March 2016 - Issue 95
NEWS & EVENTS AROUND THE REGION
The Montgomery County Council will Hold a Town Hall in Clarksburg, the county's fastest growing community, on Wednesday March 2, at 8 p.m. at  Rocky Hill Middle School. Among the issues expected to be discussed are continued development in the area, the impact of future outlet mall, efforts to protect the Ten Mile Creek areas, schools and transportation issues. Find more information here. 

"Race and Social Justice: Why Black Lives Matter," will be the subject of an address by Leonard Pitts, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, on Wednesday, March 2, at Globe Hall on Montgomery College's Germantown campus. 

The address, part of the school's Frank Islam Athenaeum Symposia, is open to the public at no charge and begins at 7 p.m.


"Stop Dangerous Speech" will be the subject of a Faith Community Working Group meeting on Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building. 

Parents, teens and educators are invited to join us to learn how to build their own campaigns to stop dangerous speech online and in our communities and to put an end to hate crimes, bullying, and discrimination.

Featured speakers are Susan Benesch, director of the Dangerous Speech Project, Seth Gordon-Lipkin, education project director with the Anti-Defamation League, and Steve Cohen, director of communications for the Counter Extremism Project.  


Free Citizenship & Naturalization Clinic on March 12. Advancing Justice (AAJC) is working with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) to promote naturalization and to help more eligible legal permanent residents in the DC metro area become U.S. citizens. In partnership with the Office of Community Partnerships and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association-DC, there will be a free naturalization clinic on Saturday, March 12th at the Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, Maryland. 

The clinic will run from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Those interested participating call the APALRC at (202) 393-3572 to register. 

The event flyer, including information on the basic eligibility requirements for and benefits of U.S. citizenship can be found here. Flyers are also available in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. 


The CASA Center for Citizenship will host a fair on Saturday, March 12, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at its Rockville Welcome Center, 14645 Rothgeb Road. Attendees can consult with an immigration attorney, complete the U.S. citizenship application, learn about citizenship classes and learn about financial support to help pay for the process. Any lawful permanent resident may apply for citizenship.
To register for the event, call 240-560-2272.


Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., American Fault Line, Conversation on Race and the American Ideal on Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m. at the GW Lisner Auditorium. Use WETA's promo code CEC when you register for tickets. Questions, call 202-994-6800.


Montgomery County's "My Brother's Keeper" initiative has scheduled a Day of Action on April 30 at Clifton Baptist Church in the Long Branch section of Silver Spring.

The effort, part of President Obama's MBK program to address barriers faced by young men and boys of color, will focus on increasing the number of Latino and African American youth that graduate from school ready for college and career and keeping youth safe from violence.


Montgomery Council President Nancy Floreen is seeking nominations for "Golden Shovel Awards,"
 recognizing county residents who went above and beyond in helping neighbors clear ice and snow from sidewalks. 

Nominations must be submitted by Friday, March 25, and the awards will be presented during a council meeting on April 19.

Nomination forms are available online or by calling 240-777-7959.


The Montgomery County GreenFest is coming to Takoma Park on April 30. 

GreenFest, the county's largest one-day environmental celebration, is a free event. 

Entertainment includes musical acts, an electric vehicle car show, kids activities, book readings, and arts and crafts. 

The event will feature workshops, exhibitors and vendors, environmental experts and informational panels.
 
For the latest info and updates on the schedule, click here. 


The Ethiopian Community Development Center is asking that proposals for "Lightning Talks," five- to seven-minute addresses focusing on one of a number of topics related to its annual conference, be submitted by Friday, March 4.

The talks will be delivered at ECDC's 22 Annual Conference on African Refugees and Immigrants on April 26-29 in Ballston, Va. 

Conference attendees interested in delivering a short talk are asked to address one of the following topics, including conceptualizing refugee protection issues, best practices in promoting refugee and immigrant integration, and managing crises in domestic refugee and immigrant services. Proposals should be emailed to Christa Ross. 


U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen and officials from the five U.S. service academies will host two forums for 9th, 10th and 11th grade students and their parents to provide more information about the schools and admission requirements. 

The first forum will be held Tuesday, March 15, from 7-8:30 p.m. at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., and the second has been scheduled for Monday, March 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring. 

More information is available by calling 301-424-3501.


The Jewish Council for the Aging will sponsor a 50+ Employment Expo on April 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Bethesda Mariott Hotel and Conference Center in Rockville. The expo will feature employers, community resources, seminar and resume reviewing rooms. Additional information may be obtained here.
Applicants Sought for Planning Board Vacancy

The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the county's Planning Board.
 
The Planning Board serves as the council's principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.  Click here for more information

'Choose Repect' Forum Set for March 20

The 2016 "Choose Respect" conference, a forum designed to instruct parents, teens, educators and others of the problems around teen dating violence, has been set for Sunday, March 20 at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. The free event will run from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
 
Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year and one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence. 

