IN THIS ISSUE OF THE MEMO: Find out more about Progressive Maryland’s work during the pandemic... AND GET INVOLVED.
RESOURCE BANK: Get familiar with Marylanders United: a COVID-19 action center we created to serve our communities and help you take action during this crisis. Check it out to view a comprehensive list of useful resources and learn about what you can do to volunteer. https://marylandersunited.org
PARTICIPATE IN VIRTUAL ORGANIZING WITH US!
Marylanders United Virtual Organizing Meeting - Thursday, April 30th 5:30-7:00PM
Last week, we reached out to Baltimore City residents for wellness check calls and this week, we are diving more into the impact of COVID on the Maryland elections. Learn about the updated elections timeline and vote-by-mail process, as well as how to do important outreach to support our fellow Marylanders in submitting their ballots. Join us on Thursday for our weekly COVID response meeting as we discuss voter education for our 2020 Elections Campaign and meet some of the progressive candidates we proudly endorsed! Click here to RSVP.
IN THIS ISSUE OF THE MEMO: Find out more about Progressive Maryland’s work during the pandemic... AND GET INVOLVED.
RESOURCE BANK: Get familiar with Marylanders United: a COVID-19 action center we created to serve our communities and help you take action during this crisis. Check it out to view a comprehensive list of useful resources and learn about what you can do to volunteer. https://marylandersunited.org
PARTICIPATE IN VIRTUAL ORGANIZING WITH US!
Marylanders United Virtual Organizing Meeting - Thursday, April 30th 5:30-7:00PM
Last week, we reached out to Baltimore City residents for wellness check calls and this week, we are diving more into the impact of COVID on the Maryland elections. Learn about the updated elections timeline and vote-by-mail process, as well as how to do important outreach to support our fellow Marylanders in submitting their ballots. Join us on Thursday for our weekly COVID response meeting as we discuss voter education for our 2020 Elections Campaign and meet some of the progressive candidates we proudly endorsed! Click here to RSVP.
Progressive Maryland COVID-19 Response
Unfortunately the number of COVID-cases and fatalities continues to climb in our state; we’ve reached more than 19,000 cases and close to 1,000 deaths. Please continue to follow all the stay-at-home directives and the precautions that local and state governments have put in place. Social distancing and washing our hands are two of the best weapons we have against the spread of this pandemic. We are saddened to hear about every case and remain very grateful to all who are serving on the front lines to deliver health care and to maintain vital services.
The COVID-19 crisis is revealing many immediate needs and many examples of the inequities and disparities in our economy and politics. That's why we are supporting mutual aid efforts for folks who need it, and are fighting even harder for a more just society and a better democracy. Here’s how you can help:
- Get involved today. If you haven’t already joined our campaign as a volunteer, click this link to get involved.
- Sign up for our weekly memo. You can also submit a blog post for the memo by contacting Woody at [email protected]. We are very interested in collecting stories about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals, workers and families. Get our weekly updates here.
Find COVID-19 resources at our Marylanders United Action Center
COVID-19 Legislative Update
Along with our allies we’re monitoring the response to the emergency on the county, state and federal level. We’re pushing for health and economic measures and action that will directly aid families, workers, renters, low wealth and vulnerable residents. Last week’s federal package (known as version 3.5) included some valuable hospital funding and opened up more ways for minority-owned, women-owned and rural financial institutions to participate. But we still need big and bold action! The next package needs to contain things like $500 billion (at a minimum) for state and local governments; and Congress needs to pass the Essential Workers Bill of Rights sponsored by Sen. Warren and Rep. Khanna. This week we are meeting with Rep. Raskin and Rep. Trone to talk about timelines for and elements of the next aid package.
We’re also seeking meetings with the Governor’s staff, the Senate President and Speaker of the House to follow up on the comprehensive set of state policy recommendations we’ve submitted.
On the local level, our meetings with County officials in Montgomery, Anne Arundel and Baltimore as well as in Baltimore city have allowed us to raise urgent issues and problems especially as they relate to testing and treatment, worker protections, and the need for rent and food assistance.
June 2 Primary Election:
Preserving our democracy and the integrity of the 2020 election is another Progressive Maryland priority. The state is moving to a vote by mail system for the June 2 primary (with some limited number of in person voting locations.) Stay tuned for more information about how it will work and how you can get involved in our voter education and turnout efforts for City Council and School Board races.
If you’d like to learn more about Progressive Maryland’s COVID-19 mutual aid and organizing work please email Patty Snee at [email protected].
Requirement For Face Masks Goes Statewide.
As of April 18, all persons in Maryland must wear a facial covering when shopping in stores or riding on public transportation, Gov. Hogan has ordered.
FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY:
In the middle of a pandemic and an economic depression, it’s time to fight for somebody you don’t know.
