Steven Ellis

843.20sc

Baltimore City Green Party 2021 Accomplishments and Reflections

The Baltimore City Green Party (BGP) recognizes the grimness of 2021, but also its vibrant solidarity. As we look forward to the work that lies ahead in 2022, we reflect on our Local Party’s many successes last year as well as those of our members.

Coming off the top two election cycles in the Local’s history, the Baltimore City Green Party launched an ambitious 5-point, 5-year policy and organizing vision for Baltimore City, “Accountable Day 1.” We also accomplished the following: 

  • BGP maintained its status as a local ballot access party during a pandemic while the other two ballot access parties on the left in Maryland folded or went dormant after the 2020 election.
  • BGP continued to add new and returning registered voters following regaining ballot access in 2020 during a pandemic.
  • BGP and its members influenced a range of policies at the municipal and state levels.
  • Using BGP’s locally empowering, bottom-up, grassroots member dues structure adopted in 2017, the Local amassed the largest and most sustainable treasury in its history heading into the pivotal 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
  • BGP never wavered in the Local’s safety first, socially distanced organizing model, while purchasing multiple tools such as Zoom Pro, an enhanced NationBuilder account, Redbubble, and Action Network to strengthen virtual community and organizing.
  • BGP and its members continued to earn press coverage in an off-year due to the Local’s relentless organizing and advocacy.
  • BGP held a transparent and smooth internal Steering Committee election.
  • BGP used democratic processes to innovate and clarify various aspects of the Local’s Bylaws.
  • BGP launched a speaker series featuring voices and perspectives too often shut out of the progressive mainstream, such as Dr. Lawrence Brown, Lawrence Grandpre, and Dr. Margaret Flowers.
  • BGP and its members organized and showed up in solidarity for numerous rallies, actions, protests, and hearings, presenting a consistent left alternative to the corporate-funded parties.

In 2022, our city and planet face many challenges. Building political power in the U.S. outside the corporate-funded political parties continues to be an essential means of meeting those challenges to realize a more just, peaceful, sustainable, and democratic society.