P.D. Brown holds reception for Department of Disabilities tour

By CHARLIE WRIGHT
cwright@somdnews.com

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P.D. Brown Memorial Library hosted a reception for the traveling disAbility History Tour on Tuesday in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Disabilities.

The tour celebrates the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with the primary draw being a five-panel display titled “Advocacy: A History of People Speaking Up for Themselves,” on loan from the Museum of disAbility History. The collection tracks the progression of the advocacy movement from early educational facilities to organizations dedicated to the cause. A sixth panel designed by a local group depicting disability history in Maryland will be added at the conclusion of the tour. Charles County is the fifth stop on the six-city trip, and the display will be available for viewing until August 19.

A video of former president George H.W. Bush signing the ADA greeted the audience of two dozen people at the reception, followed by a dialogue from department officials and library staff about the significance of the act.

“It’s really the Civil Rights Act for those with disabilities,” said Carrie McGraw, director of communication and outreach for the Maryland Department of Disabilities. “It was really the first time the rights of those with disabilities were addressed on a federal level.”

The occasion hit close to home for Charles County Public Library Executive Director Janet Salazar, who has multiple relatives that utilize ADA services. She drew parallels between the legislation and the library while addressing the crowd.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act has some things in common with the public library,” Salazar said. “The ADA provides for equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation. In the public library, we affirm the right of all library users to open access of information.”

The event closed with an appearance by Deputy Secretary of Disabilities William Frank, who spoke about the importance of celebrating the act and spreading its principles throughout the community.

“We are committed to a Maryland in which all citizens are able to access the same resources and services,” said Frank, before presenting a citation to Salazar and library staff to applaud them on their participation in the tour.

Charles County Commissioner Amanda Stewart (D) attended the event and said she plans to draw up a proclamation to bring attention to the celebration. As for the local government’s role in disability awareness, Stewart explained the administration is responsible for making sure facilities in the county are in in compliance with ADA regulations.

“We just make sure that our building codes are up to standard to make sure people with disabilities can experience and go to any building for any service,” Stewart said. “If a county resident has a problem, we’re there to make sure our buildings are up to code.”

The tour will close with a visit to the Kent County Public Library in Chestertown. P.D. Brown Memorial Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those interesting in checking out the display.

Representatives discuss basic services, protections

By CHARLIE WRIGHT
cwright@somdnews.com

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Representatives from the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) visited the Waldorf West Library on Wednesday to give a presentation on the department and share their mission with the community.

An intimate group of Charles County residents gathered in the meeting room of the library for the slide show about the commission delivered by Education and Outreach Associate Towanda Oliver and Civil Rights Officer Maria Andrews.

“We believe if we are intentional about these types of events, education and outreach, we will achieve our vision hopefully one day to have a state that is free of any trace of unlawful discrimination,” Oliver said, to open the proceedings.

The commission has existed for 90 years, initially created to study the effects of society on the “colored population,” explained Oliver. Civil rights issues through the middle of the century led to a rebranding as the Commission on Human Relations, complete with a full staff and enforcement power. The group adopted its current title in 2011 to fully encompass all of the work it does.

A quick poll of the audience revealed only about a third of the room knew the commission existed before the presentation, underscoring the importance of outreach. The Baltimore-based organization offers these talks to public institutions as well as courses for businesses and offices free of charge, in order to increase awareness about all types of discrimination services. The commission protects Maryland residents in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations and commercial non-discrimination. The categories may seem narrow, but are expanded to include all aspects of each process. So discrimination regarding a job application or interview process would fall under employment and be within MCCR jurisdiction, even though the victim isn’t actually employed yet.

The complaint process begins with intake, followed by investigation, litigation and outreach. Andrews is part of the investigation team, working with complainants and defendants to assess situations and judge whether legal action should take place. Complaints can be filed by mail, phone, fax, e-mail or through the MCCR website. Victims have between 180 days and four years to register a grievance, depending on the classification of discrimination. The MCCR typically resolves cases within 180 days, and pending cases age at less than one-third the national average, said Andrews.

“We’re pushed hard to really focus on the time and process that it takes to conduct the investigation to keep the time and process down,” Andrews said.

In fiscal year 2016, the commission processed 932 complaints, with 83 percent of received complaints falling under employment. The MCCR brought in over $1.3 million in benefits to victims this past year.

