Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity

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Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity

We exist to eradicate discrimination, increase equal opportunity, and protect & promote human rights.

08/20/2026

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) will be holding their monthly meeting tonight, Thursday, August 20, at 7:00p.m.

Visit our website at www.howardcountymd.gov/OHRE-hrc to view the meeting agenda, and access the virtual meeting link, or send an email to [email protected] by 5pm if you’d like to offer public testimony (public testimony is limited to two minutes per speaker) during the meeting.

[Description: a green, blue, and white infographic noting the details of the upcoming Commission meeting Additional details in Alt Text.]

08/19/2026

We had an incredible time celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month at this year's celebration! Hosted alongside Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and the Caribbean American Heritage Month Advisory Group, this annual event celebrates the rich contributions that Caribbean Americans have made to our County, state, and country.

Thank you to all the amazing performers, vendors, volunteers, staff, and all who made this day possible. A special thanks to our partners at Inner Arbor Trust and Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, who are an invaluable part of Howard County's diverse arts and culture landscape.

More photos available at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD2Nqx

Featuring:
Candace Carnival Creations Mas Group Candice George Entrepreneur
DJ Shomari KRL
Lennard Jack Jr.
SocaRobics Fitness Studio
White House Studios
Eclipse International Band

[Description: 18 photos of attendees, performers, vendors, and emcees at an outdoor Caribbean festival. Additional details in Alt Text.]

08/13/2026

The LGBTQIA+ Commission will be having a Special Virtual Commission Meeting TODAY, Thursday, August 13, at 5:00 p.m. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/OHRE-lgbtqia to view the meeting agenda and access the virtual meeting link.

If you enjoyed any of the programs or initiatives, put on by the LGBTQIA+ Commission this year or are interested in finding new ways to participate in LGBTQIA+ advocacy in Howard County, consider joining the Commission! Apply at www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions or email [email protected] for more information.

[Description: a green, blue, and white infographic noting the details of the upcoming Commission meeting. Additional details in Alt Text.]

08/12/2026

Us after the AMAZING Caribbean American Heritage Month (CAHM) celebration this past weekend!

OHRE staff is proud to serve Howard County and the incredibly diverse cultures and communities that make us who we are. The opportunity to be out in community doing the work that we love makes every day worth it (even when we’re ready to collapse in a heap by the end)!

More photos coming soon.

[Description: a Carnival performer in a light blue outfit dabs sweat from her face after a performance on an outdoor stage.]

08/11/2026

The AAPI Commission will be having their bimonthly meeting on Tuesday, August 11th, at 6:00 p.m. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions/asian-american-pacific-islander-commission to view the meeting agenda.

We are honored to feature guest speaker Ann Bennett, Executive Director of the Howard County Historical Society. With over 20 years of experience in archaeology, museums, and education, along with leadership roles across the National Council on Public History, ICOM-ICR, and the American Alliance of Museums. Mrs. Bennett brings deep expertise in strategic planning, governance, and public outreach to our community.

If you enjoyed any of the programs or initiatives from the AAPI Commission this year or are dedicated to cultivating a safe and welcoming community where AAPI residents can feel seen, valued, and heard in Howard County, consider joining the Commission! Apply at www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions or email [email protected] for more information.

[Image Description: A green, blue, and white infographic noting the details of the upcoming Commission meeting. Additional details in Alt Text.]

08/06/2026

Join us this Women's Equality Day as the Office of Human Rights & Equity presents a screening and post-screening discussion of "The 19th Amendment - A Woman's Right to Vote" from 6-8pm on August 26th at the East Columbia 50+ Center.

Register at bit.ly/WEQD26

This award-winning film from the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania traces the decades long fight for women’s suffrage, featuring key figures, legal milestones, and the historic ratification of the 19th amendment. Join us for a post-screening discussion exploring the connections between the abolitionist and suffrage movements, the inextricable relationship between race and gender in the history of women’s rights, and the continued impact of this history on our modern voting landscape.

[Description: a gold and purple flyer for the above event featuring a film still of an image of Sojourner Truth overlaid over her famous quote "I have flowed and planted and gathered into barns, an no man could head me. And aren't I a woman?".]

08/05/2026

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission will be having their commission meeting TODAY, Wednesday, August 5 at 6:00p.m. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/OHRE-mlk to view the meeting agenda and access the virtual meeting link.

If you enjoyed this year’s MLK Holiday Celebration and Day of Service Activities and want to be a part of the team that makes it happen, join the MLK, Jr. Holiday Commission! County Executive Ball is looking for community members interested in continuing the important work of preserving Dr. King’s legacy of human rights and service. Apply at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions or email [email protected] for more information.

[Description: a green, blue, and white infographic noting the details of the upcoming Commission meeting. Additional details in Alt Text.]

07/30/2026

Nominations are now open for the annual Human Rights Commission Awards! Do you know an individual, student (up to 26 years old) or organization in Howard County who has made significant contributions to human and civil rights? Nominate them for a chance to be recognized by the Human Rights Commission of Howard County at their annual Human Rights Commission Award Ceremony on Monday, November 16th.

These awards are conferred in honor of four trailblazers who demonstrated exemplary achievement in eliminating or eradicating discrimination while advancing human rights for all residents of Howard County: Jean W. Toomer, James (Jim) E. Henson, Sr., Dr. Murray Simon, and Colette Roberts.

Nominations close on October 1st at 5pm. Access the nomination form at bit.ly/HRCAwards26.

[Description: a blue and green flyer advertising the details of the Human Rights Commission Awards. Additional details in Alt Text.]

07/25/2026

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission will be having their Annual Commission Meeting Retreat TODAY, Saturday, July 25, at 9:00 a.m. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/OHRE-mlk to view the meeting agenda.

If you enjoyed this year’s MLK Holiday Celebration and Day of Service Activities and want to be a part of the team that makes it happen, join the MLK, Jr. Holiday Commission! County Executive Ball is looking for community members interested in continuing the important work of preserving Dr. King’s legacy of human rights and service. Apply at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions or email [email protected] for more information.

[Description: a green, blue, and white infographic noting the details of the Commission Retreat. Additional details in Alt Text.]

07/21/2026

DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THIS MEETING IS NOW VIRTUAL ONLY.

The La Alianza Latina Commission will be having their monthly meeting tonight, Tuesday, July 21, at 6:15p.m. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions/la-alianza-latina-commission to view the meeting agenda. La Comisión de La Alianza Latina tendrá su reunión mensual esta noche, martes 21 de julio, a las 6:15 p.m. Visitarnos a www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions/la-alianza-latina-commission, para ver la agenda de la reunión.

Interested in joining the Commission? Apply at www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions or email [email protected] for more information. ¿Interesad(o/a/e) en unirse a la Comisión? Solicitar ser comisionado a www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions o envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] para obtener más información.

[Description: An English and Spanish flyer for the upcoming La Alianza Latina Commission meeting. Un volante en inglés y español para la próxima reunión de la Comisión de La Alianza Latina.]

Address

9820 Patuxent Woods Drive , Suite 224
Columbia, MD
21046

Website

http://www.howardcountymd.gov/OHRE

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