Maryland Defenders Union

Social Media Toolkit

Who Are We?

We are the Maryland Defenders Union, an association of the front-line workers -- attorneys, social workers, and core staff -- of the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD) whose collective labor fights the systemic racism and classism in the legal system. We provide outstanding representation to indigent clients throughout the state of Maryland.

We are organizing with AFSCME Council 3 because our office cannot achieve our mission as long as the workers of OPD do not have a voice. Chronic under-funding, hiring freezes, budget cuts, and overwhelming workloads have resulted in staffing shortages, vast underpayment, and high employee turnover. Disregard for our own health and safety has led to staff being instructed to return to work in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic without adequate protective measures. And a failure to prioritize the hiring, retention, and promotion of people of color has made OPD as a whole not reflective of the clients we serve.

Our clients bear the brunt of these systemic failures, and as their advocates, we demand a seat at the table so that their voices, and ours, can be heard.

We call on our colleagues, and allies, to join us! We are strongest when we stand together, and it is when we are strongest that our clients prevail!

It is crucial that we stand in solidarity with each other and demonstrate our commitment to forming our union. You can show your support by promoting the Maryland Defenders Union on your own social media channels through the use of our graphics available for download at the end of this toolkit.

Follow US on Social Media

Raising our voices, fighting injustice.

Check out our website for more information: https://www.afscmemd.org/maryland-defenders-union

#Hashtags and @Tagging

To join your voice with your fellow Maryland Defenders, always @tag us in your posts and use the #hashtags:

  • #MarylandDefendersUnion

  • #MDDefendersUnion

  • #MDDefendersStrong


Additional @tags we suggest:

  • @MarylandOPD (on Twitter)

  • @AFSCMEMaryland (on Twitter and Instagram)


Secondary #hashtags we suggest on Twitter or Instagram:

  • #OPDUnion

  • #PublicDefenderStrongerTogether

  • #RecognizeUs

  • #TheUnionMakesUsStrong

  • #WeTheDefenders

  • #WeJustAnnounced

  • #WhyISupportTheUnion

  • #WeAreNoLongerAsking

  • #UnionStrong

  • #BraveJustice

Sample Twitter Posts

We encourage you to change your profile pic to the union logo and to post a tweet tagging us and writing:

  • I support the #MDDefendersUnion b/c [insert your reason here] #MDDefendersStrong

  • I am a #MDDefendersUnion [Public Defender/Social Worker/Employee] b/c [insert your reason here] #MDDefendersStrong

  • I am part of the #CoreStaff at @MarylandOPD whose work is integral to the zealous representation of our clients and I support our fight to unionize @MDDefenderUnion

  • The state of Maryland is better served when OPD/@MarylandOPD workers have a voice and a seat at the table! #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

  • I’m proud to be an OPD/@MarylandOPD advocate and even prouder to stand with my #MDDefendersUnion as we fight to unionize! #MDDefendersStrong

  • I’m proud to be a member of the @MDDefenderUnion and stand in solidarity with other legal service providers across the country! #PublicDefenderStrongerTogether

  • We call on @MarylandOPD MGMT to recognize our Union b/c we need a voice at the table to fight for [insert your reason here] #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

  • Public Defenders know that justice delayed is justice denied. @MarylandOPD @paulbdewolfe @bk_feldman we call on you to recognize our union today! #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

Sample Instagram Posts

We encourage you to make an IG story or a post (with a pic if you want!) stating:

  • I support the @MarylandDefendersUnion [insert your reason here] #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong #WhyISupportTheUnion

  • The state of Maryland is better served when #MDDefendersUnion/#MarylandOPD workers have a voice and a seat at the table! @MarylandDefendersUnion #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

  • I’m proud to be a #MarylandOPD advocate and even prouder to stand with my @MarylandDefendersUnion as we fight to unionize! #MDDefendersStrong #UnionStrong #TheUnionMakesUsStrong

  • I’m proud to be a member of the @MarylandDefendersUnion and stand in solidarity with other legal service providers across the country! #OPDUnion #PublicDefenderStrongerTogether #MDDefendersStrong

  • We call on @MarylandOPD Management to recognize our Union b/c we need a voice at the table to fight for [insert your reason here] @MarylandDefendersUnion #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

  • Public Defenders know that justice delayed is justice denied. #MarylandOPD we call on you to recognize our union today! @MarylandDefendersUnion #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong #BraveJustice #RecognizeUs #WeAreNoLongerAsking

Does your furry friend support our union? Tag @MarylandDefendersUnion and hashtag #MDDefendersUnion #MarylandDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong with photos of your pets with a homemade union sign that says "MD Defenders Stand Together" or "Maryland Defenders Union!"

"I support the Maryland Defenders Union because it's crucial for us to come together to fight for the resources we need so that we can be powerful, effective advocates for our clients -- the people of Maryland!" - [Attorney name], Attorney, [Division] (featuring Lucy and Lilly)




"I joined the Maryland Defenders Union to help fight for better working conditions, like reasonable caseloads, for myself and my colleagues!" - Flo, Dog/Supermodel, District Adorable




"From the Eastern Shore to the mountains of Western Maryland, public defenders across the state are stronger together - that's why I support the Maryland Defenders Union." - Kermit the Dog, Handsomest Boy Division




Instagram Stickers

Please feel free to add images from the Graphics section to your social media posts to show your support for the Maryland Defenders Union! (If you use other apps like PicsArt to edit photos, you can layer these on top of your own photos and videos before posting)

Instructions to add stickers to your Instagram story (visual representation included):

1) On your phone, press down on the Maryland Defenders Union graphic of your choice below and select "Add to Photos."

2) Open Instagram and create a new story. Take your selfie/video or add the main photo you want to post.

3) Before posting the story, go back into your photo reel. Select the Maryland Defenders Union image you want to use by tapping on it.

4) Tap "export" (the square with the arrow pointing up, located in the bottom left corner).

5) Tap "copy photo."

6) Go back to Instagram and an icon will appear in the bottom left corner showing the Maryland Defenders Union image you copied and the text "Add Sticker" - tap on this.

7) Drag the Union image to move and resize it as a sticker on your story, then post as usual!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, these instructions only work for iOS -- some Android users may be able to copy the Union image to their phone's clipboard and add it to their stories by pasting it as if it were text. Similarly, if you screenshot the Union image before you create your Instagram story, it may save the screenshot to your phone's clipboard and you can paste it as text, but it will not have the transparent background (it will be a white rectangle around the graphic). If anyone is able to figure out a better way to do this on an Android phone, please let us know so we can update this toolkit!

Sample Facebook Posts

I support the @MarylandDefendersUnion because I believe in having a voice--in and outside the courtroom!

#MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong

OPD Email

Change your OPD email account icon to the Maryland Defenders Union circular logo. There is strength in numbers. The more of us that change our OPD email icon to the Union logo, the stronger the message we send to OPD management and local stakeholders will be.

Selfie Challenge

Take a photo of yourself with a piece of paper saying: I support the Maryland Defenders Union because [insert your reason here].

Post the picture on social media and challenge your coworkers to take a selfie too!

Tag @MarylandDefendersUnion on Instagram or @MDDefenderUnion on Twitter and use our hashtags #MarylandDefendersUnion #MDDefendersUnion #MDDefendersStrong #WhyISupportTheUnion

Graphics

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Maryland Defenders Union at marylanddefendersunion@gmail.com.