During two ceremonies held on June 9, leaders of the Montgomery County Council issued proclamations recognizing Caribbean American Heritage Month and Immigrant Heritage Month, celebrating the contributions of these communities to the county’s cultural, economic and civic life.
Waving a small Jamaican flag, Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles celebrated her heritage and the occasion by recognizing and honoring individuals who have helped strengthen the region’s diverse communities.
“Montgomery County is home to one of the nation’s most vibrant Caribbean American communities, whose contributions can be found in every sector of society,” Sayles said.
Members of the Caribbean American diaspora attended the proclamation ceremony, including business owners, community organizations, representatives from the Governor’s Office and county officials. Also in attendance was Montgomery County’s Caribbean liaison, Rodrigue Vital.
Vital highlighted the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Caribbean during his remarks.
“In the Caribbean, we speak multiple languages. We speak Spanish, French and Creole,” Vital said. “The Caribbean is not a country; it is a community.”
His comments drew laughter and applause from attendees while underscoring the importance of recognizing the region’s diversity and the many cultures that make up the Caribbean diaspora.
Photo by Benjamin Sky Brandt for the Montgomery County Council
Later in the afternoon, a second proclamation ceremony led by Councilmember Will Jawando, who has Nigerian and American heritage, recognized Immigrant Heritage Month. During the event, Jawando noted that immigrants are an essential part of the county’s identity and success. He pointed out that approximately one in three Montgomery County residents are foreign-born and that nearly 45% of county residents are either immigrants or the children of immigrants.
“Of the 365,000 of our neighbors in Montgomery County, one-third were born outside the United States,” Jawando said.
Jawando emphasized that immigrants have helped shape every aspect of life in Montgomery County, contributing to the workforce, local businesses, schools and communities across the region.
Yi Shen, Asian liaison with the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, compared the United States of America to an orchestra rather than a melting pot.
“Every instrument creates beautiful music,” Shen said. “But when you put everybody together, it creates a really beautiful and moving piece,” emphasizing the value of diversity and the contributions of immigrant communities.
