The Maryland General Assembly’s six “ethnic and intersectional” caucuses joined forces Monday to decry federal attacks on diversity and urge their colleagues to pass state legislation protecting civil rights and diversity.

A joint press conference in Annapolis marked the first time that all of the caucuses officially spoke as one, and it was billed as an historic event. The participating caucuses were the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, the Maryland Legislative Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus, the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus, the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus and the Women Legislators of Maryland.

Combined, the caucuses represent a majority among the General Assembly’s 188 delegates and senators, especially with some caucuses allowing allies and other interested lawmakers to join their ranks. The Legislative Black Caucus alone has 66 members.

As lawmakers spoke, a screen behind them projected in bold, black-and-red lettering: “We Are Maryland.”

Lawmakers felt compelled to unite as they’ve watched President Donald Trump’s administration dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the government and threaten to ramp up immigration enforcement. They said they wanted to show that they support diverse and vulnerable populations in Maryland.

“Just last week, Trump declared that he has ended diversity, but here we stand, standing together, standing united, the living proof that diversity endures,” said Del. Jheanelle Wilkins, a Montgomery County Democrat and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.

The caucuses have found common ground and worked together on bills and initiatives before.

For example, the Black caucus and the women’s caucus have worked for several years to get funding for a pre-release center for women who are soon to be let out of state prisons. Multiple caucuses have joined forces on bills to limit the state’s involvement in immigration enforcement and to promote anti-bias training in schools.

“We know that uniting together in one voice with all of us is way stronger and has way more impact than if each of us were to come before you individually, and that is why there are so many instances of cross-pollination,” said Sen. Shelly Hettleman, a Baltimore County Democrat and co-chair of the Jewish Caucus.

Lawmakers are entering a crucial period for getting their bills passed, with a March 17 procedural deadline looming. Bills must pass either the House of Delegates or the state Senate by the end of that day to be guaranteed consideration in the other chamber. Some caucus priority bills are advancing, while others have stalled.

“We are Maryland. We are Black. We are Latino. We are Asian. We are indigenous. We are LGBTQ-plus. We are Jewish. We are Muslim. We are Christian. We are immigrants. We are Marylanders,” said Del. Ashanti Martinez, a Prince George’s Democrat and chair of the Latino caucus. “And today we come here with a very simple message and urgent demand: Pass our damn bills!”

The six caucuses haven’t officially signed off on all of each other’s priorities, though lawmakers said Monday they largely agree in principle on many of the measures.

All six caucus chairs have endorsed and cosponsored a resolution that, if passed, would declare that the state has a policy of providing public education “in a nondiscriminatory, inclusive manner” with curriculum that reflects the state’s diversity and teaches about groups that have historically been discriminated against.