Not Politics, but Advocacy

When I joined the Chamber staff in 2023 as the Membership Coordinator, everyone kept talking about the Thursday Government Relations Zoom meetings. I remember wondering what kind of role I had stepped into, if politics seemed to be at the center of it. I had hoped to just stay in the background during these meetings, quietly with my camera off.

Like many of you, I felt the weight of politics everywhere—division heightened by COVID, increasingly sharp rhetoric, and social media that often seemed to bring out the hostility in everyone.

A year later, I stepped into the role of Government Relations Liaison.

At the time, I knew very little about Maryland’s political landscape and often felt out of place. But those Thursday meetings started to change that. They became a place to listen and learn from business leaders, from state leaders, and from conversations that were more thoughtful and practical than I expected. Coincidently, our Thursday meetings have become the anchor of my week.

What I’ve come to understand is that the Chamber’s work is not about politics. It’s about advocacy.

Advocacy looks different than what many of us imagine. I know it did for me. It’s not just about opposition. It’s about support and collaboration. It’s offering thoughtful amendments and working toward better outcomes. It’s about ensuring that the voice of the business community is part of the conversation in a meaningful, constructive way.

As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly 90-day session comes to a close, we find ourselves at a critical point. Maryland must strengthen its reputation as a place where businesses can start, grow, and succeed. And that doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when all of us, across industries, experiences, and stages of our careers, choose to engage.

The work for the 2027 session is already underway. The question is: who will help shape it?

To young entrepreneurs and professionals: you don’t need years of experience to have a perspective worth sharing. You are building the future of Maryland’s economy in real time. The challenges you face, the risks you take, and the ideas you bring forward matter deeply. We need your perspective at the table, not someday, but now.

To seasoned business owners: your experience carries weight. You’ve navigated economic shifts, regulatory changes, and the realities of doing business in Maryland. You’ve seen how policy decisions play out over time, and your perspective can help shape more practical, effective approaches moving forward. We need your experience.

To employees across every industry: your voice matters more than you think. You are the workforce that keeps our businesses running and communities thriving. Policies impact your daily work, your career growth, and your opportunities. Advocacy isn’t reserved for executives, it belongs to all of us.

If we want Maryland to be a place where businesses and people can truly thrive, we need everyone engaged.

So here are two simple places to start: Join a Thursday GRC call. You can listen in, keep your camera off, and simply observe. You may find yourself coming back. Email me at jworley@cecilchamber.com to join.

I would also encourage you to attend our Legislative Wrap-Up. It’s an opportunity to hear what happened this year, what it means for the business community, and where the focus needs to be next. Register here.

The work ahead will be shaped by the people who choose to engage with it, and we need your voice.