Students in sixth grade through high school are urged to attend and students will be assigned to tracks based on their age. 

To register, click here.  

Registration Open for Civil Rights Bus Tour

The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights' annual civil rights historic bus tour has been scheduled for April 3-10 and registration is now open. 

The tour will retrace the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights heroes and is open to county and non-county residents. 

The tour itinerary will include stops in Greensboro, N.C., Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, Ala., Memphis and Nashville, Tenn., Little Rock, Ark., and Jackson, Miss., and will retrace the Freedom Trail to learn about significant events and heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. 

Registration information and cost of the tour is available at Office of Human Rights website. 

Interested individuals and groups should email Beverly Marshall at the Office of Human Rights or call at 240-777-8479.

Anti-Poverty Nominees Sought by March 4

Montgomery County's Community Action Board is seeking nominations by Friday, March 4, for awards that recognize individuals and organizations that have made a difference in reducing poverty or for advocating on behalf of Montgomery County's low-income residents. 

Nominations are being sought for the Henry L. Dixon Action Award for a local organization that promotes self-sufficiency for adults; the Gerald J. Roper Sr., Community Action Award for a youth organization that works to develop leadership skills; the Marcia Plater award for an adult whose volunteer service or advocacy helped lower income county residents move toward or achieve self-sufficiency and the Marcia Plater  award for a youth volunteer whose work helped lower-income residents move toward or achieve self-sufficiency.
  
Nomination forms are available by clicking here.  

Volunteers Needed to Aid Victims of Sexual Assault

Volunteers are needed to assist sexual assault victims and their families through the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP) of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. 

Bilingual volunteers are encouraged to apply.
 
See more information here. 

Have News to Share?

 

To submit your news and events of interest to those in and serving Montgomery County's emerging communities and neighbors in need, email complete details and/or a press release to the OCP Newsletter.
Talent from Across the Nation and Around the World
We Work for You 
 
I was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Montgomery County. I'm one of the winners of the birth lottery. One of the great blessings of my life is to be able to call home a place that is a talent magnet for extraordinary people from across the nation and around the world.
 
The people pictured below are representative of this great migration of talent to Montgomery County. They were born in (standing from left): Silver Spring, Maryland; Endicott, New York; Paris, France; Cairo, Egypt; Pasaquina, La Unión, El Salvador; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Harvey, North Dakota; Iga Ueno, Japan; Washington, D.C.; (seated from left): Monroe, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York, and New York, New York. 

Staff from our Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity not photographed here were born in South Korea, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cambodia, Malawi, Ecuador, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
 
And now they are all here working hard every day to make Montgomery County one of our country's most welcoming communities. We work for you.
 
 


The mission of our Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) is to strengthen relationships between the Montgomery County government and the residents we serve, with special focus on underserved and emerging communities and our neighbors in need. OCP serves as a bridge builder between the county government and community organizations serving the residents of Montgomery County, working across the barriers of race, ethnicity, income, and religion that too often diminish communities. OCP's mission is to carry out the County Executive's commitment to build a larger policy table with participation by a more diverse range and greater number of residents.

Click here for a roster of the OCP staff and responsibilities to help you find the person who can best help you. We won't be able to answer your every question nor solve all of your problems, but we will do our best to connect you to the people who can. Please click here for bios of and contact information for the Office of Community Partnerships staff.
 
signature
Bruce Adams
Director, Office of Community Partnerships
Register Today for 2016 Montgomery Serves Awards Gala 

The 2016 Montgomery Serves Awards, our county's highest honor for service, will be presented at a gala attended by county and state dignitaries on Monday, May 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. 

Join us that evening to help celebrate some of the superb volunteers in our region. 

County Executive Ike Leggett will recognize three winners of the Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Award, our local version of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

Find more information, including links to videos of last year's gala here or watch the video of the 2015 awards below.

Register to attend the free event on May 2 recognizing this year's honorees. 
Gilchrist Center Bustling with Clients, Classes 
 
The Gilchrist Center is bustling with clients and classes this winter, despite occasional weather-related challenges. It started a new Basic English class on Saturdays in Wheaton, filling an important gap, and it's going strong.  

The center also hopes to add a Level 2 class in the spring, so that 4 levels will be offered on Saturdays. The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy is now encouraging grantees to offer Saturday ESOL classes and two major providers have begun or are planning to begin offering classes on Saturdays in Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.  
 
Planning is underway for the spring session, which will begin with registration in mid-April. The center will continue to offer volunteer-taught English and Basic Computers classes in Wheaton, Gaithersburg, and East County, and English in Germantown.   

Those interested in volunteer opportunities can explore them here. 

