Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Virtual Annapolis Day on February 10. We are grateful to all the members of our county delegation who took time out of an extremely busy 90-day session to share their legislative priorities with our members and engage in conversation about issues of key importance to Maryland’s women and their families. We look forward to continuing our advocacy and collaboration with the entire Montgomery County Delegation as it works toward a successful 2024 MGA session.

The event was seamless thanks to the meticulous planning and hard work of our Advocacy Committee co-chairs, Cynthia Rubenstein, and Melissa Bender, plus board members JoAnne Koravos, Lavontte Chatmon, Lisa Fuller, Enid Light, our moderators, and our Zoom coordinator, Michael Bayrd.

Part of the magic of WDC is that this organization provides an amazing opportunity for our members to make their values and their issues part of the public agenda at the county level, the state level, and beyond. And advocacy is a central part of making that possible, but it is not all we do. Look at our other activities below and consider joining us as we work to amplify important issues and voices. 

Upcoming WDC events:

ERA Rally in Annapolis: Please join us for a rally for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), on Monday, February 19, from 1 pm to 2 pm, at Lawyer's Mall (right in front of the State Capitol) in Annapolis. There will be a pre-rally from 12 pm to 1 pm. The rally is to bring awareness to a bill introduced by Del. Edith Patterson, President of the Women Legislators of Maryland, in the House, and Sen. Ariana Kelly in the Senate, calling on the federal government to affirm and certify that the ERA is part of the U.S. Constitution. WDC has been actively advocating for our state legislators to introduce the ERA Resolution in this session and we hope you come out to support the rally.   

Building Political Power: Learn about the growing number of local programs that help train and nurture the next generation of leaders. To register click here. Thursday, February 22, from 7 pm to 8 pm.

Democratic U.S. Senate Candidates Forum: Join us along with moderator Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post to hear from all the registered Democratic candidates. Register now to save a spot. WDC thanks our co-hosts, the Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club and the Montgomery County Young Democrats. Join us at Blair High School on Saturday, March 2 from 3 pm to 5 pm.

An evening with Barbara McQuade: On Thursday, April 11 at 7 pm, Barbara will join us for a timely discussion about her new book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. Barbara McQuade is a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, as well as a co-host of the podcast #SistersInLaw.

Here are a few more things we all can do to help save American democracy:

Become a political activist: This might mean different things to different people, but it will require a time commitment. Phone bank, make political contributions, write letters to the editors, talk to friends and family in key states. 
Stay engaged: Pay attention and counter lies with truth. We can’t do that unless you take the time to learn the facts. We cannot afford to be complacent. Let’s organize, mobilize, and energize our networks. 
Do not tolerate hate or bigotry: Let’s call it out when we see it. Stand up to it wherever we can. 
Attend and participate in community meetings: Whether it is with WDC or with any of the many other clubs or organizations, we can connect and organize with people that are already active in our community. 
Register to vote and help others register: Make sure your family and friends are up to date on their voter registration. Check out VOTE411.org for more information. 
Run for office or help someone who is running: From the school board to the state house to Congress, there are many opportunities to run for office or support a candidate who will make a difference. 
VOTE: Don’t sit out this election or vote for a third-party candidate. And remind your friends and your network: Anything other than a vote for Democrats is a vote for fascism, hate, and Trump.

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Stay United.

Tazeen Ahmad 
President