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Montgomery County Council recognizes Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce on 10th anniversary
Summary
The Montgomery County Council adopted a proclamation honoring the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce’s decade of work connecting, educating and advocating for Black-owned businesses, noting membership growth and local programming in County communities.
The Montgomery County Council presented a proclamation Feb. 25 recognizing the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce on its 10th anniversary for its work supporting Black-owned businesses across the state. The proclamation, sponsored by Councilmember Andrew Friedson and signed by Council President Kate Stewart, notes the chamber’s founding in Rockville on April 23, 2015 and its stated mission to connect, educate and advocate for Black-owned businesses.
The proclamation cited the chamber’s growth from eight members in 2016 to 690 members in 2024 and said the organization reached more than 3,000 businesses and individuals statewide last year. It also described local activity: the chamber’s Silver Spring headquarters at the Innovation Center averages more than six events per month, with roughly 120 business and individual interactions each month in Montgomery County.
Council President Kate Stewart and other councilmembers thanked chamber leaders and the neighborhood and business partners who came to the meeting. Speakers from the chamber who were introduced at the meeting included Michelle Taylor (board chair, emerita), Dr. Gina Valentine (former interim executive director), and advisory-board members identified in remarks at the meeting.
The council’s proclamation highlights the chamber’s signature programs — the Leadership Academy, GovCon Academy and a forthcoming nonprofit academy — and expresses the council’s appreciation for the chamber’s “leadership, advocacy, and impact” during Black History Month. The proclamation was read aloud at the start of the meeting and a formal copy was presented to chamber representatives on the dais.
The acknowledgment is ceremonial; no formal policy or budget action was taken by the council as part of the proclamation. The council proceeded to other proclamations and regular business after the presentation.
