Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Aﬀairs Martin O’Malley ...msa.maryland.gov/.../012379/unrestricted/20100256e.pdf · Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs Annual Report

Governor’sCommission onHispanic Affairs

Annual Report2008-2009

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES“Reaching Out to All of Maryland’s Communities”

Governor’s Commissionon Hispanic Affairs

301 W. Preston Street, 15th FloorBaltimore, MD 21201410-767-7857(Phone)410-333-7543 (Fax)

1-800-925-4434 (TTY)1-800-714-8813 (Toll Free)

[email protected] (Email)www.hispanic.maryland.gov (Website)

Martin O’Malley, GovernorAnthony G. Brown, Lt. Governor

Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka, Executive Director,Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives

Ruby Stemmle, Executive Director


Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs

Table of Contents

Message from the Governor 01

Message from the Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives 02

Message from the Chair 03Commissioners and Staff 04Executive Summary 06Demographic Update 08Committees and Accomplishments 10

Education•Housing •Economic Development•Health•Public Policy •

Community Platforms for Policy Discussions: 2008 Commission Meetings 202008 Governor’s Hispanic Heritage Awards 21Hispanic Appointed Officials in Maryland 23Hispanic Elected Officials and Hispanic Liaisons Statewide 24

Mission StatementThe Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs will advise

government, advance solutions, and serve as a resource to ensure equal access to the economic, educational, health,

political and social well-being of Hispanics.

VisionThe Commission envisions an active and productive

Hispanic community united and empowered to reach its full potential.

Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs Annual Report 2008 1

Message from Governor Martin O’Malley

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to present to you the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ 2008-2009 Annual Report, detailing the many efforts and achievements of our Commission members and staff, as well as our goals for the future.

Thanks in large part to the partnership and hard work of the Commission, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has made important progress on behalf of the Hispanic community. Together, we expanded opportunity by increasing State awards to Hispanic-owned firms by nearly 40% in FY 2007 and over 53% in FY 2008. We have appointed 70 Hispanic individuals to over 55 boards and commissions. We have also established the Maryland Council for New Americans. And, because we believe that no family should lose their home because of a language barrier, we have extended our nation-leading foreclosure efforts to the Hispanic community with bilingual Foreclosure Prevention and Mitigation Workshops.

Our shared history in Maryland has proven that, for all of our diversity, and for all of the things that distinguish us from one another, there is more that unites us than divides us. Diversity is truly our greatest strength and in many ways, Maryland’s fast-growing and vibrant Hispanic community is strengthening our entire State.

On behalf of the entire O’Malley-Brown Administration, we look forward to continuing our efforts in partnership with the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs to expand opportunity for Maryland’s Hispanic community.

Sincerely,

Martin O’MalleyGovernor

Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs2 Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs

Message from Izzy PatokaExecutive Director, Governor’sOffice of Community Initiatives

The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI) coordinates community and volunteer activities statewide and advises the Governor on policies to enhance and improve community programs. This office coordinates outreach to ethnic communities across Maryland through the Commission Division of GOCI which includes the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs, the Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, the Governor’s Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, the Governor’s Commission on African Affairs, the Maryland Council for New Americans, the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. Other divisions include the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, Volunteer Maryland and community outreach in cooperation with the Governor’s Intergovernmental Affairs Office to serve the Executive Branch of Maryland government.

In 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law HB782, which received unanimous support in the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate. This action codified the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, making the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs a part of the Governor’s Office. Doing so demonstrates the importance of the Commission, while making the resources and activities of the Governor’s Office available to it.

Ruby Stemmle is Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs, which is comprised of key leaders from the fields of business, healthcare, education, government and community advocacy groups. Under the leadership of Commission Chair Maria Welch and Vice-Chair Rick Martinez, this talented and experienced group continues to serve as dependable advisors to the Governor and State agencies.

This report is reflective of the commitment and dedication of the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs to the residents of the State of Maryland.

Israel C. “Izzy” PatokaExecutive DirectorGovernor’s Office of Community Initiatives

Governor’s Commission on Hispanic AffairsGovernor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs Annual Report 2008 3

Message from the Chair

The Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs is happy to present the 2008-2009 Annual Report. The following pages depict a progressive Hispanic community in Maryland that is near the top on several national lists but one that is still striving to take advantage of opportunities and protect its working families.

Like many other Marylanders, Hispanics in Maryland are facing unforeseen challenges during this national economic downturn. While Hispanic Marylanders are among the wealthiest and best educated in the country, Hispanics have yet to reach parity with other ethnic groups around the state in the areas of education, health, economic development, housing and political participation. The Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs is committed to discovering ways to improve performance in those areas where Hispanics are falling behind.

Governor Martin O’Malley has directed the Commission to form a Hispanic Complete Count Committee to insure that an accurate count of Hispanics in Maryland is recorded for the 2010 Census so that Maryland can receive its proper share of resources and funding from the federal government. The Commission will work directly with the Hispanic community and reach out to other ethnic communities and nonprofit organizations around the state to build a better community and make Maryland stronger.

We thank Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown for their vision, leadership and continued support of the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

Y. Maria WelchChair

Y. Maria Welch


Y. Maria Welch, Chair (Colombia, Baltimore County)Founder and CEO, Respira Medical Inc. •Chair, Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce •

Elizabeth Bellavance, (USA, Wicomico County - Eastern Shore)

Retired Educator•Volunteer Advocate for Eastern Shore immigrants•

Javier Bustamante, (Spain, Baltimore City)Director, Office of Media Technology, Social Security •AdministrationEditor and Publisher, Coloquio.com•

Richard V. Cook, (USA, Baltimore City)Director, Social Work Community Outreach Service, •University of Maryland School of Social Work Founder and Executive Director, Neighborhoods Institute of •Baltimore

Veronica A. Cool (Dominican Republic, Carroll County)Vice-President, Small Business Banking, Wachovia Bank, a •Wells Fargo CompanyBoard Member, Big Brothers Big Sisters•

Mariana Cordier (Argentina, Montgomery County)Founding Member, Cordier Law Office, LLC•Member, Executive Board, Maryland Hispanic Bar •Association and the Inter-American Bar Association

Christina M. Diaz-Malone (Dominican Republic, Howard County)

Senior Director, National Initiatives, Freddie Mac•Bilingual Homebuyer Education Instructor, Neighbor Works •America

Lydia Espinosa Crafton (USA, Frederick County)Mediation practice and ADR Deliberation•Funding Member, First Research Director, Chicano Research •and Learning Center

