Maryland politicians were among the thousands who headed to Washington, D.C. this week for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 52nd legislative conference.
Rep. Glenn Ivey, second from right, hosted a panel discussion Sept. 22, 2023, at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s legislative conference in Washington, D.C. Others on stage from left to right: Adrienne Trimble, Ron Busby Sr., Isabel Guzman and Don Cravins Jr. Photo by William J. Ford.
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Maryland politicians were among the thousands who headed to Washington, D.C. this week for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 52nd legislative conference.
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) hosted a panel discussion on how this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action could effect Black-owned businesses.
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Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D) served as a panelist with a focus on how to showcase “Black boy and men joy,” even though they continue to face higher rates of incarceration, health disparities and learning loss in the classroom.
Although Jawando isn’t a member of Congress, he’s attended several conferences as an intern on Capitol Hill and while working as an aide with then-Sen. Barack Obama.
“This is always a really important time of year where we come together [alongside] people who are practicing policy, forming it, writing about it and talking about how they can improve the quality of life of Black people, which is going to improve the quality of life in America,” he said in a brief interview about five minutes before his panel session. “Some of the best ideas that are used at the local, state and federal level come out of the CBC conference.”
Jawando is currently seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate to replace longtime Sen. Ben Cardin (D). He joined five other Black men that included Jabari Banks, an actor in the Peacock series “Bel-Air,” a reboot of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” sitcom that starred Will Smith.
Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D), second from left, speaks on a panel Sept. 22, 2023, at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s legislative conference in Washington, D.C. Also seated on stage from left to right: Shaun R. Harper, Kwame Mbalia, Joseph E. Marshall Jr., Jabari Banks and Ty Hobson-Powell. (William J. Ford)
The panel was part of the Black Caucus Foundation’s national race equity initiative with a focus on improving the lives of Black boys.
One policy Jawando said county and state officials should fund is training, hiring and retaining Black male teachers.
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According to the National Teacher and Principal Survey, about 6% of public schoolteachers in the 2020-2021 school year were Black. Less than 2% were Black men.
“In my entire matriculation from prekindergarten through law school, I had one Black male teacher,” Jawando said. “We need to be increasing the number of Black male teachers.”
Affirmative action and business
Ivey, who took office eight months ago, is one of 58 members of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 118th Congress.
He hosted a panel discussion Friday morning titled “Black Businesses: The Fight to Save Black Businesses from Attacks in the Courts.”
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In June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down use of affirmative action in college admissions. Some businesses are now being targeted and encouraged not to hire employees based on race or ethnicity.
One of the main themes stated Friday: diversity, equity and inclusion, also labeled as DEI, policies are “under attack” by some federal, state and local lawmakers and private companies.
“This may be one of the biggest moments that minority businesses face in the history of the United States. Now is the time for us to stand up and be heard on this,” Ivey said.
He said business leaders and consumers should urge state attorneys general to affirm that DEI policies are vital to a company’s success.
However, it will depend on where a person lives.
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A few weeks after the Supreme Court decision, 13 Republican state attorneys general wrote a letter to the CEOs of the biggest 100 companies in the nation “to remind you of your obligations as an employer under federal and state law to refrain from discriminating on the basis of race, whether under the label of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ or otherwise.”
Less than a week later, 20 Democratic attorneys general, including Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, wrote to those same companies. They said the Republican letter had a “tone of intimidation.”
“As the chief legal officers of our states, we recognize the many benefits of a diverse population, business community, and workforce, and share a commitment to expanding opportunity for all,” the Democratic officials wrote. “We applaud the Fortune 100 for your collective efforts to address historic inequities, increase workplace diversity, and create inclusive environments.”
Adrienne Trimble, vice president and chief diversity officer of Sysco Corp. who served on the panel, said another voice is missing.
“Some of these CEOs are getting cold feet. They are afraid to say or do the wrong thing,” she said. “Some of their positions is always to keep both sides of the aisle satisfied. You have to pick a side and I’m hoping the side they will be on is making sure that we remain committed to diversity, equity and inclusion because it is better for business.”
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This article was written by WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters and republished with permission. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.
The Michigan State Spartans under head coach Jonathan Smith are 2-0 thanks to a road win against a tough Maryland team, 27-24.
Resilience might be the word to describe this squad so far. The Spartans made some big blunders against the Terrapins and still found a way to battle back. The gritty performance might have been enough to get the Spartans into a bowl game.
Here are three takeaways from the Spartans’ win.
Aidan Chiles: Very Young, Very Talented
Chiles looked vastly improved from the home opener against Florida Atlantic. Again, he looked like an 18-year-old quarterback.
