Endorsement resolution may be found here: Special Election Endorsement Resolution for Briana Urbina - Google Docs
FOR-Erin P.
I support Briana Urbina for the special election. I believe that she deserves the endorsement of the DSA.
FOR-Hugh M.
My first impression of Briana was during a PG branch meeting nearly a year ago. During the meeting, Briana brought to our attention the xenophobic opposition to all resident voting in New Carrollton and the risk that it might go away. She would go on to recruit volunteers and gather petition signatures around the city in support for this right. Despite losing a chunk of her voter base and receiving harassment at council meetings for her support of all resident voting she still fights for it, which is a testament to her character and has earned a great deal of my respect.
New Carrollton itself is a multiracial working-class city with around 40% of residents being part of the immigrant community. Electorally, the city has very low turnout, with only around 9% of registered voters or 721 people participating in the previous general election. The election that Briana is running in will be a special election, further lowering the number of registered voters likely to come out and increasing the impact that a DSA endorsement will have on the race. This is also a phenomenal opportunity to bring more New Carrolltonians into DSA, which Briana and I have been discussing.
Briana continues to fight for the people of New Carrollton as well, supporting unionization efforts of city workers and fighting for legislation that would create a social safety net in the city. Briana has often been fighting alone for the working class and marginalized communities of New Carrollton for years. She’s already a member of our community and fights for the same causes we do. Its time we fight for her the same way she’s been fighting for her community, which is why I encourage everyone to support her endorsement.
FOR-Thomas S.
Briana Urbina is a democratic socialist, a proven winner, and someone who has proven that she can stand up to pressure from reactionaries who are trying to take us backwards. Her race to serve the people of the City of New Carrollton as Mayor also feeds into a geographically targeted approach to building the power of the left in Prince George’s County and in Maryland. New Carrollton is located within County Council District 3, which also includes Riverdale Park and College Park among areas and in which the incumbent will be term-limited in 2030, and Maryland General Assembly District 22, which also includes Greenbelt and Hyattsville (two cities with sitting SIOs). These are polities where we have the potential to scale up our hold on governing power in the future. This short-term special election sprint also affords an opportunity to prevent the atrophying of electoral organizing capacity between cycles. For all of these reasons, I am proud to support Metro DSA endorsement of Briana Urbina for Mayor of New Carrollton in the upcoming special election.
I urge members who are unfamiliar with Briana to watch the recording of her candidate Q&A and to read her questionnaire. She’s one of us, and she’s going to make us proud!
FOR-Michael O.
I met Briana 7 years ago while I was trying to find the candidate I was going to vote for against Steny Hoyer. I sought out the time and location of the campaign launch of both women that were running against him that year. Of the two, I found that Briana had more of the qualities I was looking for, and needed, in any candidate running against then Majority Whip Steny Hoyer.
She overcame addiction and other personal demons that have taken other friends of mine to their graves. Her struggle motivated her to go back to school and become a lawyer. She is knowledgeable, but understands her limits and isn’t afraid to ask for help. Her policy goals were aligned with the policy goals I wanted enacted. I felt she showed tremendous character just for trying to go against the political juggernaut that was Hoyer. Frankly, as someone who, at that time, had only seven years of professional campaign experience, she was the far better challenger. In the seven years since, my high opinion of her has only gotten stronger. I’ve been very involved in every election she has run in since. She is a fighter who wants to win and, because of that, has easily won all three of her elections to Council.
As a Councilwoman, she has strived to be the best representative of all the residents of New Carrollton, regardless of their immigration status. One of her greatest achievements, to that end, was the passing of All Resident Voting in the City of New Carrollton, when she was the Council Chair. It required a very long and hard-fought campaign. She continues to fight for all resident voting to this day, as other members of the Council work to undermine all residents voting by attempting to curtail the newly won rights of the undocumented. As Mayor, she would be in a much stronger position to fight off attempts to repeal or restrict all resident voting.
If elected, one of her major policy goals is a progressive tax on corporations, especially on property management companies that intentionally keep retail space empty to use as a tax write off. The community lost a large grocery store when Shoppers went out of business, creating a food desert in New Carrollton. She hopes that her tax plan will incentivize the property management company to fill that space with another grocery store.
She also plans to attempt to emulate the rent stabilization policies that are being used in Mount Rainier, to ensure housing remains affordable for New Carrollton residents.
