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Grassroots Activist Groups
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These are groups that Kate Sanner has participated with and/or followed by being on their mailing lists for the last few years – some since the 2016 election. She gets a great deal of inspiration and motivation from these groups. Though they are not local to Carroll County, please do check them out and see what they have to offer, get involved if you can, or let them be an inspiration for your activism.
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End Medical Debt Maryland
End Medical Debt Maryland is a statewide coalition of labor unions, civil rights groups, political organizations, and other groups working together with community members to pass comprehensive medical billing reform, educate Marylanders on their rights as patients, and eliminate barriers to healthcare.
Earlier this year, EMDMaryland passed the Medical Debt Protection Act in the Maryland General Assembly. This legislation granted Maryland patients new protections against some of the most harmful hospital debt collection practices, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure all patients are treated with the care and dignity they deserve.
Americans are facing a medical debt crisis — right now, medical bills are the largest source of debt in collections and the leading cause of bankruptcy in the country. Meanwhile, Maryland’s “nonprofit” hospitals continue to sue their own patients over unpaid medical bills, regularly for low-sum debts of under $250. For Marylanders already struggling to make ends meet, these lawsuits are financially and emotionally devastating.
For this reason, EMDMaryland is currently focused on community outreach work. We’re hosting medical debt clinics, canvasses, and educational town halls across the state to share resources and talk with Marylanders about their rights as patients and the best course of action to take if (or when) medical debt starts to pile up.
We’d be thrilled to have you join us! You can sign on to express your support for EMDMaryland’s work and receive occasional email updates from the coalition at Join the End Medical Debt Coalition (Individual) – Action Network (actionnetwork.org/forms/join-the-end-medical-debt-coalition-individual).
Interested in getting involved with EMDMaryland or participating in community outreach efforts? Please reach out to Tori Nefflen at torineffs@gmail.com.
Here’s a link to their “Know Your Rights” flyer (PDF): https://ccdems.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/EMDMaryland-Know-Your-Rights-half-page-flyer.pdf
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Allies for Democracy
(aka Allies for PA aka Democracy Dialers)
Grassroots activists in Maryland allied to help flip PA blue in 2020 – now on to activism nationwide.
Questions or comments? Reach them at
alliesforpa@gmail.com or ask to join their google group, Allies for Democracy
They also have a private Facebook Group that you can request to join. Look for “Allies for PA 2020” in Facebook Groups and ask to join.
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Be the Change Bmore
“Be the Change Bmore is a community of people who come together to learn about our city, state and nation — and take action to support progressive causes and candidates.
Be the Change Bmore can help connect you with others who share your passion for social change.” –
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DoTheMostGood — Montgomery County, Maryland
“DoTheMostGood (DTMG) is an activist organization in Montgomery County, Maryland with over 2000 members. We are committed to inclusive, progressive values, and from that foundation we unite like-minded people in action and civic engagement to protect and defend these values in our community and our nation. We offer members, partners and the wider community many vehicles for engaging civically and politically in the issues that resonate with them. We work to foster collaboration and build coalitions with other groups that share our goals.”
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J Walkers Action Group
J Walkers Action Group is a volunteer organization with a mission to elect Democrats through voter contact. We work to build communities of dedicated volunteers, trained leaders and effective partnerships.
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Nationwide Activist Groups
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Indivisible
“WE BEAT TRUMP. NOW, LET’S SAVE DEMOCRACY.
Right now, we are facing the interlocking catastrophes of a rigged democracy, global pandemic, unimaginable and growing wealth inequality, racial injustice, and the escalating impacts of the climate crisis. We’re fighting back. People like you are leading local Indivisible groups in every single state. Be part of history—join the Indivisible movement.
Local groups build and wield power in ways that individuals can’t. To create change, you need the power that comes with working together.”
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Common Cause
“Common Cause wins concrete, pro-democracy reforms that break down barriers to participation, ensure each of us has an equal voice and vote, and rebuild trust in our government.
By empowering people like you to make change, we have an impact in every congressional district and state legislature.”
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Focus 2020
“Focus 2020 fills critical gaps to safeguard our democracy, expand the electorate, and ensure fair elections.
When democracy is on the line, we fund and staff vital grassroots, voting and civic organizations to boost their capacity and deliver results.
Our unconventional approach identifies under-resourced efforts, then puts skilled volunteers to work on high-impact projects. This unique model allows Focus 2020 to execute with a laser focus on what matters most.”
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