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Chiles got not just his first passing touchdown as a Spartan, but three passing touchdowns to go with 24 of 39 passing and 363 yards. He also had three interceptions, which very nearly cost the Spartans the game.
Chiles has about as strong an arm as any quarterback to wear the green and white in recent memory. He is dangerous when he is on the move.
Perhaps a critique is that he should try to make more plays with his legs, he has seemed cautious to these first two games. The first pass rusher to get to Chiles likely won’t bring him down — Chiles has a great feel for the pocket and he is quite slippery.
Chiles overcame some poor mistakes and throwing mechanics (his feet tend to get wide and it factors into his overthrows) to lead the Spartans in the most critical of situations against a sturdy Maryland defense.
Huge game for Chiles, who showed why the hype was so promising.
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Can the Spartans Stay Healthy on Defense?
Already, this Spartans squad is beaten up. Dillon Tatum, a key defensive back, lost for the season. Wide receiver Alante Brown, whose injury allowed for Nick Marsh to announce himself to the world, lost for the foreseeable future. Kristian Phillips at guard was huge.
During the Maryland game, several Spartans were beat up. Few even had to go into the tent on the sideline. It will be crucial for the Spartans to remain healthy, especially on defense. Most especially in the defensive backfield.
The Spartans are very confident in their young defensive backs — Justin Denson Jr., Andrew Brinson IV, and Jaylen Thompson can all be very good players, but they need more time to develop.
If more Spartans fall to injury, the defensive backfield could get very young.
Nick Marsh is the Real Deal
Marsh was the recruiting gem of 2024, the best player in a class with plenty of good talent. A highly-rated four-star, Marsh was the No. 107-ranked player in the class by 247Sports. Marsh, of course, stood out in fall camp like the high-profile recruit he was.
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6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Marsh already had a man’s body. At just 18 years old.
“Possesses the size, athleticism, and multi-sport profile that projects very well in the long term,” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks wrote. “Traitsy mismatch wideout with high-major impact potential and the ceiling to develop into an NFL Draft candidate.”
With the loss of Brown, Marsh was asked to step up. Step up he did — eight receptions for 194 receiving yards and a touchdown. Wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins might have his next in the line of Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman.
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The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will provide an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
More money is on the way for a home-visiting health care program designed to provide better care for pregnant women, new parents and infants.
The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
The extra money is the first time in a decade that the program has received an increase in federal funds, HRSA administrator Carol Johnson said.
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“What those resources mean is that we’re able to support nurses, social workers and trained home visitors, and help with those early days of being a new parent,” Johnson said. “All of this has been shown to really make a difference in kids’ outcomes. Kids are so much stronger because they get these kinds of supports.”
Johnson said the program’s success hinges on convenient health visits in a comfortable at-home setting.
“When you’re a new parent, if you have to take off from work and take a few buses to get to an appointment, you’re probably not going to do it,” she said. “But if that person comes to your house and they’re full of resources and knowledge, it’s going to make a huge difference to you.”
Rockville, Maryland-based HRSA spearheads the national program, teaming up with local health organizations to target and reach parents.
Home health care workers can provide breastfeeding support, safe sleep tips and developmental screening for babies. They can even help parents find key services like affordable child care or job and educational opportunities.
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“It’s changed my life,” past program participant Fatima Ray said.
Ray said she was introduced to the program in 2015 when she needed help with her infant daughter. She and her husband were first-time parents and stumbled through the first few months with a newborn.
“It felt good, like I had someone on my team,” Ray said. “Those questions you forget to ask the doctor sometimes, she would answer them.”
The experience impressed Ray so much that she became a home health visitor. She is the maternal health coordinator at Primo Center, a homeless shelter for families in Chicago.
“The same care that was given to me, I just want to pass it on,” Ray told WTOP. “I know how much it made a difference in my life. Home visiting matters.”
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President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation in 2022 that doubles funding for the program over five years. The move was part of a campaign promise to lower risks linked to pregnancy and improve maternal health, especially among women in rural, tribal and low-income communities.
The national home visiting program will receive $440 million Maryland’s local programs will get $10 million of those funds. Virginia is slated to receive $11 million and D.C.’s home visiting programs will see a $2.5 million increase.
“This will push home visiting forward a lot more,” Ray said. “It’s just going to help tremendously.”
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Michigan State won a big time road game over Maryland, improving their record to 2-0, and giving head coach Jonathan Smith his first Big Ten conference victory as the head man of the Spartans.
A big part of that win was the connection between Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh, and more specifically their 77-yard touchdown connection tying the game 24-24 late in the fourth quarter.
Chiles and Marsh spoke to the media after the team’s win, which you can watch via Spartan Mag on YouTube:
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