SILVER SPRING, Md. — While many enjoyed a sunny stroll around downtown Silver Spring, Metassebia Kefelegn headed straight to the Civics Building to learn more about her representatives.
Kefelegn, originally from Ethiopia, moved to Montgomery County in 2002. As a member of the Ethiopian Nurses Association in North America (ENANA), she joined dozens of other members of the African Diaspora to attend a town hall hosted by state delegates Lorig Charkoudian and Jheanelle K. Wilkins, and state senator Will Smith.
“I wanted to come and hear what the state is doing for the African community and also give my feedback regarding the nursing profession,” she said.
Recent data from George Mason University says more than 54,000 African immigrants live in Montgomery County, making up about 16% of the county’s immigrant population.
After some food and fellowship, attendees got to hear about the delegates’ work on topics ranging from healthcare to housing. But while the delegates highlighted some of their legislative accomplishments, they also let the crowd know there’s still work to do, such as in infrastructure.
“We had a $2 billion shortfall in our transportation budget, so what that meant is that we wouldn’t be able to start new projects,” Wilkins explained. “I know a lot of our constituents contact us all the time about those state roads that need trimming, or we have potholes in our state roads that need to be repaired, so it has a real impact.”
Attendees also got a chance to highlight other issues that are important to them and hear direct feedback, which some say is a rare opportunity for some groups in their community.
“Oftentimes, some of the sub-communities, the African communities, and the immigrant community in general, sometimes they’re not heard from. People don’t even know they exist,” said Jevon Brown of the youth soccer outreach group, ESYDA. “Their issues are not often heard, so the ability to come here in a unified voice, it’s helpful!”
Now folks like Kefelegn hope that this will be a building block to a stronger connection between the African Diaspora and Montgomery County.
“I want people to enjoy living here,” she says. “I don’t want them to move, so I’m doing my part to keep people here.”