Proud DC Resident. Ward 5. Ed. advocate. Recovering educator. Federal appropriations nerd. Telling it like it is in our city.https://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3mfhza25r4s2sDo we think this rain/snow situation calls for more ice melt??? Because I am struggling to find some in Brookland….22 Feb 2026 20:49 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfhza25r4s2shttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3mdqkq5rjvk2w2026 has been quite the year.31 Jan 2026 19:34 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdqkq5rjvk2whttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3m2cfsqzagk2kFortunate is an understatement here. 😭03 Oct 2025 15:42 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2cfsqzagk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3m26co2wsnc27It’s becoming more and more exhausting everyday to be optimistic that elected officials could care about basic human rights and needs.02 Oct 2025 00:35 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3m26co2wsnc27https://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3loobky57yc2iIt speaks volumes when as a federal appropriations lobbyist, my firm is receiving more clients in the ed&healthcare space because they have lost federal funding. In a way, you’d think it doesn’t make sense, but also, folks are scrambling to find an in to keep the lights on at their vital facilities.08 May 2025 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3loobky57yc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3lkeoqaxj422tThis week has been absolutely draining. Literally, between the House&Senate’s dumb CR passing, to me having to explain to my clients that their FY25 Congressional Earmarks are gone, to me learning of health issues that will require expensive care that my insurance will likely not be able to cover.14 Mar 2025 22:43 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkeoqaxj422thttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3lkdowgm74c2aI want to thank Congress for my debilitating stress&mental breakdowns that I have had all week. If it weren’t for them, I would have felt optimism, smiled, would not have swollen eyelids from crying for a week straight.14 Mar 2025 13:14 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkdowgm74c2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3lhttjyun7224Seriously. I said it a few weeks ago and I’ll say it again: it is not a great time to be a federal appropriations lobbyist.10 Feb 2025 19:04 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhttjyun7224https://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3lhoc5grwoc2zNot gonna lie, I’m super stressed that this HRSA grant that I’m helping a client prepare will randomly be taken down because the title is “Nursing Workforce Diversity”&the goal is to increase minorities in the nursing workforce. I’ve been working on it for over a month now&it’s due in March.08 Feb 2025 14:09 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhoc5grwoc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/maryellengolch.bsky.social/post/3lhobzpu2lk2zIt’s Saturday&I have 7 emails from clients that were sent overnight&this morning asking if I have any intel on either the Dept. of Ed., what may be happening to their awarded NEA grants, and the legality of shutting down agencies w/o an act of Congress. How did we get here? Like what the fuck.08 Feb 2025 14:07 +0000at://did:plc:35e43y4ifb54khpsan7oign3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhobzpu2lk2z