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February 5, 2019 - Issue 130
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NEWS & EVENTS AROUND THE REGION
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Education Budget Forums
Come and and voice your priorities for the fiscal year 2020 education budg
et.
- February 20th, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Neelsville Middle School
- February 27th, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School
- March 6th, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., Rockville High School
- March 11th, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., Bethesda Chevy Chase High School
- March 27th, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Montgomery College, Takoma Park Campus
Hosted by Councilmember Craig Rice, Montgomery County; Dr. Jack Smith, MCPS Superintendent; Dr. DeRionne Pollard, Montgomery College President. For more information please contact Councilmember Craig Rice's office at 240-777-7955.
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Chinese New Year
The Year of the Boar: Musical Celebration
On Saturday, February 29 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the
Twinbrook Library will present a performance by
Chinese pianist Li-Ly Chang and friends. Music from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canton, Macau and more will be featured! Twinbrook Library's Branch Manager Eric Carzon will perform a Vietnamese folk song on the guitar. This is a family-, children-, and community-friendly concert with music, story telling, and audience participation with gongs, cymbals, and bells to welcome the Chinese New Year. A reception will follow with Asian goodies and treats.
This event is free, and no registration is required. All ages are welcome.
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Community Dinner & Resource Fair for Federal Workers and Contractors Impacted by Shutdown
Montgomery County Councilmembers Tom Hucker and Will Ja
wando, the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, Manna Food Center, Nourish Now and Chef Jose Andres
' World Central Kitchen are working together to organize nonprofits, businesses and volunteers to provide continued support to workers and their families with free dinner, entertainment and access to resources. Other county residents are invited to attend and bring a donation of non-perishable or canned goods to share with affected families. READ MORE>>>
Friday, February 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Montgomery Blair High School
RSVP here.
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Gaithersburg Celebrates African American History Month with Exhibit and Presentations
For details on the various events organized by the City of Gaithersburg, click
here
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Montgomery College Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) Spring Registration for Non-Credit Courses is Open
Montgomery College Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) offers non-credit courses in multiple disciplines for individuals 50+, but anyone is welcome to register. Some of the over 30 new, spring courses include: Roe v. Wade: Past, Present, and Future; American Artists in Paris; Triumph or Defeat: A Tale of German Reunification; The European Union: In Modern Times; Meditation Practices - Heart, Brain, Body Conne
ctions; and Protecting Your Hard Earned Money. LLI offers flexibility through daytime, evening, and weekend courses at multiple Montgomery County locations. Individuals ages 60 and over pay fees only; tuition is waived. Click here for registration information.
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Former U.S. Secretary of Education to Speak at Montgomery College
On Tuesday, March 5th, MC's Presidential Dialogue Series: The Politics of Radical Inclusion will feature Arne Duncan, who served as U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. and the program starts at 9:00 a.m. This event is open to the public. For more information, call 240-567-5267.
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Child Soldier Turned Hip- Hop Sensation to Speak at Montgomery College
Emmanuel Jal will speak at Montgomery College on
March 8th. A South Sudanese orphan forced to fight, he has produced six albums, a TED talk, an award-winning biography, and a starring role in
The Good Lie.
He also presents workshops on self-awareness, meditation and inner strength. This event is free.
READ MORE>>>
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Learn About Child Care Options and Resources for Young Children
Parents, guardians and grandparents of children up to age five are invited to a free Champions for Children event on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Attendees can receive information on child care, pre-school and summer programs for children of all abilities. There will be free screenings for developmental delays; workshops on choosing child care, opportunities to learn about the different types of child care; and information about scholarships and subsidies available for child care expenses. Children are welcome and there will be fun activities for young children. For more information, call 240-777-4769.
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Free Video Production Classes for High School Students
Gandhi Brigade Youth Media (GBYM) offers free after-school programs throughout the county in which students learn digital media skills and produce short videos about social justice topics and community-based issues. Students earn SSL hours for their participation. Students can register NOW at
bit.ly/youthmediaclass. See flyers in
English and
Spanish.
