Good morning everyone and thank you for joining us today. May 12 is ME and I'm going to let Dr. Davis actually pronounce it. I'm just going to call ME, day awareness day. ME is an autoimmune disease previously known as chronic fatigue syndrome. It's a chronic complex disease where people living with ME typically experiencing worsening symptoms after they exert themselves physically or mentally. Although the exact causes are known, in many cases, ME develops after an infection, prevalence, and awareness of ME has grown over the last few years with many people impacted by long COVID. Unfortunately, we are living through a time when federal funding is being slashed for critical medical research and disability programs and massive massive layoffs are ongoing at HHS, the CDC, NIH, and our top health agencies. In fact, a large research center at Columbia University dedicated to researching the chronic condition was forced to shut down in March due to the Trump administration's cuts. The harmful decision to cut funding is a huge blow to the millions of Americans living with ME. While there's so much we need to do surrounding research and education on diagnosis and treatment of this illness, one of the best things we can all do is help raise awareness and understanding about the disease. I'm grateful that we have groups like ME Action Maryland who work every day to advance awareness, recognition, care, and support for ME, long COVID, and other chronic conditions. They offer support to those living with chronic conditions, advocate at the state and federal level on important healthcare-related bills, and provide education to Maryland residents and healthcare providers. However, the burden cannot be solely on those impacted by this disease. We must all step up and help support and uplift our residents living with any long COVID and chronic conditions. In Montgomery County, we will continue to advocate for research funding, education, and improved access to disability services, and I'm glad everyone could be here today, and I'm gonna turn it over to Dr. Davis now. Thank you, thank you, Council President. So today I am honored in recognizing May 12th, which was yesterday, as my logic in cephalomyelitis, which I can cephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue, syndrome awareness day. That was done intentionally. May 12th is also National Nurses Day, and so that was done intentionally to link the two of those together. ME, or Connickfacy, fatigue syndromates, also known as, is a complex debilitating condition that affects an estimated one to two and a half million Americans, including many here in our own community. Yet it remains widely misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and often invisible. ME is far more than feeling tired. It brings profound exhaustion that is not improved by rest. Cognitive impairment often referred to as brain fog, pain, unrefreshing sleep, and perhaps most distinctively post-exertional malaise. A worsening of symptoms even after minor physical or mental activity. Many individuals with ME experience a dramatic loss of quality of life, some are homebound or bedbound for years. Many face stigma, disbelief, and a lack of access to adequate care. This is not due to lack of will, but rather a lack of research, clinical understanding, and public awareness. There is growing awareness of post-viral illness due to long COVID, which shares many features with ME. This moment presents a critical opportunity to advance understanding of ME through shared research and advocacy. Montgomery County supports this work and urges continued scientific investigation and collaboration. We remain committed to equitable access to healthcare for all residents, especially those with chronic complex conditions. We encourage residents to learn more about ME and support those affected. Let's listen to their stories, advocate for better care, and ensure that no one suffers in silence. Together we can raise awareness and promote change in our county. Thank you for your time and attention to this critical issue. Your support helps to shine a light on illness that too often lives in the dark. On behalf of Montgomery County, I'm proud to present this proclamation in recognition of my out my out my out and suffer low my lightest awareness day. Thank you so much, Dr. Davis. And it is so important that we hear from members of our community so they can share their stories. And we're very thankful to have Bridget Collins with us of the Emmy Action Maryland. She's the chair of the chapter. And I think she can say a few words. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Davis. Thank you, Council President. And good morning to everyone. My name, as they said, is Bridget Council. I live in Rockville, Maryland. I'm the chair of the Advocacy Group, ME Action Maryland, which is part of a national nonprofit, ME Action. ME, as I said, stands for myelgic and cephalomyelitis, which is a very hard to say disease. It is a disease that for some people is triggered by an infection or virus, and anyone, anyone at any age can contract it. It is a sphere condition characterized by debilitating exhaustion as well as mitochondrial, neurological and immune system disturbances in the body to name just a few of the conditions barfers and I am so proud to be a resident of Montgomery County because the council crushed describing this disease. I'm so amazed you guys did such a great job. Thank you so much. So I'm not going to go into it very more because they did such an amazing job. We picked May 12th because it was Florence Nightingale's birthday and she was believed to have had ME. For myself, I suffered for ME for 30 years since I was 11, which is how I know that ME can steal lives. And throughout all these years, what I'm lucky. my parents are with me here today. And I'm lucky because they were with me throughout those years. But that is not true for most people. Because most people don't have that to click support. So one thing we do when we raise awareness is we raise awareness that most people need that are support. support. So I'm really grateful to the Montgomery County Council for