I end with this: in my professional and personal opinion, if Briana Urbina receives the endorsement from DSA, she will not just be an excellent representative of the people of New Carrollton, she will be another excellent example of an elected Democratic Socialist of America.
FOR-Uhunoma E.
As a member of Prince George’s Branch of our DSA Chapter, I support Briana Urbina’s endorsement for Mayor of New Carrolton, Maryland in the upcoming Special Election. I believe her policy positions and political priorities align with those of our MetroDC DSA membership and her actions prove this. Councilmember Urbina supports collective bargaining rights for all city employees, immigrant rights including all-resident municipal voting, and more inclusive policies. She fought for a ceasefire in Gaza in 2024. She is an active member of our DSA Branch and has shown her intent to advance causes aligned with our vision for the future to the extent permissible with the authority she has at the municipal level. I strongly encourage all chapter members to vote YES for Briana Urbina’s endorsement.
FOR-Dee T.
We should support the chance to get a member and more importantly someone aligned with DSA’s values into this seat. New Carrolton is facing many issues currently particularly around immigrant rights. We should have a strong ally for our immigrant folks in office! Briana has a proven track records of showing up for New Carrolton residents – especially advocating for Immigrants’ right to vote.
FOR-Jon C.
I served on the host committee with New Carrollton Councilmember Briana Urbina at her home for the “Pride & Punchlines” fundraiser supporting State Senate candidate Raaheela Ahmed, an endorsed DSA member running in the District 23 race against Ron Watson. Watson, the conservative Democrat who introduces a bill every year to ban transgender girls from girls’ sports, would go on to win in a tight race. As the event ended, we had a long conversation about local and state politics. I learned she serves on the County Democratic Central Committee, and we discussed some of the struggles within the party and with then-Mayor Nembhard’s attempt to overturn all-resident voting, which Briana Urbina had passed as Council Chair in 2024. Months later, it would be revealed that Nembhard violated a hiring freeze and was removed from office in September.
About 40% of New Carrollton residents were born outside the United States, with different immigration statuses, ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and more. In 2022, immigrants paid close to $800 million in total taxes in Maryland, a significant portion of which directly supported their communities. Multiple municipalities in Prince George’s County have expanded democracy with noncitizen voting, allowing everyone regardless of immigration status to vote in local city elections.
“Serving as the first Latino person in our government has been an honor; but bringing forth legislation that opens pathways for participation from previously excluded groups of immigrants in our community is an honor I share with the three colleagues who helped me pass it, the elected leaders from across the state who supported me, and the residents who were vulnerable in sharing their stories and resilient when knocking doors in the winter. We share in this victory together. The victory belongs to those we were fighting for, and I will do all I can to fight for our community at City Hall,” said Council Chair Briana Urbina.
Also in 2024, Chair Urbina passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza War by unanimous vote. Resolutions throughout the 4th Congressional District put pressure on Rep. Ivey, leading to his vote this year to cut off military aid to Israel and ending the support he received from AIPAC.
If elected Mayor, Urbina has committed to giving the council powers that currently belong to the mayor, since many of the current issues in governance stem from the fact that New Carrollton’s system gives too much power to the mayor. I see this as exactly how Democratic Socialists should seek to govern.
FOR-Blake P.
I first learned about Briana as a new branch member at one of my first PG branch meetings. She was spearheading an effort, seemingly alone, to retain New Carrollton’s right for all adult residents to vote, regardless of their citizenship status. This was no small effort in the face of virulent opposition and fierce post-2024 headwinds. Nevertheless, what stuck out to me was not only her fierce belief in this fundamental right but more importantly her adamant conviction that this right had to be maintained. Not that it should be, not that it could be, that it had to be. It was a moral certainty that it be preserved. That sort of conviction based leadership is as rare as it is inspiring. I’m inspired by it; others will be to.
And for my cynics, this race is winnable. Not just winnable, but pragmatically winnable. There are already several members lined up to canvas near-daily to make sure of it. Many are members of the same cohort that learned valuable lessons the last election cycle and laid the groundwork for this one. Others are fresh members waiting to be organized into a ready and waiting effort.
Make no mistake: the canvassing effort to make Briana, the council member that fought for equal voting rights for all, next mayor of New Carrollton is ready. The only question is whether DSA is. I’m confident we are.
Imara C.
