Your Neighbor Abena: Rooted in Community, Ready to Lead
Many of you have known me since long before I became a mother—back when I was a young woman walking our neighborhoods, knocking on doors, and learning that real change starts on our front porches. From those early days of grassroots organizing to my career as a public policy strategist, my heart has always belonged to Charles County.
A Foundation of Service
My commitment to justice is the driving force of my professional life. With a legal education focused on public interest from the David A. Clarke School of Law, I have spent my career dismantling barriers to opportunity. Currently serving as the Director of Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives for the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, I’ve seen how early intervention can save a child's future. I’ve built programs like the Chronic Absenteeism Termination (CAT) Program and Future Legal Minds because I believe we shouldn't just talk about the next generation—we must invest in them today. My policy work has always been about protecting our most vulnerable, including drafting policy supporting CPR and AED training requirements across the District of Columbia Public Schools to ensure our children are safe in the classroom.
Lived Experience, Shared Purpose
While my resume reflects my work in Annapolis and Washington, my most important titles are daughter, wife, and mother.
I recently walked through the hardest season of my life, caring for my mother during her battle with pancreatic cancer while raising my three children. That experience—navigating a complex healthcare system, fighting for evaluations for my oldest child who has autism, and balancing the weight of family finances—clarified my purpose.
I know the "Connection Tax." I know the frustration of the two-year waitlist. And I know that in District 28, our families deserve a leader who doesn't just read about our challenges in a briefing, but feels them at their own kitchen table.
Building Together
My leadership style is rooted in the belief that we are stronger when we act together. I didn’t just wait for change to happen in Charles County; I worked to build the organizations that could deliver it. I am proud to be the Founder of Women of Action Charles County and a Founding Board Member of the Charles County Juneteenth Foundation. Whether serving as Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party or leading health equity initiatives for the NIH All of Us Research Program, I have focused on one thing: bringing people together to get results.
I am not running to be a "savior" for our district; I am running to be your partner. I am ready to take my policy expertise, my community-building experience, and our collective hope to the House of Delegates.
I’m Abena Affum- McAllister. I’m a mother, a neighbor, and a fighter. Let’s move District 28 forward—together.
A Covenant of Care. Real Solutions
Defending the Maryland Medicaid Fortress
I know the weight of raising young children while navigating a mother’s battle with cancer. I am running to defend the "Medicaid Fortress" that protects our healthcare funding from federal cuts and ensures the "Sandwich Generation" of caregivers gets the direct financial relief they deserve. Together, we will make sure no Marylander has to choose between their career and the dignity of their family.
Education: Turning the "Blueprint" into Reality
With two children in our public schools, I am personally committed to ensuring the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is fully funded and successfully implemented. I will advocate for scaling proven programs like the CAT initiative to address the root causes of absenteeism and neurodivergent challenges. Our schools must be safe, well-resourced environments where every child—from pre-K to graduation—can thrive.
Safety Through Justice Reform
True community safety comes from proactive investment and early intervention, not just reactive policies. I will bring my experience as a Justice Reform Director to Annapolis to scale mentorship programs that provide our youth with professional pipelines instead of legal hurdles. By working across agencies, we will build a justice system that is effective, equitable, and rooted in community trust.
Shattering the "Connection Tax" (Diagnostic Equity)
As a mother of a child with autism, I refuse to accept two-year waitlists for life-changing evaluations. I will fight to eliminate the "connection tax" by unlocking state funding for private and telehealth diagnostics when public backlogs grow too long. We will ensure every child gets the early intervention they deserve, regardless of their family’s zip code or last name.
“ The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create it ”