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Montgomery County Summer Camps Registration Opens
Montgomery County Recreation and Montgomery Parks are hosting hundreds of fun and exciting camps that promote active and healthy lifestyles for children this summer. Camp registration opens at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 22 via ActiveMONTGOMERY.org, the registration and facility reservation system shared by Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Recreation and Community Use of Public Facilities. Click here for additional information.
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Participants Sought for 19th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
The City of Gaithersburg, in partnership with The Peterson Companies and RIO Washingtonian Center, will host the 19th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade at 10 a.m. on
Saturday, March 16, 2019.
Community groups and other organizations are invited to march. For details, click here.
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Free Tax Preparation Available for Qualilfied Individuals
The annual Volunteer Income Tax (VITA) program, a partnership of the City of Gaithersburg and the Montgomery County Community Action Agency, is now accepting appointments to prepare 2018 taxes. The VITA program offers free tax preparation assistance to low- and moderate-income individuals who earn $55,000 or less per year. Preparation is done by IRS-trained volunteers who assist taxpayers in determining if they are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Services are offered in English and Spanish. For additional details, click here.
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Housing and Small Business Courses
Want to improve or start your own business...buy a home...take control of your finances? The Latino Economic Development Corporation offers classes and workshops to help! Visit the website.
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On Tuesday, January 29, the Montgomery County Council confirmed my appointment by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich as the director of the Office of Community Partnerships (OCP). I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the residents of Montgomery County in this new capacity.
As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who watched her parents rebuild their lives in a new country, I understood at a very early age how socioeconomic status, culture and language can have a profound impact on access to opportunities thereby changing the trajectory of one's life. Upon graduating from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2006 with a B.A in Psychology, I served as an AmeriCorps Fellow at the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (now called the Association of Vietnamese Americans) and was subsequently hired as the executive director. During that time, I served on the Commission for Aging, Asian Pacific American Advisory Group and on the steering committee of Nonprofit Montgomery.
I joined OCP in 2012 as the liaison to the Asian Pacific American community and language access coordinator. Over the past seven years, I helped to build the most welcoming community in the nation under the Leggett administration. I formed the Montgomery County Legal Immigration Service Providers Network, led the County's Citizenship Initiative and staffed Montgomery Sister Cities' relationships to China, India, and South Korea. I also served as chair for the My Brother's Keeper LGBTQ Affinity Workgroup. I am confident my experience in advocating for underrepresented communities grounded in strong organizational development will be an asset to OCP as we realign our work to create an equitable and inclusive Montgomery County under County Executive Marc Elrich.
Moving forward, you should expect to continue to receive our monthly newsletters which highlight important news, information and events in communities across the county. You will continue to hear from our ethnic and interfaith liaisons, the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center and the Volunteer Center. You will also get a chance to participate in our work as we recruit new members for our advisory groups and we are going to call on you to help us ensure that every resident is counted for the 2020 Census.
Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this next chapter.
Diane Vy Nguyen-Vu
Director, Office of Community Partnerships
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Strathmore
On Monday, January 21st, the MLK Commemorative and Planning Committee, along with County Executive Marc Elrich, hosted its
annual MLK Tribute at Strathmore Music Center. The theme, "Women of the Dream," honored several women living legends who made their mark during the civil rights movement. For more photos, click
here
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February Workshops and Information Sessions
- Free consultation with experienced immigration attorneys and assistance with citizenship applications (English)
- Saturday, February 9, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850
- Please pre-register online by clicking here or by calling 202-706-7135
> Chevy Chase United Methodist Church offers FREE citizenship preparation classes on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon at 7001 Connecticut Avenue. Class sizes are small and offer individualized attention. To register or learn more, contact 301-830-3317 or 201-882-3021.
> Montgomery College (MC) provides FREE citizenship preparation classes throughout Montgomery County, including locations in Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton. Multi-level classes are funded through a grant from United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) at various schedules to meet the needs of learners.
Registration will begin on February 12th or February 16th at 9:00 a.m. To register,
please bring your green card to Montgomery College, 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Wheaton,MD
20902. Please check the
MC Citizenship Website
for more information or call 240-567-
8839.
> Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), a Maryland state agency, provides FREE citizenship preparation classes throughout Montgomery County, including locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton. Multi-level classes are offered on various schedules to meet the needs of learners, including weekends and evenings. Classes prepare students with the ESL skills and knowledge of U.S civics and the naturalization process to complete the federal citizenship exam and successfully become U.S citizens.
