Maryland Celebrates Black History Month: Upcoming MCCR Trainings

Racial Justice at Work: Combatting AntiBlackness and Racism in the Workplace In observance of Black History Month, join the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights as we engage in an interactive dialogue regarding racial inequities in the workplace with the goal of helping employees to understand their role in ending those disparities. Topics covered will be discrimination in hiring and disciplinary practices, microaggressions and hostile work environments, racially loaded language and the use of African American Vernacular English as well as attire and workplace policies. Our featured panelists are Attorney Cecilia J. Brown, Certified Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant and Demetrius Noble, Professor of African American & Diaspora Studies department at UNC Greensboro This event will be held virtually on Wednesday February 16, 2022 12PM-2PM EST Register Here on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/racial-justice-at-work-combating-antiblackness-and-racism-in-the-workplace-tickets-260348939687 Presenter Bios: Demetrius Noble (better known as D. Noble) is an activist, teacher and radical cultural worker. He currently serves as an adjunct professor  in the African American & Diaspora Studies department at UNC Greensboro. His research interests include Black Class Antagonisms, African American Literature, Popular Culture and Hip Hop Studies. His work has been published in The African American Review, The Journal of Pan African Studies, The Journal of Black Masculinity, Socialism & Democracy, Works and Days, Cultural Logic, Red Wedge and other leftist digital and print publications. Cecilia J. Brown is a Flint, Michigan native with a passion for justice.  Cecilia graduated from the University of  Washburn Law in 2014,  where she participated in the Trial team and Moot Court Competition team. Cecilia was 1 of 3 African Americans in her law school class and immediately understood her purpose- to be a voice for communities that are not adequately reflected in the American legal system.  Cecilia Nuby & Associates, LLC was formed in 2015,  and focused in the practice of plaintiff employment discrimination, father’s custody rights, and defendant criminal cases. Cecilia Nuby & Associates served hundreds of clients with legal issues ranging from manslaughter to supervisors hanging nooses in the employee common areas.  During practice, Cecilia was made aware of the overwhelming racial disparities in the American Legal System. With a desire to increase her knowledge of and influence on the law, in 2019, Cecilia graciously accepted a 2 year term clerking for the Honorable Judge Thomas Newton at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. Here Cecilia reviewed every type of case and wrote legal opinions to justly apply the law.  In 2021, Cecilia grew her practice by becoming a Certified Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant. She has a passion for creating fair, equitable and just business  and governmental environments. Her passion is people, her purpose is service.

Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships

UPCOMING EVENTS Fair Housing Basics (Open to the Public) Wednesday February 9th 2022 10am-12pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/247499446507 Public Accommodations Discrimination Prevention Training (Open to the Public)  Wednesday February 23rd 2022 10am-12pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/247476146817

Source: MCCR email, February 1, 2022.

Black History Month and the Lunar New Year Begin on February 1st

 

As Delegate Lily Qi, of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 15, said in her February 1st information email, it is fitting these two dates coincide this year as our communities become more diverse and integrated than ever and all of us more accustomed to celebrating different cultures and heritage. However, both special occasions should remind all of us that racial and ethnic integration is far from complete and much work remains to be done.

Black History Month

February 1 is the beginning of Black History Month. Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans. Black History Month celebrates their rich cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities. The 2022 theme, Black Health and Wellness, honors medical scholars and health care providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected minority communities and placed at times crushing burdens on Black health care professionals. 

The Month began in 1926 when the "father of Black history" Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) designated the second week of February as "Negro History Week" and galvanized fellow historians through the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which he founded in 1915. By the late 1960s, Negro History Week had evolved into what is now known as Black History Month. U.S. President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month during the 1976 bicentennial, urging Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." 

Lunar New Year

February 1st also marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by the Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities. This year is the Year of the Tiger. Many Asian cultures historically follow a lunar, rather than solar, calendar, so the Lunar New Year falls on a different day on the Gregorian calendar which the U.S. uses every year: In 2022, Lunar New Year's Eve fell on January 31, and the new year began Tuesday, February 1. While celebrations frequently start the weekend before and continue for weeks after, only the first seven days, January 31 to February 6, are considered public holidays. 

The Lunar New Year is seen as a time of reunion and rebirth, marking the end of winter and the start of spring. The Chinese calendar is on a 12-year cycle, with each year linked to one of a dozen animals -- the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The year 2022 in the Gregorian calendar is designated the Year of the Tiger, the year of bravery, wisdom, and strength.

