I’ve had a challenging (and tiring!) year on many fronts. It has been hard watching the Trump administration threaten the things we value: our clean air and water, healthy communities, and the foundations of democracy.
At the same time, I welcomed a new baby in June and am inspired by all of the new people I see getting involved the issues I care about. Here at Maryland LCV, we accomplished so much in 2017– including increasing our state’s renewable energy goals and banning fracking.
We could not have done that without the voices of our long time supporters and new supporters alike. I’ve also been so energized by all of our donors who are increasing their investment in our work. We’ve all realized it’s time to double down on our efforts if we want to protect our environment for our kids and grandkids to enjoy.
The environment has been a top priority for me in every election I’ve voted in since 2000, when I turned 18. Growing up in Michigan I spent a lot of time outdoors, especially enjoying Lake Michigan during the warm months. Now that I call Maryland home, I’ve been working since 2010 to help elect pro-conservation candidates. I spent many years working directly on campaigns until my position became available at Maryland LCV.
One of the things I love most about the Conservation Voters Movement is being connected to a national group in Washington, D.C. that works on federal issues, so we can really dig in and focus on state and local issues. I also love being a part of a network of over 30 other state leagues, including the one doing great work back where I grew up and where much of my family still live.
Even though it can be easy to lose hope when we look at federal rollbacks of environmental protections I am here to tell you we are making progress in Maryland and we are just getting started. Our movement is growing stronger every day as Marylanders overwhelmingly support protecting our water, land and air.
We are already making big plans for 2018. Please give generously so we can continue our important work. Thank you so much for all you do.
I look forward to working with you in 2018,
Karen Doory, Development Director
Maryland LCV