The majority of MCCR funding comes at the federal level, and officers have to meet an individual yearly quota of cases. The commission works closely with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Housing and Urban Development, both of whom contract with the MCCR.

Although the commission does not receive a lot of state funding, Maryland itself has a large number of laws in place against discrimination, said Oliver. Unfortunately, many residents are unaware of these protections, so the primary goal of the MCCR is to inform the people.

“We try to be present,” Oliver said. “We believe if we educate, hopefully we’re proactive in reducing the complaints we get.”

By JESSI STICKEL
Special to the Maryland Independent

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Children and parents from across Charles County celebrated Harry Potter’s birthday last week by spending a day at Hogwarts, at the Charles County Public Library Potomac branch.

As children entered the children’s wing of the library they randomly chose their Hogwarts house and received a ticket to the Hogwarts Express, a Hogwarts paper tie to color in the theme of their chosen house and a plastic wand.

Some children came to the celebration in costume, mirroring the movie’s main characters, with robes, ties, scarfs, glasses and even painted on scars, like Harry Potter.

When it was time for the Hogwarts Express to leave, the children entered through the famous 9 ¾ brick wall like in the books and films.

Once inside Hogwarts, children were assigned to go to wizard classes to complete various hands on activities. They created slime in potions class and a Mandrake character from the series in herbology class. The children also played the Hogwarts game Quidditch and tested their magic abilities by putting spells on a Dementor.

This was the first time the Potomac library has hosted a birthday celebration for the fictional character.

“It’s high interest for the children and it gets the kids to read the [Harry Potter] books, instead of just watching the movies,” said Sarah Anderson, children’s supervisor at the Potomac library.

Children and parents ended Harry’s celebration by singing “Happy Birthday,” and enjoying Harry Potter themed cupcakes and Gillywater, a wizarding beverage from the series.

Group aims to increase minority participation

By SARA NEWMAN
snewman@somdnews.com

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A group of a dozen high school students met at the Waldorf West library last week to discuss their future careers in business, medicine and law, among others. The group of motivated teens hope their participation will increase their chances of getting into college, thereby launching them into lucrative careers.

“Everyone here has the same mindset,” Aqsa Siddique, 16, of Waldorf said of the Young Researchers Community Project, YRCP, group. “They all want to get involved and gain a better sense and knowledge of the world.”

YRCP is a part of STEAM Onward Inc., a nonprofit group that aims to increase the number of minority and underserved youth pursuing higher education in STEM related fields, such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, in addition to the arts.

The group began around 1989 when Bonita Adeeb, executive director, and Alland Leandre, board member, started having conversations about what local students could actively do to pursue their STEM interests and create effective change in their communities. They started a counter marketing strategy to encourage people to stop smoking which led to other campaigns geared towards environmental and other health issues.

“What could we do to help poorly achieving kids of color in Southern Maryland? How do you get them to see that school is useful and about them?” Adeeb said she asked at the beginning of the group’s inception. “These are things kids can educate the community about.”

Leandre said the group uses handson activities to convey concepts and encourage the students to be excited about learning.

“The time they have in the classroom is sufficient for some things, but not all things,” Leandre said. “We’re bringing back the use of tools and project based learning, literally putting their hands in the dirt if it’s a gardening activity.”

In addition to creating an anti-vaping public service announcement that has been shown in local movie theaters, the group is joining forces with the family of Kris “Romeo” Bishundat, a Thomas Stone High School alum and member of the United States Navy who was killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, to host the fifth annual 9-11 Memorial 5K Road Race and Fun Walk in Bishundat’s memory.

Santesia Ababio, 17, of Waldorf and Siddique agreed that the community service opportunities available through the group have been enjoyable and bene- ficial to them in their future endeavors.

“[STEAM Onward] is something good to do if you don’t know how to spend your summer or if you don’t know what you want to do for a career or haven’t applied to any colleges yet,” Ababio said.

The students are also plugged into internships with local businesses, such as law offices and doctor’s offices, that correlate with their future career plans.

Migue Darcera, 16, of Waldorf hopes to pursue a career in medicine and is shadowing an orthopedic surgeon over the summer. Darcera said the experience has taught him how a doctor properly talks to patients and furthered his interest to work in cardiology and help others.