I’m proud to add my name to the list of Prince Georgians urging the MetroDC DSA chapter to formally endorse Briana Urbina in her race for Mayor of New Carrollton.
In recent years I’ve grown to know Briana personally and respect her deeply. She isn’t someone who discovered her community when it was time to run. She has lived in New Carrollton for ages, raising her family and building relationships with people and proudly advocating for the betterment of her neighbors’ lives. In some of our earliest conversations I remember being struck by her vision of governance rooted in service, and by her commitment to so many of the socialist values I hold near and dear.
Beyond my personal appreciation for Briana I also want to note that practically, this race is very winnable, and that we can be the difference between winning and losing. New Carrollton is a small municipality, close by and easy to get to for our members. In a local race this size, a few dedicated days of doors and phone calls from DSA members can decide the outcome. I saw firsthand in my own run for County Council how much this chapter can move an electoral effort. That power is real, and Briana is a deserving recipient of that power.
Finally I want to note what is in it for us, besides specifically the members in New Carrollton. A win here will mark yet another substantial victory for the Prince George’s County Branch. A win here will show once again that we are a force to be reckoned with locally and that socialists can organize, win, and govern in our communities.
So lets get it done comrades, please join me in voting to endorse Briana Urbina.
FOR-Prince George’s Branch
PGDSA Steering Committee: Jon C. (Chair), Julian C. (Vice Chair), Mariam K. (Secretary), Paul C. (Treasurer), Justin B. (Onboarding & Member Development Coordinator)
Many of us in PGDSA first met New Carrollton Councilmember Briana Urbina at a PG Branch General Body Meeting in Greenbelt some months ago. She was invited because one of her signature projects—expanding voting rights to all residents of the city—was under assault by the city’s old guard. She came to organize us to preserve noncitizen voting, allowing everyone regardless of immigration status to vote in local city elections. Her presentation that day impressed our members, leading us to help win a successful battle to maintain universal voting rights. From the first time many of us met her, it was clear she is a fighter who can build successful campaigns through organization. She is exactly the kind of officeholder we need representing our Branch as we build socialist power in PG County and throughout our Metro DC Chapter.
As Briana Urbina has come to work deeper in our Branch, many of us learned of her work as Council Chair of New Carrollton in passing a resolution in 2024 calling for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza by unanimous vote. She worked closely with Branch member and endorsed State Senate candidate Raaheela Ahmed, PG4Palestine, elected members in neighboring municipalities, as well as residents to achieve this win. These resolutions throughout the 4th Congressional District put pressure on Rep. Ivey, leading to his vote this year to cut off military aid to Israel and to the end of AIPAC’s support for him.
Along with her service in the city she and her family have called home for over a decade, Briana Urbina also serves on the County Democratic Central Committee and as a member of Latino Democrats of PG County. She is a working mother of two children: one a young adult, the other a young child with special needs. Being a parent of growing children gives her an understanding of family needs. As a proud Black Latina queer woman, she brings valuable experience in building solidarity across our diverse county. It has also led to attacks by reactionary forces locally and by racist state political reporters. She has stood up well to these attacks and against bigotry.
New Carrollton became a food desert when the Shoppers Food Warehouse closed a year ago. Add to that the lack of quality restaurants, and the city is one where residents openly complain that it “doesn’t have any healthy food establishments or restaurants.” About half of Prince George’s County’s population is food insecure. Our endorsed member on the Prince George’s County Council, Shayla Adams-Stafford, has in fact opened two free grocery stores in county libraries. Adding a location closer to New Carrollton than Fairmont Heights could help residents provide for their families.
The opening of the Purple Line also provides opportunities for development in New Carrollton. Currently, the local Metro, Amtrak, and MARC station is just outside city boundaries. As mayor, Briana Urbina has committed to annexing the station and securing grants provided by the Maryland Department of Transportation along the line. The current administration has no plan in place to seek those funds. Briana Urbina has committed to changing that. Capital Bikeshare has no locations in the city because there is currently no safe multimodal transportation. Federal, state, and county funding is currently available to make all forms of transit safe. Getting residents out of cars and onto public transportation, walking, and biking is urgent for combating climate change and providing affordable options for working-class residents.
