State Del. Malcolm P. Ruff (D-District 41) and longtime community activist Crystal Jackson Parker officially announced Aug. 21 that they will run for seats in the Maryland General Assembly in the 2026 election.

From Maryland Matters Political Notes…

At the same time as Ruff’s event, Crystal Jackson Parker announced to her supporters Thursday she plans to seek a House seat from neighboring District 40.

Parker, 58, served on the city’s Democratic Central Committee from 2018 to 2022.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Baltimore, MD — On evening of Thursday, August 21, 2025, Crystal Jackson Parker, a dedicated community leader and former Democratic Central Committee member, officially announced her candidacy for Delegate in District 40.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

As the Trump administration seeks deep cuts to Medicaid and other essential services to fund tax breaks for the wealthy, People’s Action Institute members were joined by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (D-Texas), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) to denounce these cuts and the lies President Trump and Congressional Republicans tell constituents about the harm they will cause…

“When we say Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of people in our country, that’s not an exaggeration,” said Crystal Parker from Progressive Maryland, who was diagnosed with a debilitating kidney condition as a child. “Our message is don’t take healthcare from our children, from our newborns, from our elders. Our country has the providers, the facilities, the medicine, and the knowledge to make sure the health needs for every single child are met.”

Families in West Baltimore have lacked quality dining options for a long time. That's starting to change.

Federal, state and local dignitaries joined community leaders Thursday for the grand opening of The Mill on the North, a new food hall located at 2636 West North Avenue, just steps from Coppin State University.

The 7,500-square-foot space features six vendors and a bar, offering new options in an area long considered a food desert.

“A thriving Mill on North is much more than a food hall,” said Crystal Jackson Parker, an office manager with the Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation. “It is a destination where friends, family and neighbors can call their own. Yes, there is an R. House in Remington, but on West North Avenue, the Mill on North is our house.”

Her remarks drew applause from the packed crowd.