About
The mission of the Maryland Democratic Party (MDP) African American Diversity Leadership Council is to energize activists through the state, register voters, amplify the Democratic message, engage with members of the diverse African American communities, and supplement the coordinated campaign to turn out Democratic voters throughout Maryland. In non campaign cycles the African American Diversity Leadership Council is responsible for increasing inclusiveness, capacity building, voter education, and empowerment of Maryland’s diverse communities. By working to energize all African American communities throughout Maryland, we will truly be able to realize our greatest potential. The Maryland Democratic Party African American Diversity Leadership Council creates a foundation for activism that is both inclusive and sustainable.
Meet Your DLC
Januari McKay is a dynamic legislative leader, executive strategist, and coalition builder who bridges the gap between grassroots community needs and state-level policy. She currently serves as Chief of Staff in the Maryland General Assembly, where she is a proven strategist skilled at managing government operations, leading public policy initiatives, and mobilizing statewide coalitions.
Januari was raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she graduated from the public school system. She then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from North Carolina Central University.
She returned home to Maryland after graduation. When a federal hiring freeze delayed her entry into government, she pivoted to frontline community work at a group home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. There, she focused her efforts on youth sexual and reproductive health rights. Through this advocacy, she successfully secured federal grant funding to scale community programming nationwide.
Januari later transitioned into the child welfare system as a case manager, fighting for foster youth and vulnerable families. During her tenure as a Maryland state employee, she also became deeply involved with the labor union.
Building on her frontline experience, Januari entered public policy as a legislative assistant within the Maryland General Assembly. In this role, she contributed to efforts aimed at protecting children from the school-to-prison pipeline and supported the development of a commission to study a statewide universal healthcare system.
In 2022, Januari became Chief of Staff in the Maryland General Assembly. In this executive capacity, she manages daily legislative operations, staff, and constituent services while advancing legislation focused on strengthening families, protecting communities, and ensuring that systems work for the people they are meant to serve.
Over the past four years, Januari has established a strong track record as a political organizer and civic leader. She led civic engagement, candidate forums, and voter turnout initiatives at First Baptist Church of Glenarden, and co-led a Social Justice Hackathon that united community members and lawmakers to pitch policy solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her recent political leadership includes serving as an official delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She currently serves as the Maryland State Ambassador for Win With Black Women, directing statewide coalitions to expand voter education. She is also the Chair of the African American Democratic Legislative Caucus within the Maryland Democratic Party, where she leads policy priorities impacting Black communities.
Januari’s leadership is informed by deep personal resilience. Having overcome housing insecurity during college to finish her degree, and having navigated complex systems as the primary caregiver and personal representative for her grandmother, she brings a grounded, real-world perspective to organizational governance, fiscal stewardship, labor dynamics, and state government operations.