TELL CONGRESS – WE NEED A “PEOPLE’S BAILOUT” IN THIS CRISIS Progressive Maryland, our allies and our national affiliate People’s Action are endorsers and facilitators of the campaign for a People’s Bailout.
Five Principles for Just COVID-19 Relief and Stimulus
Health is the top priority, for all people, with no exceptions
Economic relief must be provided directly to the people
Rescue workers and communities, not corporate executives
Make a down payment on a regenerative economy while preventing future crises
Protect our democratic process while protecting each other
The interrelated crises of wealth inequality, racism, and ecological decline in place long before COVID-19 now risk being intensified. This is a time to be decisive in saving lives, and bold in charting a path to a genuinely healthier and more equitable future through a just recovery.
See the detailed explanation of how these five principles will get us to a better future here https://thepeoplesbailout.org/
PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND – OUR CHAPTERS AROUND THE STATE
Progressive Prince George’s Here is the Prince George’s County COVID-19 dashboard. And you may have seen this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/prince-georges-maryland-coronavirus-health-disparities/2020/04/26/0f120788-82f9-11ea-ae26-989cfce1c7c7_story.html
2020 Census Campaign Update:
Progressive Maryland is proud to be a sponsor on the Prince George's County 2020 Census Campaign. We have spent the past month doing outreach to residents in PG County, which historically has one of the lowest response rates of the Maryland counties, encouraging folks to complete the 2020 Census. The Census determines critical funding to local communities for needs such as hospitals and school lunch programs. Census information also helps predict the spread of diseases through communities, which is incredibly relevant at this time as face impacts due to COVID. It is for these reasons that we support organizing around Census outreach and education. To date, we have sent out text messages reminding folks to fill out the Census to over 110,000 PG residents. We are proud to be part of this great work with PG County and other partner organizations so that our communities can be counted!
MOCO Update
Progressive Maryland is supporting mutual aid efforts for folks and communities in need. We continue to do outreach and organizing using on-line tools, phone calls, and social media.
Along with our allies we’re monitoring the County’s response as well as the state and national response to the emergency; we’re pushing for health and economic measures and action that will directly aid families, workers, renters, and low wealth residents.
Local Update and Action Needed:
--Progressive Maryland supports the Montgomery County Education Association’s call to the School District and the County Council and Executive to fully fund our public schools.
Parents and people everywhere have a renewed appreciation for what teachers and other school personnel provide to our kids and communities.
--We anticipate serious economic repercussions due to the financial fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic including an impact on the County’s revenue. We’ll face challenging choices as a community about local budget priorities and spending. In our view the public school system should be considered central to any and all economic recovery efforts.
Thank you for taking action on these issues even during these challenging times. Contact Josh Raznick at [email protected] or Patty Snee at [email protected] if you want to learn more and get involved in the MOCO Chapter’s education, election, or other issue work.
Take Action Anne Arundel County
Lower Shore Progressive Caucus
Our next meeting is on May 7. Due to concerns about COVID-19, we will be meeting via Zoom instead of face-to-face. Click here for info.
>>Baltimore progressives, Check in on the wide-ranging Baltimore Activist Alert calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our recent blogs 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]
We recently published these blog posts:
April 20, 2020 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, April 20, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE OF THE MEMO: FIND OUT ABOUT Progressive Maryland’s work during the pandemic.
Introducing Marylanders United: a COVID-19 action center we created to serve our communities and help you take action during this crisis. Check it out to view a comprehensive list of useful resources and learn about what you can do to volunteer. https://marylandersunited.org
April 14, 2020 Progressive Maryland joins 40-plus allies to demand more support for workers in Covid-19 crisis
Progressive Maryland has joined more than 40 nonprofit groups demanding the state’s “government must implement every possible measure to protect” frontline state workers “as well as the millions of Marylanders confronting extreme financial hardship.”
Maryland Matters has the story and a link to the original letter, sent Monday, April 13.
April 09, 2020 Join Progressive Maryland and allies in organizing to meet this crisis
Progressive Maryland, along with our allies, are hosting a virtual organizing meeting Thursday, April 16 to share positive news about the steps we've taken, some new resources, and ways you can get involved in responding to the pandemic.
April 01, 2020 It’s Time to Think About What Comes After the Apocalypse
Despite the obvious strains on resources a crisis can bring about, this crisis reveals that our society has long had plenty of the material resources to meet people’s basic needs. If ‘normal’ means a return to an inadequate health care system and widening economic disparities, we must not return to normal. Our executive director Larry Stafford Jr. walks us through it.
>REMEMBER – these blog posts are frequently expressions of political opinion from our wide-ranging membership and circle of allies. They are not expressions of opinion by Progressive Maryland. Don’t be surprised if they sometimes vary in their political content. You might even disagree with them – a good reason to contribute a blog of your own. Send it to the moderator, Woody Woodruff, at [email protected].
>>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
Do you like this page?