Happy Monday! We hope this memo finds you well and ready to take on the week ahead. As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of Maryland politics, it's essential to stay grounded and keep our focus on the real issues that matter to us and our communities.

 

This week, we want to remind you of the importance of community organizing. It is through our grassroots efforts that we can make a lasting impact on the issues we care about. By coming together, we have the power to create meaningful change that reverberates far beyond the confines of our state. Read on for updates on our ongoing advocacy efforts, ways to get involved and news you can use. Additionally, we encourage you to explore the vibrant pride events happening across Maryland, as we continue to celebrate and uplift our LGBTQ+ community.

 

In Solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

• PM Updates
• PM task forces & issue campaigns: HCTF & RCTF
• Pride Events
• State & National news

PM UPDATES:

Applications for the Maryland People's Leadership Institute (MPLI) are now open! Sponsored by Progressive Maryland, MPLI trains community leaders for political office or campaign management. Join us to shape Maryland politics. Gain insights and skills in economic and social justice, organizing, advocacy, and more. Deadline: July 7th.  Apply now and make a difference in your community! Click here to apply.

Updates: PM Task Forces & Issue Campaigns 

Healthcare Justice Campaign: What a Great Week For Healthcare Organizing!

Great news! The Frederick City Council passed a Resolution in support of Medicare For All last Friday, June 2, just a few weeks after the Medicare For All Act was reintroduced in Congress. Congratulations to Annette Breiling who led the door knocking efforts that collected hundreds of signatures from supportive Frederick residents. We appreciate her efforts and the work of other members of the Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition who helped bring the issue to the attention of the Mayor and the Council. Read more here: Frederick City has passed a resolution in support of Medicare for All!!

 

Our Care Over Cost campaign is exposing the greed and serious shortcomings in this country’s private for profit health insurance system–we’re working to help patients with claim denials and to make the case for Medicare For All. Sign our petition demanding a halt to the pain and harm that denials of care are causing. It seems a day doesn’t go by without another media story about this crisis.  Here’s the latest report we’ve seen.

  

Help us build the case:

• answer a few questions about your experience with health insurance coverage in a short survey here. Door knocking on these issues works!
• Drop Patty a note to get the schedule and locations for our upcoming canvasses. We provide training, logistical support, and the materials. Have some fun in the community and make a difference on this issue this summer.

Returning Citizens Task Force

Tonight, RCTF will hold what is planned to be a regular monthly meeting of Faith leaders who are part of FACE – Faith and Community Engagement – where we will discuss ways of reaching out to returning citizens in our communities. The virtual meeting will take place between 6:00 – 7:00 pm. We are also coming to the successful end of our first year of a regrant program in which Progressive Maryland provided support for several direct service providers working with individuals after release from prison; the regrant program has been extended for another year. Details will be forthcoming.

 

The next regular RCTF bi-weekly RCTF meeting will be held next Tuesday, June 13 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. For more information about the meeting tonight or about any of our work, please contact Kurt.

PRIDE EVENTS:

☆DC’s Capital Pride Parade June 9-11

☆Takoma Pride June 11 10am-2pm

☆Baltimore Pride June 16-23 

☆Frederick Pride June 24 3-10pm

 

*pride events will continue to be added in this section throughout the month of June

State and National News:

Debt Limit Fiasco Dodged is the headline, so we can move back into ordinary news about Maryland, states and the country that was on hold while holding our breath for a debt deal. Maryland faces a tax increase on gas at the pump for converging reasons, while traffic gurus have varied solutions and profiteering power companies are warned that the new Gov has put easy corporate profits at risk. There's more, too, about those ordinary non-apocalyptic worries like textbook censorship, combating hate crimes, those dodgy URLs on our license plates and protecting medical abortion. You'd be surprised what we are worrying about now that we can start worrying about those things again without that debt limit hanging over our media-stuffed heads. It's News You Can Use.

 

It's enough to get you mad. It's enough to get you mad enough to organize and fight. For that, join Progressive 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.

• New Today- Gas prices, cars and their care, and power are all themes this week: Maryland's News You Can Use

• A Poem For Pride
• Response to Washington Post article

• How the compromise on debt default avoidance worked out; plus Maryland roundup: News You Can Use

• Gov. Moore pushes state agencies for climate progress; NRA sues state over new gun law
• On Maryland's mind: food insecurity, staying on Medicaid, keeping the Blueprint on track and lots more. News You Can Use. 
  

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

 

 

Don't forget to follow us on social media!

 

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