Winter classes and registration began on January 5, but students may still join classes until February 27 - see the current class schedule
here. To register for classes, please bring your green card and social security card to any class location during the class time. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, contact Citizenship Program Coordinator
Yana Cascioffe or visit the website at
www.bccc.edu/citizenship
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Free Immigration Legal Services & Citizenship Program Provided by African Communities Together --
Are you living/working in Montgomery County and interested in becoming a U.S. Citizen? Click
here
for information in English, Francais, Amharic.
- Sixty hours of intensive English language instruction
- Prepare for the citizenship exam
- Free legal assistance with your citizenship application.
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Citizenship Information Sessions Presented by Montgomery College and Catholic Charities
Are you a legal, permanent resident preparing for the U.S. citizenship test and interview? Come to an information session and discover how Montgomery College and Catholic Charities may be able to help you for free! Information sessions: February 12th at 6:00 p.m. or February 16th at 9:00 a.m. See
website
for more information.
> Free Legal Services Provided by Pro Bono Program
The Pro Bono Program provides
FREE LEGAL SERVICES to low-income county residents in civil cases. The Pro Bono Program provides two means for residents to receive free services: at a legal advice clinic or through the client intake line for referral to an attorney volunteer for direct representation. Information is available in
English and
Spanish.
- The Montgomery County Maryland Bar Foundation Pro Bono Program Legal Clinics meet twice a month throughout Montgomery County (Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center & Germantown meet only once a month). Each clinic is staffed by attorneys versed in different areas of practice including immigration.
- Please note that the East county clinic that meets the 1st Thursday of every month has two Immigration attorneys to address inquiries regarding immigration.
The Pro Bono Program is committed to helping the residents of Montgomery County, MD. Individual circumstances may vary and in some cases we may not be able to assist everyone.
Call the Pro Bono Program at 301-424-7651 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday for additional information.
Get a one-on-one meeting with an attorney. Ask your immigration questions.
- These are brief advice and referral clinics. If you meet with an attorney, the services you receive will be limited by time, expertise, and the information you provide. You will receive advice that is specific to your situation, but the attorney you meet with will not represent you after the clinic.
- FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. CONSULATE OF HONDURAS, 1990 M ST., NW, SUITE 104, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
Please call ahead if you need a sign language interpreter. We serve clients in all languages. Email
anastasia@ayuda.com
or call (202) 243-7315 with any questions about language services.
PLEASE BRING THESE THINGS TO HELP US SERVE YOU:
- All immigration documents
- Your passport and the passports of your family members
- Police reports, if you have been the victim of a crime or if you have been accused of committing a crime
- Criminal court documents, if you have been accused or convicted of a crime, even if charges were dismissed
LANGUAGE SERVICES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
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Language Access Services by Ayuda
Do you provide services to Maryland victims of crime? Do you ever need a spoken or sign interpreter to communicate with the victims whom you serve? The Language Access Program at Ayuda can provide you with professionally trained, trauma-informed interpreters at no cost (because of funding from the Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention).
This new program will be launching in February or March of 2019. Please write to
interpreterbank@ayuda.com with "Maryland Victims" in the subject heading to learn more and to add your organization to the list of those that will receive services.
> Breaking Silence: Interpreting for Victim Services
Breaking Silence is a 4-day, 32-hour training during which interpreters gain the skills necessary to work directly with crime victims. Applicants who successfully complete the training will be given the opportunity to sign a contract to begin accepting paid assignments as independent contractors for Ayuda's Victim Services Interpreter Bank.
The training will take place in Silver Spring, MD from Friday, May 17, 2019 through Monday, May 20, 2019 (from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on all 4 days). The training is free, but applicants who are selected to attend will be asked to submit a $50 deposit online in order to hold their place in the class. Deposits will be refunded upon successful completion of language proficiency testing (if required by Ayuda) and of the training. CEUs for spoken and sign language interpreters will be offered. Click here for additional information.
