Monday, December 12, 2011
7:30 am – 9:30 am

at Bethesda Marriott
5151 Pooks Hill Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

* Limited seating, sign up early
* Advance Registration is required
* Online registration will be available soon

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

Holy Cross Hospital

SILVER SPONSORS

Adventist Healthcare, Inc.
Montgomery College
Johns Hopkins University

GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

Montgomery County Public Schools

COMMUNITY SPONSORS  

Asian American Political Alliance

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County

African American Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County

Hispanic Business Foundation of Maryland

Asian American Education Association

Montgomery County Collaboration Council

Identity

We are cognizant of a changing economic and demographic landscape.  Over the past decade, the immigrant population is thriving, significantly contributing to the growing diverse racial and ethnic mix in the County.  These demographic shifts will continue to enrich all our experiences and present new challenges, requiring the creation of more appropriate social models.

Gainful employment for our people is again a top priority. This priority requires better access to opportunities and entrepreneurial options, affordable post secondary education and the enactment of policies similar to the DREAM act, family friendly neighborhoods, affordable housing and healthcare and low cost, accessible public transportation.

 We ask that our elected officials take action on the following priorities that represent our combined legislative agenda: 

• The achievement gap in K through 12 education in the County needs to be closed and should be addressed in legislation that impacts resources allocation within the local education system and programs targeting youth and families.

• Support after-school programs that address the economically disadvantaged populations and that foster parental involvement in the lives of their children.  Continue supporting access to work-study opportunities and ensure inclusion of open spaces for community and family recreation in neighborhoods.  Enhance the network and affordable access to public transportation.

• Access to affordable housing in the County is important to our communities. Foreclosures and homelessness are still challenges.  Assistance through education, incentives to financial institutions for refinancing, and alternative affordable housing are required to provide family stability and community well being.  There is a continuing need to improve and expand emergency assistance programs for families in need of housing.

• Eliminate disparities in health care access. This is often exacerbated by artificial barriers related to aging, economic circumstances, language and cultural issues.  Maintain budget levels and establish authorities in law for the operations of minority health initiatives in the County.  Support availability of healthcare and dental clinics in the under-served areas of the County, including the funding for temporary clinics, health fairs, and Mobile Med Vans. 

• Maintain funding as well as administrative and technical support to non-profit organizations that serve the County’s diverse racial and ethnic communities in positive youth development, education, health care and housing.  These critical non-profit services are usually provided by trusted community-based organizations often operating on a shoe-string budget.  Streamline and simplify grant and procurement processes including evaluation, funding and monitoring, and emphasizing the partnership between the public and private sectors.

• Sustainability of minority and woman-owned businesses and attractive, well paying career opportunities are of paramount importance to our communities. We ask that you support investments in career development and business management, as well as legislation that supports incentives for investments in small business and facilitates small business growth through less taxing fees, streamlined permitting and compliance processes, affordable legal support and reduced barriers to procurement awards. Support the continuation and promotion of existing programs for minority and woman owned small businesses, such as the WSSC SLMBE program and the State ofMaryland MBE program.  Strengthen small business reserve and minority business procurement and explore incentives for county-based businesses to source more services and products from local small minority-owned businesses.

We appreciate the dedication and hard work of our legislators in responding to the will of the people. 

 We look forward to working collaboratively with you to overcome the challenges ahead.

Welcoming Remarks:
Janice Freeman,  President, African American Chamber of Commerce
Ben Cardin, Member, U.S. Senate
Chris Van Hollen, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
Donna Edwards, Member, U.S. House of Representatives

Presentation of Joint Minority Legislative Priorities:
Carmen Ortiz Larsen, Vice President, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County

Response:
Isiah “Ike” Leggett, Montgomery County Executive
Valerie Ervin, President, Montgomery County Council
Kumar Barve, Majority Leader, Maryland Assembly
Richard Madaleno, Chair, Montgomery County Senate Delagation
Chris Barclay, President, Montgomery County Board of Education

Closing Remarks:
Michael Lin, President, Asian American Political Alliance

African Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanics now make up nearly 40% of the overall population and 51% of the public school student body in Montgomery County, Maryland. During this breakfast, we present to the State and County those legislative priorities that we hold in common, joining forces to support a better community for minority businesses and families in Montgomery County.

