Join Sen. Cardin, Rep. Van Hollen, County Executive Leggett, County Councilmembers

Affordable Housing Conference, Friday, May 8 in Bethesda, MD

A NEW DAY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Reasons for Optimism
Plan to attend Montgomery County's only Affordable Housing Conference.
This year's conference will be held on Friday, May 8, 2009, from 8 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center, 5701
Marinelli Road in North Bethesda. Hear what your local leaders plan to
do to address the affordable housing challenge facing Montgomery County.

This year, Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, County Executive Ike
Leggett, several County Councilmembers, nationally known economists and
a HUD executive will tell you their plans. You'll have a chance to
discuss the issues and attend 8 panels on a variety of housing issues.
Panels such as "Foreclosure: Before, During and After," and "Increasing
Housing Densities Near Transit" will keep you up-to-date on local
housing issues.

The conference includes lunch, during which the results of the annual
"Break the Barrier to Home Ownership" contest cash awards are made. The
Chevy Chase Bank Architectural Awards and the Senator Paul Sarbanes
Excellence in Community Service Award are also presented during lunch.

Visit www.affordablehousingconference.org for more information and
to register.

Susan Krimer Yancy
Asst. Director, Office of Legislative & Public Affairs
Housing Opportunities Commission

7 PM WEDNESDAY MAY 6 at the Saigonese Restaurant 11232 Grandview Ave Wheaton 20902

MCPA, DFMC, PDA, PWG, MoveOn, Meetup Meeting
The time is now to get organized and make a difference.
Please RSVP to mikehersh@mikehersh.com so we know you'll be there.
Who are all these organizations and what do they do? See below.

Saigonese Restaurant 11232 Grandview Ave Silver Spring (Wheaton)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11232+Grandview+Ave+Silver+Spring,+MD+20902

Short walk from the Wheaton Metro / Red Line. Parking in the public lot
across the street.

Building on recent successful meetings, we'll continue work with our
standing committees:
1. outreach and recruitment (to help us increase membership),
2. media (letters to the editor, call-in to radio shows, etc.),
3. issue advocacy (meet with elected officials and promote our agenda)
4. event planning/hosting.

We'll discuss sponsoring a legislative update to with State Senators and
Delegates, and work with other organizations to cosponsor healthcare
reform events locally and in the Baltimore Area. In June, we hope to
hold our 6th annual Progressive Picnic to meet with elected officials
and organize ongoing efforts.

Please join the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance google group:
http://groups.google.com/group/mcprogressivealliance

If you're on Facebook, please join the MCPA group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3401340272&ref=ts

--------------

Who are all these organizations and what do they do?

1. MCPA: The Montgomery County Progressive Alliance is a flexible,
result-oriented coalition. MCPA includes more than 1,000 local
activists, mainly in and around Montgomery County Maryland. The
organization began in 2003 when Democracy for America Meetup members
reached out to other Meetup groups and other groups. In 2004, 100s of
Montgomery County for Kerry members and local Progressive Democrats of
America members joined the MCPA. MCPA adopted a mission statement,
organized special events, and has held meetings nearly each month since
2003. MCPA members worked to elect progressive leaders, led issue
advocacy efforts in Rockville, Annapolis, and on Capitol Hill, and
cooperated with other organizations and coalitions to make progress in
our communities, state, and nationally. Moving into the rest of 2009 and
building toward 2010, MCPA plans to solidify our organization, raise
funds, and continue our public education and outreach efforts. MCPA is
currently seeking new steering committee members and coalition partners.

2. DFA/DFMC: Democracy for America emerged from Gov. Howard Dean's
presidential campaign in 2004, and has organized grass-roots activists
to support socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates. DFMC
is Democracy for Montgomery County, a local DFA-inspired organization
which is not directly or legally affiliated with DFA. DFMC has organized
events and meetings; and endorsed and organized volunteers for several
candidates. DFMC is currently seeking additional steering committee
members. Please contact me, mikehersh@mikehersh.com if you're
interested. You can sign up for DFA here:
http://democracyforamerica.com/session/new

