July 2024 Newsletter
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Upcoming Events
AAUW Maryland Summer Conference in Baltimore
July 20, 2024
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Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Southern Maryland Delegation
Session Recap and Townhall
August 1, 2024
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PPMW Impact Gala
September 28, 2024
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National Council of Negro Women National Convention
Baltimore, MD
October 9-13, 2024
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Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women
Annual Conference
SAVE THE DATE
Nov 23, 2024
Former Senator and Maryland Commission for Women Executive Director Ariana Kellywill be receiving a lifetime achievement award at this annual convening of Maryland’s women’s rights groups.
Local Spotlight
Since its inception last year, the Baltimore City Commission for Women has made significant strides, including swearing in 19 Commissioners, appointing key leadership roles, approving bylaws, and establishing 7 subcommittees. It has formulated a budget proposal for the inaugural year, compiled a comprehensive resource bank, and secured a $50k grant from The Carter Center, positioning Baltimore in a global campaign to highlight family caregiver resources.
The Commission’s participation in the Baltimore Corps Civic Innovators Program aims to develop a resource and referral network for the city. It has established performance measures for transparency and accountability, successfully executed the Inaugural Mayoral Luncheon, and collaborated on educational initiatives such as the Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act panel.
Engaging with multiple City agency partners and collaborating with the UNC Chapel Hill Morehead Cain Scholars program, the Commission is enhancing access to preventative healthcare for women. It held a strategic planning retreat for the 2024 goals, actively drafted SOPs, participated in statewide briefings, and hosted monthly public meetings. Future plans include a Listening Tour, a Citywide Women’s Services Resource Fair, and the operationalization of 21 SMART goals to streamline resources and referrals in Baltimore City.
Commission at Work
Meet Our Interns
Alex Osterhues
Tulane University
My name is Alex Osterhues, and I am so excited to be interning at the Maryland Commission for Women this summer. I am now entering my junior year at Tulane University where I study neuroscience with a minor in gender studies and cell biology.
My passion is reproductive justice, and I hope to become a doctor to advocate for the rights of women. I have enjoyed supporting the commission with our local Commissions roundtable and developing our social media presence. I am also helping to draft our annual report and reviewing and updating current research on the status of women in Maryland.
This experience has taught me so much about how government and local organizations operate, and I would recommend this internship to anyone interested in working in the women’s rights field.
Camille Fabiyi
University of Maryland – College Park
Hi! My name is Camille Fabiyi, and I am a senior at the University of Maryland, majoring in History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a focus on Black women.
I have previously interned for Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk during the 2023 legislative session and for Delegate Emily Shetty during the 2024 legislative session. During both of these internships, I had the opportunity to work with powerful women delegates who used their positions to advocate for Maryland women every day. This past session, I was assigned by Delegate Shetty to be the point person for HB496 Definition of Consent which was a priority bill for the Commission for Women. This bill was very important to me, and it was such an achievement when Governor Moore signed it into law on April 16th.
I am passionate about promoting gender equality and supporting initiatives that empower women throughout the state. As an intern at the Maryland Commission for Women, my work focuses on addressing the unique challenges and celebrating the contributions of Black women in our communities.
I am thoroughly enjoying my experience here. My academic background has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to contribute effectively to the Commission’s efforts. I am excited to be part of such a meaningful organization dedicated to making a difference.
Commission Elects New Leadership
At our June meeting, Commissioners came together to celebrate the many accomplishments of outgoing Chair Tawanda Bailey and First Vice Chair Maxine Griffin Sommerville and to elect a new leadership team.
Commissioners showed tremendous gratitude for the contributions of the outgoing leadership team, who seamlessly led the Commission during the Executive Director transition- a challenge to any organization! Thank you Chair Bailey and First Vice Chair Sommerville for your tireless work on behalf of Maryland’s women.
We also said goodbye to Commissioners Rev. Tamara England Wilson, Essita Duncan and Kathryn Fiddler who completed their terms of service. Thank you for your extraordinary service and leadership!
