» Laying of Martin Luther King, Jr. Wreath «

Walking along the garden pathway next to the Municipal Center, you’ll find an important monument to Martin Luther King, Jr. and a testament to his words and actions which have shaped our country for the better. It was an honor to join in remembering Dr. King, his legacy, and to reflect on how we can live them out today. Thank you to all who came out!

Auto-generated description: A group of people is gathered outdoors around a memorial plaque with a wreath in a snowy setting. (Photo credit: City of Laurel)

» Eric Grantham and Ms. Linda Carpenter-Grantham «

As past Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities, it was my pleasure to be able to correspond with and play a small role in arranging for Eric Grantham and his mother to visit City Council last week and share their story advocating for non-apparent disabilities and Eric’s ID Law. You can learn more in my blog post from last fall, and please mark your calendars for the Maryland House of Delegates hearing scheduled for February 13 (HB0707) where their bill will be introduced and hopefully pass this state legislative session.

(Photo credit: Ms. Linda)

» Troop 1250 Constitutional Rights & Obligations «

And last Wednesday it was a pleasure to visit Troop 1250 here in Laurel to help members complete their requirement to meet with an elected official and discuss the constitutional rights & obligations of U.S. citizens. One of the things I asked them to do was first imagine a country with no rights and only obligations … Then flip and imagine a country with no obligations and only rights. I was pleasantly surprised that they recognized the second was actually just as bad as the first, since, in their words, everybody would just go around trying to take and never give, which doesn’t work as a society. Good job Troop! :)

Auto-generated description: A person is speaking to a group of scouts seated on the floor in a gymnasium. (Photo credit: Shane)