Yesterday, Progressive Maryland members gathered in Annapolis to make one thing clear: This is the year. At our midpoint rally, our members—tenants, healthcare advocates, and environmental justice leaders—stood alongside lawmakers to push for key legislation that will protect renters, expand healthcare access, and stop subsidizing polluters. We’re less than a month away from Crossover Day, and the fight is only ramping up from here. If you missed the rally, you can watch the livestream here.

Right after the rally, our members took that same energy into Lobby Night, meeting directly with legislators from both chambers and both parties. They boldly shared their stories, making sure lawmakers heard firsthand how these policies will impact their lives. Check out our Legislative Updates section to follow the status of our key priority bills.

Read on for important updates, ways to get involved, and news you can use.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

If you got Elon Musk’s outrageous DOG-Email demanding five bullet points about what you, as a federal employee, did last week – and IF your agency hasn’t told you to ignore it --  here are a few framing ideas:

• Accomplished my regular duties, including (two or three specific bullet points)
• Spent time in meetings with my remaining co-workers about how to keep accomplishing the tasks and duties of those in our office who have already been fired without cause or bullied into resigning. (examples)
• Tried to plan in the face of current extreme uncertainty how important functions of the US government in my or my agency’s purview could continue to serve the US public as more RIFs take place erratically, without consideration for the departmental structure and skills array that those important functions require.

FYI Kash Patel (!) told the FBI folks to ignore the email and “A White House official clarified to Semafor that DOGE doesn’t have the authority to fire federal workers and that it’s up to agency managers to determine their workers’ productivity, as well as any consequences for missing Musk’s deadline.”

Splitsville on the horizon?

Read more about how resistance may be slowly developing, among places and people that could surprise you.

We’re approaching the halfway point of Maryland’s legislative session, and our fight for progressive change is in full swing. Last Thursday, we took to Annapolis for a powerful rally ahead of the Senate hearing on the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act—we chanted, we wore gas masks, and we stood with frontline communities and lawmakers demanding real clean energy solutions. And momentum is growing: Baltimore just passed a resolution calling for the passage of this bill!  Check out our press release here.

And just this morning, we were back in Annapolis rallying alongside our Renters United Maryland coalition for one of our top housing priorities: Good Cause Eviction protections. This bill is at a critical juncture, with hearings happening today in both the House and Senate. If we’re going to secure these protections for renters, this is our moment to push hard and make it happen. Watch the rally here.

We need all hands on deck to push these bills forward. Check out our Legislative Updates section for ways to take action.

We're also just six days away from our first event of the year—Lobby Night! On February 24th at 4:15 PM in Annapolis, we’ll be meeting with legislators to make sure they hear directly from us about the issues that matter most. There’s still time to sign up and join us!

There’s a lot of updates and state and national news in this week’s memo. Read on to stay informed and get involved.

In solidarity, the Progressive Maryland team

Hope you had a relaxing President’s Day. Many lawyers and judges didn’t, as various parties, including public employee unions and the 22 Blue State attorneys general (including ours), tried to unflood the zone with requests for relief from basically lawless official behavior. Below, we outline some effects of this lawless behavior on the communities in Maryland and around the nation, including many of those who voted for Donald Trump in expectation that he would make their lives better.  Looks like a struggle so far, unless you are already wealthy.

Below in our Maryland section we see pushback from some areas and disappointing spinelessness from others (then there's the National Guard, which has a chain of command). In the section about other states, we see blue states showing gumption and the leadership of red states wallowing in the open season on vulnerable populations -- and that includes schools and their teachers. The national section leaves you wondering who's really in charge here. Public employee unions are taking the lead in fighting back and have an important hearing today (Tuesday) in DC District Court.

We are up against powerful forces that want to rewrite the rules to benefit billionaires while stripping away protections for working people. The attacks on immigrant and trans communities, efforts to gut Social Security and Medicare, and unchecked corporate influence are deliberate power grabs designed to make the rich richer while leaving the rest of us behind.

That’s why today, our Healthcare Task Force joined Maryland leaders in Baltimore to fight back. At a rally outside Social Security Headquarters, Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks, along with Representatives Mfume, Olszewski, and Elfreth, made it clear: we will not allow cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to devastate our communities. These programs are lifelines, and we’re standing firm to protect them. Click here to watch the replay of the rally.