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Financial Assistance for Citizenship Application Fees
CASA, in partnership with Montgomery County, is offering financial assistance to those who are eligible to apply for citizenship but cannot afford to pay the application fee. Residents of Montgomery County who earn less than 300% of the federal poverty guideline may qualify for a scholarship in the amount of $150 or $300 to help pay the application filing fee. Interested applicants should call (240) 560-2272 for more information. Flyers are available in
English
and
Spanish
. Note: Low-income individuals seeking to apply for citizenship may also be eligible for a
fee waiver
or
reduced fee
through USCIS.
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Upcoming Meetings of County Executive's Ethnic & Faith Advisory Groups
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African Affairs Advisory Group (AAAG)
will meet on Thursday, February 14, 2019 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Josephine.Garnem@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Asian Pacific American Advisory Group
has not finalized a date for February. For additional information, contact Diane Vu at
diane.vu@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Caribbean American Advisory Group (CAAG)
will meet on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Joanne.Antoine@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Latin American Advisory Group will meet on Tuesday, February 13 at 6:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Executive Office Building in Rockville. For more information, please contact Diane Vu at diane.vu@montgomerycountymd.gov.
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Interfaith Working Group Executive Committee Meeting --
Thursday, February 21, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the Rockville Memorial Library.
Contact Sierra Smith at
Sierra.Smith@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG) will meet on Monday, February 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Rockville Memorial Library, Third Floor Mediation Room. For additional information, contact Debbie Trent, Chair, at dtrent@civilstrategies.net.
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Nominate Outstanding Volunteers for County Award
Nominations are now open for the Montgomery Serves Awards, our county's highest honor for volunteer service. This prestigious annual awards program is coordinated by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and recognizes volunteer efforts in the following categories:
- Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award, for lifetime service by residents age 60 and up
- Volunteer of the Year Award, for extraordinary volunteerism by an individual in 2018
- Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, for remarkable volunteer efforts in 2018 by those age 18 and younger
- Volunteer Group of the Year Award, for a group's noteworthy volunteer efforts during the last calendar year
- Business Volunteer of the Year Award, for outstanding community service in 2018 by a business
To nominate deserving volunteers, complete the appropriate online nomination form no later than Thursday, February 28. Click here for the forms.
Thousands Make MLK Holiday a Day of Service
 Across Montgomery County, thousands of residents braved a rainy and bitterly cold weekend to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by volunteering to better our community during the 2019 MLK Day of Service and the weekend leading up to the holiday.
More than 2,100 people participated in the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's multi-project site at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center, where they worked on everything from assembling personal care kits for area shelters to making friendship bracelets for sick kids. An additional 1,800 volunteers served at partner sites in Silver Spring, Rockville, Olney, Gaithersburg, and Germantown. (These sites were hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Montgomery County alumnae chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's Eta Pi Zeta chapter, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, the Greater Olney Interfaith Clergy Association, Seneca Creek Community Church, the City of Gaithersburg, Journey's Crossing, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's Xi Sigma Omega chapter). Plus, many hundreds more volunteered for a variety of service activities in Montgomery County throughout the MLK Day weekend.
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County Delegation Visits Sister City in Ethiopia
Earlier this January, a delegation comprised of representatives from Montgomery College, Montgomery Sister Cities, county government, and county residents embarked on a historical trip to Gondar, Ethiopia as part of our community building and sister cities partnership strengthening efforts. Led by County Councilmember Craig Rice, the trip was incredible in many ways, leaving a deep impression on the delegates who traveled as well as our host community in Ethiopia.
The trip's highlights included visiting awe-inspiring ancient monasteries, mosques, cathedrals, and castles, all of which illustrate the extraordinary, beautiful, rich and resilient culture of Ethiopia, as well as witnessing the brilliant growth and economic power of modern-day Ethiopia. This merger of majestic ancient history and vast natural terrain with the modern infrastructure, skyscrapers, and cosmopolitan life in major cities, makes the Ethiopian experience enriching and intriguing. READ MORE>>>
Check out the Epiphany celebration
below.