Commissioners elected LaShaune Stitt, PhD as Chair, Patricia McHugh Lambert as First Vice Chair, and Christine Lee, PhD as Second Vice Chair. Congratulations to our new leadership team and thank you in advance for the great work you will be doing to advance Maryland’s women!
Director Ariana Kelly Speaks At Girls State 2024 !
Maryland Commission for Women’s Executive Director Ariana Kelly was honored to join an all star panel of Maryland’s top lobbyists to participate in 2024 Girls State.
Anne Arundel County Senator Dawn Gile, a champion for girls, women, and Maryland’s military families also joined Girls State earlier in the week to discuss public service.
Girls State is a program of the American Legion Auxiliary, and one of the most respected experiential learning programs in the US focused on teaching girls about patriotism and American government. The Maryland program is a weeklong immersive learning experience held at Salisbury University. The week long program offers a nonpartisan curriculum where girls take on the roles of government leaders and campaign to become mayors and county and state officials of their ALA Girls State. They then consider policies and legislation, and learn about the role constituents and advocacy groups. Find out more about Girls State Maryland here.
In exciting news, Maryland Commission for Women’s 2024 Young Woman Leader honoree Kierra Caffrey was elected Girls State Governor! Read all about Kira and our other amazing awardees here.
Policy And Advocacy
Update On Reproductive Health Data Privacy
In 2023 the Commission for Women supported the Reproductive Rights legislative package in response to the Supreme Court decision ending Roe vs. Wade. One of the pieces of legislation in this package (SB796/HB812), sponsored by Senator Shelly Hettleman and Delegate Sandy Rosemberg, made Maryland first in the nation to ensure information about abortion care cannot be shared without a patient’s express consent. The 2024 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference featured a panel to discuss this landmark legislation including Elizabeth Kromm, Director of Prevention and Health Promotion Administration at the Maryland Department of Health, Nichole Sweeney, General Counsel for Chesapeake Information System for Our Patients, and Robyn Elliott from Public Policy Partners. Read more here.
Maryland State Firefighter’s Association Finally Modernizes Their Name!
After several years of advocacy from the Commission for Women, other women’s organizations across the state, and champion State Senator Cheryl Kagan, progress has been made! The organization that once was the Maryland State Firemen’s Association has finally voted to change their name to the more inclusive Maryland State Firefighter’s Association. You can read their press release here.
Want to learn more about women in the fire service? Read this interview with Chief Joanne Rund, Baltimore County’s first permanently appointed female chief. Chief Rund recently announced her retirement after five years leading the department. More Information about women in the fire service is available on this US Fire Administration webpage.
Maryland Women
Maryland Women Olympians Heading to Paris 2024!
We all know Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame member Katie Ledecky is heading to Paris to compete in her fourth Olympics. Did you know she will be joined in the pool by fellow Montgomery County swimmers Phoebe Bacon and Erin Gemmell? More Maryland’s women athletes in Paris include fencer Tatiana Nazlymov from Bethesda and Track & Field star Juliette Whittaker from Laurel. Gold Medal winning wrestler Helen Maroulis from Rockville is headed to her third Olympics. She was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame as well, in recognition of her groundbreaking performance in a male-dominated sport.
Eight time paralympic gold medalist wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden of Clarksville has been dubbed the fastest woman in the world. She was inducted into the Howard County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014 and she is still competing! She also advocates for athletes with disabilities and partnered with Delegate Anne Kaiser and Senator Jim Rosapepe to make Maryland to become the first state to ensure equal athletic opportunities for disabled students with “Tatyana’s Law” in 2008.
Governor Moore Proclaims June 16 Maggie Rogers Day!
A daughter of Easton, Maryland, singer-songwriter-producer Maggie Rogers has become a worldwide phenomenon. Beloved both for her musical talents and her advocacy on behalf of women’s rights, she received a heroine’s welcome at her sold out concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia.