This fight isn’t just about today—it’s about the weeks and months ahead. In exactly two weeks, we’ll take the fight to Annapolis for our biggest grassroots advocacy event of the year: Lobby Night. Will you be there? Sign up now to join us and make sure Maryland’s leaders hear directly from us about the issues that matter.

Read on for more updates, actions, and ways to plug into the movement. Be sure to check out our state and national news you can use.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Well it’s not “Groundhog Day Trump” as in the 1.0 version  – the GOP establishment, previously wary and scornful, has realized that the reality-show entertainer Trump was (just barely) more electable (and for them way more threatening) than were policy types on the Dem side. So the GOP members of Congress embraced his blitzkrieg for the first hundred hours-plus of Musk mischief.

It begins to look as if Biden and Schumer’s obsessive appointment of judges (more than Trump appointed) may provide the margin to protect the nation against Trump’s looney outbursts and Musk’s insidious hacking. States Newsroom summarizes: “With [Musk] opponents unable to deploy more than,,,   limited defenses, and many powerful Republican lawmakers either shrugging or agreeing, the federal courts have emerged during the past weeks as the only obstacles to some of Trump’s more provocative moves, States Newsroom's D.C. Bureau reports. 

The Boston Globe reports — “In their aggressive bid to upend the federal government, Elon Musk and his lieutenants have, perhaps unintentionally, driven thousands of federal workers into the arms of one of the biggest enemies of their sweeping project: Organized labor. Unions that represent federal government workers are reporting significant increases in signups since President Trump took office and empowered Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” to drastically slash the federal workforce.” Also echoes from Minnesota via States Newsroom.

Meanwhile, remember those tariffs (it was only last week!)? Summing  up the new ones on steel and Chinese goods plus the paused ones on Canada and Mexico, “Projections from the Tax Foundation suggested the proposed tariffs would shrink US GDP by 0.4% and increase taxes by $800 per household.” (Semafor) – one of the many ways your working-class pocket is picked by the billionaire class. And it’s definitely related to the consequences of the election: as Bernie Sanders points out, “Add it all up and the three wealthiest men in America [Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos] have become $215 billion richer since Election Day.” [see “NATIONAL AND THE FEDS” below for more of Bernie]

How can you get good info in falsehood-festooned  times like these? It’s harder than ever, as we hear from the WaPo’s proprietor of “how to read this chart,” Philip Bump: “The right-wing bubble absorbs D.C.: During Trump’s first term, misinformation was not nearly as rampant as it is today.”

News You Can Use is trying to help. Stay tuned every Monday. Below, how Maryland, other states and the beleaguered Democratic remnant are finding ways to push back.

February is here, and with it comes the chance to reflect, take action, and honor the movements that shape our communities.

Our Director of Communications, Christianne Marguerite, said the following in a statement released today:

"At Progressive Maryland, we reaffirm our unwavering support for immigrant families across our state. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with CASA and our many ally organizations in the fight to ensure Maryland remains a safe and welcoming home for all who live here, regardless of their background or status. This mission has taken on even greater urgency as we witness continued and deliberate attacks on immigrant residents across the country by the current federal administration.” Read the full statement here.

Tomorrow, we’re showing up in Annapolis to support CASA at the I Stand With Immigrants Rally at 9 AM at Lawyers Mall. Join us and make your voice heard.

Fun news of the week: taxes, but don’t call them taxes…

Lucky Americans. USA! USA! Welcome to TariffWorld (a subsidiary of TrumpWorld), where Americans stand up for… well, Trump’s right to lie to us.

Tariffs on three high-volume trading partners,  Canada, Mexico* and China, which are slated to begin tomorrow, are your new tax increases, Trump’s way of raising revenue for the Treasury quickly without looking like he’s raising your taxes. Instead, the tariffs will raise the cost of many if not all the things you buy. Merchants and corporations will raise prices for their goods to cover the new cost of imports under tariffs. (And even if the cost of those goods is NOT raised by tariffs, many other corporations and merchants will raise THEIR prices under the cover of the general increase in the cost of living. Who will notice?)

*Mexico has cut a deal that delays its tariffs one month, as of Monday a.m. Stay tuned..

For most companies, the cost of selling goods to Canada, Mexico or China will go up too, because they won’t sit still but retaliate. Canada has imposed targeted tariffs on US products from Red states and Mexico promised the same. For future car buyers, the back-and-forth of car parts and finished components for US autos will incur multiple tariffs on the same product.

