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According to the Montgomery County Food Plan released in spring 2017, food insecurity – that is, not being sure where your next meal will come from – affects 70,000 people in the County. We have many groups working to provide emergency food and nutrition education to our community members, and these resources are a critical first line of defense. At the same time, a healthy and fair food system that protects people and planet means we have to think of County residents as more than food consumers. We must be actively engaging our community members as farmers, food business owners, and experts on different healthy food cultures from around the world. In a County with so many resources, no one should ever go hungry.
To provide food for all in Montgomery County, we need:
Access to Land for Growing Food
Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve is a treasure in the DC metro area. Our decision to limit development and preserve the rural character of this part of our County not only has wonderful environmental benefits, but also means that we have a unique opportunity to grow local food for our residents. We need to support the continuation of a strong agricultural economy in the County by not only supporting existing farm businesses, but also helping new farm businesses to start and grow. We need to reinvigorate and expand the County's New Farmer Project and provide more support for services that match farmers to farmland owners. And we need to emphasize access to these resources for farmers who face significant barriers to starting their business due to income, race and ethnicity, and language, so that our farm entrepreneurs and the food they produce represent the diversity of our County.
In addition to expanding access to farming in the Agricultural Reserve, we need to promote growing food in more urban areas of the County. County residents should know how they can benefit from the County's zoning laws and urban farming tax credit if they want to grow food on their property. We also need to expand the number of Montgomery Parks community gardens available to residents in order to meet the high demand for urban growing space – and again, we need to make sure that people with low incomes, people of color, and immigrants have equitable access to garden space.
Support for Small Food Entrepreneurs
Farming is just the start of a strong food economy. We also need people who are making, distributing and selling the delicious food they create from raw ingredients. We need better support from agencies in the County for cottage food entrepreneurs – people who want to make safe food products in their homes and sell them at farmers markets and other venues. For food entrepreneurs who want to make a wider range of products or produce at a larger scale, we need resources like the Crossroads Community Food Network's Microenterprise Training Program and Community Kitchen. And we must continue to support the diverse food retail businesses across our County with access to capital, training, and good infrastructure that helps them to thrive and grow.
Culturally Appropriate Food Assistance
In the County's Food Plan, one issue that stands out is the difficulty residents face accessing food assistance services that match their language, cultural diet, and religious restrictions. The County must support food assistance providers to develop materials and programs that will adequately serve immigrant residents, residents with limited English skills, and residents who follow special religious dietary practices. In addition, the County should develop partnerships among health care providers, social service providers, food assistance providers and community advocates to improve cultural competency and knowledge of available resources when it comes to culturally appropriate food.
Integrated Approach to Food
Providing food assistance is an important start to addressing food insecurity – but it is only a start. To truly ensure that we provide food for all in Montgomery County, we need an economy that values its workers and makes sure everyone shares in the benefits of economic development. We need safe, healthy and affordable housing to be available across the County. We need reliable, efficient, convenient and affordable public transportation that covers all the areas of the County that need it. And we need to ensure that everyone who lives and works in our County can do so free from hate, fear, mistreatment, and prejudice. It's not enough to feed hungry people – we have to address what causes them to be hungry in the first place.
Brandy Brooks for County Council At-Large
Brandy Brooks is a progressive candidate running for Montgomery County Council At-Large.
Term limits create opportunities for women to run for Montgomery County Council
"As someone who is a progressive and a Democrat, I am deeply committed to correcting structural injustices," Brooks said. "I'm going to focus on putting a lot more resources toward communities and individuals who have historically been excluded from a lot of the best benefits of our county because of their wealth and income levels, because of their race, their national origin or the first language they speak."
Brandy Brooks Files for County Council
Brandy Brooks, a Democrat, is running for an at-large County Council seat. Brooks filed her campaign paperwork at the Board of Elections offices on Friday.
Brooks is running on a progressive agenda
Brooks is running on a progressive agenda that includes providing better housing for those in need, improving public transport and increasing the wage. She said her run for office was inspired, in part, as a response to Trump's victory, but that she also felt an obligation to show other people of color what was possible – and in doing so create the kind of diversity Sanders addressed in his speech.
A visionary with the chops
I endorse Brandy because she is a visionary with the chops to back her ambition with keen study, observation, and and peerless work ethic. She holds herself and all around her to a standard of integrity that holders and aspirants of higher office would do well to reach for. Brandy is the real deal!
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin
Committed to social and economic justice
I know Brandy from years back, know her for her commitment to social and economic justice, her ability to navigate her way around the 'business as usual' types and she's a great joy in life. Also she is really practical and competent.
Hubert Murray
A community organizer has entered the at-large race
A community organizer has entered the at-large race for the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County Council.
"I'm running because I'm so excited to be working for a Montgomery County that works for all of us," said Brandy H.M. Brooks, 40, of Wheaton. She said the county has abundant resources, which should be equitably shared by all.
I'm so thrilled!
Brandy, I'm so thrilled you are doing something amazing for the people of Montgomery County and running for County Council. I hope you have a great birthday and an amazing year as we build your campaign together!
Aliza Wasserman
Birthday Wishes, Community
Her campaign is focused on "social justice"
Brooks, a progressive activist and organizer, said she is running for County Council At-Large after talking to people in her community. Brooks, originally from Massachusetts and a member of the political advocacy group Progressive Maryland, said her campaign is focused on "social justice" to bring more equity to the County's racial minority groups.
Brandy talks about the issues with WPFW
On Jobs & Raising the Minimum Wage
"Our economy runs on thousands and millions of people in service industry jobs. Our economy requires those people [in service industry] to run… We need to be valuing their labor because they are the foundation of our economy."