After working at her internship at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, Ababio said she sees her future going a slightly different direction.

“When I started this program I wanted to be a nurse but now I’m more open to radiology and I want to open my own practice,” Ababio said.

Ababio said she became interested in STEAM Onward after hearing about it in school and wanted to take advantage of the healthcare internship opportunities that were available.

Leandre said an internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — an opportunity that he only applied for because his teacher told him to — was what “set off lightbulbs” for him as to what his future career could be. A product of Washington D.C. public schools and parents who didn’t go to college, Leandre is now the CEO of Vyalex Management Solutions, a government contracting firm focusing on technology and acquisition management.

Now, STEAM Onward partners with a number of businesses and organizations in the area that offer expertise and opportunity to determined students. Leandre said he hopes to start a new technology summit sponsored and designed by the corporate community “because they’re the ones who are doing the work and see what the need is.”

“The U.S. is losing the fight in global competitiveness and it’s much easier to grow that talent here,” Leandre said. “For years we were leading in every area … we’re not necessarily in a position where the next big thing would come from here. It’s bad for us because our economy is based on our ability to innovate. Investing in these kids is ultimately what will sustain our economy and quality of life.”

Leandre said the Southern Maryland area has the capacity to create something big and an effort to educate students in these careers and keep them working locally will create a nice place to live.

“Why not grow our own geniuses?” he said.

Summer reading program motivates families to keep minds active over summer break

By JESSI STICKEL
Special to the Maryland Independent

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Whether it’s on the couch, in the library or by the pool, Charles County Public Library is challenging children and adults to read more this summer and be rewarded for it.

“Build a Better World” is this year’s theme of the library’s summer reading challenge. The program began June 1 and ends Aug. 26. Children and adults log their reading minutes and participate in activities online in order to win prizes.

“It is very beneficial to kids to participate in the Summer Reading Program because it helps combat the ‘summer slide,’ helping kids to keep up on the skills they learned the previous school year so that they are ready to continue learning when they return to school,” Sarah Anderson, children’s librarian, Potomac Branch, said.

“It also helps encourage a lifelong love of reading and can really help draw in reluctant readers.”

Customers can register themselves and their children online at ccpl.beanstack.org. Once registered, adults and children can start reading and participating online.

Participants can earn badges by logging minutes spent reading, writing reviews of books they have read and completing challenges. For every 15 badges, participants earn one entry into the grand prize drawing for a Kindle Fire HD tablet and one entry into the regular prize drawings at their local library branch, which includes prizes such as tickets to the Maryland Science Center, LEGO kits and Amazon gift cards, Anderson said.

Melinda Jackowski of La Plata said her two daughters Emma, 8, and Isabelle, 5, regularly participate in the summer reading program.

“Emma actually won two prizes for doing her reading one year, so she liked that,” Jackowski said. “The prizes are a good motivation for them to read.”

Jackowski said her family has been participating in the program for several years. She likes that the program offers free events during the summer and that it is a fun learning experience for her children.

This is the Charles County Public Library’s 15th year putting on the summer reading challenge; however, it is the first year they are using Beanstack, an online site that lets “library customers log their reading, write reviews, create wish lists of what they want to read in the future, read peer reviews and participate in challenges,” Sarah Guy, program coordinator, said.

The Beanstack site allows librarians to create customized challenges that appeal to their customers, Guy said.

“For example, at the requests of some of the schools in Charles County, we have challenges that encourage kids to learn more about their school,” she said. “[The challenges ask questions like:] What does Piccowaxen mean? Who was Milton Somers? Who was General Smallwood?”

The Beanstack site is available all year long, but there are more activities and challenges to participate in when children are out of school during the summer.

“We’ve had great feedback from our customers and staff about how easy Beanstack is to use, so we’ll be using the site for at least the next couple years,” Guy said.

“This year we’re testing Beanstack’s new Photo Review option, which has been a lot of fun. We’ve had customers do the Origami Challenge and submit photos of what they’ve created,” she said.

“We’ve had customers try a new recipe and show us photos of tasty looking cookies and cakes.”

“The kids love all of the fun and engaging events we have all summer long and that they can win lots of cool prizes,” Anderson said. “The parents love that we have lots of fun and educational events mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends to accommodate different schedules and that it is super easy to participate.”

