The Committee for Ethnic Affairs advises the Montgomery County, MD County Executive and County Council on public policy that relates to ethnic affairs; promotes maximum involvement of all ethnic groups in the County in government, business and community affairs.

Monday, February 14, 2011

CEA Day of Service

The Committee for Ethnic Affairs (CEA), turns a day off into a day to fight hunger in Montgomery County.  CEA members joined with Manna Food Center (MFC) in its campaign against hunger.  Members from CEA were part of the dozens of organizations collecting food to help feed Montgomery County residents as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. community service initiative.  Giant Food Store shoppers were asked to donate non-perishable items like pasta, rice, cereals, and canned fruits and vegetables, and the donations came in numbers.  One CEA volunteer noted shoppers at the Traville Gateway Giant were overwhelmingly generous, donating a total of two shopping carts full of food within a two hour window.  Collectively, the weekend-long food drive resulted in 21,276 pounds of food for the County's neediest families. 

Founded in 1983, Manna Food Center, strives to eliminate hunger in Montgomery County through food distribution, education, and advocacy.  Manna's regular distributions program feeds approximately 3,300 families each month


Post contributed by J'amie D'Aguiar

Friday, February 11, 2011

Minorities are majority population in Montgomery County

In an article in today’s edition of the Washington Post, Carol Morello and Dan Keating report minorities have become a majority over the past decade in affluent Montgomery County as the number of whites has plummeted, according to census figures released Wednesday.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

CEA Monthly Meetings Update: February Meeting

The Montgomery County Committee for Ethnic Affairs met on February 3, 2011.  Usual things were accomplished, like the approval of minutes and the subcommittee reports.  The World of Montgomery Subcommittee had a lot to report; everyone is getting really excited for the World of Montgomery Day in October.  Let's hope the weather holds out!  The Sister City project is going well, and the County is planning another visit to Morazan, El Salvador in July.  Everyone will pay their own way, but last year, there were sponsor families so hotel costs were not an issue. The Communications Subcommittee is working closely with Montgomery County Media (MCM), who has re-branded itself around the diversity in our County.  It will be a nice opportunity to showcase some of our projects and communities, and the CEA will be helping to solicit ideas for programming, so if anyone has an ideas, post them here and we'll make sure the MCM gets them!
There was some sad news for us (good for the County)--Lisa Austin, our main support person from the Office of Community Partnerships was promoted to another job. Good luck Lisa!  We will surely miss you!  Another announcement came from the Officer's Meeting that was held in January.  Our Vice Chair, was promoted at her job and will no longer be able to fulfill the duties of the committee.  We are thankful for her service, and wish her best of luck. Jeff Lynch has stepped up to the plate and will take over the Vice Chair responsibilities and Pat Lesnick will take over Jeff's old position as member-at-large. Thank you so much Jeff and Pat! 

For more information:


Post contributed by Lisa Carvallo

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Black History Month Event: Caribbean Heritage


Montgomery County Caribbean American Advisory Group cordially invites you to participate in a forum as we celebrate Black History Month 2011
“Living in Montgomery County: A Cultural and Ethnic Transition”
February 12, 2011- 1:00-4:00 pm- First Baptist Church Hall, 8415 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Panelists and Moderators are of Caribbean Heritage:
Professor Merle Collins, University of Maryland, College Park
Pastor Kwesi Oginga, New Life Ministries, Bethesda, MD
Dr. Grace Virtue, Howard University, Washington, DC
Shanta Ramson Esq, Immigration Attorney, Burtonsville, MD

The forum will be moderated by Rev. Canon Kortright Davis, Howard University and The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter, Washington, DC
For more information, please contact Ms. Mayne at rmayn14@comcast.net or Mr. Daniel Koroma, Office of Community Partnership, 240-777-2584, Daniel.koroma@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Light refreshments will be served.

Rockville Celebrates Black History Month 2011

Each year during the month of February the Rockville campus of Montgomery College celebrates Black/African-American Month (B/AAHM). The Black/African-American History Month Committee, comprised of students, faculty, and staff, have put together a month of events highlighting the heritage, contributions and achievements of people of African descent in the United States.
Black History Month programming will be featured on Montgomery College Television, Cable Channel 10 in Montgomery County.  Visit http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/mctv for the program schedule. 
Manding Djembe with Amadou Kouyate4:00pm to 5:00pm.  Music Building (MU), Room 124
Monday, February 7, 2011-
Description:  Manding Djali, performer, composer and scholar, Amadou Kouyate will lead an African drumming workshop focused on the djembe.  Drums will be provided and all levels of experience are welcome.  Please feel free to bring your own djembe.  This event is FREE and open to the public.
For more information about this event please contact Professor Dawn Avery at dawn.avery@montgomerycollege.edu or (240) 567-5035.

The Impact of Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism on Teaching and Learning
Thursday, February 10, 2011-
9:30am to 11:00am- Theatre Arts (TA) Arena
Description:  This workshop will include information about the implementation of a new curricula unit in the Delaware Public Schools.  Delaware’s Teacher of the Year, Mr. Joseph Masiello, will discuss the impact that his Fulbright experiences in Japan an England have had on his teaching and how last summer’s teaching experience in earthquake ravaged Haiti changed his life.  This program is sponsored by the Montgomery College School of Education in partnership with Rockville Student Development.
For more information about this event please contact Professor Ever Grier at  ev.grier@montgomerycollege.edu or (240) 567-7648. 
 

The ‘N’ Word
11:00am to 12:00pm-  Student Activity Center, Campus Center (CC), Room 015
Description:  Why does it generate such powerful emotion?   Who gets to use it, and who doesn’t?   How should we view it among the various issues confronting the black community?
For more information about this event please contact Dr. Alonzo Smith, at alonzo.smith@montgomerycollege.edu or (240) 567-7283 or Dr. John Riedl at john.riedl@montgomerycollege.edu or (240) 567-7284.