Thanksgiving week, 2024

Dear Friend:

This is hard to write. As a proud “word nerd,” I have been living in the “D” portion of the alphabet– depressed, despondent, dispirited, deflated, and disillusioned. I had allowed myself to believe that our nation would finally elect a woman President– a talented, experienced, thoughtful, progressive, and hard-working person of color with a resume as Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and Vice President. Probably like you, I did my part and donated, knocked on doors (in Maryland and Pennsylvania), made phone calls, and talked to every swing voter I could.

And yet, we are now anticipating four more long and painful years of a divisive and reactionary Trump Administration. The long-lasting impacts on our region, our State, our nation, and our planet are incalculable. From fiscal implications on climate change, public schools, infrastructure, and civil rights, we will all need to remain vigilant and engaged. Please consider joining an activist group whose cause(s) you most support. They’ll need your time, dollars, and wisdom now more than ever!

So as not to end on a total downer, we should celebrate that Maryland did very well on Election Day. Voters elected Angela Alsobrooks as our next U.S. Senator. And three open U.S. House seats were filled by Democrats I know and respect– including April McClain Delaney to succeed Congressman David Trone in the 6th district. All three of the School Board candidates I endorsed were successful and will provide much-needed leadership for our school system. And, we decisively enshrined reproductive freedom in the Maryland Constitution!

Learning from the Past

Just two days after Election Day, I joined about 20 other Jewish leaders from the region to visit Georgia and Alabama on a Civil Rights pilgrimage. For four days, we visited museums, traced the routes, and heard from those who participated in the struggle. While I had been to many of the sites, the context and personal stories made the experience infinitely more powerful. If you have an opportunity, I encourage you to listen and learn while some of these she-roes and heroes are around to tell their stories of struggle. The journey from slavery to segregation, lynching, and incarceration still has social and policy implications today.

The Maryland General Assembly is updating its phone systems. For decades, you could choose either a 301 or 410 phone number to call me in Annapolis. Beginning soon, the 301 phone numbers are being discontinued. You will need to dial 410-841-3134 in order to reach my office. Please update your address books now!

Mission Accomplished!

After three people died in my district when 9-1-1 failed, I began my legislative crusade to improve Maryland’s emergency response system. I established and chaired the Maryland NG911 Commission and was twice named the national NG911 Government Leader of the Year. As part of my continuous learning, I made a commitment to visit all 24 of Maryland’s 9-1-1 Centers.

On my recent visit to the Calvert County 9-1-1 Center, I was joined by 9-1-1 experts including Emergency Management Secretary Russell Strickland; the Chair and Director of our 9-1-1 Board; former Sen. Ed Reilly; and the Maryland Association of Counties.

There is great diversity across our 24 jurisdictions, and I have seen firsthand how each 9-1-1 Center is protecting our communities. I continue to be inspired by the courageous women and men under the headset across our State. They are truly our First, First Responders.

For almost 30 years, Rockville’s Chief of Police Victor Brito dedicated his life to public safety. He has moved on after working to keep our neighborhoods safe every day. I am grateful for his service and unwavering commitment and will miss working with him!

Have a meaningful holiday…

Best,

Cheryl

Cheryl C. Kagan

State Senator, District 17

(Gaithersburg & Rockville)

www.CherylKagan.org

PS: While you’ve got some free time over the holiday weekend, consider subscribing to my podcast, “Kibbitzing with Kagan.” There are over 200 episodes, featuring conversations with folks you’ll find fascinating too!

PPS: My next email will be a sneak peek into my 2025 legislative agenda!