Maggie entertained the audience with stories of her father driving her across the Bay Bridge for concerts at the outdoor venue during her formative years. Governor Wes Moore and First Lady Dawn Fly the Moore were in attendance, and the Governor cited her important work on women’s rights and voting rights as he officially proclaimed June 16, 2024 Maggie Rogers Day in Maryland. Maggie has partnered with Planned Parenthood, as well as Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight Action, and The Brigid Alliance, an organization that supports individuals traveling to access abortion care. Read more in this Washingtonian article.
White House Girls Leading Change Nominations Are Open
Do you know a teenage girl making positive change in her community? In honor of International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2024, the White House Gender Policy Council is seeking nominations for girls in the United States (ages 14 to 18) who are leading change by tackling important issues facing their communities. To nominate a young leader, please fill out this form by Friday, August 2, 2024.
Women Shine at the Tony Awards!
If you’re passionate about women’s rights, you have probably heard by now about Suffs, the Shaina Taub musical co-produced in part by Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai that tells the story of women’s fight to achieve the right to vote. Suffs made Shaina Taub the first woman ever to independently win Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book in the same season.
The show confronts the racial, class and generational conflicts within the suffrage movement while inspiring audiences to keep fighting for equality. NPR’s All Things Considered aired a story by Elizabeth Blair that interviewed author and historian Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of suffragist and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells, who is featured in Suffs along with Carrie Chapman Catt, Mary Church Terrell, and Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Ruza Wenclawska (Rose Winslow), Inez Milholland, and of course, President Woodrow Wilson. Listen to the story here.
Also at the Tony’s Maryland’s own CJ Philip (pictured above) received the Excellence in Theatre Education Tony for her work as Founder and Artistic Director of Dance & BMore. This program provides free theatre education for everyone from preschool to senior citizens. In response to the honor, Ms. Philip told the AP, “There’s this power in the arts to reconnect us to one another and to our humanity.” Learn more about Dance & BMore and CJ Philip here.
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In The News
Maryland Lets Sexual Assault Victims Keep Track of Evidence Via Bar Code
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — For Angela Wharton, Maryland’s new statewide tracking system for sexual assault evidence represents a ray of hope, enabling survivors to monitor the data online.
Wharton was raped in 1996 and described the trauma she experienced more than 20 years later, when she was informed all the evidence, including her untested kit, had been destroyed by local authorities.
Supreme Court Upholds Law Disarming Domestic Abusers
The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the government can take guns away from people subject to restraining orders for domestic violence, limiting the sweep of a blockbuster decision in 2022 that had vastly expanded Second Amendment rights.
Indeed, Friday’s decision amounted to a retreat from what had been an unbroken series of major rulings favoring gun rights that started in 2008, when the court first recognized an individual constitutional right to keep firearms in the home for self-defense.
Two Years After Dobbs: How Maryland Fits In The Shifting Landscape Of Abortion Access
Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court upended 50 years of abortion law with its Dobbs decision, Maryland has reaffirmed its position as an abortion-friendly state while other states have restricted or banned the procedure outright.
Providers in Maryland say they have seen an increase in patients, including an influx from states with restrictive laws. Voters will consider an amendment to the Maryland Constitution this fall that would guarantee reproductive rights, and the question of abortion is expected to have an outsized role in the race for the state’s Senate seat.
Top-earning Lobbyist From Legislative Session Makes History
The top-earning State House lobbyist from the last half year — a period that covers the most recent General Assembly session — is making history.
According to newly released records from the Maryland State Ethics Commission, which regulates registered lobbyists in the state, Lisa Harris Jones from the firm Harris Jones Malone was the top earner from Nov. 1, 2023, to April 30 of this year.
Harris Jones becomes the first woman and the first person of color to top the earnings list for registered lobbyists in Maryland. She reported billing $2,666,850 for the six-month period. That includes the legislative session, which ran from Jan. 10 to April 8, where a substantial amount of her work took place.