Kids who get kicked out of high school aren’t supposed to make it this far.

Don't get me wrong – I didn't get to this moment alone. It was public institutions – my fourth grade teacher Mr. Osterweil, my public school teachers, my school counselor – who believed in me and gave me a second chance when I needed it most. 

So to sit here now – emailing you – as a candidate primed to make history as Maryland’s first Black governor is more than surreal. 

From the public school educators that made it possible for me to attend Harvard, to the national civil rights leaders who entrusted me with the responsibility to run one of the largest education civil rights organizations in the country, to President Obama appointing me as 10th U.S. Secretary of Education, people investing in me and believing in my potential have gotten me to this moment.

Now I am calling on you – in this moment – because I know together we can come together to do what’s right for Marylanders and deliver on the promise of progress to become a national leader for the rest of the country. I am ready to take on being Governor of Maryland, but I cannot get there alone.

I’m depending on you as a member of this amazing grassroots team to support me. Our biggest public fundraising deadline of the election is just 1 DAY away and my finance team informed me that we are still $5,601 away from reaching our online fundraising goal.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

Thank you so much for believing in this movement! 

John

P.S. To watch me at tonight's first and only televised gubernatorial debate, text DEBATE to 48178 and we'll send you the link to tune in.