 In all three countries affected by Trump’s tariffs, if you work for an outfit that sells goods there, look forward to reduced sales volume and, inevitably, layoffs. Trump will do one of his patented who-me? shrugs and pretend that the tax cuts he will propose later this year will cut EVERYBODY’s taxes, not just those of the super-rich in his orbit. Definitely fact-check that one. Meanwhile, he will argue that his tariffs will make American resolve (read: stupidity) feared worldwide and cause cross-border trafficking of  fentanyl to decline (that has been going down for a year or more, he’ll take credit for that too).

But your taxes – figured as costs of living in the US – will already have gone up, a lot. Welcome to TariffWorld, where taxes will be hidden in your bills for groceries and goods. And watch your back.

As we approach the Lunar New Year on Wednesday, January 29, we honor its significance as a time of renewal, reflection, and unity. To all who celebrate, we wish you a joyous and meaningful start to the Year of the Snake.   We’re also entering the last week of January, and it’s no surprise that President Trump has wasted no time attacking the progress we’ve fought so hard for. Just one week into his second term, his executive orders are already causing real harm, including the elimination of federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. While we knew this was coming and were prepared, it doesn’t make the reality of these actions any easier to confront.   Thankfully, Maryland’s leaders are standing firm. Last week, a joint resolution in the state senate reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining DEI efforts in our state. Maryland has a proud tradition of fighting for inclusivity and justice, and we’re grateful for leaders who reject the harmful rhetoric and policies coming from Washington.   At the same time, we’re deeply concerned about President Trump’s new policy allowing ICE agents to enter schools and churches to conduct searches and make arrests—reversing protections established in 2011. We stand in unwavering support of immigrant families and recognize the serious anxiety and challenges this policy brings.   There are things we can do to take action. Progressive Maryland will be supporting our ally organization CASA at their "I Stand With Immigrants Rally" in Annapolis on Tuesday, February 4, at 9 a.m. We encourage everyone who can attend to come out and show their solidarity. You’ll find more details on this rally, along with other resources and updates on this critical issue, later in the memo.   Read on for important updates and state and national news in our Blog Corner. Together, we’ll continue to fight for justice and protect the progress we’ve made.   In solidarity, The Progressive Maryland Team Here’s what’s in today’s memo: Legislative Updates PM Events Issue Campaign Updates Events from Allies State & National News PM Job Openings 2025 Legislative Session:    Click here to view the suggested dates of interest provided by the General Assembly.  The House and Senate will reconvene Tonight at 8pm and will post live updates on their website.    TRACKER: Click here to keep track of all active Maryland bills, their action status, top sponsors, and top committees. You can also view the bills from the previous legislative session. For more detailed updates on this year’s Legislative Session and to search specific bills click here.

PM EVENTS: Make Your Voice Heard at Lobby Night   On Monday, February 24th, join us in Annapolis for our 2025 Lobby Night! This is your chance to meet with lawmakers, share your stories, and advocate for the bold, progressive policies Maryland families deserve. With national challenges mounting, it’s critical to show the strength of our movement right here in Maryland. Let’s stand together and push for real change—RSVP today!   Ready to Lead? Join the MPLI Info Session Are you thinking about running for office or managing a campaign? Join our Maryland People’s Leadership Institute (MPLI) Info Session on Tuesday, February 6 at 6 PM to learn more about this transformative program. MPLI trains leaders ready to fight for economic, racial, health, and environmental justice. This session is your chance to ask questions and discover how MPLI can help you make a difference. Sign up now and take the first step toward bold leadership! Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates:  Healthcare Task Force: Show up now for healthcare justice!    Join the national fight back against Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump’s unqualified nominees to head critical government health agencies. See this rundown from our friends at Protect Our Care Trump’s Entire Health Care Team Is Dangerous and Puts Lives At Risk about who he has picked. We must oppose them and their plans to slash vital health care programs and services in order to cut taxes for the wealthy corporations and the rich.  We also need  to double down on the state level in Annapolis this session to protect access to health care, prevent hospital medical debt, and to rein in health insurance denials. Please join us, we need you now more than ever! Fill out our volunteer form and sign up for a role or activity  Sign up for our Lobby Night on February 24th. We will brief you on the bills we’re working to pass and fill you in on our strategies and actions.  To find out more, including events happening in DC this Wednesday and Thursday to oppose RFK Jr.’s nomination to HHS, contact Patty at [email protected] EVENTS FROM ALLIES: Support Immigrants During This Critical Time Our ally CASA is leading efforts to protect Maryland’s immigrant community through advocacy and education. Their top legislative priorities this session include: Protecting Sensitive Locations Act: Prevent ICE entry at schools, hospitals, and courthouses. Maryland Data Privacy Act: Stop ICE’s warrantless access to local databases. Ending 287(g) Agreements: End police-ICE collaboration agreements. Stopping Corrections Transfers/Notifications: Halt ICE-related transfers by correctional officers. Additionally, CASA provides Know Your Rights resources in multiple languages, empowering individuals to navigate encounters with ICE safely. If you see ICE activity, call CASA's hotline at 1-888-214-6016 to report it responsibly and avoid spreading unverified rumors that may incite fear.   Take Action: Join CASA in Annapolis for the "I Stand With Immigrant Rally" on Tuesday, February 4th, at 9 AM at Lawyers Mall. Stand with immigrant communities and show your support for justice and equality.

