CAMBRIDGE, Ma. (September 16, 2011) – Today, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown participated in Harvard Law School’s 3rd Celebration of Black Alumni, a weekend-long event paying tribute to African-American graduates. Lt. Governor Brown, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, was a featured speaker on a panel entitled “Government Leaders: Changing the Game for Political and Economic Empowerment” where he highlighted Maryland’s progress in empowering the African-American community, such as increasing state contracts awarded to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) by 27 percent, raising by 16.7 percent the number of African-American full-time undergraduate students at Maryland’s public colleges and universities, and expanding access to health insurance to 82,000 African-Americans.
The Lt. Governor also called for continued action to reverse the rising poverty rate among African Americans and to address growing economic imbalances. Recent U.S. Census data has shown that the poverty rate for African Americans has risen to 27.4 percent, compared to 9.9 percent for white Americans.
“The effects of our difficult economic times have hit the African-American community particularly hard,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Though we are seeing progress in Maryland from our efforts to encourage economic success for African Americans, it is not enough when so many in our state and our nation are still struggling to break free of poverty. We can and must do more to ensure an equality of opportunity for all Marylanders and all Americans to build a better life and provide a brighter future for their families.”
 Lt. Governor Anthony Brown | Other speakers on the Lt. Governor’s panel included Kurt Schmoke, Former Mayor of Baltimore City and Dean of Howard University School of Law; U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL); David Strickland, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Martina Lewis Bradford, Deputy Sergeant-At-Arms, United States Senate; and Richard Taylor, Former Secretary of Transportation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. |
Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown has dedicated his professional life to public service. Elected alongside Governor Martin O’Malley in 2006 and reelected in 2010, Lt. Governor Brown leads the O’Malley-Brown administration’s work to expand and improve health care, support economic development, help victims of domestic violence, increase access to higher education, and provide Veterans with better services and resources.
TEXT CREDIT: Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown 100 State Circle • Annapolis, Maryland 21401 • 410.974.3901 • 1.800.811.8336 • MD Relay 1.800.201.7165
IMAGE CREDIT: StateMaryland
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