If elected mayor, Briana Urbina has committed to sharing power with the Council; currently, the mayor alone runs the city administration. Misuse of that power is what led to the ouster of the former mayor by a 4–1 vote and created the need for a special election. Prince George’s County has 27 incorporated municipalities, ranging from Eagle Harbor, with a population under 100, to Bowie, with close to 60,000. Each city and town has its own unique governance and history. PGDSA sees opportunities within these cities and towns. The victory of our member Frankie Santos Fritz in Greenbelt—helped by close to 20,000 door knocks in a city of 25,000—demonstrates what is possible. Our participation in this election brought out the highest turnout ever in a city known for its progressive activism. We also have member Danny Schaible on the Hyattsville City Council. Democratizing these councils is one long-range goal we have for our county, because these governments often do not reflect the needs of residents or the diversity of our municipalities.
About one-third of Prince George’s County residents live in a municipality. These cities and towns are responsible for trash, recycling, often composting, local streets, permitting, and quality-of-life issues. Through local organizing, PGDSA can show residents that socialism works. Snow removal and keeping sewers running to prevent flooding may not sound sexy, but they are keys to good governance. Many of our municipalities also spend huge sums on police budgets, often their largest single expense. These tiny departments are often made up of young, inexperienced officers looking for experience and older officers who often have records of misconduct that keep them from being hired by more professionalized forces. Gaining a foothold in municipal governments gives PGDSA the opportunity to stop departments from forming and the oversight to abolish those that exist whenever they misbehave.
We recently held an event at the Bladensburg Library with our electeds to promote running in municipal elections. Many of our towns and cities will have elections this coming May; we seek to bring multiple socialist candidates forward for Chapter endorsement at the coming convention. Using the experience we’ve gained in our recent electoral work, we believe that we can extend local government power through door knocking and local organizing. Organizing is how we will build our Branch, currently the smallest in the Chapter. We as a Chapter have to do better at building in the jurisdiction with the largest multiracial working class in the region. As the leadership of our Branch, we ask for your support to build on our victories and make Metro DC an example of working socialism.
FOR-Alexander A.
Hello comrades,
I urge you all to vote YES on the endorsement of councilmember Briana Urbina for Mayor of New Carrollton. Prince George’s County is the home of the Black and Brown working class of the DMV, and consequently, placing it in a central position in the class struggle in the region. There’s a consistent theme, a commonality, an undercurrent, a throughline that crosses the minds of every PG County resident. It is what tethers every PG County resident to one another, from Greenbelt to Oxon Hill, Suitland to Laurel, Langley Park to Clinton. The feeling that we are being left behind, and that knowledge, informed by experience, that those in power do not work for us. We know it when we have to travel an hour to and fro other parts of the region for work, because that is where all jobs are. We know it when we travel to and fro our home on the weekends to other parts of the region, because those are where all the restaurants and amenities are. We know it when we have to send our kids to private schools in the county or in other parts of the region, because that is where the high-quality education is. We know it come Election Day, and we decide to stay home, because no matter whose name we check on the ballot, nothing will really change. PG County residents have grown tired and accustomed to a politics that doesn’t work. In these times, there are two paths people can take: the tranquilizing drug of nihilism, or the invigorating stimulant of action. I choose action. I choose change.
Briana Urbina stands for change. Briana began her career as an eviction defense attorney, working to make sure those who are the most vulnerable among us have a place to live. She ran for Congress in 2019, running on a platform of Medicare-for-All and criminal justice reform. She continued her advocacy for the most marginalized as New Carrollton councilmember and Council Chair when in 2024, she spearheaded the effort to pass All-Resident Voting in the city; a city where 42% of residents are foreign-born. In a time where the immigrant community of Prince George’s County, and New Carrollton specifically, are living in constant apprehension and fear, the city deserves a leader who will be a champion for them. They deserve a leader who will be unafraid, unabashed, and unequivocal when it comes to standing up for their rights. They deserve a leader who will not leave anyone behind, a leader who believes that the true marker of a community is how it treats its most vulnerable members. And you can trust Briana to do exactly that, because this is something that she has always done. This has been her creed, her ethos, that led her to becoming an eviction defense attorney to her leading the effort for All-Resident Voting as New Carrollton councilmember. This is how she will govern as New Carrollton mayor.
Finally, as aforementioned, the plurality of New Carrollton residents are foreign-born, many from Latin America. These are the communities that the chapter and we as socialists should seek to further engage if we are earnest in our commitment to actualize a multiracial working class body politic.
Please join me in endorsing Briana Urbina for Mayor of New Carrollton!