fair Elections Forum in Bowie, MD. The event was attended by approximately 50 county residents and emphasized the empowering impact a small donor matching program could have on county elections. The panel included Mary Lehman, a Prince George's County Council member sponsoring the legislation, Joanne Antoine of Common Cause, Phil Andrews, former Montgomery County Council member, and Michelle Whitaker, an activist and campaign manager for Brandy Brooks in Montgomery County currently utilizing their program.Â
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The bill will be introduced tomorrow at the County Administration Building, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Dr, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 at 10 AM
If available, please attend show your support! If you would like to attend and have logistical questions contact Charles Smith.Â
In solidarity with Montgomery County Commission on Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Advisory Committee, PMD MoCo passes along a request for families willing to testify on behalf of several mental health bills in Annapolis “to improve access to hospital treatment, both for those in the community and those in the criminal justice system.” Find out more here.
Take Action Anne Arundel County
Thursday, February 15 - Monthly Chapter Meeting 7 p.m. at the Edgewater Community LibraryÂ
- Planning Actions for...
- 2018 Legislative Session, including Feb 26 Progressive Maryland Lobby NightÂ
- Issue and Election Canvassing on Saturday February 24
- Anne Arundel County Board of Education Meeting on Wednesday February 21 to demonstrate opposition to the Board's decision to place cell phone tower's on up to 40 public school property in Anne Arundel County Â
Upcoming Events in Anne Arundel County
Wednesday, January 31 7:30pm at the Annapolis Friends Meeting House - Climate Stewards of Greater Annapolis will livestream Fossil Free Fast: The Climate Resistance. For more information and RSVP, see website and on Facebook.
​Thursday February 15 1:30 p.m. at Lawyer's Mall - Foam Ban Rally with Baltimore Beyond Plastics and Trash Free Maryland.
Lower Shore Progressive Caucus
ALLIED EVENTS
Progressive Neighbors MoCo Candidate Forums
 Sunday, February 11, 7 p.m. - D20 Delegate Candidates
- Candidates: Fatmata Barrie, Lorig Charkoudian, David Moon, Darian Unger, Jheanelle Wilkins
 Sunday, February 25, 7 p.m. - Gubernatorial Candidates
- Candidates: Ben Jealous, Kevin Kamenetz, Rich Madeleno, Alec Ross, Jim Shea, Krishanti Vignarajah
 Location for both dates: Piney Branch Elementary School, 7510 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park 20912
From Save Our System, WMATA advocacy organization:
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Wednesday, January 31st, 6:00 p.m. 600 5th St NW , WMATA headquarters, Jackson Graham Builing. WMATA Budget Hearing on FY2019 budget- Join riders and members of Save Our System testifying for a safe, reliable, and affordable public transit system. Meet at 5:30  outside to sign up to testify and get an SOS t-shirt.Â
Monday, February 5th, 4pm, Steps of the Wilson Building, National Transit Equity Day , Join Save Our System members celebrating Transit Equity Day and highlighting our "Make it Fair" platform for: -a $2 flat fare, free transfers, expanded service
-expanded safety nets like student passes & implementing a low income pass program
-reduction of fines and criminal penalties associated with fare collection enforcement
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ROC WEBINARS: DOL #TipTheft Info Sessions
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 1:00 PM – 2 PM
Thursday, February 1, 2018 3 PM – 4 PM
Webinars hosted by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United): https://www.facebook.com/events/2101294056805099/
The Department of Labor has just announced a new rule that allows employers to keep workers’ tips. They are trying to pass this rule within the next 30 days, so we need to spread the word and act now to stop this from becoming Federal Law. Join this webinar to find out more about the rule and how we can make sure that we are able to keep the tips we earn! RSVP
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Saturday, Feb. 3 Our Revolution Prince George’s meets 2-4 p.m., Spauldings Library Conference Room, 5811 Old Silver Hill Road, District Heights A focus on progressive state and county legislative priorities, including passing single-payer healthcare in Maryland -- and get ready to participate in the ORMD "Lobby Day" in Annapolis February 19.  Small donor public financing legislation in the county will be introduced by on January 30th. It is up to us to help take these issues to passage. Featured speakers include State Senator Paul G. Pinsky, who will highlight the state level progressive agenda.
Baltimore comrades, Check in on Max Obuszewski’s highly useful calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
To keep up with progressive events in and around DC consult the invaluable calendar at the Washington Peace Center, http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/alerts
It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here. You know you meant to do it last week and now here you are again...
Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at [email protected]
January 25, 2018 TONIGHT: Exploring the landscape of Prince George’s politics minus big-money influence
Join an informational meeting TONIGHT (Thursday, Jan. 25) on the prospects for a Small-Donor Public Financing program for county elections, sponsored by the Prince George’s Sierra Club and the Fair Elections Maryland Coalition.
January 24, 2018 Two bills tackle MoCo's crisis of affordable housing
PMD Montgomery member Liz Dueweke notes that there are two proposals for remedying the affordable housing crunch in MoCo, and sets the landscape of need that both try to tackle.
January 23, 2018 FAQs on the new statewide sick and safe leave law
This handy reference was prepared by the Public Justice Center and circulated by Working Matters Maryland (part of the Job Opportunities Task Force), both of whom fought for more than four Assembly sessions to get this passed (and affirmed with a veto override this session after it was vetoed in 2017 by Gov. Larry Hogan).
 More information on the Healthy Working Families Act and about Public Justice Center is here. Pass this along to anyone you know who may need information about their workplace rights under this new law.
January 22, 2018 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for January 22-29 2018
We are ramping up for the first of our monthly Progressive Maryland mass canvasses to build support for a popular reversal of business as usual at the polls. Progressive Maryland trains canvassers and runs canvasses that get results – bringing more responsive public officials and fewer, well, politicians. To find out more, join our canvasses. June 26 is coming, and the political earthquake is building. Don’t get gamed.
  Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace from June 2015 through December 2016 are all available with descriptions and links here. You can follow blogs for 2017-18 starting from here
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