Ricardo Alberto Flores (Peru, Montgomery County)Director of Advocacy, Latin American Youth Centers•Former Director of Public Policy, Public Justice Center, •Baltimore

Colonel Roberto L. Hylton (Panama, Prince George’s County)

Chief of Police, Prince George’s County Police Department•Current member of the International Association of Chiefs •of Police

Maria Johnson (Peru, Harford County)Director of Hispanic Ministries for the Archdiocese of •Baltimore National Catholic Association, Diocesan Director of •Hispanic Ministry

Elizabeth Ysla Leight (Mexico, Anne Arundel County)Director of Governmental Relations and Legal Affairs, •Society of Professional Benefit AdministratorsColumnist and photographer for the West County Gazette •for the Laurel area

Hector G. Manzano (Venezuela, Baltimore City)Pollution Control Analyst III, Baltimore City Government•DPW Hispanic Community Liaison, Environmental •Sciences

Ricardo Martinez (Puerto Rico, Frederick County)President and CEO, Project Enhancement Corporation•Member, Maryland Economic Development Commission•


Commissioners and Staff


Ms. Stacy RodgersMaryland Department of Human Resources

Mr. Adam OrtizMaryland Department of Labor Licensing & Regulations

Ms. Susan C. SpinnatoMaryland State Department of Education

Mr. Jorge AustrichMaryland Department of Business and Economic Development

Ms. Lilly CubanoMaryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Ms. Genevieve SeguraMaryland Higher Education Commission

Ms. Rosa Cruz

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Staff:

Ruby R. Stemmle, Executive Director

Jessy P. Mejia, Special Assistant

Contact Information:

Website: www.hispanic.maryland.govE-mail: [email protected]

Address: 301 W. Preston Street, Suite 1502 Baltimore, Maryland 21201

410-767-7857 Office 800-714-8813 Toll Free

800-925-4434 TTYFax: 410-333-7543

Ex-Officio Members:

Luisa Montero-Diaz (Cuba, Prince George’s County)Manager Director, Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers•MS in Speech Language Pathology Summa Cum Laude, •University of Maryland

Sonia E. Mora (Colombia, Montgomery County)Manager, Latino Health Initiatives, Montgomery County •GovernmentAdjunct Instructor George Washington University •Department of Global Health

Carmen Ortiz Larsen (Ecuador, Montgomery County)Owner and CEO, Aquas Inc. •Co-chair, Latin American Advisory Group to the •Montgomery County Maryland Executive

Arelis A. Pérez (Dominican Republic, Prince George’s County)

Vice-Chair, Prince George’s Hispanic⁄Latino Chamber •of CommercePartner, Perez and Associates Real Estate•

Nicolas H. Ramos, V (Mexico, Baltimore County)Business Owner, Arcos Restaurant, Ramos Realty, •Rumba LLC President Hispanic Business Association, Baltimore•

Lea Ybarra, Ph.D. (USA, Baltimore County)Executive Director, Johns Hopkins University Center •for Talented YouthJohns Hopkins Council on K-12 Education•


The transition into the Governor’s Office of Commu-nity Initiatives has greatly enhanced the Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ ability to have meaningful impact in the community. This shift amplifies the Commission’s role as the link between the O’Malley-Brown Administration and the Hispanic community, enhancing its capacity to advise the Governor and state agencies on community priorities, promoting collaboration with Hispanic leaders and stakeholders, and advancing information, resources and solutions. This 2008 annual report provides a brief demographic update on Maryland’s Hispanic community based on the latest available data and a summary of the Commission’s accomplishments in its first year.

A significant finding from the socio-demographic snap-shot in the Commission’s 2007 Annual Report was the dichotomy of an emergent, hard-working community with untapped skills, but yet to match Marylanders of other ethnic and racial groups in terms of educational achievement, socio-economic vitality, and access to healthcare. With this information, the Commission has focused on expanding opportunities to draw parity with other ethnic communities, identified effective models to increase access to continuous, quality healthcare, and solidified relationships with state agencies to examine and comprehensively address disparities such as student performance. Given the priorities of the O’Malley-Brown Administration and the community’s socio-economic challenges, the Commission divided into five commit-tees in key priority areas: housing, healthcare, education, economic development, and public policy. Each commit-tee has outreached state agency counterparts, community leaders and stakeholders, and has fostered greater com-munity engagement to find workable solutions.

In response to present economic challenges, the central objectives of the O’Malley-Brown Administration in 2008 were to strengthen the public safety net to help Maryland families weather the financial crisis and create greater economic opportunities for progress. Putting fam-ilies first, the focus has been to provide more resources for those most in need, prioritize education funding, and enact sweeping new homeownership protections to stem foreclosures. These are among the Governor’s policies upon which the Commission, through its committees, has built on during 2008.

Executive Summary

To provide for those most in need, the Commission dis-seminated information on the variety of State resources available to families, but also provided supplies to over 40 Hispanic families in the form of gifts during its first cultural celebration of the year. In a community initia-tive that partnered the Commission with nonprofits and individuals statewide, the Three Kings’ Day Celebration, a Hispanic cultural festivity that closes the Christmas holiday, the Commission distributed goods to families with infants and toddlers from Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

Maryland’s public school system has been ranked number one in the nation as reported in Education Week Maga-zine. For the first time, both the Bridge to Excellence in Education (Thornton) Act and the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) were fully funded in 2008. Both pioneering proposals aim to increase education standards and provide socio-economic equity in learning. These are the first steps to help close student performance gaps and increase minority graduation rates for both Hispanic and African-American students. Fully funding these initiatives has reinforced the work of the Education Committee, currently studying and enhancing recom-mendations to improve Hispanic student performance in Maryland. Produced by Hispanic education experts, these recommendations were gathered by the Education Committee at the Latino Education Summit hosted by education stakeholders in April, 2008.

Groundbreaking reforms in state foreclosure laws are helping to stop the rising number of Maryland families facing a precipitous housing environment. At the public’s disposal is a roster of over 700 attorneys coordinated by two state pro bono legal agencies and a network of counseling agencies statewide. The Housing Commit-tee partnered with many of these organizations to hold five culturally effective homeownership and foreclosure mitigation workshops around the State. Other partners included the Department of Housing and Community Development, faith institutions, nonprofits, and other entities in the public sector. These workshops included bilingual resources, solutions, and follow-up to distressed homeowners.