For more resources and ways to help, visit CASA’s website or reach out to local businesses, schools, and service providers to share Know Your Rights flyers. Together, we can protect our immigrant neighbors and stand for justice. Trump flails around as admin gets blustery but shaky start; Maryland adapts while struggling with own budget constraints   The General Assembly is wrapping up its first (partial) month of a 90-day session trying to manage a state budget crisis while weathering a worse-than-even-expected flurry of incoherent opening salvos from the new passel of gangsters downtown. Maryland's federal workers are eyeing the costs, financial and otherwise, of long commutes if the back-to-the-office trend doesn't seem to have immediate work-arounds. The state's school systems are trying to prepare for promised schoolday raids by ICE. Maryland was already behind on beefing up its capacity for renewable power, compared to legislated goals, and the newly confident corporate power systems that supply us and a dozen other states seem to be getting their way on how much we have to pay. It's enough to spur mass pushback, and maybe it will. Progressive Maryland and allied groups will be there to help organize it (that's more than half the battle). Meanwhile it's not great news by any measure, but it's News You Can Use for this week. PM Careers Chapter/Membership Organizer District 8 Community Organizer Racial and Economic Justice Organizer 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 – Trump flails around as admin gets blustery but shaky start; Maryland adapts while struggling with own budget constraints TrumpWorld is here; prepping for struggle accelerates among Maryland and Blue states Maryland Renters and Advocates Hold Press Conference to Demand Good Cause Eviction Protections Assembly gets under way hoping for fewer bills, lighter load. Good luck. >>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org     Donate To Progressive Maryland Don't forget to follow us on social media!   Progressive Maryland P.O. Box 6988 Largo, MD 20792

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The General Assembly is wrapping up its first (partial) month of a 90-day session trying to manage a state budget crisis while weathering a worse-than-even-expected flurry of incoherent opening salvos from the new passel of gangsters downtown. Maryland's federal workers are eyeing the costs, financial and otherwise, of long commutes if the back-to-the-office trend doesn't seem to have immediate work-arounds. The state's school systems are trying to prepare for promised schoolday raids by ICE. Maryland was already behind on beefing up its capacity for renewable power, compared to legislated goals, and the newly confident corporate power systems that supply us and a dozen other states seem to be getting their way on how much we have to pay. It's enough to spur mass pushback, and maybe it will. Progressive Maryland and allied groups will be there to help organize it (that's more than half the battle). Meanwhile it's not great news by any measure, but it's News You Can Use for this week.

We hope you had a meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday, reflecting on the enduring legacy of a man whose vision for justice and equality continues to inspire us all. Dr. King taught us that grassroots movements have the power to transform society, and in these challenging times, his message feels more urgent than ever.

This year, MLK Day shared the calendar with the inauguration of Donald Trump for his second term. As we brace for the attacks on progress and justice that his administration has already signaled, we are reminded of Dr. King's call to resist injustice and fight for what is right, no matter the odds. Together, we’ll continue to build the power we need to protect our communities and advance bold, progressive policies.

Tomorrow marks another moment in history: 52 years since Roe v. Wade. Although the Supreme Court altered that landmark decision, we’re proud that Maryland voters stood strong last year, passing Question 1 to enshrine reproductive rights in our state constitution. This victory protects access to abortion and birth control for all Marylanders, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to defending reproductive freedom—for now and forever.

As we reflect on this, we also mourn the passing of Cecile Richards, former director of Planned Parenthood, whose leadership in the reproductive rights movement will continue to inspire our fight.

