Applying for an Ethnic Commission Seat LINK
GOCI’s Administrative Director
Silvia Decja
The Governor’s Commission on Caribbean Affairs was created in 2012 (Md. Code Regs. 01.01.2012.11), making Maryland the first state of the country in union to create such a commission. Nowadays, under the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI) the Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs continues working on engaging individuals and organizations in the Caribbean community to partner with the state to encourage housing, education (work development), community, health, and business & economic development interest.
In 2019, the state of Maryland annually designated each August as the Caribbean Heritage Month by House Bill 893 in recognition of the contributions that the Caribbean American community has brought to our state Senate Bill 472 / CH220. Designating August as the official Maryland Caribbean Heritage Month is a remembrance of the Emancipation Proclamation of many Caribbean islands such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other territories who commemorate this month.
2025 Events & Programs:
Caribbean Heritage Festival
Venue: The Bladensburg (Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd, Bladensburg, MD)
2025 Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration.
Caribbean-American Inter-Faith Service
2024 Events & Programs
June 2024 – “Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration”
Commission Documents
2023 Report