Another Administration focus is the expansion of eco-nomic opportunities by increasing the pool of minor-ity business contracting with the State of Maryland. As


demonstrated by the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, Maryland’s workforce is healthy and diverse, standing at 4 percent unemployment in May 2008 (well below the national 5.5% average), maintaining the state’s vitality even through the present economic challenge. Nonetheless, the Governor is leveraging the State’s small business assets, employing 47 percent of all Maryland workers and rising by more than 5 percent, to overcome economic challenges. Contributing to this rapidly in-creasing share of the workforce are Hispanic-owned small businesses, the fastest growing sector of the small busi-ness population. The Economic Committee’s collaborat-ing with the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs and the Department of Economic Development to examine growth opportunities.

According to the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board for the State to remain competitive in a global economy, it must meet an increasing demand for a progressive generation of highly-skilled, highly-educated workforce. Helping create this future workforce are the higher numbers of Hispanics providing important input to State boards and commissions, and the increasing participation of Hispanic entrepreneurs in the Minority Business Enterprise program. The Annie E. Casey Foun-dation’s study, reiterated by similar reports on the State’s immigrant labor force, also demonstrates an important characteristic of today’s immigrant population that is crucial for building this future workforce. Compared to the national population, immigrants in Maryland are more highly educated, highly skilled, and more equally distributed in numbers amongst Asians, Africans, Latin Americans, Caribbean, and Europeans. However, these studies also show that integration and advancement from low-wage, low-skill jobs to higher-skilled positions with a higher earning potential are undermined by insufficient English and workforce training opportunities. These findings prompted Governor O’Malley’s Executive Or-der creating the Maryland Council on New Americans. Established in December 2008, the Council, under the leadership of Maryland Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, was charged with reviewing and recommending new policies and best practices to expedite immigrant integration and maximize their contribution into the economic life of the State. The Council is currently preparing a compre-hensive report with recommendations for the Governor and state agencies to help bridge the gap on economic opportunity for low-income immigrant workers, which is critical for helping Maryland remain competitive in the 21st century.

Since the inception of the New Americans Council, the Commission on Hispanic Affairs has been significantly

invested in its success. Commissioners recognized the opportunity to provide counsel and recommendations on best practices that relate to community integration and workforce needs of Latin American immigrants, which make up one third of the Hispanic population. Diversifying the health workforce sector by increasing the number of Hispanic health professionals increases access to quality care and is a means to address minority health disparities. The Health Committee’s Chair presented to the New Americans Council, the Montgomery County Latino Health Initiative’s Pilot Program for the Licensure of Foreign-Trained Nursing Professionals, better known as the “Nurses Pilot Program,” an effective and nation-ally recognized model program which expedites licensing and increases the English-proficiency of foreign-educated and experienced nurses in Maryland. This program was welcomed and praised by the New Americans Council as an effective model for statewide implementation.

The Commission’s Public Policy Committee has also been closely engaged with the New Americans Council. One of its initial 2008 priorities, the Public Policy Commit-tee strongly supported the creation of the Council and Policy Committee members have consistently provided Hispanic Community perspective to the Council’s work-ing groups. In this capacity the Public Policy Commit-tee also provides the Commission with reports on the Council’s direction and its recommendations, serving as a bridge for both advisory bodies. The Public Policy Committee’s main role throughout the year, however, has been to produce the Hispanic Commission’s advice and recommendations to the Governor and state agencies. In this capacity, its prerogative is to be knowledgeable with, monitor, and analyze information on federal laws, state policies, and legislative agendas of relevancy to the com-munity. For most of the year, this committee has been monitoring two such issues: local police enforcement of Federal Immigration Law, Section 287(g), and the Fed-eral compliance mandate with Real ID. For both issues, the committee produced legislative analyses including a set of recommendations for the Governor on the impact of each on the community. Serving to provide this critical community perspective, this Committee accomplishes one of the two main objectives for shifting the Com-mission on Hispanic Affairs to the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives.

Given its productive first year in the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, and the continued support and leadership of Governor Martin O’Malley, the Gover-nor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs looks forward to continuing to build on its achievements thus far to ensure the economic, educational, health, political and social well-being of the Hispanic Community of Maryland.


Over the last eight years, the Maryland’s Hispanic population has increased by 65 percent. This compares to a 1.5 percent decrease for white residents, 9.9 percent increase for African Americans, and 32.0 percent increase for Asians. The growth in the Hispanic population continues to be centered in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, which accounted for nearly 60 percent of the Hispanic population increase over the last eight years. However, many other jurisdictions are beginning to realize a significant percentage increase in their Hispanic population. For example, Frederick and Washington counties, in Western Maryland, had the highest percentage increase in their Hispanic population for the eight-year period. In contrast, Montgomery County had the third lowest percentage increase.

The strong growth in the State’s Hispanic population in recent years continues to transform Maryland’s communities. In 2008, Hispanics represented 6.7 percent of the State’s population, an increase from 4.3 percent in 2000. The Hispanic presence in Maryland remains strongest in Montgomery and Prince

Hispanic Total Percent Ranking by Ranking byCounty Population Population Hispanic Percent Hispanic Share of State Total

Allegany 770 72,238 1.1% 1. Montgomery 14.8% 1. Montgomery 37.4%

Anne Arundel 23,037 512,790 4.5% 2. Prince George's 12.8% 2. Prince George's 28.0%

Baltimore City 17,014 636,919 2.7% 3. Frederick 6.0% 3. Baltimore 6.5%

Baltimore 24,528 785,618 3.1% 4. Howard 5.0% 4. Anne Arundel 6.1%

Calvert 2,237 88,698 2.5% 5. Caroline 4.8% 5. Baltimore City 4.5%

Caroline 1,602 33,138 4.8% 6. Anne Arundel 4.5% 6. Howard 3.6%

Carroll 3,194 169,353 1.9% 7. Charles 3.9% 7. Frederick 3.6%

Cecil 2,363 99,926 2.4% 8. Kent 3.6% 8. Harford 1.8%

Charles 5,484 140,764 3.9% 9. Wicomico 3.4% 9. Charles 1.5%

Dorchester 712 31,998 2.2% 10. Talbot 3.2% 10. Washington 1.0%

Frederick 13,641 225,721 6.0% 11. Baltimore 3.1% 11. Wicomico 0.9%Garrett 205 29,698 0.7% 12. St. Mary's 2.9% 12. Carroll 0.8%

