Dear Neighbors,

My name is Sebastian Johnson. I’m a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, and I am running to represent District 19 as a Delegate to the Maryland General Assembly. I want to share with you my reasons for running, and I ask for your vote. 

Before I had the language to define service, I learned from the example set by my mother, Denise. She worked long days as an elementary school teacher, including before and aftercare, for nearly thirty years. And while she and I appreciated the salary and benefits her union job provided, it was never about the money for her; being an educator and serving the community was her calling.

Denise was my hero. She was the first person in our family to go to college, and she instilled in me the value of an education — as a path, but also a duty. She worked hard as a single mother to give me the kind of childhood she didn’t have. And she had help, because we had the incredible privilege of living in Montgomery County. 

I’m a graduate of Montgomery Blair High School, a nine year resident of District 19, and a proud product of this community. I learned about the responsibility of citizenship as a student member on our Board of Education. Our schools taught me how to think and engage others, preparing me to excel at Georgetown and Harvard. And our community’s values — generosity, collaboration, service — have shaped who I am.

Today, our world is full of heartache. Our nation is in a moment of serious crisis, and our leaders sow fear, division, and chaos. Our democracy and rights that we’ve taken for granted are under attack. When I look at my daughter, Aneesa — as fierce and brilliant as her grandmother and namesake — I worry deeply about her future. But we can’t afford to be cynical, to surrender to our fear or retreat from our obligations to one another. What will save us in this moment is community. 

I’m running for state delegate because I love my community, and I love my country. The investments and policy commitments that gave my mother a second chance and made my story possible — affordable housing, livable wages, excellent schooling — are increasingly out of reach for too many families. To protect our democracy and secure our future, we need leaders who can deliver on their promises and preserve opportunities for working families. We need leaders who will stand up to special interests and insist that the wealthy pay their fair share. We need leaders with the courage to make difficult decisions, and the wisdom to invest in our people.

As your delegate, I pledge to improve our schools, protect our seniors, and help Marylanders struggling to afford the basics. And I will fight tooth and nail against the Trump Administration’s persecution of our vulnerable neighbors in the immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, their unconstitutional assault on our civil rights, and their corrupt and rigged economic agenda. I will work tirelessly to promote a progressive vision for our state that reflects the bold, generous spirit of our community — a place that welcomes, lifts up, and embraces all. 

I can’t do it without your vote, and your help. Please consider making a donation to our campaign, and join our grassroots effort to share our vision with the voters of District 19. I’ll see you on the campaign trail! 

With gratitude, 
Sebastian