Downtown Sykesville plans to escalate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The move comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to terminate DEI-related “discrimination in the federal workforce” and that directs “all departments and agencies to take strong action to end private sector DEI discrimination,” according to the White House.

A banner that reads “Stories That Built Sykesville: A Tribute to Black Heritage” was the town’s most recent diversity-related installation. Downtown Sykesville Connection Executive Director and Chief DEI Officer Julie Della-Maria said her organization focuses on the essence of DEI, which she defines as a human-centered approach to fostering fairness and inclusion through ethical and socially responsible practices.

“It’s not going to slow down a bit,” Della-Maria said. “It is going to completely increase and become even more vital for a healthy community.”

To maintain accreditation as a Main Street program, Downtown Sykesville Connection is required to produce diverse, equitable and inclusive programing. Della-Maria said the organization also has a moral obligation to make everyone feel welcome in town.

The Main Street Maryland program is a community development and revitalization program for historic downtowns, funded by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

The banner aims to accomplish this goal by directing people to visit DowntownSykesville.com, where they can learn about the Black figures who made Sykesville the place it is today. Della-Maria said the project of collecting local stories was launched in February to coincide with Black History Month, but will continue through summer 2026, when the culmination of research and stories will be shared for Maryland’s 250th birthday.

“The design is made of an old picture of some of the Dorsey children,” Della-Maria said, “and we purposely left blank space on this banner because it is an ongoing project. Next year, we will add to this banner and put it back for Black History Month. We will continue unveiling stories, looking for them, and looking for the individual, while carrying a wealth of knowledge that voices will be gone when they are gone.”

Carrie Dorsey was born to formerly enslaved parents and raised 12 children in Sykesville during the early 20th century, embodying strength, resilience and community, according to the Downtown Sykesville Connection website. Other Black stories highlighted on the website’s new “Sykesville Black Heritage” tab include Black Leadership and Representation on the Town Council, The Historic Sykesville Colored Schoolhouse, the Legacy of Segregation and the Journey Toward Integration in Carroll County, Black Lives Matter protests in Sykesville, and Carroll County’s history of slavery.

JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) is one of Downtown Sykesville Connection’s five committees, alongside design, promotion, economic development, and the Green, Clean & Safe Committee. Della-Maria said the committees’ work is deeply interconnected.

“We’re going to dig deep into minority history in downtown Sykesville and work for 18 months into unveiling all of the stories, and with some of our volunteers on the JEDI committee,” Della-Maria said.

The banner sits at the base of Main Street’s hill, just outside of A Likely Story Bookstore. Beth Menendez, the store’s children’s books buyer, said the banner helps make the town great by acknowledging those who built Sykesville and honoring those who came before us.

“It makes me feel very proud to work here and to be a part of downtown Sykesville when I see banners like that, that we are definitely committed to making sure everyone feels like they are a part of this community and not marginalized,” said Menendez, 49, of Marriottsville.

Roman Caples, of Mount Airy, who often visits downtown Sykesville, said he likes that the banner is in a high-traffic location, and he supports the idea of using the internet as a tool for education and sharing knowledge of history.

“Carroll County is very enriched in ignorance when it comes to our history and what history really represents,” Caples said.

While the JEDI committee has been helping to ramp up multicultural events in Sykesville, the banner represents a sustained focus on diverse stories, Della-Maria said. Unveiling the banner generated a particularly strong community response on social media, she added.

“What we were not expecting is to see an overwhelming community response to this initiative,” Della-Maria said.

Have a news tip? Contact Thomas Goodwin Smith at thsmith@baltsun.com.