Harford 6,586 240,351 2.7% 13. Harford 2.7% 13. St. Mary's 0.8%

Howard 13,659 274,995 5.0% 14. Washington 2.7% 14. Cecil 0.6%Kent 723 20,151 3.6% 15. Baltimore City 2.7% 15. Calvert 0.6%Montgomery 140,657 950,680 14.8% 16. Calvert 2.5% 16. Caroline 0.4%Prince George's 105,325 820,852 12.8% 17. Worcester 2.4% 17. Worcester 0.3%Queen Anne's 976 47,091 2.1% 18. Somerset 2.4% 18. Talbot 0.3%St. Mary's 2,970 101,578 2.9% 19. Cecil 2.4% 19. Queen Anne's 0.3%Somerset 625 26,119 2.4% 20. Dorchester 2.2% 20. Allegany 0.2%Talbot 1,155 36,215 3.2% 21. Queen Anne's 2.1% 21. Kent 0.2%Washington 3,925 145,384 2.7% 22. Carroll 1.9% 22. Dorchester 0.2%Wicomico 3,244 94,046 3.4% 23. Allegany 1.1% 23. Somerset 0.2%Worcester 1,198 49,274 2.4% 24. Garrett 0.7% 24. Garrett 0.1%

Maryland 375,830 5,633,597 6.7%

Demographics, Exhibit 1, Hispanic Community in Maryland

Demographic Update2008 American Community Survey

George’s counties, where Hispanics account for 15 percent and 13 percent of the county’s population, respectively. Other jurisdictions experiencing a significant increase in their Hispanic population include Frederick, Caroline, Anne Arundel, and Howard counties; with the Hispanic share of county population increasing by at least two percentage points since 2000.

A more complete measure of the community is conducted with each decennial census. Presently, the Commission, as part of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, one of the leading state agencies supporting a complete count of all Marylanders in the 2010 Census, is engaged in facilitating a complete count of all Hispanics in Maryland. Subsequently, the next complete demographic portrait of Maryland’s Hispanic community will be released with the Commission’s 2011 Annual Report.

The most current and complete demographic snapshot of the state’s Hispanic community can be found in the Commission’s 2007 Annual Report. Contact the Commission’s office or visit www.hispanic.maryland.gov for this issue.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland Department of Planning - July 1, 2008

Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs 9Annual Report 2008

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Maryland’s record investment in public education has promoted our state to the #1-ranked-in-the-nation public school system, as stated in Education Week Magazine. A 90.5 percent increase in spending on a per-pupil basis from $3,432 in FY 2002 to $6,538 in FY 2009, combined with additional federal and local funding brings total funding for each student attending a Maryland school to $13,500. Ascendant progress can also be expected due to public school construction invest-ments over three years which exceed $1 billion to ensure that children move from temporary classrooms to state-of-the-art learning facilities. The educational achievement of high school students in Maryland has improved, as they are outpacing their counterparts nationwide in Advance Placement test scores, and for the fourth straight year, Governor O’Malley has frozen in-state tuition rates and allocated increased funding for higher education. This funding has prioritized community colleges in particular, for the rising number of students and families seeking higher education at these insti-tutions given the need to mitigate rising tuition rates.

The Commission’s Committees & Accomplishments

Hispanic students continue to experience mixed results. Ac-cording to the 2007 Maryland Report Card prepared by the Maryland State Department of Education they meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) in both reading and math proficiency. However, their performance is low relative to white and Asian students. Hispanic students’ overall achievement is marked by three distressing traits: wide disparities in student perfor-mance, below average graduation rates, and above average student dropout rates. For the first time since the proposals were enacted in 2002, the O’Malley-Brown Administration fully funded both the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act (committing the state to increased funding for greater educational standards) and the Geographic Cost of Education Index (progressive school funding to meet high costs of liv-ing), in 2008 thus helping to equalize learning opportunities. Building upon this, the Education Committee was part of the first Maryland Latino Education Policy Summit, an effort

Education: Laying the Groundwork for Reaching Parity with Other Ethnic Groups

Committee MembersLea Ybarra, Ph.D (Chair), Hector Manzano, Lydia E. Crafton, Richard Cook, Maria Johnson, Ricardo Martinez

Committee MissionIdentify and promote policies, best practices, and effective models that will ensure Hispanic students participate in enriched learning opportunities from early childhood and Pre-K to post secondary education to increase graduation rates leading to success in Maryland’s public schools and higher education system.


The Commission’s Committees & Accomplishments

by Hispanic education experts in collaboration with parents, students, advocates, and community and government leaders statewide. These stakeholders gathered at the University of Maryland, College Park, to examine the educational needs of the growing Hispanic student population. The Committee is now enhancing a set of recommendations for the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Maryland State Department of Education, produced by the leading education experts that hosted the Summit. These recommendations are forthcoming and will play a major role in the Committee’s future agenda.

2008 AccomplishmentsCollaborated to hold the first Maryland •Latino Education Policy Summit in April 2008, to examine the educational needs of the growing Hispanic student population. Participated in the “State of Latinos in •Education” Summit in Washington, DC, which offered perspective into nationwide trends of Hispanic students, provided best practices and effective model programs that increase student performance, achievement, and overall success in the US public schools and higher education.Participated in the “Understanding the •Latino Population in Maryland” Forum in partnership with Education Based Latino Outreach (EBLO) and private Catholic schools of Baltimore City, Maryland.

2009 GoalsCreate a “Blueprint on the State of Education •of Latinos in Maryland” and develop policy recommendations for stakeholders to increase high quality K – 12 education in MarylandIdentify and analyze local, state, and national •elementary schools models that are having exemplary success with Latino children to make recommendations for implementation of these models in MarylandEnsure Maryland collects accurate data on •enrollment, graduation and dropout rates for Hispanic students


Housing: Helping Protect Hispanic Homeowners

Maryland’s strong, diverse economy has helped it weather the national financial crisis better than most states around the nation; however, it began affecting some families at a more personal level with minimized work hours, layoffs and un-employment. Under these circumstances, home foreclosures rapidly became a real threat for many of these Maryland fami-lies. Governor O’Malley, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and Secretary of Housing and Community Development Raymond Skinner proceeded to accelerate housing and fore-closure law reforms to become the first in the nation to have sweeping new protections to ensure Maryland homeowners have greater access to resources and time to prevent home foreclosures and increase fraud prevention from predatory and unsafe lending practices.