Kim Joins Gilchrist Center as Program Specialist 
 
Cindy Kim has joined the Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity as a program specialist, managing the center's information and referral program, volunteer program, and data collection and analysis. 

She joined the center after working with domestic violence victims, immigrants and other marginalized populations for more than a decade.  

Previously, Cindy worked at the District of Columbia's Office of the Attorney General, where she prosecuted offenders charged with violating civil protection orders and helped victims obtain protection orders.  

In that capacity, she worked closely with crime victims, witnesses, attorneys and others to provide victim-centered and culturally competent advocacy.  

Before that, Cindy worked at the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence where she created programs for legal aid attorneys.  

Cindy began her legal career as an immigration attorney, where she worked on a wide range of cases encompassing all aspects of immigration law.  In law school, Cindy interned at several non-profits that focused on working with immigrant communities. 

Cindy is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park and Brooklyn Law School.
County Executive Leggett Speaks at State of Black America Montgomery Forum

The State of Black Montgomery, an annual community dialogue that focuses on key issue areas in Montgomery County's African American Community, was held February 6th.  

It was hosted by the African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County and cosponsored by a large number of community allies.  

SOBM 2016
Attendees at State of Black Montgomery dialogue listen to "Ted Talk" style presentation

This year's State of Black Montgomery included a "Ted Talk" style presentation, an address from County Executive Ike Leggett and a special presentation by the Ghandi Brigade, a youth voice project that was started in Silver Spring and uses media arts as a tool for connecting youth to their communities and to critical issues in the world.  

Councilmember Leventhal Unveils Online Map of African American Sites in Montgomery County

Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal and members of the county's planning board in February unveiled a new online map to commemorate African American sites throughout the county. 
 
The map, which was announced as part of the county's celebration of Black History Month, includes African American sites in the county's formal register of architecturally and historically significant buildings and places. Each map site includes a photograph, a description of the site and links to foster an appreciation of each location.  
 
"The goal of this online resource is to raise awareness about the rich and storied past of the county's historic African American communities and buildings," said Leventhal, who initiated this project. "It is my hope that this tool will encourage our community to learn more about the county's African American history in an accessible, easy and interesting way. Thanks to former council member Cherri Branson, who now serves as the director of the County's Office of Procurement, for proposing to create this resource and the Planning Board and planning staff for working with us to make this map a reality for our residents."
 
The planning staff mapped two dozen historic African American sites in the first phase of this project. More locations will be added after community feedback is received and additional sites are identified and evaluated.

The map can be accessed by clicking here.

Montgomery County NAACP Youth Council Meets with County Executive
County Executive Ike Leggett hosted members of the Montgomery County NAACP Youth Council in the Executive Office Building in early February for refreshments, a discussion of issues impacting their lives and an office tour. 
Lunar New Year Celebrations

Lunar New Year Celebration at Lakeforest 2016

The Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays for many Asian Americans living in Montgomery County, especially those of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese decent. One of the county's largest Lunar New Year celebrations took place at Lakeforest Mall over a two-week period in February. Hosted by the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, the festival featured an opening ceremony on February 6th with dragon dances, remarks from elected officials and a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome in the Year of the Monkey.
 
Association of Vietnamese Americans' Lunar New Year Celebration at Northwood High School. 
2016 Vietnamese Americans' Lunar New Year Northwood HS
County Executive Ike Leggett presents a Lunar New Proclamation to Association of Vietnamese Americans board members at the organization's annual Lunar New Year celebration at Northwood High School on January 29. Pictured (L to R): Montgomery County School Board President Michael Durso, Association of Vietnamese Americans Board Members Thomas Tran and Cuong Dinh, County Executive Ike Leggett, AVA Board Member Hoan Dang, State Delegate Kumar Barve, Asian Liaison Diane Vu
 
Asian Pacific American Leaders Meet with County Executive Ike Leggett 

Members of the Asian Pacific American Advisory Group (APAAG) met with County Executive Ike Leggett on February 8 to ask for support of nonprofits specifically serving Asian Pacific American communities. 
Photo of Ike Leggett meeting with Asian Pacific American Advisory Group Feb 2016
Pictured with the County Executive (L to R): Anwar Hashimi, Montgomery County Muslim Foundation; Sam Mukherjee, Asian Indians for Community Service; Hoan Dang, Association of Vietnamese Americans; Song Hutchins, Asian American Homeownership Counseling; Asoka Ranaweera, Sri Lankan Community of Greater Washington; Stan Tsai, Chinese Culture and Community Service Center; Surjeet Ahluwalia, Asian American LEAD; Naznin Saifi, Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center.
LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
Cuba: Es Complicado 
  
I had the privilege of traveling to Cuba last week with County Executive Leggett as part of Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's Greater Washington Exploratory Mission to Cuba organized by the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. I'm still trying to figure out whether Cuba is a lot better off than I had imagined or whether it just seemed that way because I traveled in Mayor Bowser's bubble. I think it is a little of both. Things are changing. We ate at world class private restaurants that didn't exist just a few years ago. We met Papito, an extraordinary social entrepreneur who told us: "I'm just a barber, but I'm a dreamer and I want to change the world." He has turned his family home into a barber school and museum. He built a children's playground and supports the local senior center and the arts scene. The street that is the center of his universe is alive with private initiatives.
 
