Without a doubt, my highlight for Women’s History Month was the shining brilliance of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s face as she listened to Cory Booker extol her virtues and the virtues of Black women everywhere.
As I listened, I cried too. I cried for joy and also surprisingly relief. I felt gratifying relief in having her value—and our value—be seen and cherished.
Black women are doing amazing work across the country and especially in Baltimore. I meet inspirational women every day as I door-knock District 40.
These incredible women make deep, unsung sacrifices, all without glory. Our race and gender may demand the sheer level of sacrifice these Black women make.
And yet, our determination, our hope, our vision—and the execution of the three with only a fraction of the resources—mean that so many of us will also transcend our race and gender to become first in class, whether acknowledged or not.
These are some of the amazing Black women—your neighbors and friends in District 40—who deserve more from our leadership:
- A woman running for Lieutenant Governor for the great state of Maryland! (Go Shannon!)
- A woman who keeps her young son in elementary school by sending him in a rideshare whenever she works double-shifts. As schools permanently close, his walk is too long and dangerous to take alone. Someday, her son will tell the story of his mom using an hour’s wage just to get him to school.
- A woman in her 80’s who sweeps the trash and debris from her block every morning. She and three others are the last remaining residents bearing witness on an otherwise vacant block.
- A woman developer with incredible vision for bringing retail and infrastructure to working-class communities. She is doing it all without the same access to capital as men, so it may take her twice as long and she may earn a third as much, but she persists.
My message for these beautiful Black women across Baltimore, and District 40 especially, is to keep going! (Definitely don’t chill out.)
Stay in your calling. Continue to serve with dignity and fearless resolve. That’s how we bring positive change to every corner of our great city.
From one sister to another, I see you. I value you. I stand with you. You are absolutely worthy.
And as delegate, I will fight for your safety, your health and your wealth.
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