Hailed as “the most extensive reforms in housing and foreclo-sure laws across the country,” by the Washington Post news-paper, a total of $5.5 million have been distributed in direct assistance to families via the state’s partnership with thirty non-profit housing counseling agencies statewide and two le-gal service providers. The new laws restructure the foreclosure process to extend from 14 days to 135 days the time provided

to a homeowner to seek the most accommodating alternative to keep their home. Facing the greatest financial and housing crisis since the 1930’s, the state has swiftly moved to curtail potential further damage to Maryland families and their home investments.

Playing a central role in mitigating home foreclosures for His-panics, the Commission’s Housing Committee was engaged at all levels to employ the new state laws and resources to the community’s most distressed homeowners. The Housing Committee reviewed policies for effective cultural outreach by Department of Housing officials. It collaborated as an intermediary between the Department of Housing and Com-munity Development and El Tiempo Latino, a Washington

Committee MembersChristina Diaz-Malone (Chair), Arelis A. Pérez (Vice Chair), Nicolas Ramos, Maria Johnson, Chief Roberto Hylton

Committee MissionEnsure that Hispanics share in Governor O’Malley’s vision that “all Marylanders have the opportunity to live and prosper in affordable, desirable, and secure housing in thriving communities” and in collaboration with the Department of Housing and Community Development help mitigate foreclosures, prevent fraud, sustain efforts to increase homeownership, and facilitate neighborhood stabilization for Hispanic communities across the state.


2009 GoalsContinue to review, familiarize, be a •resource, gauge the impact of, and support the programs and outreach efforts of the Department of Housing and Community Development of benefit toward the Hispanic communityBegin providing feedback on programs •and their execution to the Department of Housing and Community Development to increase Hispanic participation, and help build awareness in the community about those efforts and benefits to maximize resultsLeverage the resources of the Governor’s •Office of Community Initiatives to disseminate bilingual information to the community on the top three priority issues identified

Post newspaper to facilitate the publishing of the bilingual Housing News Insert: “Especial Vivienda”, to inform the public at large of the new housing laws and available state resources. The Committee also worked hand-in-hand with faith community leaders and other key stakeholders to hold several free, bilingual Housing Solutions and Foreclosure Mitigation Workshops in Montgomery, Prince George’s and Howard Counties. These Workshops were attended by over 400 Hispanic families, and in the process, solidified the Com-mission’s relationships with stake-holding partners. These partnerships are fundamental for success and will continue to be key for the Housing Committee and the Commission in its future endeavors.

2008 AccomplishmentsEstablished a collaborative relationship with •the Department of Housing and Community Development to become familiar with programs, resources, and priorities; identified the top three priorities currently impacting Hispanic housing issues (foreclosure prevention; fraud prevention; and neighborhood stabilization); and learned about state regions most affected by these issues.Identified local organizations working within •the affected regions helping Hispanics mitigate foreclosures to understand the barriers that affected Hispanics’ encounter in seeking available assistance, promote state resources and programs, and facilitate the process for receiving this assistance.Voluntarily reviewed and edited bilingual •material for the Department of Housing and Community Development and other organizations to improve efficacy of their outreach efforts to the community.Identified and established working relationships •with the Governor’s Faith-Based Initiatives Coordinator and other leading faith-based organizations to ensure the Governor’s new foreclosure protection laws and State resources are promoted and disseminated via the most trust-worthy avenues to gain the confidence and ensure the privacy of beneficiaries.

Held five Homeownership Foreclosure •Prevention and Mitigation Workshops in those areas most affected by this crisis in Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Howard Counties, serving a total of over 400 families.


As demonstrated by the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, Maryland’s workforce is healthy and diverse helping maintain the state’s vitality even through the present national economic challenge. Hispanic-owned businesses in Maryland are primarily small businesses generating roughly 2.4 billion dollars in sales and receipts and operating an annual payroll of over 600 million dollars, according to the US Census Bureau. Maryland continues working to strengthen and support small business, consequentially benefitting the Hispanic business community. New programs and economic shifts are expected to have a positive impact on the Hispanic business community. The American Re-investment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and the concurrent military investments in Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC), aimed at streamlining military activities, will jointly result in significant contract dollars to be spent in construction and engineering, information technology (IT), and

healthcare. A significant proportion of Hispanic-owned small businesses falls within or serves these industries. Hispanic-owned small businesses within these industries will employ a diverse workforce resulting in the type of growth that contributes to the desired economic progress. Maryland’s Department of Transportation Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) program has streamlined its certification process, which has helped bring many minority-owned small businesses to the forefront of the contract bidding and subcontract awards process. However, only 289 businesses are recorded as certified Hispanic American MBEs with the State out of a possible several thousand. While not all businesses seek certification, a much greater proportion of Hispanic businesses would be expected to participate in the program. The Economic Development Committee is working to expand opportunities in this program.

Economic Development: Expanding Opportunities to Match Business and Skill Potential

Committee Members Carmen Ortiz Larsen (Chair), Veronica Cool, Nicolas Ramos, Hector Manzano, Maria Welch.

Committee Mission To assist in promoting State-wide programs and technical assistance designed to increase opportunities and promote sustainable growth for Hispanic-owned small businesses, and to highlight the vitality and contributions of Hispanic business entrepreneurs in the State; to ensure inclusion and representation of Hispanics at all levels in Maryland’s globally-competitive, 21st century workforce.


Hispanics play a major role in the state’s economy. Strongly represented with 77 percent of persons age 16 and older in the civilian labor force, Hispanics have the highest labor participation rate in Maryland. This workforce holds a significant number of stable, well-paying, and capital-intensive government direct and contractor jobs, followed by jobs in construction, seafood, agricultural, hospitality, landscaping, and other service related industries, in which Hispanics make up the largest percentage share of workers. Foreign born workers in these industries comprise 15 percent of the State’s civilian labor force. This influx of workers has helped alleviate potential labor shortages in the above key labor sectors.

2009 GoalsExamine the MBE •outreach, promotion, and goals processes to facilitate Hispanic-owned small business certification, and formulate recommendations to improve their participation in government procurement and subcontracting. Work with the State to promote Hispanic-owned •business to potential contractors, and promote educational opportunities that enhance Hispanic-owned businesses’ success. Participate in BRAC, ARRA, and similar advisory •groups and promote the inclusion of Hispanics on boards, commissions that review and provide feedback on contract and workforce investments.

