PATH April Newsletter
Congratulations PATH! We accomplished several major victories this month and welcomed a new full-time organizer.
Statewide Victories
We achieved 3 major victories in the Maryland state legislature this year!
The legislative session ended on April 8th, and these 3 bills passed with our support:
EmPOWER Reform (HB864)
This bill will protect our families’ health and the climate by reducing indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here.Housing Expansion & Affordability Act (HB538)
This bill will allow and incentivize the construction of affordable housing within 0.75 miles of transit stations, on state land, and on all land owned by congregations or nonprofits.Renters’ Rights & Housing Stabilization Act (HB693)
This bill will provide renters protection from evictions by raising the fee to file evictions and will limit security deposits to one month’s rent.
The fourth bill we supported, Good Cause (formerly “Just Cause”) Eviction, did not pass, but it made it further than it ever has before, and we can consider working on it again next year.
Thank you for all your hard work these past few months to make these victories happen!
Welcome Takeiya Smith
We're thrilled to announce the arrival of our new PATH organizer, Takeiya Smith!
Takeiya's arrival means that PATH will be able to create a greater impact building power and winning campaigns for equity in Howard County.
Takeiya has spent the last 10 years organizing alongside students, parents, educators, and faith leaders to address racial and economic justice at the local, state, and federal level.
Prior to joining PATH, Takeiya was an organizer and executive director of Young West Virginia Forward, a youth-led movement empowering young leaders to be active participants in the systems impacting our daily lives. Takeiya graduated from West Virginia State University, where she began her activism as a student organizer. She is from West Virginia but moved to Laurel, Maryland at age 16, and currently lives in Columbia.
Takeiya is jumping in by meeting with leaders across the organization. We encourage all of you to get in touch with Takeiya to introduce yourself. You can contact her at: smith@pathmaryland.org.