helping us raise awareness today. Yesterday I was protesting in Washington, DC at the Millions Missing Rally. We named the event Millions Missing because millions of us are missing. We're sick at home missing from our previous full lives. We're missing from your lives. We're unseen, not able to fully contribute. Not just taxes from the jobs were too weak to hold, but unable to contribute the wealth of our many talents to our families, our communities and to our country. For these reasons, we raise awareness of those with my logic and cephalomyelitis, and we honor the caregivers, researchers, doctors, and policymakers who support them. Thank you for this recognition. Thank you, Bridget, And thank you to your parents for being here and to sharing that, your story. We really appreciate it. Dr. Davis and I will read the proclamation now. Oh, you're going to read the first one. My logic in cephalomyitis is the chronic complex autoimmune system disease that drastically limits the lives and activities of those who contracted and COVID-19 ME already afflicted at least 46,000 Marylanders of all ages, races, sexes and socioeconomic status Leaving many housebound or bedbound with students unable to attend school and 50 to 75% of adults unable to work, leading to a loss of $319 to $450 million annually in loss productivity in the state of Maryland and the majority of ME cases are likely initiated by infections such as COVID-19. It is noted that following the recent pandemic, the prevalence of ME grew exponentially to afflict between 295 and 340,000 bearerlanders. And whereas greater awareness of ME locally and nationally should lead to increased government and private research funding as well as to the updated formal clinical education of frontline medical practitioners and that this education will lead to faster accurate diagnoses, appropriate treatments, reduced medical costs, and improved access to disability resources. Now, therefore be it resolved that County Executive Mark Elrich and the entire Council of Montgomery County, Maryland do hereby I proclaim May 12, 2025 as my logic and say hello my lightest day day. Great, thank you and so we'll take a picture now. We're checking out. I'm still looking at the window. you you you you you All right. We'll now move on to general business. Are there any announcements for today? No, thank you. All right. The minutes from the April 22nd, 2025 Council session have been circulated to Council Managers for Review. Are there any objections to approving these minutes? Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. All right. Our next item is the celebration celebrating Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by the council today. And I'm so glad everyone could come out today and I appreciate folks coming out, particularly given the rainy weather this morning and some of the difficulties. It was really an honor for us here at the council to celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with you. As we recognize and uplift the contributions of the AANHPI community with the fitting theme for this year, a legacy for leadership and resilience. According to the Federal Asian Pacific American Council, this year's theme honors the hard work of AANHPI leaders who established a foundation for future generations to thrive and adapt to change and adversity. From small businesses to civic leadership, from classrooms to cultural institutions, the AANHPI community is integral to who we are here in Montgomery County. We are fortunate to have a vibrant and engaged Asian American community, one that leads, inspires, and blifts our community. But this legacy we know wasn't built easily. For generations, the AA and HPI community has faced discrimination and hardship. Yet they have responded with resilience, turning struggle into progress, and injustice into advocacy. When we honor AANHPI leadership, we strengthen the fabric of our entire community. Their stories remind us that resilience is not just about enduring, it is about transforming challenges into opportunities. Now more than ever, as we continue dealing with the erratic and damaging decisions made by the Trump administration, our focus remains on the health and welfare of all Montgomery County residents, and reinforcing our unwavering commitment to remain a welcoming and inclusive community. We are taking proactive steps to safeguard vital local services and programs because no federal policy will ever dictate our values here in Montgomery County. Together, we are stirring firm to ensure Montgomery County stays a place where everyone can thrive, regardless of your background belief or identity. This is who we are and this is the future we will keep building side by side. And I just wanna thank, we have members of our community from our federal delegation, from our congressman's office and senators' offices as well as our state representatives and our commissioners from our state boards and we just wanna say thank you so much for everyone coming out today and all levels of our government, members of our community, our business community, our nonprofit community for coming together. And now is my great honor to turn it over to my colleague, Council Member Mink. Thank you, Madam President. As the daughter of a Chinese immigrant and the first member of the AANHPI community to sit on the Montgomery County Council, I am personally a product of the legacy of leadership and resilience of those who came before me. When my parents settled here, the AANHPI community was only 4% of the county. Now we are over 15% and we are everywhere from culture and the arts to science and technology, from public service and health care to businesses and nonprofits and more. This month we recognize the challenges overcome and the tremendous contributions made by the wide diversity of our AANHPI community. As we work to make our county and ever more welcoming place for people from every part of the world. I'm so excited to highlight three community leaders today who help tell the story of the diversity of our AANHPI community and their contributions to Montgomery County. And I know the video that you're about to