2008 AccomplishmentsCollaborated with the Hispanic Business •Conference Planning Committee to host the Seventh Annual Maryland Hispanic Business Conference, attended by over 400 Hispanic businessmen and women, community members, nonprofit leaders, service providers, state agency representatives and the Annapolis Sister City Business and Education Delegation from Jalisco, Mexico. Worked with the Governor’s Office for •Minority Affairs to promote the State of Maryland’s policy for inclusion of minority small businesses in procurements. Assisted in the deployment of the EMPRESA program, which provided Spanish language seminars on how to provide services under contract to the State of Maryland. Ensured representation of Hispanic-owned •small businesses on the BRAC Advisory Board, and inclusion of Hispanic-owned small businesses in meetings with Prime Contractors. Identified and recommended Hispanic •representatives to the Minority Business Enterprise Advisory Council and keep reviewing and identifying improvements in the MBE Certification process. Partnered with the Hispanic Chambers of •Commerce to host the Business Legislative Reception during the General Assembly’s Legislative Session in Annapolis.


A leading challenge highlighted in the Commission’s 2007 Annual Report was the community’s lack of access to continuous, culturally and linguistically competent health care due to the combination of a high rate of Hispanics lacking health insurance and the prohibitively costly, complex medical system. The solution to this challenge requires a bilateral approach that encompasses both government reform and community effort.

Governor Martin O’Malley, based on the federal government’s health care reforms, has taken steps to increase the number of insured Marylanders. In July 2008, the Governor signed the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act, expanding healthcare access to small businesses with less than ten employees and parents at 116 percent of the federal poverty level. To expand coverage to the most vulnerable populations, the Governor signed legislation to expand dental benefits to children, and to help close the coverage gap in the Federal government’s Medicare Part D

Health: Increasing Community Access and Building Capacity to Deliver Quality Care

Prescription Drug Program (better known as the “Donut Hole”), funded an expansion of prescription drug assistance for seniors. The Commission’s Health Committee, in an effort to provide recommendations to further expand coverage where currently possible, has also begun to explore policy options for portability of Medicaid coverage for children of migrant farm workers.

The central objective of the Commission’s Health Committee has been to increase access and improve the healthcare system for Hispanics in Maryland. The Committee determined that the most comprehensive approach to achieve this goal was to facilitate navigation of the system for individuals, and increase the cultural and linguistic competency of service providers. Another key finding in the course of its first year was the array of healthcare service needs by Hispanic communities across the state. The variety of service needs ranged from maximizing cultural competency where a large, established Hispanic community is served, to building capacity and understanding

Committee Members: Sonia Mora (Chair), Carmen Ortiz Larsen, Elizabeth Bellavance, Luisa Montero, Maria Welch

Committee Mission: Enhance the health and well being of Hispanics living in the state of Maryland by developing, implementing, and/or monitoring strategies that respond to the health-related needs of Hispanics in Maryland through the establishment of partnerships with key stakeholders including public administrators, service providers, policy makers, legislators, and Hispanic community leaders.


of the state’s Limited English Proficiency policy for providers serving a burgeoning Hispanic immigrant community. Given this range of healthcare service needs, the Health Committee has engaged and solidified its partnership with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and identified technical advisors and other service providers statewide to increase access and continuity of quality care.

2008 AccomplishmentsPartnered with Bienvenidos a Delmarva, a •network of agencies providing social services to Eastern Shore immigrants, in furtherance of the Committee’s goal of improving Limited English Proficiency (LEP) services.Co-Sponsored the 4th Annual Ama Tu Vida •Health Festival at the Wheaton Regional Park in September, 2008, an event that drew more than 3,000 participants for health education services, health screenings and referrals to health-related services. Co-Sponsored a Statewide Workshop on Latino •Health which provided capacity building activities for providers in the areas of data collection, access to health care, cultural and linguistic competency, health promotion, and community organizing and leadership. Collaborated with the Latino Health Initiative at •the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services to provide a best-practices model to the Governor’s New Americans Council for the incorporation of foreign-trained health professionals into the health workforce. Began exploring policy options for the provision •of portable Medicaid coverage for eligible Maryland migrant farm workers’ children.

2009 GoalsEnsure the availability of culturally and •linguistically competent health services by working with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to guarantee the provision and access to quality Limited English Proficient Hispanics. Improve current processes in place for •enrollment of eligible individuals to the Maryland Health Insurance Program and increase the use of medical services under this program.Enhance the collection, analysis, and reporting •of health data for Hispanics by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, local health departments and managed care organizations.


The Commission played an important role when the Maryland General Assembly debated the mechanisms of compliance with the Federally-mandated Real ID policy. The House of Delegates was calling for a tiered approach to the issue while the Senate called for a total reversal of Maryland’s current licensing system. The Commission, spearheaded by the Public Policy Committee, quickly engaged in that policy-shaping debate by submitting an analysis on both positions and their impact on the community, along with preferred recommendations to the Governor. Nearing the close of Legislative Session, Governor O’Malley weighed in on the issue expressing his support for the tiered approached, paralleling the Commission’s submitted recommendations. The day after his announcement, the Governor’s inbox contained a Thank You letter from the Commission for his support of a more practical approach to Real ID compliance,

Public Policy: Helping Articulate the Hispanic Perspective

and similarly, the Governor expressed his appreciation for the Commission’s input. On Sine Die, the last day of the legislative session, as the deliberations came to a close, the Public Policy Committee was present at the conference committee hearings, Senate, and House votes, reporting real-time developments to Commission members, ensuring support for the Governor’s position and dialogue with decision-makers. The Public Policy Committee similarly, has weighed in on other controversial issues such as Federal Real ID Driver Licensing Compliance, in-state tuition,

Committee MembersRicardo Flores (Chair), Javier Bustamante, Ricardo Martinez, Mariana Cordier, Elizabeth Ysla Leight.

Committee MissionTo help articulate the Commission’s advice and recommendations to the Governor regarding public policy matters relevant to Hispanics. To monitor, analyze, share, and if necessary, respond to policy developments, particularly at the state level but also including federal and local levels, and disseminate policy information to community leaders, key stakeholders, and the general community.


2008 AccomplishmentsThe Commission drafted a •Recommendation Paper to the Governor regarding local enforcement of federal immigration law, Section 287(g) in response to the community’s concerns presented at the Commission’s public meeting held at Frederick County. Met with Maryland State Police, •Montgomery County Police, Prince George’s County Police and Frederick City Police regarding each jurisdictions’ policies relating to local enforcement of federal immigration laws. Drafted policy analyses and •recommendations to the Governor regarding the state’s compliance with the federal Real ID Act. This communication was preceded by meetings with members of the Maryland General Assembly, MVA Administrator John Kuo and Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary John Porcari. Committee Chair appointed lead Delegate •to the New Americans Council to provide perspective, best practices and models for the Council’s recommendations to the Governor.

