Annapolis - On January 9, 2019, Gabriel Acevero, 28, with a raised fist, took the oath of office for Delegate to the Maryland General Assembly choosing to swear in on a copy of James Baldwin's 1963 classic “The Fire Next Time.”
Joining the nationwide wave of millennial progressives assuming elected office at all levels of government, Acevero will be the first openly-gay Afro-Latinx elected to the Maryland General Assembly.
“Who I am and my lived experiences inform the way I advocate for my community. I don't check any of my identities at the door. We're able to formulate sound public policy when those experiences are a part of the decision making process."
A Union organizer with UFCW Local 1994, Acevero was unabashed about his vision as Delegate stating “I plan to pursue a liberation agenda.” “I want to pursue policies that center the needs and amplify the voices of working families and the poor. I intend to support legislation that provides for a living wage, explores the possibility of bringing a universal basic income to the state of Maryland, and eliminates the disparities plaguing our state’s HBCUs.”
Acevero will serve on the House Appropriations Committee whose broad purview includes legislation relating to Maryland state operating and capital budgets, including supplementary appropriations; state and county bond authorizations; collective bargaining; fiscal procedures; higher education institutions; State and local agency procedures and programs; State personnel and pension matters; and social services.
Located in Montgomery County, Maryland, District 39 is one of the most diverse districts in the state of Maryland with over 60% of its residents identifying as of color. District 39 is comprised of Montgomery Village, parts of Germantown, Clarksburg, unincorporated Gaithersburg, and the town of Washington Grove.