Montgomery County Council to Commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Special Ceremonies and Panel Discussion
in Rockville Will Highlight ‘The Current State of the Latino Community in Montgomery County’
ROCKVILLE, Md., September 25, 2015—The Montgomery County Council at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept, 29, will hold special ceremonies to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month. The special event on “The Current State of the Latino Community in Montgomery County” will include a panel discussion with Hispanic and Latino leaders in the County whose work on social justice issues have helped shape the community. There also will be a video presentation featuring Hispanic and Latino residents who will share their life experiences and express their views on issues that will shape the future.
This Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will be part of the County Council session that will take place in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The special ceremonies will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcast also will be streamed at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/ondemand/index.html.
Among those to share their experiences with Councilmembers during the panel discussion are Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation; Alberto Avendaño, executive editor of El Tiempo Latino; Angela Franco, president and CEO of Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and Jonathan Jayes-Green, community activist and former administrator for the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs.
The event will include a demographic overview of the Hispanic and Latino community in Montgomery County and a panel discussion on shared history, personal contributions and observations on currents issues facing the community.
“The Hispanic/Latino community in our County mirrors the nation,” said Councilmember Nancy Navarro, who initiated this Hispanic Heritage event. “It is a young, hard-working and forward thinking community. Contrary to the negative rhetoric espoused by some, this community continues to make valuable contributions to the fabric of our County and our nation. This month we celebrate our shared heritage and we salute those who make a difference each and every day.”
According to the Montgomery County’s Planning Department, 192,887 County residents self-identify as Hispanic, which represents 18.7 percent of the population. In this group, 61,802 residents are from El Salvador, 15,755 are from Mexico, 12,769 are from Peru, 12,164 are from Guatemala and 9,034 are from Honduras. Of the overall total, 29 percent is under age 5 and approximately 75 percent is younger than age 34. More information can be found by watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGfvy8FtAyk .
“Montgomery County is fortunate to be a magnet for capable and talented people from around the world,” said Council President George Leventhal. “Immigration to this County is a compliment because it indicates that of all the places in the world to choose, this growing, vibrant community wants to make Montgomery County its home. And so we value the contributions of all our residents and the Latino community provides a special flavor to our cultural and economic life.”
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Councilmember Nancy Navarro Schedules Committee Meeting with Montgomery Board of Elections to Discuss Selection Process for Early Voting Sites in County
After Changes to Established Early Voting Sites, Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee Worksession on Oct. 1 Will Address Actions to Encourage Voter Participation
ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 25, 2015—Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro, who chairs the Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee, has scheduled a worksession with the County Board of Elections at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, to address steps that can be taken to encourage voter turnout after the board relocated two established early voting sites in Montgomery County.
The GO Committee, which includes Councilmembers Sidney Katz and Hans Riemer, will meet in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room at the Council Office Building in Rockville at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be broadcast live on County Cable Montgomery (Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and will be streamed live via the Council web site at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council .
On Sept. 21, the County Board of Elections, which became controlled by a Republican majority after the election of Governor Larry Hogan, voted to relocate two popular and heavily utilized early voting sites in Montgomery County. As a result of the 3-2 vote, the early voting sites at the Marilyn Praisner Community Center in Burtonsville and the Jane Lawton Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase were eliminated. New early voting sites will be the Longwood Community Recreation Center in Brookeville and the Potomac Community Recreation Center on Falls Road.
Councilmember Navarro said the board’s decisions relocated two easily accessible voting centers in densely populated areas with sites near areas that are sparsely populated and difficult to reach by public transportation.
“We all know that voter turnout is an issue across the nation, and Montgomery County is no exception,” said Councilmember Navarro. “Moving early voting locations away from where people live is only going to discourage participation. Voting is one of the most fundamental civic duties in our democracy. Part of my job is to make sure that our residents have access to polling places in all parts of Montgomery County.”
All early voting sites are open to all voters across the County. Approximately 8,000 voters cast ballots at the Burtonsville and Chevy Chase early voting sites in the 2014 general election. In that election, Burtonsville was the second busiest early voting center in the County, behind the Silver Spring Civic Building.
“In 2013, I garnered unanimous Council support to create the Right to Vote Task Force,” said Councilmember Navarro. “The resolution establishing the Task Force directed the Montgomery County Board of Elections to select early voting sites that are ‘easily accessible by public transportation’ to help ensure that all eligible voters, regardless of income or access to a vehicle, have an opportunity to cast a ballot. The actions by the Board of Elections move us away from this goal. Now, it is time to roll up our sleeves and do everything possible to educate the public about these changes.”
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