Federal Immigration Law Section 287(g), and E-Verify Employer Programs that affect Hispanics and immigrants of Latin American origin. By submitting impact analysis and recommendations, the Commission has fulfilled its advisory role, informing the Governor on complex, controversial issues to deflect emergent policies with negative impact and commend those fitting his goals for progress.

2009 GoalsProduce policy analysis and recommendations •for submission to the Governor and state agencies on matters of importance to the community and/or Commission.Provide the Executive Board, Support Staff and •other members of the Commission with email updates on Federal, General Assembly, and Local legislative developments of relevance.As necessary, meet and establish continuous, •working relationships with Departmental Agency Heads on policy-shaping issues relating to or affecting HispanicsRespond to negative coverage of Hispanics in •Maryland media either through partners in the field, in individual capacities, or when possible, formally as a Commission.


February 20, 2008 - The New Americans Initiative and Maryland Legislative UpdateMiller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Guest Speakers: Honorable Thomas Perez, Maryland Secretary of Labor Licensing and Regulations; State Delegates: Ana Sol Gutierrez; Victor Ramirez and Joseline Pena-Melnyk

April 16, 2008 - Maryland Approach to the Housing and Foreclosure CrisisOseh Shalom7515 Olive Branch Way, Laurel, Maryland 20707

Guest Speakers: Vicki Schultz, Senior Advisor for Consumer Protection, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations; Keith Hart, Director, Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism

June 18, 2008 - Local Enforcement of Immigration in Maryland and Maryland Demographic UpdateDelaplaine Visual Arts Center40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, Maryland 20701

Guest Speaker: Hiram Burch, Research Analyst, Maryland Department of Legislative ServicesSpecial Guests: Kim Dine, Frederick Chief of Police

Community Platforms for Policy Discussions

2008 Commission Meetings

August 20, 2008 - The Maryland Minority Business Enterprise ProgramSt. Francis de Sales Church, Abingdon, Maryland

Guest Speakers: Jonathan Carpenter, Minority Business Program, MD Dept of Transportation;Wendell K. Sutton, Assistant Secretary, Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs

November 12, 2008 - Maryland Driver’s Licenses 2008and Demographic Survey on Hispanics in the Eastern ShoreUniversity of Salisbury, Salisbury, MarylandSpecial Guest: Dr. Timothy Dunn, Associate Professor of Sociology, Salisbury University

Guests Speakers: D’Andrea Lancelin, Assistant Administrator for Operations, MVA; Sean Adgerson, Director of Operations, MVA; Michael Mulvin, Manager of Out of Country Programs, MVA

December 9, 2008 - Joint Ethnic Commissions MeetingMiller Senate Office Building11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Guests: Governor Martin O’Malley, Honorable Jeanne Hitchcock, Maryland Secretary of Appointments; Izzy Patoka, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives


Leader on the Rise: Lucia ZegarraNominator: Multiple Nominators

Currently a Biology major at UMBC. At Montgomery College, she was engaged with the Honors Renaissance Scholars, Latino Student Union and the Student Affairs Board where she organized panel discussions raising awareness of education costs, the rising trend of teenage pregnancies and the growing educational needs of Hispanics.

Public Safety Hero: Frederick Police Chief Kim C. DineNominator: Commissioner Lydia Espinoza Crafton

Kim C. Dine, Chief of Police of the Frederick, Maryland Police Department is beginning his fourth decade of policing with extensive experience in community policing, juvenile crime prevention, internal investigations and ethical issues in policing and patrol. Under his command, the Frederick Police Department is an effective, responsive force that has raised the bar of accountability, trust, and service to the community.

2008 Governor’s Hispanic Heritage Awards

Each year the Commission is the proud presenter of the Governor’s Hispanic Heritage Awards, at the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference, which recognize outstanding persons and a non-profit in our community whose work better the lives of Hispanics throughout Maryland. The Maryland Hispanic Business Conference hosts over 400 people, the largest Hispanic event of this kind in the state. The selection of the awardees is made through nominations and a democratic selection process. The judges selecting among the nominees are members of the Commission and the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. The 2008 awardees are as follows.

Non-Profit of the Year: Centro de Ayuda/ Center of HelpNominator: Delegate Joseline Peña MelnykIn response to the growing number of Hispanics in Anne Arundel County, Centro de Ayuda was established in 1991 to assist the underserved non-English-speaking members of this community in Annapolis to promote self-sufficiency and integration of Hispanic residents to the Anne Arundel County community.

Faith-Based Champion: Sister Agnes Oman Nominator: Multiple NominatorsAn Eastern Shore resident that serves the Hispanic community, she helps to; interpret at hospitals, public defenders offices; rental offices; doctor’s offices; at MVAs for driver’s licenses; enroll children in schools; offers English classes during the day and night; and provides religious formation for adults and children. She is an advocate for victims of domestic violence and works with other service providers to better assist immigrants.


Educator of the Year: Vicmarie Arocho Nominator: Genevieve Segura, MD Higher Education Commission

A Parent Community Coordinator at Montgomery Blair High School, she facilitates the challenges of Hispanic parents and students and is the founder of a Latina mentoring group at Blair. Currently she serves on the MCPS Parent Advisory Council.

Health Care Champion: Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa Nominator: Joseph Lutz, Esq.

A Harvard medical graduate, Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa is currently an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology, Neuroscience, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Johns Hopkins. He serves as the Director of the Brain Tumor Program at Johns Hopkins, Bayview Campus. Dr. Quiñones conducts research to explain the role of stem cells in the origin of brain tumors and their potential role in fighting brain cancer and regaining neurological function. He has been named one the US’ “Brilliant 10 Scientists” by Popular Science Magazine, and is one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the U.S.” according to the Hispanic Business Journal.

Health Care Champion: Dr. Elmer Huerta Nominator: Multiple Nominators

Director of the Cancer Preventorium, a low-income clinic he founded in 1994, at the Washington Cancer Institute of the Washington Hospital Center in DC. There, in addition to clinical duties in cancer prevention and screening, he continues his research and educational work for the Hispanic community. He is the current President of the American Cancer Society, the first-ever Hispanic to reach this position. A prominent figure on Spanish-language radio and television, his shows reach approximately 85 percent of Hispanics in the US and extend into Latin America. Dr. Huerta has testified before the U.S. Congress on minority health issues and was appointed by President Clinton as member of the National Cancer Advisory Board in 1998.

