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On a Wednesday evening, Muslims joined Gwinnett County Government Officials at the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center in Lawrenceville for the first ever Building Bridges Meet & Greet. As part of the county's Community Outreach Program, officials gathered to interact with Muslim and Southeast Asian community members to learn more about their needs, find solutions, and offer better services.

“We want to talk about ways to bridge ties and enhance relationships in an effort to promote increased working relations,” said Nicole Hendrickson, the Community Outreach Program Director for Gwinnett County. “We’re looking forward for community members to learn how to get engaged and to identify points of contact so they can continue working with the county.”

To start off the program, Boy Scouts from Al-Falah Academy recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Representatives from various county agencies, including the fire department, parks and recreation department, planning & zoning department, and others were present to inform community members about services that were available. In addition, attendees heard from the Chairman of the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners, Charlotte Nash, who initiated the idea to launch the community outreach program. Nash spoke about the county's diverse population and her visions for the future. Farooq Mughal, who works closely with the county, then spoke about the need for Muslim Americans to become more active and engaged with their local governments.

Gwinnett County hopes for future collaboration among members of the Muslim Community. They have encouraged participation in their Gwinnett 101 Citizens Academy events, Dinner & Dialogue with Chairman Nash, and the upcoming Multicultural Festival. Lastly, they have requested the community's input in their ongoing comprehensive transportation plan in which citizens are welcome to share their thoughts about the future of transportation in Gwinnett County.

Pictures via Georgia Muslim Voter Project

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