This episode of the MD Dems features Delegates Stephanie Smith (D-45) and Jheanelle Wilkins (D-20) who joined Arinze to talk about their work preparing Maryland for the 2020 Census. Del. Wilkins discusses her connection to the census through her lived experience as an immigrant (8:22). Del. Smith then talks about her work overcoming the challenges of connecting her community to the digital resources necessary for a complete count in Baltimore (10:40). She explains that Census 2020 will be the first time residents can complete the survey online. The trio discuss the importance of the nearly $1 million in census funding that had yet to be released by the Hogan administration for education and promotion efforts focused on the census (13:45) [Note: This episode was recorded two days before Hogan was eventually pressured into releasing the funds]. Dels. Smith and Wilkins breakdown the local struggle to push ALL residents to participate in the census, despite the fear-mongering and villainization of immigrants taking place in federal politics (19:00). Arinze segues the conversation into a discussion on Candace Owens’ (a prominent black conservative voice) viral comments during a panel at P. Diddy’s 2019 Revolt Summit. According to Owens, the biggest threat to black America is illegal immigration and cities like Baltimore’s inability to educate its children (23:45). Del. Smith talks shares her experience as a mother of a child attending a Baltimore City public school and talks about the significance of Hogan’s disingenuous engagement in Maryland’s attempts to upgrade its education systems – specifically in the ongoing HBCU lawsuit and the Kirwan Commission’s efforts to dramatically improve K-12 education (32:00). The conversation wraps with an important discussion about “having a seat at the table” as women and women of color who will serve under Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-10) —who is Maryland’s first ever woman, and first ever African-American Speaker of the House of Delegates (42:00). The Delegates discuss the types of bills women legislators bring to the general assembly such as economic justice, women’s rights, and maternal deaths—which is an issue that nearly claimed the lives of Serena Williams and Beyonce (50:25). Finally, the two share the challenges of running for office as a woman and what they did to overcome those obstacles (57:00).