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Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1075623826/why-is-february-black-history-month

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

 

Hi William, During the pandemic, relief efforts led to historically low interest rates. NCRC just published a new report on mortgage lending data from 2020, and who reaped the benefits of historically low rates.  Join us on Wednesday, January 26 at 1 pm ET to hear from the authors of the report, and dig into where mortgage capital flowed as the pandemic was ravaging the economy. Register now Plus see how new HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data from the CFPB will allow us to look at home mortgage lending in new ways moving forward. Speakers include: Jamie Buell, Racial Economic Equity Coordinator, NCRC Joshua Devine, Director of Racial Economic Equity, NCRC Jason Richardson, Director of Research and Evaluation, NCRC Register now to make sure you don’t miss this important discussion.  Team NCRC

Latest: Press release: NCRC Welcomes OCC Final Rule to Rescind its Disastrous 2020 CRA Rule

Copyright © 2022 NCRC, All rights reserved. We send email updates to NCRC members, contacts and people who opt in via our web site. Our mailing address is: NCRC 740 15th St. NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20306

Economic Justice: Interreligious Reflections on Fairness and Dignity

A 4-Week Online Course

Thursdays, February 3, 10, 17 & 24

7:00–9:00 PM via Zoom

Register to receive a Zoom link: REGISTER NOW.

When is a society economically just? Can our religious texts and traditions still offer wisdom and insights for grappling with economic justice today? Can interreligious learning inspire us to improve the economic environment in our communities and bring greater opportunity and dignity for all? This course will draw upon Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions to explore how discrepancies in wealth and status affect our religious communities and impact broader society.

About the Instructors:

Heather Miller Rubens, Ph.D., ICJS’ Executive Director and Roman Catholic Scholar, focuses her research on the theoretical, theological, ethical, and political implications of affirming religious diversity and building an interreligious society. 

Benjamin Sax, Ph.D., the ICJS’ Jewish Scholar, is an experienced professor, university administrator, scholar, award-winning teacher, public speaker, and practitioner and facilitator of interreligious dialogue. 

Zeyneb Sayilgan, Ph.D. is the Muslim Scholar at ICJS, where her research centers around Islamic theology and spirituality, Christian-Muslim relations, and the intersection of religion and migration. 

Matthew Taylor, Ph.D. is the ICJS Protestant Scholar, specializing in Muslim-Christian dialogue, Christian theology and interreligious engagement, religious politics in the U.S., and American Islam. 

Course Schedule

Feb 3: Introduction & Catholic Reflections (Heather Miller Rubens):

            Face-to-Face or Shoulder-to-Shoulder Dialogue?

            Dorothy Day & The Deserving/Undeserving Poor

Feb 10: Muslim Reflections on Economic Justice (Zeyneb Sayilgan).

Feb 17: Jewish Reflections on Economic Justice (Ben Sax).

Feb 24: Christian Reflections on Economic Justice (Matt Taylor).

Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies

956 Dulaney Valley Road   I   Baltimore, MD 21204   I   410.494.7161   I   info@icjs.org   I   icjs.org

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Source: ICJS, January 21, 2022

Sparrows Point: An American Steel Story

Baltimore's Civil Rights  History

Sparrows Point: an American Steel Story is a six-part series produced by Aaron Henkin in partnership with WYPR. The podcast is the newest part of the BMI’s Bethlehem Steel Legacy Project, a multi-year community engagement and preservation initiative to document the 125-year history of the steelmaking giant made possible through the generous support of Tradepoint Atlantic.

The podcast is supported by Tradepoint Atlantic, Maryland Humanities, and the National Association of Women in Construction.

In 1887, it was an isolated stretch of marshland on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. By 1958, it was the biggest steel mill in the world. In 2001, it went bankrupt. And by 2015, it was a pile of demolished rubble. Sparrows Point is a story of capitalism, labor unions, race, gender, civil rights, pride, and hubris. It’s the story of American steel.

Listen to episodes here

Trailer

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Bonus Episode

Episode 5

Episode 6

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Source: Baltimore Museum of Industry, January 21, 2022.

 

Hi William, During the pandemic, relief efforts led to historically low interest rates. NCRC just published a new report on mortgage lending data from 2020, and who reaped the benefits of historically low rates.  Join us on Wednesday, January 26 at 1 pm ET to hear from the authors of the report, and dig into where mortgage capital flowed as the pandemic was ravaging the economy. Register now Plus see how new HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data from the CFPB will allow us to look at home mortgage lending in new ways moving forward. Speakers include: Jamie Buell, Racial Economic Equity Coordinator, NCRC Joshua Devine, Director of Racial Economic Equity, NCRC Jason Richardson, Director of Research and Evaluation, NCRC Register now to make sure you don’t miss this important discussion.  Team NCRC

Latest: Press release: NCRC Welcomes OCC Final Rule to Rescind its Disastrous 2020 CRA Rule

Did you know that Maryland expanded it's fair housing laws in 2020? Learn about the HOME Act, the new protected class it creates, and how to comply with the law in this FREE online training. This training is recommended for landlords, property managers, and real estate agents who work with rental properties. Learn about these laws and how to comply at one of three virtual Fair Housing Compliance trainings in the new year: 

January 11, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

January 12, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

January 13, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Once you register, you'll be able to attend live and have a chance to ask questions or watch the recording at a time convenient for you! 

The Fair Housing Action Center is a program of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition. 

If you are interested in this training for you or your team, please register for the date and time that works best for you. 

You can contact Robyn Dorsey at robyn@marylandconsumers.org with any questions or concerns.

Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, Inc. 

2209 Maryland Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21218 

(410) 220-0494 | info@marylandconsumers.org 

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Source: MCRC email, January 10, 2022.