About US
Economic Action Maryland is a statewide, nonpartisan organization that uses political action and education to expand economic rights and equity, advance housing justice, and reinvest in formerly redlined communities.
Economic Action Maryland endorses and elects candidates who support our economic and equity agenda and holds elected officials accountable through legislative scorecards and advocacy.
What We Do
For the past two decades our sister organization, Economic Action Maryland Fund has led first in the nation legislative advocacy to regulate for-profit colleges, end modern-day debtors prisons, pass the strongest protections for patients with medical debt in the country and more.
Now, Economic Action Maryland will use political action and education as new tools to deepen and expand economic rights and equity in Maryland. We will be developing legislative scorecards to hold elected officials accountable for their votes which affect working families and low-income households. We will also be endorsing and electing candidates for office that share our commitment expanding economic rights and equity.
Why We Do It
Economic security is critical for families to thrive. Yet too many families in Maryland are one unexpected crisis-a death, divorce, unexpected home repair, medical emergency-away from financial ruin. While wages, including minimum wage have increased, other costs have risen as well and many families are struggling to make ends meet. We need to expand economic rights for households both by increasing access to resources as well as by decreasing debt, eliminating policies that criminalize poverty, and developing ways for families to repay debts with dignity. We are working to build a Maryland where everyone has stronger economic protections and access to affordable, sustainable housing, particularly Black and Brown residents who have lived in formerly redlined communities.
Kristen Harbeson joined Maryland LCV in 2015 after five years as senior staff to Chairman Maggie McIntosh. During her tenure with the legislature, she worked for the Environmental Matters Committee. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College in 1996, Kristen spent a year in Paris before graduating with a master’s degree in history and museum studies from the University of Delaware in 2000. Her lifelong passion for politics and policy, however, led her to shift to advocacy work, first at Preservation Maryland and then the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.
Ricarra Jones has a stellar track record of raising awareness for a multitude of social and economic issues through education, advocacy, and action. She is currently a Political Director at 1199 Service Employees International Union where she has directed a plethora of political and issue based campaigns including but not limited to Labor, Economic Justice, Healthcare and Racial & Gender Equality. Her creative strategies further develop social programs, manage projects and secure partnerships with a goal of increasing exposure and seizing opportunities, enabling organizational objectives to be met. Her career is supported by a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Art in Political Science.
Jennifer Bevan-Dangel has worked as a lobbyist and nonprofit advocate at the state and local levels since 2005, when she graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law. Her passion for advocacy started when she was young and her mother took her to a rally at the state house, and has taken her as far as The Hague, Netherlands, where she participated as a youth climate activist with Greenpeace International. Her career has been devoted to public service, working on issues including land use, clean water, good government, youth justice, health, and animal welfare. Her family includes twin daughters and an assortment of rescue dogs and farm animals.
Diana Philip is a seasoned systems advocate focused on protecting and advancing civil liberties and human rights through policy reform, legislation, and impact litigation. With a passion for progressive and controversial issues, she has served in a variety of roles within movement work, such as regional director at ACLU of Texas, project director at the Texas Advocacy Project (gender-based violence), founding director of Jane’s Due Process (youth rights), policy director at FreeState Legal (LGBTQ rights), and executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland. During her tenure at MD NARAL, Philip and her staff helped launched various coalitions and workgroups while developing 13 proactive pieces of legislation (eight passing into law) and submitting testimony on an average of 75 bills each year during the Maryland General Assembly (labor, education, environment, criminal justice, poverty, and other intersecting issues). In addition to having served as a founding board member of the Baltimore Abortion Fund, Philip currently serves on the boards of MOMCares, Skatepark of Baltimore, Corner Team, and FreeState Justice. She started her consulting firm, DMP Advocacy, LLC in 2023, serving clients engaged in policy reform efforts, such as reproductive freedom, consumer protection, voting rights, and child welfare advocacy.
Jocelyn Collins brings extensive experience in government relations, legislative affairs, communications, and campaign work at local, state, and federal levels, including for the Democratic National Committee. Before joining Public Policy Partners, she served as Associate Director of Legislative Affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, advocating for health finance, workforce, privacy, maternal health, and health equity policies. She also directed government relations for Delaware, Maryland, and Washington D.C. at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.Join Us
Economic Action Maryland uses political action and education to fight for economic rights, equity, and housing justice for everyone in Maryland.
We work during the general assembly session to pass strong economic rights, equity, and housing justice legislation and advance policies that disparately impact Black and Brown communities that are unduly burdened. We engage equity-minded voters throughout the state on Election Day and beyond to hold elected officials accountable for meaningful action to address the needs of low-income and working families across the state.
Economic Action Maryland is building a movement for change. The current economic system works for the few at the expense of the many. Join us in expanding economic rights and equity across the state.
