For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Montgomery County Councilmember
Nancy Navarro to lead commemoration
for Hispanic Heritage Month
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, special event will focus on
‘Honoring Our Heritage. Building Our Future.’
ROCKVILLE, Md., September 21, 2015—Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Rockville will host a panel discussion with Hispanic and Latino leaders whose work in community development and business expansion has helped to shape the County. Panelists for the special Hispanic Heritage Month event will share their life experiences and achievements and discuss issues of importance for Hispanic and Latino residents.
Those sharing their experiences with County Councilmembers, invited guests and the public as part of the “Honoring Our Heritage. Building Our Future” event will include Marla Bilonick, executive director of the Latino Economic Development Center; Angela Buitrago Neira, the senior loan officer of Life Asset; Gracie Rivera-Oven, principal of GRO LLC; Armando Trull, a senior reporter with WAMU 88.5 FM; and Montgomery College student Cindy Monge.
The Hispanic Heritage Month event 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: http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
The Hispanic Heritage Month commemoration will recognize the histories, cultures and contributions of residents whose ancestors came from the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, South America and Spain. The event will include pre-recorded interviews with community stakeholders and a panel discussion focused on entrepreneurship, community development and socio-economic equality.
According to the Montgomery County Planning Department, 197,396 County residents self-identify as Hispanic, which represents 19 percent of the population. In this group, 62,791 residents are from El Salvador, 17,597 are from Mexico, 12,871 are from Peru, 12,456 are from Guatemala and 10,370 are from Honduras. The median household income for these residents is $68,389 and 57 percent of the population is younger than age 34. More information can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKs6N3DrxwI .
“The Hispanic/Latino community in our County mirrors the nation,” said Councilmember Navarro, who is the first Latina elected to the Council and serves as chair of the Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee. She also serves on the Education Committee and is a member of President Obama’s Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
“It is a young, hard-working and forward thinking community,” said Councilmember Navarro. “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.”
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Release ID: 16-283