Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings describes her upbringing in an African American military family, and asks how we can make a democracy one in which everyone can participate and belongs. She suggests that in recent years we have gone astray in this mission of creating a more inclusive democracy, and offers ideas for reversing the divisions in our society. She suggests that the United States is based first in the idea of Unity, and we should recognize what we have in common in this shared project: interdependence, diversity, and inclusion. After more than two decades operating at the nexus of politics, policy and government, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings was elected Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party in December 2018. Prior to leading the party, Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings spent her career advising and working for organizations and policymakers fighting for social justice, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), National Urban League, the House Ways and Means Committee, and Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY).
Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings’ leadership in the areas of health, education, economic security, and technology have been recognized by leading businesses and organizations, including Google, the Aspen Institute and Running Start. Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings is the President and founder of Global Policy Solutions, a political consulting firm. Her late husband, Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD-7), passed away on October 17, 2019, and was honored as the first African American politician to lie in state at the Capitol.