Mary L. Washington

Born: March 27, 1962
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Gender Identity: Cisgender Woman
Pronouns: She/Her
Sexual Orientation: Lesbian
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: African American
Profession: Politician, Educator, Advocate
Years Active: 1990s to present
Associated With: Maryland General Assembly, Baltimore LGBTQ+ community

Overview

Mary L. Washington, Ph.D., is an American sociologist and state senator known for her groundbreaking leadership as the first openly LGBTQ+ Black person elected to the Maryland General Assembly. A progressive policy expert and advocate for equity, she represents District 43, spanning both Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Washington focuses on education, environmental sustainability, housing justice, youth services, and LGBTQ+ rights, advancing legislation that centers historically marginalized communities.

Early Life and Education

Washington was born on May 20, 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the oldest of six children. She graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and earned her B.A. in human services from Antioch University in 1989. She moved to Baltimore in 1992 and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Johns Hopkins University, where her dissertation analyzed the role of the U.S. Census in shaping national identity.

Career

Washington’s extensive public service has evolved across academic, nonprofit, and legislative spaces. Her early career includes serving as an assistant professor at Lehigh University and a research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. In Baltimore, she took on roles at the Housing Authority, Parks and People Foundation, and Maryland Institute College of Art.

First elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2010, she served until 2019 before transitioning to the Maryland Senate. There, she has emerged as a leader across committees, including her current post as Chair of the Baltimore City Senate Delegation and the Education Subcommittee. She has been an integral figure in the new Education, Energy, and Environment Committee (E3), leading on numerous landmark bills.

Washington’s End-of-Session letters are deeply detailed, providing transparency on policy work in areas such as health equity, environmental conservation, community safety, renters’ rights, and education funding. She has regularly tackled contentious legislation, often acting as floor leader and principal negotiator.

Her work has been especially critical during periods of fiscal realignment and federal disruption, offering stabilizing leadership during events like the Back River water treatment controversy and Port of Baltimore recovery planning.

Legislative Work and Political Positions

Washington has maintained a progressive platform emphasizing justice, transparency, and empowerment. Her recent and ongoing work includes:

Education Reform: Reworking and leading education legislation under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future; co-leading on service year pathways and ending corporal punishment in schools.
Environmental Action: Forest conservation, tree planting, clean truck adoption, and opposition to privatization of water utilities.
Public Health & Equity: Trans Health Equity Act, reproductive care protection bills, and funding for crisis centers and Medicaid expansions.
Cannabis & Criminal Justice: Frameworks for equitable cannabis markets, community reinvestment, and ending solitary confinement via the Maryland Mandela Act.
Housing & Infrastructure: Renters’ rights, ADU zoning reform, housing trust expansion, and resistance to displacement.
Gun Safety: Advocating for child safety, red flag law expansion, and limits on public carry.
Election & Consumer Protection: Authoring ballot access, voter protections, and third-party energy sales regulations.
Social Work Equity: SB871 and SB872 led to SB145, establishing a pathway for licensure reform and exam equity in the field of social work.

Activism

Washington has consistently championed inclusion in government, education, and healthcare. Her support for Palestine, racial reparations, trans rights, and youth services mark her as a legislator who leads with conscience and coalition. Her voice continues to be prominent in both the legislative process and in public-facing community organizing.

Writing

In addition to her academic dissertation and policy reports, Washington’s extensive legislative correspondence and session letters provide a living archive of civic engagement, reflecting a commitment to accessibility and public record.

Positions and Affiliations

Assistant Professor, Lehigh University (1995–2000)
Research Fellow, University of Pennsylvania (2000)
Director, HousingStat Office, Baltimore Housing Authority (2002–2005)
Interim Director, Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (2005)
Adjunct Faculty, Maryland Institute College of Art (2006–2008)
Associate Director, Parks and People Foundation (2008–)
President, Abell Improvement Association (2003–2005)
Maryland House of Delegates (2011–2019)
Maryland State Senate (2019–present)
Chair, Baltimore City Senate Delegation (2025–present)
Chair, Education Subcommittee, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee
Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (2023–)
Member, Joint Committee on the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area (2020–present)
Legislative Black Caucus (Financial Secretary & Historian, 2022–2024)
Member, Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus (2021–present)
Member, Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus (2022–present)
Member, Women Legislators of Maryland
Delegate to Democratic National Conventions (2012, 2020)
Elder, First & Franklin Presbyterian Church (2002–2005)

Themes and Styles

Intersectional public health and justice policy
Equity-based legislative design
Black feminist civic framework
Emphasis on community voice and transparency
Regional revitalization and reinvestment

Selected Quotes

“I carry the voices of Black people, queer people, poor people, and working people into the rooms where decisions are made.”
“We cannot legislate equity without listening to those furthest from power.”
“Justice is not inevitable. It’s something we build together.”

Honors and Recognition

Human Rights Campaign Legislative Leadership Award
The Advocate’s “Champions of Pride” honoree
Baltimore Magazine “Top Influential Women”
Recognized for environmental stewardship, education equity, and LGBTQ+ policy leadership

Legacy

Mary L. Washington has reshaped Maryland’s political landscape with a legacy rooted in courage, intellect, and integrity. As a Black lesbian scholar-legislator, she has modeled a politics of care and action that reflects the needs of the people over power structures. Her policy footprints are embedded in Maryland’s housing justice, education reform, public health expansion, and environmental sustainability.

Jack of All Arts