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The Power of the Purse With Brooke Lierman

Brooke Lierman always carries her purse. It’s a beautifully designed classic, my old lady, Colleen tells me. It suits her very well. And since the power of the purse is one of the responsibilities of the Comptroller of Maryland, it’s a perfect fit. I had asked Brooke a while back to get together with me to talk about running for Comptroller of Maryland. She said, “Sure, Robert!” That meant a lot to me, given that her time is so valuable leading up to Election Day. She’s running against one person, Tim Adams, in the Democratic primary. The election is set for … Read more

Diane Penkova Fink Helps Maryland Women Emerge

I was sitting at a table for two at The Turn House in Hobbit’s Glen when I saw a woman in a blue dress approaching my table out of the corner of my eye. I knew from her dress–Democratic blue–that it was Diane Penkova Fink, the Executive Director (ED) of Emerge Maryland. “Hi, Colleen!” she said. I got up and we hugged. Emerge is, as its website states, an organization with a threefold mission: 1. Finding Democratic women who should run for office and get them into a training program. 2. Training Democratic women in the cutting-edge campaign tools they … Read more

Say It Loud, Say It Proud: The Latest on HoCo Pride 2021!

Something a childhood friend who was gay and died by suicide once said to me feels like a stab in the heart every time I think of it. Bruce was weeping and fell onto my shoulder for support. “I just wish I had a community. You and Colleeen are the best friends I could ask for, Robert, but you’re not gay. I need a gay community.” I felt so helpless, because I had no idea where one was, where I could tell him he could find one. I imagined if, as a Jewish person, I knew not a single Jewish … Read more

Jess Feldmark and Her Legislative Spark

I texted back and forth with Delegate Jessica Feldmark’s (D-12) legislative aide, Katie Mettle, for a couple of days to arrive at the right time and place to interview Jessica. We committed to the lakefront in downtown Columbia. Jessica, it turns out, like any good community member/leader, keeps COVID-19 prevention methods at the fore of her mind. So we met up not only outside, but in our masks and six feet apart. We both brought blankets to sit on and food to eat (we never got to the food, as we were so engrossed in a relaxed but heartfelt conversation … Read more

Solving Puzzles With Dr. Zaneb Beams

It’s a Puzzle Because I know the Beams family so well at this point–they’ve become dear to RoCo’s heart over the last three years–I knew I could let myself into their house. I turned the knob of the garage door and stuck my neck in with some sense of hesitancy, so as not to act like I was entitled to come in, no matter how close we’ve become. Dr. Zaneb Beams was standing at the kitchen counter with one hand on top of a blender. She was getting ready to make a green smoothie, which are some of her favorite … Read more