This all day conference united hundreds of successful women in the state who want to stay informed and get involved with the legislative process for issues of concern to them. "We deal with issues that are relevant today," said Catherine Legitt, the wife of Isaiah Legget.
Mimi Hassanein of Emerge Maryland and the Islamic Society of Germantown spoke at the immigration session where the focus was on immigration reform, opportunities and challenges associated with citizenship and integration, family unity and adequate health care.
Congresswoman Donna Edwards of the 4th District said that we live in a country where it is more expensive to send your toddler to childcare than to enroll them in their first year of college at a public university. Getting women to run for office may help change policies that directly affect them. Some other issues discussed were equal pay, paid sick leave and family caregivers.
In Maryland, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is promoting the CARE Act, which helps family caregivers get information and training they need before the person they care for is discharged from the hospital.
According to AARP roughly 3 in 4 people have been caregivers, or they are preparing to be family caregivers. About 770,000 family caregivers in the state of Maryland contribute unpaid care valued at an estimated $8.1 billion. Most family caregivers are women; the average family caregiver is a 49-year-old workingwoman.
"Family caregivers have a huge responsibility, and we can take some common sense steps that would make a world of difference for them. Last year, the law was signed by Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey and Governor Mary Fallin in Oklahoma. And wouldnít it be wonderful if Maryland could be next?" asked the AARP President who spoke at the event, representing the more than 2 million seniors in the state.
The first Women's Legislative Briefing event was held on January 1980. The event that began in Montgomery County has become a statewide event in Maryland.
Participants were shown how a bill is passed through legislature from the first reading to the Governor's desk.
This year the event was co-sponsored by the Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Silver Spring, MD.
"We need to be sure our young women are doing advocacy," said Chandra Walker Holloway, the past president of the commission. "Many of our advocates are aging."
Najma Khan, who heads the Womenís Committee at MCC, was excited about the team of 5 young women ages 11-19 who represented MCC at the two special workshops for teenage girls focusing on leadership, community engagement and social media. The young women learned about the difference between charity, social change and policy making.
Amina Anita Serry, a young Muslim interested in politics, was a vibrant addition to the workshop. She is a student at Montgomery Community College and has been an active participant in YMCA DC Youth & Government, where students debate bills and discuss how they would improve the city if they were in charge.
10-year-old twins from Silver Spring, Nahla and Noura Habona attended with their mother, Haanan Habeb. Sisters Zaynub and Zahrah Siddiqui were inspired to make positive change in their communities as mandated by their religion, they said.
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