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Explore the World of Montgomery at Oasis on February 21
Former OCP director Bruce Adams will provide an armchair slideshow tour of Montgomery County's five Sister Cities at Oasis in Bethesda from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday February 21. Learn about Montgomery's extraordinarily diverse community by exploring the Sister Cities located in the five top countries of origin of Montgomery County's immigrant population. Join Oasis for visits to Morazán, El Salvador; Hyderabad, India; Daejeon, South Korea; and the ancient capitals of Xi'an, China and Gondar, Ethiopia. There is a $10 fee. Please register for class # 420 at
oasisnet.org/washington or call 301/469-6800, press 1, then dial x211. Bruce's presentation will be at the Oasis headquarters located in the Macy's Home Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7125 Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda.
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Sister Cities Team Visits Embassy of Ethiopia
On January 2nd 2019, Montgomery Sister Cities started the new year with an outstanding meeting at the Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, DC. The meeting was a tremendous success. Mr. Reta Alemu, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission was extremely impressed with the work that has been done by the County and the Montgomery Sister Cities Committee, as well as the objectives of its mission to Gondar. He greatly impressed the team by his wealth of historical knowledge of Ethiopia and the role and influence she's had in history. This brief yet invaluable history lesson only made the team more excited about visiting the Camelot of Africa - Ethiopia. Mr. Alemu offered the full support of the embassy and its personnel. He was also delighted to hear about the engagement of the county with the Ethiopian Diaspora and will explore ways to work with the county and the Ethiopian Community in Montgomery County.
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Annual Retreat Held in January
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| Pictured left to right: Akhtar Zubairi, Subhi Rawi, Dareen Daniel, Soulmaz Jahanbin, Farideh Jahanbin, Marc Elrich, Debbie Trent, Ashraf el Fiky, Amjad Chaudhry, Mahasty Sharifi, Mumtaz Jahan, Sam Shihadeh, and Sahar Fahmy. Photo credit: OCP Director Diane Vu. |
The Montgomery County Maryland's Office of Community Partnerships Middle Eastern American
Advisory Group held its annual retreat on January 12th. County Executive Marc Elrich enjoyed a breakfast with transnational dishes. He and MEAAG members got acquainted, sharing professional and civic experience and brainstorming low- and no-cost initiatives to support the CE's seven priorities and deepen MEAAG's cross-cultural, social welfare, and economic development efforts. Ideas to be pursued include: a job fair and professional networking event, underground trash technology, international medical training, culturally sensitive affordable housing for special needs adults, and enhanced OCP-Advisory Group communication through social media.
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AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Committee's 43rd Annual Breakfast
To celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's legacy, the Montgomery
County Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. held its 43rd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast at the North Bethesda Marriott on January 21st. Close to 2,000 people attended the event, which included a keynote speech by Bishop W. Darin Moore, Presiding Prelate, Mid-Atlantic Episcopal District, AME Zion Church, Chair of the National Council of Churches.
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Latin American Advisory Group (LAAG) Update
LAAG members met on December 11th to finalize its annual letter to the County Executive (CE), identifying priority areas for the CE to consider as part of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget submission for the County. The budget letter was sent to the CE on December 26, explaining LAAG's rationale for two major priorities: (1) the lack of representation of Latinos in the County employee workforce and (2) improving mental health services for the Latino population, especially to those youth traumatized as unaccompanied minors as migrants from Central America. READ MORE>>>
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Epiphany Celebration in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Sister City mission included the Timkat Festival, celebrating Epiphany. Pictured is the Montgomery County Delegation with the Mayor and Administrative Officers of Gondar together with musicians and dancers. The white and red attire were gifts worn to the religious ceremony beginning at 3:00 a.m., where VIP seating was provided with elected officials in the presence of over 100,000 people. Rev. Mansfield "Kasey" Kaseman, the Interfaith Community Liaison with the
Office of Community Partnerships, is pictured wearing his ceremonial garb (second row, fifth from left).
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Job Opportunity - Interfaith Network of Montgomery County Executive Assistant
The Executive Assistant will provide administrative functions to the Interfaith Liaison of Montgomery County and the Faith Community Advisory Council (FCAC), its working groups and committees. The Faith Community Advisory Council, a part of the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, ensures that the County Executive is well informed of and able to act effectively in responding to the needs and concerns of faith communities. It works collaboratively with government, nonprofits, and community organizations in creating a more inclusive, equitable and compassionate community.
Read the full job description.
Please submit resume and cover letter to
info@iworksmc.org
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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.
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