On the legislative front, things are picking up. Earlier today, our team and housing justice allies held a press conference in Annapolis to advocate for Good Cause eviction legislation ahead of its first hearing in the General Assembly. You can find more details about this critical event and the proposed legislation in the Legislative Updates section of this memo.

Across the state, our issue campaigns and task forces are working hard to drive progress on housing justice, environmental sustainability, healthcare reform, and more. Read on to find details on their plans and how to get involved later in the memo. Don't forget to check out our blog corner for important state and national news!

This is a week that reminds us of the weight of history, the challenges we face, and the power we have to create change. Let’s move forward, together.

In solidarity, the Progressive Maryland Team

If you had the stomach to watch the whole spectacle, our first Warlord-in-chief declared a goal of flipping everything Joe Biden did, including climate protection and industrial recovery.  He inherits, with no speck of gratitude, a roaring economy and diminished inflation, for which (you watch) he will take full credit. As we show in our NATIONAL AND THE FEDS section and elsewhere, legal challenges to his dubious executive orders have been locked and loaded -- including by state attorneys general, working together -- and will push back against his every attempt to get back at his enemies. We need to match the legal effort, week by week, in the streets and the legislatures, because the real sign of defeat is to surrender in advance. So we persevere. As the philosopher/activist Olufemi Taiwo argues: "Our ancestors did more, with less, against worse. Lock in."

Happy Monday—and happy Victory Monday to all Ravens and Commanders fans!

As we celebrate those wins on the field, much of the political chatter this week is focused on the challenges and transitions shaping Maryland and D.C. In Maryland, Governor Moore’s administration is grappling with the effects of the state’s budget shortfall and local municipalities are preparing for special elections. Meanwhile, in D.C., discussions center around President Biden’s final days in office and the transition to a Trump administration, set to begin in exactly one week.

As progressives, our priorities have always been rooted in supporting working families and advancing social equity. While the incoming Trump administration will undoubtedly attempt to undermine our progress and future agendas, our work does not stop. We are more committed than ever to securing bold, progressive policies at the state level.

Last Wednesday marked the start of Maryland’s 2025 legislative session, and both the Senate and House reconvene today. We’re already hard at work advocating for our priority bills, and we’d love for you to join us at our Rally for the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act on Thursday, January 23rd in Annapolis. Click here to RSVP and join us!

You’ll also find details from the first meetings related to our legislative efforts in our Legislative Updates section.

Read on for more updates from our issue campaigns and task forces, as well as key local and state news and opportunities to get involved.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

The Maryland General Assembly kicked off its 2025 session this past Wednesday and the bill hopper is filling up despite hopes that the workload can be reduced (endless committee hearings) and the end of the regular session can see the passage of bills that will keep the state afloat despite a formidable current revenue deficit. Read on below about how this is being handled by the Governor and the top officers in House and Senate.

There's much more about Maryland, the other 49 states' good or bad examples, and the imminent change of administrations (brrr). Read all about it in News You Can Use.

We hope you had a restful holiday break and are staying cozy and safe today in this weather. A snow day feels fitting for kicking off the new year—complete with the Maryland Legislative Session just around the corner and exciting football playoffs ahead (go Ravens and Commanders!).

We’re back from the break and gearing up for a monumental start to 2025. The Maryland General Assembly convenes this Wednesday, January 8, at 12 PM, officially launching the legislative session. Our team has been working tirelessly on the priorities we shared at December’s Making Meaning event, advocating for bold new bills and rallying support for previous ones that didn’t make it out last year.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AND HOW WE WILL MAKE THEM REAL -- READ ON.

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Lawmakers, just like the rest of us, were greeted on the opening of the first real week of 2025 by a rather impressive snowstorm, which we shared with many other parts of the country. It might give the lawmakers, like the rest of us, breathing space to consider just what we are up to as the year that ends the first quarter of the 21st century begins to complete itself.

In Maryland and elsewhere, a little thought before action is always recommended.

The calendar of busyness around the country is full: "The first three months of an odd year is the busiest quarter of a legislative cycle. By the end of January, 44 states will have kicked off their sessions," we were reminded by our friends at the Pluribus news outlet in our Weekender just this past Saturday. Check that out, as well as our Boxing Day catchup post to make sure you didn't miss an important newsbreak affecting you and your community.

States and their lawmakers are getting ready for the scuffle, and Congress is trying to figure out how not to trip over their own majorities as the always-gyrating MAGA forces assemble their crew. We'll keep you aware of the serious side of the circus right here in News You Can Use.