On Returning Citizens
"We need to treat people as citizens, as people we want to return into our communities. They need to have things like full voting rights. They need to not encounter barriers when it comes to housing or employment and government services."
On Veterans
"It's not enough to say we treasure you as veterans, we need to put our money and our policy where our mouth is."
I support Brandy for County Council because she has a clear vision. She is dedicated to making positive change and is a systems thinker. Brandy makes connections to address challenges and is proactive in building meaningful relationships. She is exactly the type of progressive candidate we need.
Kacey Wetzel
Four Leftists of Color Share What They've Learned About Politics
If we realized how much power we have, we would flip this table! The power that currently controls both parties is not going to turn over that power to progressives, it's not going to turn over that power to immigrants, it's not going to turn over that power to women of all colors and kinds, without a demand. It's not going to yield itself up without us organizing and requiring that it listens to us.
Montgomery County Candidates Criticize Donald Trump's Response to Charlottesville Protest
Following President Donald Trump's recent statement on a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that left one woman dead and dozens injured, a few Democratic candidates running for the Montgomery County Council and a candidate running for the Maryland House of Delegates, held a news conference early Wednesday to denounce Trump's statement.
During a news conference with reporters held in New York City earlier this week, Trump answered questions about Charlottesville and his response to the rally.
"You had a group on one side that was bad and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent," he said.
Disappointed by his statement and "inability to call out white supremacy," Montgomery County Council At-large candidates Brandy Brooks, Hoan Dang, Danielle Meitiv, and Chris Wilhelm joined District 20 Delegate candidate, Lorig Charkoudian, to criticize the president's statement.
Responsive to the People
I believe Brandy is an excellent example of somebody who will be responsive to the people. She has a lot of community organizing experience and that's exactly the type of person that I want in an elected position. Somebody who is use to listening to the needs of people in the community and taking those needs and creating change with that.
Laurel H.
Community, Volunteer
Candidates Face Off at GCAAR Forum
Seven Montgomery County Council at-large candidates fielded questions from members of three development groups Wednesday, the fourth and last forum for the crowded at-large field.
The candidates largely supported the recordation tax, a levy imposed on the transfer of property. They said the money was needed to fund the capital needs of Montgomery County Public Schools.
They also opposed rent control, though several spoke positively of "rent stabilization."
The organizations that hosted the forum were the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors, the Maryland Building Industry Association and the Apartment and Office Building Association.
The seven candidates were Gabe Albornoz, Shruti Bhatnagar, Brandy Brooks, Hoan Dang, Lorna Phillips Forde, Danielle Meitiv and Councilmember Hans Riemer.
The organizations had hosted four previous forums with most of the 22 other candidates.
Council At-Large Debate Shows Differences in Democrat Candidates
Vibrant education systems, sound transportation and viable infrastructure systems were mentioned as amenities.
Brooks said fees play a role to support public infrastructure associated with new construction, and it's important to make sure the fees are being correctly directed to the projects they are support. She listed code enforcement and green energy programs as examples.
"I don't think that competitiveness as a jurisdiction is just going to be about lowering fees, it's about making sure the fees do what we need for our building stock."
Food and Farm Policy Brings First-Time Candidates to the Campaign Trail
Brandy Brooks learned about urban agriculture through a work project as a form of community design and she was taken with the concept the idea of "growing in the city." She loved the idea of gardens and farms providing food for urban neighborhoods. But she was also interested in the idea that, through food production, "communities that had been facing a lot of disinvestment and discrimination could bring land back under their control."
Local Teachers Union Unveils Endorsements for County Council, Board of Education
"…the MCEA endorsed three non-incumbents from among 33 Democrats vying for four at-large council nominations in this year's primary: activist Brandy Brooks of Wheaton, attorney Will Jawando of Silver Spring, and teacher Chris Wilhelm of Chevy Chase." […]
"In endorsing Brooks for the at-large seat, the MCEA got behind a staff member of Progressive Maryland, which has close ties to a number of local unions. If elected, Brooks and Jawando, who are African-American, could boost minority representation on the nine-person council—whose current makeup includes only two minority group members in a county that is now majority-minority."
Teachers' union endorses some Montgomery council candidates
The Montgomery County Education Association — which issues the influential "Apple Ballot" list of political endorsements — backed several candidates in crowded county council primary races on Thursday but held off making an endorsement for county executive.
The teachers union, which represents about 14,000 educators and specialists, endorsed three candidates among the 38 running for four at-large seats: Democrats Brandy Brooks, Will Jawando and Chris Wilhelm.
Biscuits and Ballots? Food and Politics.
Brandy Brooks has roots in The Food Project, a sustainable agriculture organization in Boston and a food justice nonprofit in D.C, Dreaming Out Loud. Brooks has been a long time champion of local food, sustainability, and food justice and she is bringing all that passion on the campaign trail.
Brandy is The Real Thing
I endorse Brandy Brooks because she speaks about the real issues in the county. She is new to politics, but she knows where the challenges lay and she has constructive ideas & plans for how to address those challenges. She is a genuine, down to earth citizen of this county. She spoke about preserving and honoring our county's history, while embracing our future in a way that is congruent with the values that are so important to us. I honestly believe she is a different kind of candidate, a person I could approach with my concerns and questions. She doesn't skirt the tough questions about transportation and corporate growth in the county; she sinks her teeth in, tells you what she thinks, and then asks for your ideas, too. Brandy represents the real Montgomery County, the everyday people who live here, who run our favorite "mom & pop" businesses, who teach our children, who are making advances in technology, who are researching cures for diseases… Brandy is the real thing.
Deborah Vidmar
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