The public is invited to attend a meeting on the Immigrant Community on the Eastern Shore, and How Past and Current Policies Affect Our Community, presented by Matthew Peters of the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. The meeting will take place at Sumner Hall in Chestertown, at 206 S. Queen St., on Thursday, March 19. This event is sponsored by the Democratic Club of Kent County (DCKC).
Matthew Peters is the Director of the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC), an Easton, Maryland-based 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower people from different cultures to become successful and engaged members of the community. Through education, the ChesMRC strives to break down cultural barriers that arise from differences in language, appearance or ethnic traditions. As Director, Matthew’s responsibilities include management and development of the Center’s various programs, including Youth Development; Immigration Legal Assistance; Healthcare navigation; Language and Cultural training; and community awareness.
Matthew is an Eagle Scout, bilingual in Spanish/English and has extensive, hands-on experience with Central American culture, having lived in rural Guatemala for 13 years. After obtaining a degree in Forestry from Penn State University, he joined the Peace Corps for a 2-year assignment in rural Guatemala to work on reforestation programs; he continued working and living in rural Guatemala, running his own organization that focused on international volunteers, reforestation, and education. Matthew returned to the United States in 2012 and began work at the Multicultural Center where he has been engaging immigrant residents and building the capacity of the center to address the needs of the immigrant community.
Doors will open at 6:00 pm, and the main program will start around 7:00, ending no later than 8:30 pm; light refreshments will be available. A brief business meeting will be conducted by the club at 6:45. Please consider attending this important event to learn more about the challenges faced by our immigrant community, and the ways that federal and state policies are affecting our community For more information contact DCKC at info@dckcmd.com.