By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Maryland Del. Shaneka Henson (D-Md.- 30A) was nominated by the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee to the state Senate by 10 votes on Jan. 4.
Her top opponent, Maryland Del. Dana Jones (D-Md.-30A), received nine votes.
“When the committee members each voted and said the name of the persons they were choosing and when we got to the number of a majority, it was a wave of emotions,” said Henson. “I thought about every Black woman in Anne Arundel County, Md. who’s been qualified for this job but hadn’t had an opportunity to serve in the Maryland State Senate.”
If approved by the governor, Henson would be the first Black woman to serve in the state Senate to represent Anne Arundel County, Md.
According to Maryland law, if there is a vacancy in the House or Senate, the committee of the same party as the previous legislator will choose the nominee. Then the selected name is sent to the governor, who makes the final decision.
Henson said she would focus on strong renter protections, closing gaps in Maryland’s childcare system and improving maternal health if officially appointed to the Senate.
“There are so many renters and tenants that are struggling with mold in their rental housing and having just the nastiest consequences…children missing time from school due to asthma, babies with skin rashes, clothes [and] property being destroyed,” said Henson.
Henson pointed out that renters do not have the full ability to change the conditions of their homes, stating that “the landlord still has a tremendous responsibility and influence on the quality of your housing.”
“We convened a stakeholder work group that had industry experts, indoor air quality specialists [and] folks from planning and zoning departments across the state,” she said. “We’ve come up with three recommendations to put in place some statewide standards for mold remediation and detection. I’m really excited about moving forward with that.”
Chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Md.-20) commented on Henson’s win.
“We are incredibly proud of Shaneka and her historic nomination to the Maryland State Senate,” Wilkins told the AFRO. “Her dedication and vision, position her to be a powerful advocate for justice and a champion for Maryland’s families in the Senate. Shaneka’s groundbreaking nomination to become the first Black woman to represent Anne Arundel County, Md. in the state Senate, is a testament to progress and the promise of even greater change ahead.”
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