Have you missed your News You Can Use? We are doing our best not to let this stuff pile up on us, so here is another roundup of the news from Maryland, the other 49 states and even the lumbering 119th Congress, which just got underway today with the rather lurching re-election of House Speaker Johnson (good luck with the Freedom Caucus, now led by our own Rep. Andy Harris, O Mr. Speaker).

We'll see you again this Monday with the return of the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo, but meanwhile here's a weekender to get you fresh for the fight in 2025.

Local news keeps the flame of community activism lit at every level, in Maryland and elsewhere. News You Can Use is a continuing part of the service Progressive Maryland staff and volunteers try to provide every week to make sure progressive Marylanders get the information they need to stay on top of events and not be distracted by gossip or disinformation (not that they aren't fun, but hey...).

Today is called Boxing Day in England and elsewhere -- a day when neighbors carry gifts to one another door to door. It's not a practice in the US because, alas, in many cases we have ceased to know our neighbors well, meaning they are unfamiliar to us, one step away from being suspicious. The unpleasant national government we are about to begin dealing with may be a result of that loss of connection. Local news can, and sometimes does, combat that national illness.

So do we make up all this stuff in News You Can Use? Nope, obviously, since we source each item. Our job is to select the good stuff, which we hope we succeed in doing. But where do we get these gems? Maryland has two invaluable sources of nonprofit news, Maryland Reporter and Maryland Matters, both of which are worth your donations at this time of year. Many of our larger counties have local efforts, profit or nonprofit, that keep an even closer eye on county councils, etc.; for instance the Patch online outlets. The excellent student reporting operation at Merrill College of Journalism at UMCP -- Capital News Service -- digs into Maryland issues as well as those encompassing state and national governance, politics and culture. How other states and local governments deal with issues that are also on our plates in Maryland can give us ideas about what (or what not) to do about them. We gather well-sourced articles in that area, as well, from operations like Pluribus, Stateline Daily and Route Fifty. We also pass along tidbits -- well-sourced gossip, actually -- that frequently turns up in newsletters like POLITICO Playbook, Semafor and other freebies. And you don't have to rely on our choices from this multitude of info-firehoses -- just check them out yourself on your favorite search engine. News You Can Use also regularly picks up the progressive federal/Congress perspective newsblast from People's Action, the national affiliate of Progressive Maryland.

We'll keep watching for News You Can Use as it goes by in 2025. Have a happy Boxing Day and give your neighbors a chance to show how they, like you, can be trustworthy allies in making things better.

In the coming year, we'll have to make unprecedented choices, as a nation and in every community, about who we want to be.

But we know how to fight the fight. No learning curve needed; struggle means gains.

In 2024, you made millions of phone calls, knocked on hundreds of thousands of doors, and held meaningful conversations all across the country with complete strangers to change hearts and minds. You elected champions from your communities to state, local and federal governments, where they will fight for regular people, no matter the odds. You took time to listen to one another, and to imagine, together, how our lives will be better if we set aside fear and divisions.

This is what gives me hope as we look towards 2025. Because I know we will always be stronger together. You show me time and again that we have the strength and courage to reach across differences and come together with our neighbors in the shared humanity that unites us.

Sulma Arias, executive director of People's Action (national affiliate of Progressive Maryland)

We’ve made it to our 50th and final memo of the year! For 50 weeks, you’ve come back to hear about what we’ve been up to, celebrate milestones, tackle challenges, and move forward together. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your support and engagement fuel everything we do, and we couldn’t be prouder to share these updates with you each week.

Tonight, we’re hosting our final statewide event of the year: Making Meaning. This virtual gathering at 6 PM is a chance to reflect on 2024, strategize for protecting and advancing progressive policies in Maryland, and hear from inspiring leaders like Sulma Arias (People’s Action) and Will Jawando (Montgomery County Council). Don’t miss it—RSVP here

Looking ahead to tomorrow, tune in at 11 AM to WPFW 89.3 FM (or listen online at wpfwfm.org) for the final radio show of the year with our Executive Director, Larry Stafford.

Read on for exciting updates and events from our chapters and issue campaigns, along with what’s on the horizon for Progressive Maryland in 2025. And don't forget to check out our End of Year TikTok! 

Please note our offices will be closed from December 20th until January 6th. We’ll be back in the new year, energized and ready to keep building a better Maryland together.

Wishing you happiness, joy, and peace this holiday season. 

Until next year,

The Progressive Maryland Team.