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August 22, 2006
Black Lesbian Running for the House of Delegates in Maryland
Given the high profile U.S. Senate races in Maryland, where former U.S. Rep. and former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and Black Republican Lt. Governor Michael Steele are running for office, races like Mary Washington’s can escape under the radar unnoticed.
Mary Washington is a Black lesbian running for the House of Delegates in Maryland’s 43rd District, which includes Baltimore and is for the most part a Black district with Blacks accounting for over 66% of the population.
She decided to run for office after realizing that there was no one running that was speaking to the concerns of everyday people in the district like healthcare, education, clean neighborhoods, labor, and senior issues.
“I didn’t feel that those voices were out there,” she says. “There comes a time when every generation has to take responsibility for their community and at 44, I felt like this was my opportunity.”
Mary is the eldest of six children and a Ph.D. graduate of Johns Hopkins University.
For Mary, the fact that she was a lesbian wasn’t an issue.
“I forgot my sexuality wasn’t part of the equation,” Mary explains. “Fortunately for me, there was already a lesbian incumbent so we had already crossed that bridge, so to speak. In terms of my being a lesbian, my concern was that I would be expected to address only gay issues and I didn’t want that because while I am gay, that’s only a part of who I am and not all of who I am.”
Mary says that she’s concerned about a myriad of issues facing her prospective constituents in Maryland. She points to the rate of incarceration of Black males, high drop out rate, and under-employment as some of those issues.
So what can you do to help Mary become Maryland’s first elected Black lesbian?
During our conversation, Mary recalled how she went up to Philadelphia to campaign for Kerry in 04’.
“That’s the type of support that I need right now. Come Election Day, I am going to need bodies to help me get out there and get the votes.”
If you’re in the Baltimore area and you’d like to volunteer to work on Mary’s campaign, please visit her website by clicking here. In addition, there’s always the need for financial assistance when you’re running a campaign. Through Mary’s website you can make a financial contribution in any amount to support her bid for office.
It’s important that Black people, regardless of sexual orientation, develop a sense of political philanthropy that supports viable Black candidates. Mary Washington is one of those candidates. It’s not every day an out Black lesbian runs for office and so no matter what state you are in, I think it’s important that we support her so that in the future we can see more Black women like her running for office.
Play Your Role - Make A Contribution
Website - www.electmarywashington.com
or send checks to
People Uniting to Elect Mary Washington
c/o Michael Treadway
3026 Abell Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21218
Posted by Jasmyne at August 22, 2006 01:14 PM