see is fabulous as always by our wonderful comms team highlighting chief Mark Yamada, who I think is important to note has spoken previously about the impact of government policy on the Asian-American experience and his own family, specifically, namely the internment of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War. In a moment where we are again seeing disparate treatment based upon national origin as a matter of policy by our federal government, we can't underestimate the value of having the perspective that chief Yamada brings to his leadership of our local law enforcement. Joe Meeht, the owner of Mandalay, got to say that Mandalay, for me, like so many other residents of Silver Spring and Look Every County has a special place in my heart. I know I'm not alone over here on this day, I'm saying that. This is a, if you haven't been and I, you know what everyone here is probably been. But this Burmese restaurant is one that I have frequented, you know, over the decades that it's been opened first with my parents, and then with my own children. I have many memories of bringing my toddlers here. They spread out the plastic mat under the floor and they're so nice They're gonna make sure that the mess that we make doesn't Is easy to clean up And you know the green tea leaf salad got to give a shout out there So no surprise that when Mandalay announced a few years ago that they would be closing their Silver Spring location, there was an enormous public outcry. So much of a public outcry and an offering of support that Mandalay was able to find a way to come together with the community to stay open to make sure that what we're looking at was an expansion instead of a reduction. And really, it really is a testament to the bonds that they have built with the community as well as the delicious food that they have provided. And thirdly, Mayor Mooney, the founder and executive director of American Diversity Group. And as the district council member who represents East County, where American Diversity Group is located. I can personally speak to the tremendous benefit that ADG brings to our communities members there as an integral part of our health care infrastructure here in Montgomery County. They're open on weekends and most medical clinics are not. And so important to note also that while I'm so glad to have ADG in East County, they are serving residents from all across the county who need emergency medical care on weekends and they are using the bonds that they are making and the trust that they're building with residents there who speak upwards of gosh seven languages at ADG to help connect them to county services to get people enrolled in Montgomery Cares and care for kids, to connect them with the Black Physicians Healthcare Network and with our various minority health groups. So really, really integral and I know that they have had to reduce their hours due to the tough financial times that they are in and we all are in and I appreciate that the county executive working to help, hopefully find a solution, help us bridge that gap this year and I'm hopeful that we'll be able to find a way to fund that on the council side as well. But really, I appreciate this wonderful opportunity to celebrate these fabulous contributions by these three individuals who are truly representative of the diversity of contributions brought to our community by the AA and HPI community. So with that, I will turn it over to the Council President to lead in the video. Great. Well, thank you, Council Member Mink, for teeing up when I'm sure is going to be an awesome video. Again, this year's theme is a legacy of leadership and resilience and I'll turn it over to our staff to queue it up. This May we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with this year's theme honoring a legacy of leadership and resilience. This year, we highlight local leaders in public safety, community service, and entrepreneurship, individuals who embody the strength, dedication, and resilience that define the AAMHPI community. One such leader is Marquiamada, Montgomery County's first Asian American Chief of Police. Congratulations. Thank you. The Police Department gave me an opportunity to do what I did as a kid and that's get outside and play. Being like a community where I grew up. Believe me when I say, you make us all better. As the first Asian American Chief of Police, Chief Yamada carries a sense of pride and responsibility. When I first joined the department, there were only five or six Asian-Americans on the police department. I was one of them. But as I started talking to people, and I became a corporal and then a sergeant. There's initial supervisory roles and then as I made the executive ranks it became clear that people recognize, hey you're the first Asian lieutenant in this district but I never really focused at being the first Asian chief or anything else. I just wanted to be the best in whatever role I liked. I was in Epitaph. For those aspiring to make a difference, Chief Yamada offers words of encouragement. The first thing my parents said to me was get outside. We'll play outside. I told that to the officers coming out of the recruit class. Get outside. Get outside your cruiser. Get outside your comfort zone. Get outside into the community. Think outside of the box. I think that one word carries the wrong range of means that I think in carrier work through allowing our officers to provide the best services possible. From his commitment to public safety, to his dedication to uplifting the community, Chief Yamada's leadership continues to inspire. In Magdharma County, communities thrive when people come together. At the heart of this spirit is my Your Modi, executive director of the American Diversity Group, leading with compassion and dedication. I was a first generation immigrant, I found that there was a lot of challenges, economic, social economic barriers, stigma, essential services, resources to the community. I thought that this is the thing that I would like to focus on and help the community need. Started in 2015, the American Diversity Group's mission is clear. A mission is just to provide