Good Trouble in Southern Maryland

Fighting tyranny with new friends

When a woman named Shelly stepped in to lead a TroubleNation group called Good Trouble in Southern Maryland, the group was small and inactive. But within six months, with help from her co-leaders Rebecca and Laura, they’ve grown their group to more than 270 members!

The group’s mission is to host local protests and rallies in three counties in Southern Maryland: Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert. They’ve been partnering with grassroots organizations like Indivisible, PFLAG, and Candle. The three counties in question may lean conservative, but through their visibility events, Good Trouble in Southern Maryland has found hundreds of neighbors who share their values.

“Our group's ability to bring in diverse membership and reach out to other grassroots organizations is something we are particularly proud of,” says Shelly.

One of the group’s biggest events was its No Kings Day Rally, with about 300 people attending in each of five locations. They stood up for public education by protesting at the Calvert County Board of Education, which has a MAGA agenda and has eliminated anti-racism language and safe space stickers from the policies and schools. Next for this group are protests on September 1 at five locations to support unions and workers.

They say their work has been inspired by this quote from Timothy Snyder:

“Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on the screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Make new friends and march with them." (On Tyranny)

We are so proud of Shelly, Rebecca, Laura, and their group. They’re showing up, making their voices heard, and gaining new friends in the process. You can learn more about TroubleNation — and even start your own group — here.