This Memorial Day marks one year since the launch of our Right to Health Campaign. We began this journey together at Maryland’s Potter’s Field in Sykesville, where members from across the state gathered to honor and remember loved ones lost to poverty, a crisis that continues to claim lives in one of the richest states in the richest country in history.
Today, nearly 40% of Maryland residents struggle to meet their basic needs of housing, food, healthcare, transportation and childcare. This is not unique to Maryland. Across the country, poverty is deepening, fueled by post-pandemic cuts to vital public programs during the Biden administration including the Expanded Child Tax Credit, SNAP benefits, and Medicaid. In the past year alone, over 25 million people nationally, and more than 343,000 in Maryland have been cut off from life-saving Medicaid.
Now we are seeing the new Republican led House of Representatives vote to cut SNAP benefits and Medicaid further. The reporting we have seen projects 10-20 million could lose their healthcare, and 3 million could lose their SNAP food stamp benefit.
These increasing attacks on the poor and rising inequality is producing a health crisis in this country with poverty now the fourth leading cause of death.
We launched the Right to Health Campaign to confront this death-dealing system, to unite poor and working-class people around the issues we face daily, and to demand answers from all power holders. As we remember those we've lost, we reaffirm our commitment to organizing across Maryland to claim what is rightfully ours: the Right to Health.
In this e-alert we will share upcoming events in our regions and a powerful reflection piece written by United Workers’ leader, Terrel Askew on his experience attending The National Union of the Homeless membership retreat.
Get Connected to a Regional Committee in Maryland!
Upcoming Regional Committee Meetings
Baltimore Metro Committee Meeting
Next Meeting: Thursday, June 12th 6:00pm-8:00pm
Contact Mike at [email protected]
Central-West Committee Meeting
Next Meeting: Monday, June 9th 5:45pm-7:45pm
Contact Kelley at [email protected]
Western Committee Meeting
Next Meeting: Thursday, June 12th 12pm-2pm
Contact Elliott at [email protected]
Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 31st - Central West Project of Survival: Food Distribution
Join us from 10:30am-3pm for Central West's Regional food distribution.
For any questions contact Kelley at [email protected]
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Saturday, June 7th- NVMA Saturday School of Struggle
Join us for the June 2025 Saturday School of Struggle!
June's topic is: Base Building: Effective Organizing Conversations
This is the second of a two-part series on Base Building.
Session is 90 minutes on zoom at 1 pm ET/12 pm CT/11 am MT/10 am PT
To register click here
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Tuesday, June 17th - Transfiguration Food Distribution Relaunch
Join us from 12pm-3pm for Baltimore's Regional food distribution at Transfiguration pantry.
For any questions contact Terrel at [email protected] or Todd at [email protected]
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Thursday, June 26th - Western Project of Survival: Food Distribution
Join us from 11:00am-2:00pm for Western's Regional food distribution.
For any questions contact Elliott at [email protected]
Member Reflections
Back to the Beginning
As I reflect on the National Union of the Homeless’s (NUH for short) Membership Retreat, I am struck by what it means to return to your roots. In many ways, that is what the four of us: Todd, Mike, Father Ty, and myself did a few weeks ago. I mean that both in a real sense as Todd, long before coming to Baltimore and organizing the folks that would come to be known as United Workers, would develop his revolutionary ideals through his connection with the original Homeless Union, but also how this new Union, borne out of the descendants of the old one, reflects the oldest days of United Workers as well.
A fledgling group of people, connected by their growing understanding of a problem, challenged by their lack of resources but possessed of a resolve found only in those folk whose life and its hardships test daily. This is what describes the leaders who participated in that gathering the first weekend of this month; this is what defined our original leaders; and this is what defines us now.
What we embark on is not for the faint of heart: poverty, much like slavery a hundred and sixty plus years ago, is not something given to petty exchanges or strength that fades under the slightest of pressure. It is the most terrifying monster, in a shadowy landscape full of monsters. Most people would turn and run away or worse stand petrified before its gaping jaws and its razor claws; but not us, and not them. The cliff’s edge may be behind us, promising a terrible drop, but we will not go quietly…or easily. It’s simply not who we are.
As we follow our North Star, it is always worthwhile to ponder on the many hills and valleys that we have come through to get to where we are. To understand a bit more the legacy of resistance that we are descended from. To know that we stand on the shoulders of giants and side by side with warriors who have been through hell but never lost their passion for the fruits of paradise. This journey is hard, and can seem dauntless and without end; it can make us feel at times like we are alone and abandoned; but being able to trace the lineage that is a part of us and learning what is possible when our class stands up, can set our world right again. Time and time again, our history confirms what poverty will know, much like slavery knew, in the end: nothing can stand against us when we unite…no matter how terrifying it might seem. Sometimes history can be our best teacher; I know it has been for me.
Written By: Terrel Askew, Baltimore Region Member and Organizer