3. PDA: Progressive Democrats of America began just after the 2004
Democratic National Convention in Boston. Bringing together people from
the 2004 Kucinich and Dean Campaigns with other progressives, PDA
adopted an "inside/outside strategy" uniting activists working inside
the Democratic Party with those working in peace and justice movements.
PDA's core issues include clean, accurate and transparent elections;
environmental protection; single-payer healthcare; economic and social
justice; and peace. You can sign up for PDA here:
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/personal2.asp?formid=joinusshort&c=5052037

4. PWG: The Progressive Working Group is a coalition promoting progress
and reform, economic fairness and equality, protecting the environment,
and more. PWG endorsed 14 issues for the 2009 General Assembly session.
PWG currently includes: Audubon Naturalist Society, CASA of Maryland,
Democracy for Montgomery County, Equality Maryland, Health Care Now,
Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, Montgomery Health Care Action,
PeaceAction Montgomery, Peace and Justice of Prince George's County,
Progressive Cheverly, Progressive Democrats of America (Maryland),
Progressive Neighbors, Save Our Votes, and Upcounty Action. Other
progressive organizations are welcome to join PWG. Please contact Wally
Malakoff malakoff@starpower.net for more information on how your
organization can join PWG.

5. MoveOn: While MoveOn has determined not to join with other
organizations in any official capacity, many local MoveOn members are
participating in actions organized and cosponsored by MCPA.

Thanks for reading down this far, and hope to see you at the meeting and
future events,

Mike Hersh
Chairperson, MCPA
Steering Committee, PWG & DFMC
Maryland State Coordinator, PDA
Montgomery County Council, MoveOn

Building the Election Reform Movement with DC Vote

Join DC Vote at a Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup for a discussion on the status of the DC House Voting Rights Act (H.R. 157) and the Advancement Project's National Right to Vote. Speakers include Eugene D. Kinlow, Public Affairs Director for DC Vote and Edward Hailes, Senior Attorney and Power and Democracy Director for the Advancement Project.

    * When: 7:00-8:30 PM on Thursday, April 23, 2009
    * Where: DC Vote office at 2000 P Street, NW, Suite 200
A few blocks walk from the Dupont Circle Metro Station (red line)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2000+P+Street,+NW+Washington+DC

Capacity is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your space by replying to: jenkarius@gmail.com
Please forward to all who might be interested.

The Advancement Project is a policy and legal action group that creates strategies for achieving universal opportunity and a racially just democracy. The Advancement Project's Right to Vote Public Education Initiative seeks to increase public awareness of the need for stronger voting rights enforcement, including the ramifications of an affirmative, federally protected right to vote. This initiative is an extension of U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.'s pioneering work (House Joint Resolution 28), which spearheaded the most recent movement to enshrine the right to vote into the U.S. Constitution by amendment.

Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup is a monthly meetup that provides an opportunity to receive information about election reforms, and to mobilize in support of current local and national campaigns and actions relevant to the DC metro area. The Meetup prioritizes from the perspective of wishing to grow a broader, more inclusive representation through election reform and the advancement of voting rights to strengthen our democracy.

If you have any questions or to RSVP, please contact Jennifer Karius of the Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup at jenkarius@gmail.com.

SAVE THE DATE 7 PM WEDNESDAY MAY 6

Montgomery County Progressive Alliance Meeting 7 PM WEDNESDAY MAY 6

MCPA, DFMC, PDA, PWG, MoveOn, Meetup Meeting
The time is now to get organized and make a difference.
Please RSVP to mikehersh@mikehersh.com so we know you'll be there.
Who are all these organizations and what do they do? See below.

Saigonese Restaurant 11232 Grandview Ave Silver Spring (Wheaton)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11232+Grandview+Ave+Silver+Spring,+MD+20902

Short walk from the Wheaton Metro / Red Line. Parking in the public lot
across the street.

Building on recent successful meetings and looking toward the end of the
Maryland General Assembly 2009 session, we'll continue work with our
standing committees:
1. outreach to green business,
2. recruitment (to help us increase membership),
3. media (letters to the editor, call-in to radio shows, etc.),
4. issue advocacy with elected officials, and
5. event planning/hosting.

Upcoming: we'll sponsor one or two legislative updates to learn how our
State Senators and Delegates represented our concerns in Annapolis,
we'll work with other organizations to cosponsor healthcare reform
events locally and in the Baltimore Area. In June, we hope to hold our
6th annual Progressive Picnic to meet with elected officials and
organize ongoing efforts.