That said, es complicado. Don't expect major economic development deals anytime soon. Culture and sports will move faster than government and business. They often do. My personal goal in going to Havana was to gain permission from Cuba's National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) for players from the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League (with four teams in Montgomery County) to be able to travel to Cuba this August. So far so good. I met with Cuba's national director of baseball Heriberto Suarez Pereda, and he approved a three game exhibition schedule with Cuba's top teams August 3-5. So I may be heading back soon.
 
    -- Bruce Adams
 
Note to taxpayers: I paid all my expenses for the trip and took vacation time.

Bruce Adams and Cuba's Director of Baseball
Pictured from left: OCP director and Ripken League founder Bruce Adams, Cuba's national director of baseball Heriberto Suarez Pereda, DC Councilmember Jack Evans, and INDER staff member Iliana Alfonso Valdes after meeting February 22, 2016 at the Hotel Nacional in Havana.
Montgomery County to Celebrate Middle Eastern American Heritage Month on March 16

The event, on Wednesday March 16, will include a proclamation presentation by County Executive Ike Leggett, a performance by world renowned opera singer Lubana Al Quntar, a presentation by Arab American Institute Executive Director Maya Berry, cultural exhibits, and information and resources.

The event will run from 6-8 p.m. at the Executive Office Building Cafeteria, 101 Monroe St., in Rockville.

The public is welcome and the event is free, but registration is encouraged given that space is limited.

Those planning to attend should RSVP Mimi Hassanein, Middle Eastern Liaison with the county's Office of Community Partnerships by email or by phone at 240-777-4949. 

Members of the Middle Eastern American Advisory Group met with County Executive Ike Leggett on February 8 to discuss budget priorities for FY2017. 

Photo of Ike Leggett meeting with Middle Eastern American Advisory Group Feb 2016
Pictured (L to R): Samira Hussein, Mahasty Sharifi, Akhtar Zubairi, Amjad Chaudry, County Executive, Sarah Iranpour, Mumtaz Jahan, Mimi Hassanein, Deborah Trent.
 
Sister Cities Trip to Ethiopia Set for September
  
Members of Montgomery County's Ethiopian Sister City Committee met in February to plan its trip to the African country.

The county delegation led by County Executive Leggett will depart on Sept. 23 and arrive in Addis Ababa the next day. While in the Ethiopian capital, the delegation will visit the Ethiopian National Museum to see Lucy - the 3.2 million-year-old skeleton, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, known in Amharic as Kidist Selassie, the highest-ranking Orthodox cathedral in Addis Ababa, and the newly built African Union Headquarters, which was visited by President Obama during his trip to Ethiopia in 2015.

The delegation will fly to Gondar, the 16th century fortress city, on Sept. 25. After a welcoming ceremony by the host in Gondar, the delegation will visit the ancient castles of Emperor Fasilides. On Sept. 26-28, the delegation together with the host will embark on community projects to strengthen their people to people relationship. 

Sister Cities Ethiopia trip
Montgomery County's Ethiopian Sister City committee meets to plan September trip

On Sept. 29, the delegation will split into two groups: the Faith delegation and the Sister City delegation. 

On Sept. 29, the Faith delegation will fly to and tour one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, Lalibela, which is famous for its monolithic rock-cut churches. Later that same day, the delegation will fly to and tour Axum, the 1st century BC capital of the Axumite Empire. 

The Sister City delegation will travel to BahirDar, the third-largest city in Ethiopia. There, the delegation will visit Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia that serves as the main reservoir for the Blue Nile. The following day, the delegation will visit the Blue Nile Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in Africa. 

The group will reunite in Addis Ababa on Oct. 1 and return home Oct. 2.

The trip is designed to strengthen the county's Sister City relationship with the people of Gondar. The cost of the trip, including flights, ground transportation, lodging and meals, starts at $2,500 for the Sister City delegation and $3,000 for the Faith delegation. Those interested in more information may contact Daniel Koroma with the Office of Community Partnerships. 

Sister Cities' Annual Meeting Set for March 24
  
Please join Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and members of the Montgomery Sister Cities board for the program's annual meeting on Thursday, March 24.

The meeting, "Connecting Our Community to the World," will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza.

Montgomery County has sister city relationships with Morazan, El Salvador; Gondar Ethiopia, Xi'an, China and Hyderabad, India.
This newsletter published by



Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved. Office of Community Partnerships. Montgomery County