Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is joined by Councilmembers Nancy Navarro and Gabe Albornoz at Hispanic Heritage Month Recognition Event

Per Montgomery County:

For Immediate Release: Friday, October 15, 2021

County Executive Marc Elrich will be joined by County Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz and County Councilmember Nancy Navarro today at a final Hispanic Heritage Month recognition event highlighting the work done by the “Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar” Initiative. The event will take place Friday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Marian Fryer Plaza in Downtown Wheaton, adjacent to the new offices of the Mid-County Regional Services Center, 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton.

“Many of the successes of Montgomery County are due to the rich diversity of our communities; and this is a quality we celebrate every day of the year,” said County Executive Elrich. “We are proud to be the home to multiple generations of immigrants from every Latin American nation and other parts of our world. Our Latino brothers and sisters are a critical and vibrant part of every neighborhood, every industry, and throughout our County government. I encourage everyone to learn the history and customs of our Latino communities, and appreciate their contributions to our County’s past, present and future.”

Executive Elrich has participated in a series of events during Hispanic Heritage Month — Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 — highlighting several Latino and other immigrant-serving community partners. The free recognition events are co-hosted by the County Executive’s Office of Community Partnerships in collaboration with the County’s regional services centers.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time filled with kinship, reflection, and celebration of our diverse Latino heritage,” said Council Vice President Albornoz. “It is through the assortment of cultures—Indigenous, African, Asian and European that has enriched the Latino tapestry for generations. Today and every day, we are fortunate to benefit from this diversity and the countless contributions made by Latinos for the greater good of our community,”

Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States. According to the 2020 Census, the Latino population in Montgomery County increased by 31.4 percent since 2010, making Hispanics or Latinos 20.5 percent (217,409 of the County’s total population). Montgomery County is the No. 2 destination among all U.S. counties for immigrants from Bolivia and the No. 3 destination for immigrants from El Salvador.

“It is an absolute privilege to have joined in today’s closing of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, and to recognize the diversity that makes Montgomery County so vibrant,” said Councilmember Navarro. “As the first immigrant and Latina elected to the Council, I can’t help but reflect on how our County has changed since I was first elected, and how events like these have really helped to enhance our shared civic identity. I am particularly proud of my work with Council Colleagues, the County’s Latino Health Initiative, as well as other community partners, as we launched the nationally recognized Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar initiative, which has served and saved the lives of those most impacted by COVID-19 by providing culturally proficient health resources and services to our county’s communities of color through increased testing, case management, and targeted outreach.”

County Executive Elrich participated in a recognition event on Sept. 24 in collaboration with the Silver Spring Regional Services Center at El Golfo Restaurant and on Oct. 8 at the Ribbon-cutting ceremony and concert of the Germantown Hub at the Upcounty Regional Services Center. Elrich kicked-off Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 12 by addressing attendees at the 16th Annual Festival Salvadoreñísimo de Independencia (Salvadoran Independence Day Festival), on Sept. 14 as a guest on the County’s long-standing Spanish language radio show “Montgomery al Día.”  Montgomery al Día airs live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. on Radio America 900AM. The entire episode can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/America900am/videos/389715989394853