Through the years leading us into 2025, ACT has remained triumphant as we came to action the minute COVID entered our community. We have held our community at the forefront of our actions while building great relationships and power without a pause.
Election Accountability
In spring and fall 2022, in partnership with our sister organizations, AIM in Montgomery County and PATH in Howard County we held actions with the statewide candidates for Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller. Over 1,000 attended these sessions.
Over 170 ACT members turned out for an accountability session with candidates for County Executive and County Council. The candidates heard our stories and committed to working with us to grow our jobs movement for returning citizens, Turnaround Thursday.
Equitable Schools
Because of our work, Anne Arundel County Schools shorted their timeline to test for and remediate the presence of lead in school drinking water from 3 years down to 1. See news article.
With allies, ACT protected funding to create new school bus routes for low-income and Black students. Letter to the Editor. Next, ACT ensured that every student, instead of every family, in Anne Arundel Public Schools received a laptop for online learning during the pandemic.
Fair and Safe Housing
As a result of ACT’s organizing with community partners Anne Arundel County passed Fair Housing legislation. This is a crucial step to prevent discrimination in housing against renters using public assistance vouchers.
ACT supported residents of Woodside Gardens, a publicly subsidized housing complex in Annapolis, to organize and seek accountability from their landlords for unhealthy and unsafe living conditions. As a result, the owners committed $1M for renovations and repairs.
Read article from the Capital Gazette.
Feed Anne Arundel
Feed Anne Arundel was formed in partnership with ACT and local restaurants. In the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we mobilized to support workers vulnerable to losing their livelihoods, stabilize small businesses at the core of our economy, and feed our community. We ensured 75 restaurants could pay their workers and delivered over 200,000 meals to families in Anne Arundel County.
Gun Violence
County Executive, Annapolis Mayor, and the Anne Arundel police chief agreed to be leaders in the Do Not Stand Idly By national movement to reduce gun violence.
Housing for All – MPDU Bill
ACT’s Housing for All Action was held on Tuesday, April 30th with 200 in attendance including three of our County Councilmembers showing their support for affordable housing.
We engaged with Councilmembers Pickard, Rodvien, and Smith and built a larger table to make our voices heard. We told the Councilmembers that we need an MPDU (Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit) bill to set aside homes in new developments to be affordable for people with modest incomes.
An MPDU bill would help more of us, our family, friends, and community to live and thrive in Anne Arundel County. As Ryan McDonald, the proud owner of an MPDU in Annapolis, said: “This policy is an opportunity to acknowledge the inequities that exist in our housing system and begin to right some of these wrongs.” Read more about our Housing for All Action.
Turnaround Thursday
This “second chance job movement” is empowering those recently released from incarceration, the underemployed, and unemployed with the skills needed to secure and maintain employment leading to lifelong careers. Though this movement is just approaching its second anniversary, the stories of success are inspirational.
Due to the resources the Turnaround Thursday Movement is providing, dozens of graduates are working for one of Turnarounds’ nine participating employers. This movement is empowering their participants to live amazing lives while serving as vital members of our beloved community. More here