We would like you to consider sponsorship and support for the 10th Annual Minority Legislative Breakfast in Montgomery County. As in previous Decembers, we expect to attract over 250 attendees including state and county public officials. You select the sponsorship that best fits with your plans.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you can make the commitment to support of our minority businesses and families, and be an active participant for a better Montgomery County.

We look forward to seeing you, your colleagues and guests for breakfast.

Thank you in advance for your support and participation.

Susana Nemes, President, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Michael C. Lin, President, Asian American Political Alliance
Janice M. Freeman, President, African American Chamber of Commerce

Friday, December 17, 2010
7:30 am – 9:30 am

at Bethesda Marriott
5151 Pooks Hill Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

SIGN UP NOW:

Early Bird Special – Individual ticket/seat for breakfast only $45; Prices go up on Friday 12/10

More details…

Have you considered sponsoring? Sponsors receive recognition and a table for 10 reserved in their name.
Learn more…

The African American Chamber of Commerce
The Asian American Political Alliance
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County
present:

2010 Joint Minority Legislative Priorities for Montgomery County

plus

Feedback from Local and State Representatives

Friday, December 17, 2010
7:30 am – 9:30 am

at Bethesda Marriott
5151 Pooks Hill Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

* Limited seating, sign up early
* Advance Registration is required
* Online registration will be available soon

Human Genome Sciences, Inc.

GOLD SPONSORS

Adventist Healthcare, Inc.
Holy Cross Hospital
PEPCO

SILVER SPONSORS

Comcast
Montgomery College
Montgomery County Department of Economic Development
State Farm Insurance
IWIF Worker’s Compensation Insurance

GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

African American Health Program
Johns Hopkins University
Montgomery County Public Schools
The Universities at Shady Grove
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SPONSORS

African American Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County
Asian American Education Association
Asian American Political Alliance
Hispanic Business Foundation of Maryland
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – MC Branch
Organization of Chinese Americans – DC Chapter
The People’s Community Baptist Church

We promote social justice, equal opportunity, fair treatment and full participation for all members of Montgomery County’s minority community. We further seek to ensure that everyone’s rights are respected, both in spirit and in practice, and to create a supportive environment for this diverse community.

We ask Montgomery County’s elected officials to consider the following priorities:

• Enhance education programs designed to eliminate the achievement gap, especially in the highly impacted African American and Hispanic student population. Preserve funding for programs that foster parental involvement and after school activities.

• Accelerate efforts to eliminate disparities in health care access often exacerbated by aging, economic climate and language barriers. The County Council is encouraged to fund a county-wide household data collection survey to monitor the state of minority health among linguistically isolated and underrepresented groups.

• Support initiatives that will stimulate the job market. Encourage the regulatory environment to be more conducive to the growth and sustainability of small and minority-owned businesses. Increase county procurement contracting with small, minority and women owned businesses; set-up simplified acquisition processes, preferences and goals similar to those of the federal government.

• Continue to provide foreclosure intervention and default counseling support working in tandem with State and Federal resources. Fund emergency assistance programs to avert sudden homelessness, especially for families and youth.

• Continue to support non-profit organizations that serve minority communities. Adequately fund effective community education and gathering places that promote cross-cultural initiatives, neighbor-to-neighbor communication and collaboration across communities.

While progress has been made over the last year, we must be watchful and ever vigilant in preserving the richness of our diverse community. We must seek ways to ensure continued opportunities to meet the basic needs of our residents and maintain a quality of life that provides cultural and economic enrichment for all
members of our community. We applaud the efforts of our elected officials and ask for everyone’s continued support.