Thankful for my 45th District Neighbors

November 2019

Dear Friends and Neighbors: 

Happy Thanksgiving! It is my hope that each of you will have the chance to spend time with family and friends over the next few days, and to reflect on the blessings the year has brought. One of the great pleasures of the Thanksgiving holiday is that we are given an additional occasion to think about what (and who) we are thankful for. This month in particular, I have had a lot of time to speak with neighbors in the 45th District on matters ranging from education to public safety to community improvements. All along the way, I was reminded of how grateful I am to serve residents who are so invested in their community.

Additionally, I am thankful to the Family League of Baltimore for recognizing me with their “Civic Leadership Award” at the organization’s annual celebration this month. It was humbling to share the room with so many advocates for our youth whose work I have admired for a long time. The Family League’s work and commitment is yet another thing to be thankful for.

Focusing on the 45th
Earlier this month, I shared my decision not to run for the vacancy in Congress that opened up after the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings. Though it was an honor for my name to be mentioned alongside so many other qualified individuals, I determined that the best course of action is to devote my full energy to the Maryland Senate. You can read my full statement here.

The State of Our Schools
For this year’s “State of Our Schools” forum, we were joined by Dr. William “Brit” Kirwan (Chairman of the “Kirwan Commission” and former Chancellor of the University System of Maryland), Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises (CEO of Baltimore City Schools), and Frank Patinella (Senior Education Advocate for the ACLU of Maryland). In addition to learning more about upcoming legislation that will impact our young people for years to come, the parents, teachers, principals, business leaders, and students who joined us were able to voice their opinions on our state’s most pressing educational issues. Thank you to everyone who came out. You can read more about the forum in the AFRO.

Making Our Neighborhoods Safer
I joined Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, Councilwoman Shannon Sneed, and the Baltimore State’s Attorney Office at the Eastern District police precinct to discuss the multiple homicides that have taken place on Biddle Street in recent weeks. Those in attendance had the opportunity to hear directly from BPD command staff on the actions they are taking to make our streets safer.

One Last Thing…
Before we head into the 2020 legislative session, #TeamMcCray is hosting a community fundraiser on Wednesday, December 11. For $20.20, you can purchase a ticket to the event and support our efforts to create a safer and more equitable Baltimore. The event will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at “Open Works,” which is located at 1400 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Tickets can be purchased here. You can also RSVP on Facebook here.

Listening. Learning. Leading.

Cory McCray
Senator, 45th Legislative District