What if there were a class of pesticide that in study after study was linked with dramatic die-off of birds and other pollinators as well as systemic impacts in the ecosystem.

The data is in on a class of pesticides called Nicotinoids detailing their pervasive harm to 100 million acres in the US each year - what has not been extensively studied is whether these pesticides actually are even effective for their intended use. All the irrevocable harm - where is the benefit?

MCA is proud to join Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the American Bird Conservancy along with many other organizations to urge the EPA to to discard a 1984 regulatory waiver that allowed companies to register pesticides without first submitting “efficacy” data showing that the product actually provides claimed benefits. Instead of requiring data on the costs versus the benefits of a pesticide application, the Reagan-era EPA simply formally declared: “rather than require efficacy data the Agency presumes that benefits exceed risks”.

Press from Environmental Health News
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Press Release and Petition here

​Together we are growing the next generation of farmers who are in turn growing a stronger food system. Here is a direct way to invest in viable farms and hunger relief efforts in Montgomery County. ​

The application will remain open until March 24 2023. Learn More and Apply Here. 

Candlelight Concert Featuring Desiree Jordan
February 11th, 7:00 pm from the Sandy Spring Slave Museum
Come with your "boo" or meet your future "boo" at an intimate candlelight concert featuring local artist Desiree Jordan. Ticketed.

Unshakable: The Rise of Newmantown at the Agricultural History Farm Park
Every Friday and Saturday in February 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
The exhibit “Unshakable” explores the history of Albert and Mary Newman, freedmen who emigrated in 1862 from Virginia to Montgomery County, Md., and became landowning farmers despite unprecedented circumstances. Albert and Mary Newman, and their children, built a thriving African American kinship community known as “Newmantown,” located on the grounds of the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood. The exhibit showcases photographs, documents, family mementos, local history, and rarely seen artifacts excavated from the site. Free.

Timothy Hodges Presents Captain Robert Smalls
February 12th, 2:00 – 3:00 pm at the Sandy Spring Slave Museum
Smalls’ daring escape from slavery using a Confederate ship that he commandeered captivated the nation and inspired many in the Union to push for Emancipation. Smalls’ ability to pilot a Confederate naval vessel through the harbor defenses of Charleston, SC in may 1862 helped to convince President Lincoln and others that African Americans should be given the opportunity to fight with Union forces. Smalls would go on to command Union naval vessels during the Civil War and become an influential U.S. Congressman. Ticketed.

Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown’s Army
February 14th, 2:00 pm Virtual Event from Montgomery History
More than 163 years later, John Brown's October 1859 ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry to seize its federal arsenal and incite a slave rebellion is well known. Less known are the stories of five African Americans who joined with him. Their sacrifice continues to resonate, as the legacy of slavery, America's original sin, remains. Author Eugene L. Meyer tells us of the world in which they were born, lived and died, and of the aftermath, as the struggle for racial justice and equality rages on in 2023. Free.

History Happy Hour: Martin Luther King’s Vision of Democracy
February 17th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm from the Sandy Spring Museum
Racial integration and interracial harmony were important, but structural inequality formed the root and branch of a broken America. Dr. Quincy Mills, historian at the University of Maryland, College Park, will discuss King’s ideas on the importance of economic security in American democracy. The problems, in fact, rested with the core beliefs in liberal democracy, which King believed needed to be restructured to arrive at any sense of humanity. To learn more about the museum click here. Ticketed.
 
Black History: A Living Resistance in Dance & Music
February 18th, 1:00 pm at the Aspen Hill Library from the Sandy Spring Slave Museum
Experience how dance and movement from the African and African-American perspectives lift the spirits of youth and marginalized communities. Join us for fun social dances with drumming after the dance demonstrations for all ages. Free.

Jim Crow on Street Cars
February 18th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the National Capital Trolley Museum
Join us in the museum auditorium for a discussion, led by Eric Madison, on the origins of segregation on streetcars beginning in the 19th century and the attempts made nationwide to challenge both the custom and later the codification of "separate but equal" practices. This program is included with regular museum admission. To learn more about the museum click here. Free.

Black History Month Family Day
February 18th, 1:00 pm at the Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Bring the whole family for a self-guided exploration of Montgomery County’s Black history at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park. Drop by the Visitor Center to pick up take-home activities (for ages 5-12) and trail maps to explore the Underground Railroad Experience Trail on their own. This is a great opportunity to connect, learn, and get exercise as a family. Free.
 
When the Stars Align: Celestial Navigation and the Underground Railroad
February 25th, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm at the Josiah Henson Museum and Park
Learn about the crucial role of the night sky in guiding and empowering freedom seekers in their perilous journeys north along the Underground Railroad. Guest speakers: historian Sylvea Hollis, astronomer Lou Strolger and Sophie Hess. Free.

Annual Gospel Train Ride to Freedom Concert: Reflections of Historical Roots
February 25th, 4:00 – 6:00 pm from the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation
Continue the historical journey through the annual “Gospel Train Ride to Freedom Concert: Reflections of Historical Roots!” and to celebrate the 46th Anniversary of the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation and the only Black Research Center in Montgomery County, the Leroy E. Neal African American Research Center. We will travel the historical roots through spiritual uplifting, songs and praises, and performances conducted by individuals, gospel and combined choirs, and artists across the state. Reserve Your Seat by February 15, 2023. Contact lincolnparkhist@aol.com to RSVP Ticketed.