“It makes a great family activity for the summer,” Anderson said.

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La Plata, MD (July 26, 2017)- In celebration of the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maryland Department of Disabilities will host a traveling disAbility History Tour during July and August of 2017. Maryland’s disAbility History tour will host a reception at the P.D. Brown Memorial Library in Waldorf on August 15th at 4 p.m.

Advocacy: A History of People Speaking Up for Themselves will be on loan from the Museum of disAbility History for six weeks. This four panel display traces the advocacy movement from early educational facilities to the development of organizations established for and by individuals with disabilities. In addition to the loaned panels, the department will add a fifth display designed by the Maryland Association of Centers for Independent Living outlining disability history in Maryland.

Governor Hogan will kick off the tour with a reception on August 4th in Annapolis at the Lowe House Office Building beginning at noon. The public can also view images of the panels, ASL translation, audio files, text only, text image descriptions, and large print versions of the displays on the Maryland Department of Disabilities website ADA 27 event page at www.mdod.maryland.gov.

“Charles County Public Library is a go-to place for people of all abilities. As a system, we view ourselves as indispensable to our community, being a place where people can come to learn, engage and make connections,” said Mariana Sprouse, P.D. Brown Memorial Library branch manager. “As the Branch Manager, I see just how often those living with various disabilities come here to be in the community, use our technology, attend programs and even simply sit and color or do a puzzle. Knowing our community trusts us, comes to us because we can help them and that we welcome them made it really important to us to be part of the traveling disAbilities history tour,”

The Museum of disAbility History is located in Buffalo, New York and was established in 1998 by Dr. James M. Boles, president and CEO of People Inc. The museum is dedicated to advancing the understanding, acceptance and independence of people with disabilities. The museum’s exhibits, collections, archives and educational programs create awareness and a platform for dialogue and discovery. In addition to offering an expansive collection on location in New York, the museum offers numerous traveling displays which highlight various aspects of disability history and culture.

For press coverage or information on the event, contact Tisha Tyler at 301.934.9001, ext. 132 or ttyler@ccplonline.org.

About Charles County Public Library

Charles County Library System has four physical buildings and a Mobile Library. The Waldorf West and P.B. Brown Memorial branches are both located in Waldorf. The La Plata branch serves as the headquarters and in located in the town of La Plata. The western side of the county is served by the Potomac Branch located in Ruth B. Swann Park. The CCPL mobile library launched in the spring of 2017.

About the Maryland Department of Disabilities

The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) is charged with coordinating and improving the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities in the state of Maryland. By working collaboratively with all State government agencies, MDOD provides advocacy and guidance to ensure that State entities deliver services in the most integrated settings possible, develop consistent policies affecting those with disabilities, and consider the diverse needs of all when making decisions which impact Marylanders.

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La Plata, February 21, 2017 – As the library plans for innovative and meaningful communitycentered services input is sought from county residents and supporters. The library invites residents as a part of the implementation of the strategic plan to communicate their thoughts and suggestions by way of a several town hall meetings happening across the county.

In February of 2016, Executive Director, Janet Salazar led the 6 month planning process for developing a comprehensive three-year strategic plan. “We realize we have some work to do to create a 21st century library system. We are asking our community to share their thoughts and ideas on current and future library programming, services, and facilities.” Salazar responds.

The information received from the town halls will help the library in planning and prioritizing its current services, allocating resources, and identifying NEW library services and programs. Public input will also help the library prepare for the possibility of building new branches and making building improvements at current locations, including the construction of a new La Plata branch.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS

MAR 2nd, 2017 – 7:00 p.m. @ Waldorf West Branch, Waldorf

MAR 4th, 2017 – 3:00 p.m. @ Potomac Branch, Indian Head

MAR 6th, 2017 – 7:00 p.m. @ La Plata Town Hall, La Plata

MAR 7th, 2017 – 7:00 p.m. @ Nanjemoy Community Center, Nanjemoy

CCPL invites all Charles County residents to attend one of our upcoming town hall meetings to let your voice be heard. For more information about the Town Hall Meetings please email ljansen@ccplonline.org or call the La Plata Branch at 301.934.9001.

