Listening to Lead: Aisha Braveboy Calls Residents Into the First Chapter of Her Administration

By Raoul Dennis

In Prince George’s County, the most consequential work of governance is not always done behind closed doors. Sometimes, it begins with a microphone, a folding chair, and a resident who simply wants to be heard.

That belief sits at the heart of County Executive Aisha Braveboy’s latest call to action: three FY 2027 Budget Listening Sessions scheduled across North, Central, and South County this January. The sessions invite residents to speak directly to decision-makers about the priorities that should shape the county’s next budget—public safety, education, economic opportunity, health, infrastructure, and quality of life.

The listening sessions come as Braveboy moves beyond her first 100 days in office, a period she has framed not as a ceremonial milestone, but as a foundation-setting moment. In her recent First 100 Days speech, Braveboy emphasized a governing philosophy rooted in transparency, accountability, and partnership with residents. She outlined early priorities that include restoring trust in county government, stabilizing public safety staffing, strengthening neighborhood services, and ensuring that county dollars are aligned with real community needs—not abstract line items.

“These listening sessions are not symbolic,” a senior county official said. “They are part of how this administration intends to govern.”

Beginning January 12 at Harmony Hall Regional Center in Fort Washington, followed by sessions January 21 at Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church in Calverton and January 29 at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, residents are encouraged to pre-register, testify, or submit written comments to the Office of Management and Budget. Each speaker will have three minutes—brief, but potentially powerful—to influence how millions of dollars are allocated .

For Braveboy, the process reflects themes she highlighted in her first 100 days address: listening before legislating, data informed by lived experience, and budgeting as a moral document. She spoke candidly about inherited challenges—staffing shortages, fiscal pressures, and community fatigue—but also about opportunity. “We cannot fix what we refuse to hear,” she said during the speech, signaling a shift toward more participatory decision-making.

The FY 2027 budget process will test that commitment. Residents are being asked to weigh in on everything from road conditions and school safety to mental health services and small business support. In a county as large and diverse as Prince George’s, those priorities can vary block by block. The administration’s decision to host sessions across the county recognizes that reality—and acknowledges that equity begins with access.

The listening sessions are also being live-streamed, underscoring another theme Braveboy raised early in her tenure: open government. Written testimony will be accepted through January 30, 2026, providing additional avenues for participation for residents who cannot attend in person.

For community leaders, advocates, and everyday residents, the sessions represent more than a budget exercise. They are an early measure of how the Braveboy administration intends to lead—by convening, listening, and inviting shared responsibility for the county’s future.

The call to action is simple but urgent: show up, speak up, and help shape what comes next. As Prince George’s County stands at the threshold of a new fiscal year—and a new administration—the voices that fill these rooms may well define the legacy of its first chapter.