In Central-West Maryland, our organizing has focused in the Bishop Garth community, a HUD apartment complex where residents are not only struggling to feed their families but are also living with substandard housing conditions that are causing serious health problems
Our team has been very resilient, committed, and flexible. After each POS, we come together to reflect: What went well? What needs to be modified? How do we ensure all aspects of this action support our mission and align with our Right to Health Campaign? Members are strengthening their leadership skills as they better understand their roles and learn how to do more effective outreach. What started out as a day of teams driving around the county to make individual visits & deliveries has grown into a true member- led community organizing space where relationships are built, stories are shared, and leadership is developed.
We set up a pop up market with fresh & nonperishable food and personal hygiene supplies donated by local merchants and farmers. There’s an area for 1:1 interviews, a Medicaid Mondays photo booth, & activities for children.
This is the work of base-building: connecting our common struggles and organizing around our basic human rights, while developing leaders ready to fight for structural change. Last month, we hosted our first tenant meeting during the POS, introducing our tenant survey and building momentum around the need to organize for long-overdue repairs and accountability. That same day, tenants and United Workers’ members spoke out, and the Carroll County Times published a front page story. The article highlighted the issues with mold, vermin and other neglected repairs that are damaging the health of many of the tenants.
A very critical part of the POS is the follow up visits and conversations that happen in between the market days. Several tenants have started attending team meetings and many have offered to help with tasks at the market. This month we are combining our POS with a Justice Jam at a nearby park. We’re inviting Bishop Garth residents to join us, not just for fun, but to continue building the trust and unity we need to organize, take action, and demand our Right to Health. This is how we build power together.
Written by: Kelley Gordon, Coordinator of Central West Regional Committee