health equity in the community, providing them the health access, education, resources in the community. Through free health clinics, wellness programs, and partnerships with local organizations. On the top right you can join a meeting. So click on the join. They ensure no one is left behind. Through serving a diverse group of immigrants, my year quickly recognized there was also challenges of overcoming stigma that needed to be addressed. That brings us to trust and confidence in that community. That is trying to overcome all the challenges that the community are facing and we have one of the most trusted organizations, hopefully in one of the countries, but in the D&D area as well. My youth's leadership is a testament to the power of service to uplift and power and inspire. In the heart of Silver Spring, Mandelae Restaurant is in just serving Burmese cuisine, serving a legacy. Alright, what can I get for you? I'm going to go to check a little soup. Domine and his family first opened a humble donut shop in College Park, Maryland. To introduce their culture and make extra income, they began serving traditional Burmese dishes on the side. And their response was overwhelming. And about 68 months, we got a gun. It took off. So a lot of people want more seats. Looking for a bigger space, they moved to Silver Spring. And in 2000, opened the doors to Mandalay Restaurant. Oh, this looks delicious. Thank you. For Joe, serving Burmese food is about more than just flavor. It's about storytelling. Starting with the restaurant's name, Mandelae, the former royal capital of Myanmar. We want people to know their Burmese. It's called Myanmar. Not a lot of people know. Mandelae was the first capital when we had kings and queens. A lot of people know about our culture, but they need to more wear Myanmar. For Joe, authenticity is everything. We keep our food traditional. We cook the food the way that we like to eat. If I don't want to eat it, I don't want to serve them. That's basically how we want to treat our customer as family. Thank you very much. Mandelae is a testament to the strength of culture, family, and perseverance. A legacy of leadership and resilience, a reflection of the courage, determination, and heart of Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander leaders. This month and every month, we celebrate their contributions. Terrific, as always, a great video and thank you to everyone who made that possible. I do want to, as I mentioned before, we have many folks here, but I do want to call us specifically our sheriff, Max Wee. Thank you for joining us today. And we have our Board of Education President Julie Yang is here with us. And Christina Poit with the Governor's office. Thank you for Christina for joining us today. And we have Congressman Raskin's office here in Kathleen Conner and his team here just want to say thank you to everyone who has joined us. And now we get to read the proclamation. All right, Asian-American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is recognized throughout the month of May to honor the invaluable roles that these communities have played in our past and to celebrate the contributions made by generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to American History, Society and Culture and... Whereas, during Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we honor the perseverance of those who courageously reached for their dreams in a new land and forged a proud legacy that reflects our nation. And whereas the Asian-American population continues to grow in the U.S. and more than 30% of Maryland's Asian-American population in Montgomery County. And? Whereas Montgomery County residents of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage come from all parts of Asia and Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, and whereas more than 162,000 county residents identified in subs as Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders, which represents more than 15% of our population. They help from more than 37 countries of origin and more than 20 different ethnic subgroups. And whereas, as one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse groups in the US, the Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities remind us here in Montgomery County that while we all have distinct backgrounds and origins, we share the same hopes and aspirations for ourselves and our community. Whereas, in commemorating this month, we recognize the rich heritage of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities who play a pivotal role in shaping our society. And whereas this year's Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month theme is a legacy of leadership and resilience, where we honor the legacies and foundational work of past generations and celebrate the trailblazers of the future end. Whereas Asian American, Native, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are using their voices to make a difference in their communities by following their passions and sharing them with the residents of Montgomery County in all forms of industry, profession, and interest. And whereas Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are succeeding each day in helping to shape the county's future and add their voices and experiences to make our community a better place to live, work, worship, and raise a family. And together, we recommit ourselves to embracing the diversity that enriches our county and ensuring that all people have equitable opportunities in our community. Now therefore, it be it resolved that the County Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, hereby recognizes May as Asian- American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, presented on this day the 13th of May in the year 2025. Thank you and we ask, so you may ask everyone to come down this way or the everyone. Okay. Okay, everyone wants to be in the photograph? Come on down. you you you you you you All right, the council will now recess for luncheon celebrating Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the capital Crescent Trail Conference Room on the 4th floor. We return here at 130.