Unsung Hero: Marialva de Matos Nominator: Multiple Nominators

A breast cancer survivor and mother of two female college students, has motivated her volunteerism to educate Hispanics in her community about cancer at Healthy Families Frederick. She also helps families with child development, goal setting, learn English, and participate in community events. She is a member, organizer, and speaker of Grupo de Mujeres Latinas, a social networking group for professional Latina women in Frederick.

Unsung Hero: Nelson Ortega Nominator: Mabel McGrath

The Executive Director of Centro de la Comunidad, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides culturally sensitive services to the Hispanic community of Baltimore. He is responsible for Centro’s direction, management, accountability and fiscal operations.

Lifetime Achievement: Mary Lou Pontius Nominator: Multiple Nominators

A volunteer teacher of English for Spanish-speaking adults, she currently teaches at Center of Help in Annapolis. She volunteers her home for displaced immigrants who are in need of emergency shelter, food, and clothes. Ms. Pontius is a teacher, mentor, friend, and an “abuela” to over 5000 students at Center of Help, who since 1992, have been coming to the Center’s English and Literacy Program.

Hispanic Legacy: Claudia Campos, MHS Nominator: Katina Rojas Joy

For 20 years Dr. Campos has been working in sexual and reproductive health and advocates for standard, comprehensive, and accurate sexual education. A native of Colombia, since living in the U.S., she has worked intensively with media to promote anti-domestic violence campaigns, sexual and reproductive health, and defend women’s rights in the Latino community. She is especially popular in radio 99.1FM’s “Pedro Biaggi Show”. Dr. Campos also writes “Palabra de Mujer” column for El Tiempo Latino newspaper of the Washington Post and hosts her own radio show, “Para Vivir Mejor” which airs on nationwide affiliates of the Hispanic Radio Network (HRN).


Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown are committed to increasing the representation of Hispanics on Maryland’s boards and commissions in an effort to more accurately reflect the demographic diversity of the state. The Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs sees this as an important objective, one that not only increases the visibility of Hispanic leaders but puts them at the table where decisions that impact the community are being made. Secretary of Appointments Jeanne Hitchcock has done a remarkable job of implementing the Administration’s commitment to ensure that Hispanics are well represented on the relevant boards and committees that serve our state. The opportunities to serve in state government are numerous. Maryland does a lot for its people and relies greatly on the volunteer assistance of citizens from every region of our great state to become involved and make contributions to the public well being. Many state boards and commissions, even those that are highly specialized provide excellent service opportunities. A list of Hispanic volunteers currently serving on various boards and commissions throughout the state of Maryland can be found in our website at www.hispanic.maryland.gov

Hispanic Appointed Officials

Special Appointment

THOMAS E. PEREZ Secretary Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation 500 North Calvert St., Room 401Baltimore, MD 21202


ALEX X. MOONEY, SENATORRepublican, District 3, Frederick & Washington [email protected]

ANA SOL GUTIERREZ, DELEGATEDemocrat, District 18, Montgomery [email protected]

JOSELINE A. PEÑA-MELNYK, DELEGATEDemocrat, District 21,Anne Arundel & Prince George’s [email protected]

VICTOR R. RAMIREZ, DELEGATEDemocrat, District 47, Prince George’s [email protected]

NANCY NAVARRO, COUNTY COUNCILMontgomery County, District [email protected]

Gustavo CaballeroAnnapolis Police Department

Maria CasascoOffice of the County ExecutiveAnne Arundel County

Jessica ContrerasMayor’s Office of Neighborhoods

Lillian CruzCongressman Chris Van Hollen

Eduardo HaydenBaltimore County

Maryland Hispanic Elected Officials

WILLIAM CAMPOS, COUNTY COUNCILDemocrat, Prince George’s County Council, District [email protected]

ADAM ORTIZ, MAYORTown of [email protected]

CHEYE CALVO, MAYORTown of Berwyn [email protected]

CRIS MENDOZA, COUNCILMANTown of Bladensburg, Ward [email protected]

PEDRO BRIONES, COUNCILMANTown of Mount Rainier, Ward [email protected]

CARLOS LIZANNE, COUNCILMANCity of Hyattsville, Ward [email protected]

Statewide Hispanic LiaisonsOfficer Luis HurtadoMontgomery County Police Headquarters

Michael Lynch Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation

Alvaro de MoyaMontgomery County Department of Economic Development

Erick A. OribioPrince George’s County Police

Catalina RodriguezOffice of Baltimore Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Detective Carlos Selvi Baltimore County Police Department

Karla SilvestreMontgomery County Executive’s Office of Community Partnerships

Gilberto A. Zelaya II, PhDMontgomery County Board of Elections


A primary goal of 2008-2009 was to upgrade the Commission’s website, converting it into a powerful tool for the Hispanic community. Its intended function is to be a clearinghouse of resources and a catalyst linking the Hispanic community to government services. An important element for this is the online Community Forum, open to constituent organizations to post upcoming community events along with useful links to relevant institutions that work at the community, state and national level. We encourage the submission of this kind of information to our office to include in this web space. Additionally, the website serves to chronicle Commission events and important documents regarding the Hispanic community of Maryland. This 2008-2009 Annual Report, the previous 2007 Report, and other documents are posted in their entirety for their use. In the interest of brevity, a complete listing of community organizational resources traditionally contained in this section of the annual report can be found on our website.www.hispanic.maryland.gov

The Commission’s Web Page

Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs26

Governor’sCommission onHispanic Affairs

Annual Report2008-2009


Governor’s Commissionon Hispanic Affairs

301 W. Preston Street, 15th FloorBaltimore, MD 21201410-767-7857(Phone)410-333-7543 (Fax)

1-800-925-4434 (TTY)1-800-714-8813 (Toll Free)

[email protected] (Email)www.hispanic.maryland.gov (Website)

Martin O’Malley, GovernorAnthony G. Brown, Lt. Governor

Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka, Executive Director,Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives

Ruby Stemmle, Executive Director


Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Aﬀairs Martin O’Malley ...msa.maryland.gov/.../012379/unrestricted/20100256e.pdf · Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs Annual Report

Documents