If you're on Facebook, please join the MCPA group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3401340272&ref=ts

Please join the Montgomery County MoveOn Council:
http://www.moveon.org/team/search/signup.html?team_id=4221

Who are all these organizations and what do they do?

1. MCPA: The Montgomery County Progressive Alliance is a flexible,
result-oriented coalition. MCPA includes more than 1,000 local
activists, mainly in and around Montgomery County Maryland. The
organization began in 2003 when Democracy for America Meetup members
reached out to other Meetup groups and other groups. In 2004, 100s of
Montgomery County for Kerry members and local Progressive Democrats of
America members joined the MCPA. MCPA adopted a mission statement,
organized special events, and has held meetings nearly each month since
2003. MCPA members worked to elect progressive leaders, led issue
advocacy efforts in Rockville, Annapolis, and on Capitol Hill, and
cooperated with other organizations and coalitions to make progress in
our communities, state, and nationally. Moving into the rest of 2009 and
building toward 2010, MCPA plans to solidify our organization, raise
funds, and continue our public education and outreach efforts. MCPA is
currently seeking new steering committee members and coalition partners.

2. DFA/DFMC: Democracy for America emerged from Gov. Howard Dean's
presidential campaign in 2004, and has organized grass-roots activists
to support socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates. DFMC
is Democracy for Montgomery County, a local DFA-inspired organization
which is not directly or legally affiliated with DFA. DFMC has organized
events and meetings; and endorsed and organized volunteers for several
candidates. DFMC is currently seeking additional steering committee members.

3. PDA: Progressive Democrats of America began just after the 2004
Democratic National Convention in Boston. Bringing together people from
the 2004 Kucinich and Dean Campaigns with other progressives, PDA
adopted an "inside/outside strategy" uniting activists working inside
the Democratic Party with those working in peace and justice movements.
PDA's core issues include clean, accurate and transparent elections;
environmental protection; single-payer healthcare; economic and social
justice; and peace.

4. PWG: The Progressive Working Group is a coalition promoting progress
and reform, economic fairness and equality, protecting the environment,
and more. PWG endorsed 14 issues for the 2009 General Assembly session.
PWG currently includes: Audubon Naturalist Society, CASA of Maryland,
Democracy for Montgomery County, Equality Maryland, Health Care Now,
Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, Montgomery Health Care Action,
PeaceAction Montgomery, Peace and Justice of Prince George's County,
Progressive Cheverly, Progressive Democrats of America (Maryland),
Progressive Neighbors, Save Our Votes, and Upcounty Action. Other
progressive organizations are welcome to join PWG.

Note: While MoveOn has determined not to join with other organizations
in any official capacity, many local MoveOn members are participating in
actions organized and cosponsored by MCPA.

Thanks for reading down this far, and hope to see you at the meeting and
future events,

Mike Hersh
Chairperson, MCPA
Steering Committee, PWG & DFMC
Maryland State Coordinator, PDA
Montgomery County Council Coordinator, MoveOn

Saturday: United Workers B'more Fair (Noon) and Human Rights Zone March (4pm)

Friends,

I hope to see you at this Saturday's United Workers B'more Fair
(Noon) and Human Rights Zone March (4pm) http://www.unitedworkers.org.

I have sent you this email because you either attended the recent
Backbone Campaign art for social change/puppet parade workshop at United
Workers office, or because you did not join us, but I believe you may
find this contact information useful.

In other words, I am taking advantage of our recent event, and this
email, for coalition building, especially in Central
Maryland/Baltimore. Attached you will find updated/expanded word
document chart with Baltimore Creative Activists' information. And see
who I've cc'd to help spread the word about everybody's wonderful work.

Again, see you at this Saturday's United Workers B'more Fair (Noon)
and Human Rights Zone March (4pm) http://www.unitedworkers.org.

Cheers to all,
Diane Wittner

-------------------
Chesapeake Citizens
http://www.chesapeakecitizens.org
info@chesapeakecitizens.org

Building the Election Reform Movement with DC Vote

Join DC Vote at a Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup for a discussion on the status of the DC House Voting Rights Act (H.R. 157) and the Advancement Project's National Right to Vote. Speakers include Eugene D. Kinlow, Public Affairs Director for DC Vote and Edward Hailes, Senior Attorney and Power and Democracy Director for the Advancement Project.