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About Charles County Public Library

Charles County Library System has four physical buildings. The Waldorf West and P.B. Brown Memorial branches are both located in Waldorf. The La Plata branch serves as the headquarters and in located in the town of La Plata. The western side of the county is served by the Potomac Branch located in Ruth B. Swann Park. A mobile library unit will be launching in the spring of 2017.

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La Plata, January 27, 2017 – The Charles County Public Library (CCPL) is proud to announce that we now have workstations that provide assistive technology to users protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). CCPL is a part of the state-wide effort to provide ADA Compliant workstations for disabled citizens.

“Maryland Libraries are very excited to provide this service to Maryland’s disabled citizens, especially as we celebrate the 26th anniversary of the signing of ADA. Local libraries welcome patrons with special needs to visit and use this equipment,” said Irene Padilla, Assistant State Superintendent of the Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS), Maryland State Department of Education.

These workstations have electric height-adjustable tables with computers, 27 inch monitors, special keyboards, JAWS® screen reader software, MAGic® screen enlarging software, and an Optelec® CCTV that has Optical Character Reading (OCR) capabilities that will read aloud any print text. The workstations allow citizens to access information over the internet or in print that they would not normally be able to read or reach. One ADA work station can now be found at each of the four CCPL branches.

Funding for this project was provided through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

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About Charles County Public Library

Charles County Library System has four physical buildings. The Waldorf West and P.B. Brown Memorial branches are both located in Waldorf. The La Plata branch serves as the headquarters and in located in the town of La Plata. The western side of the county is served by the Potomac Branch located in Ruth B. Swann Park. A mobile library unit will be launching in the spring of 2017.

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La Plata, January 25, 2017 – “As a long time educator I understand the importance of serving as the Ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees for the Charles County Public Library,” stated Amanda M. Stewart, Vice President, Charles County Commissioners, “I believe that it is through Black History Month programming and access to African American history resources like those available at the Library, that our county is strengthened and an appreciation for our diversity is achieved.”

The Charles County Public Library will offer two very distinct series of programs to commemorate Black History Month during the month of February.

The series Black Leaders of Charles County is presented by the Culture Queen, Jessica Smith, founder of Culture Kingdom Kids. Jessica “Culture Queen” Smith is a master performing and teaching artist who creates fun and cultural experiences for children.

Free programs suitable for ages 6 – 11 will occur at all four Charles County library branches:

February 9 at 6 p.m. – P. D. Brown Library, 50 Village Street, Waldorf, MD

February 15 at 6 p.m. – La Plata Library, 2 Garrett Avenue, La Plata, MD

February 22 at 6 p.m. – Potomac Library, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Drive, Indian Head, MD

February 28 at 3 p.m. – Waldorf West Library, 10405 O’Donnell Place, Waldorf, MD

We are very excited to host the program series, Black Leaders of Charles County, which tells the story of an important and often under-appreciated part of the County’s history,” said Sarah Guy, CCPL Program Coordinator. “The opportunity to learn about the past, and about the people who have made a difference in our community, can not only bring people together but inspire a new generation of leaders. The library, as a community space for learning and education, is the perfect setting for this type of program.”

The Black History Month Film Series will feature films and television shows, each Wednesday evening about African Americans at the P.D. Brown Library at 50 Village Street, Waldorf, MD

The free films suitable for ages 13+ will include:

February 1 at 5:30 p.m.:

Southside with You – The film chronicles the summer 1989 afternoon when the future President of the United States, Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady, Michelle Obama, on a first date across Chicago’s South Side.

February 8 at 5:30 p.m.:

Free Angela and All Political Prisoners – A documentary that chronicles the life of young college professor Angela Davis, and how her social activism implicates her in a botched kidnapping attempt that ends with a shootout, four dead, and her name on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list.

February 15 at 5:30 p.m.:

Selma – A chronicle of Martin Luther King’s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

February 22 at 5:30 p.m.:

Glory Road – In 1966, Texas Western coach Don Haskins led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA national championship.

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About Charles County Public Library

Charles County Library System has four physical buildings. The Waldorf West and P.B. Brown Memorial branches are both located in Waldorf. The La Plata branch serves as the headquarters and in located in the town of La Plata. The western side of the county is served by the Potomac Branch located in Ruth B. Swann Park. A mobile library unit will be launching in the spring of 2017.