For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Montgomery County Council
President Nancy Navarro's Remarks
at Black History Month Commemoration
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 26, 2019—Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro gave the opening remarks at today’s Council commemoration of Black History Month. In its commemoration program, the Council discussed the importance of preserving and honoring the County’s African American history and its connection to fostering racial equity.
The commemoration included a video segment focusing on the African American Historic Sites Project and the formation of the Remembrance and Reconciliation Commission, and a panel discussion focusing on how we connect African American history with our efforts to eliminate systemic racial inequality in Montgomery County. In 2018, Council President Navarro spearheaded a Council resolution to create a Racial Equity and Social Justice Policy for Montgomery County Government. The Council and County Executive Marc Elrich will hold a Community Conversation on Racial Equity and Social Justice on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building (1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring).
Council President Navarro’s full remarks can be viewed below:
Racial equity and social justice are what we strive to achieve in Montgomery County. Recognizing February as Black History Month is one small way we continue our work on this urgent moral and socioeconomic endeavor.
It is during this month that we pause to recognize and remember the people and events in the African Diaspora and the struggles and sacrifices made by African Americans to shape the United States. It also is a time to celebrate and honor the achievements and leadership of African Americans, who have contributed significantly to the growth and development of our county, our state and our nation.
This month also shines a spotlight on our respective roles in this shared history and forces us to recognize the unconscionable and horrific acts of the past which still shape our society today. This involves difficult and uncomfortable conversations.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people."
We are fortunate to live in a community where we can engage in these conversations grounded in our values of understanding, tolerance and respect for individuals of all races. These values are continuously under attack by forces that seek to divide our nation. We rebuke these aggressions and continue to stand up for the values that we believe in, and we join together to push forward seeking racial equity and social justice.
For today's video program, the Council worked with community representatives to remember and honor our county's history through the African American Historic Sites Projects and the creation the Remembrance and Reconciliation Commission. The goal of these initiatives is to preserve our shared history and to learn lessons from the residents who have shaped these communities. I want to especially recognize the work of those profiled in the video including: Tina Clarke, Charlotte Coffield, Warren Fleming, Anita Neal Powell and Patricia Tyson.
Highlighting these initiatives has only strengthened my resolve to turn the lessons of our history into action, by continuing the work I started last year creating a Racial Equity and Social justice Policy for Montgomery County Government.
Our County's population has changed, both in numbers and in diversity, and this did not happen overnight. Addressing issues of racial equity is not only a moral obligation; it is essential to ensure the continued economic vitality of our county.
We recognize that government at all levels has helped to create and maintain systemic racial inequality. I have organized a collaboration of county leaders who have committed themselves to envisioning and operationalizing policies to institutionalize new models of governing that uses the lessons of the past to create a more equitable future.
We can no longer simply give lip service to social justice. I encourage all of you in this room to help us engage in the tough issues associated with this type of systemic change and to let us know your thoughts about how we can build an even better and stronger Montgomery County that meets the needs of all residents.
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Release ID: 19-070