    * When: 7:00-8:30 PM on Thursday, April 23, 2009
    * Where: DC Vote office at 2000 P Street, NW, Suite 200
A few blocks walk from the Dupont Circle Metro Station (red line)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2000+P+Street,+NW+Washington+DC

Capacity is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your space by replying to: jenkarius@gmail.com
Please forward to all who might be interested.

The Advancement Project is a policy and legal action group that creates strategies for achieving universal opportunity and a racially just democracy. The Advancement Project's Right to Vote Public Education Initiative seeks to increase public awareness of the need for stronger voting rights enforcement, including the ramifications of an affirmative, federally protected right to vote. This initiative is an extension of U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.'s pioneering work (House Joint Resolution 28), which spearheaded the most recent movement to enshrine the right to vote into the U.S. Constitution by amendment.

Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup is a monthly meetup that provides an opportunity to receive information about election reforms, and to mobilize in support of current local and national campaigns and actions relevant to the DC metro area. The Meetup prioritizes from the perspective of wishing to grow a broader, more inclusive representation through election reform and the advancement of voting rights to strengthen our democracy.

If you have any questions or to RSVP, please contact Jennifer Karius of the Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup at jenkarius@gmail.com.

Election Reform Mtg. Thurs. April 23 Dupont Cir.

Please attend and forward to anyone interested, listservs, etc.
What: Building the election reform movement April Meetup

When: April 23, 2009 7:00 PM

Where: DC Vote Conference Room, Dupont Circle location
2000 P St NW # 200 Washington, DC 20036
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2000+P+St+NW+Washington,+DC+20036
(1 block from Dupont Cir. Metro--Red Line)
Price: $3.00 per person
More info: http://electionreform.meetup.com/176/

Meetup Description: DC Vote and Building the Election Reform Movement
Meetup present:
Eugene Kinlow of DC Vote, on the status of the DC Voting Rights Act
(H.R. 157) and the outlook for self-determination and Statehood in the
111th Congress. And Edward Hailes of the Advancement Project, on the
National Affirmative Right to Vote Initiative

DC Vote is a 501(c)(3) education and advocacy organization dedicated to
securing full voting representation in Congress for residents of the
District of Columbia. Founded in 1998, DC Vote works to secure full
voting rights in Congress for the residents of the District of Columbia by:
• Informing Congress and the American public about this injustice,
• Formulating solutions with coalition partners and elected officials, and;
• Promoting change based on the principle that a government is
democratic only when people have the ability, through freely elected
leaders, to shape the laws under which they must live.
Mr Hailes is Senior Attorney and the Power and Democracy Director for
the Advancement Project. Mr. Hailes will discuss the lessons learned
from the 2008 election cycle about election administration issues, and
in looking forward, the importance of uniting our many reform efforts
into a broad-based, racially diverse movement in support of a guaranteed
federal right to vote.

The Advancement Project is a policy and legal action group that creates
strategies for achieving universal opportunity and a racially just
democracy. The Advancement Project's Right to Vote Public Education
Initiative seeks to increase public awareness of the need for stronger
voting rights enforcement, including the ramifications of an
affirmative, federally protected right to vote. This initiative is an
extension of U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.'s pioneering work
(House Joint Resolution 28), which spearheaded the most recent movement
to enshrine the right to vote into the U.S. Constitution by amendment.

Building the Election Reform Movement Meetup (DC Metro) is a monthly
Meetup that gives an opportunity to receive information about election
reforms, and to mobilize in support of current local and national
campaigns and actions relevant to the DC metro area. The Meetup
prioritizes from the perspective of wishing to grow a broader, more
inclusive representation through election reform and the advancement of
voting rights to strengthen our democracy.

Agenda:

7:00 PM- Welcome
7:05 PM- Introductions
7:15 PM- Edward Hailes, The Advancement Project
7:30 PM- Eugene Kinlow, DC Vote
7:45 PM- Questions and Answers
8:30 PM- Adjournment

Learn more here: http://electionreform.meetup.com/176/