Secretary of State Presents 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

Tariah Hyland selected as the 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award recipient

Secretary of State Jeff Bullock on Monday announced that Tariah Hyland, a resident of Wilmington, has been selected for the prestigious 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. The award, in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis, recognizes a gifted, civic-minded young Delawarean who has demonstrated leadership abilities, has a passion for social justice, and is improving the quality of life in their community.

“Tariah’s commitment to bettering her community and empowering other young leaders along the way exemplifies the late Congressman’s values and mission,” said Secretary of State Bullock. “Young folks are rising to the challenge to make a difference every day. This was evident by the number of outstanding nominations we received for this nominating period. I am proud that my office can recognize changemakers each year for their passion and hard work in making long-lasting impacts.”

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established in 2021 by the National Association of Secretaries of State to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of the late Congressman John Lewis. His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come.

Hyland has been recognized for her instrumental role in legislative change. She actively participated in the passage of House Bill 198, which required the inclusion of Black history and culture in Delaware’s K-12 school curriculum. Collaborating with legislators and other young students during her time at St. Georges Technical High School, Hyland’s efforts helped push the state to take steps towards addressing historical inaccuracies and promoting diversity in education. Championed by State Representative Sherry Dorsey Walker, House Bill 198 was signed into law by Governor John Carney in 2021.

“It’s such an honor to not only be a part of this work but recognized for it as well, especially in the name of such a legend—Congressman John Lewis,” said Tariah Hyland, 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award Recipient. “This is only the beginning of the journey ahead. I’m especially grateful to my village for their countless support for me throughout this journey.”

During her time at St. Georges Technical High School, Hyland co-founded the Delaware Black Student Coalition, which aimed to empower underrepresented voices. Despite initial resistance from her school to start a Black student club, Hyland’s persistence led her to co-create a platform for Black students across Delaware to advocate for change, push back against systemic oppression, and push for a more equitable educational experience. In addition, Hyland has remained committed to empowering youth leaders through her work. As a mentor and teaching assistant for TeenSHARP and co-facilitator of the Proximity Project, Hyland teaches advocacy skills to young students, building a foundation for future leaders to authentically address civil rights issues.

Hyland was nominated for the 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award by Atnre Alleyne, Founder of the Proximity Project, a diversity and inclusion firm that helps organizations build deeper and more authentic connections with marginalized communities.

“Tariah has been making ‘good trouble’ since I first met her in high school. She has helped get a law passed requiring Delaware schools to teach Black history. She helped create a statewide coalition of Black students, co-facilitates diversity trainings, and she rallies her college peers to become engaged voters. She is the perfect young leader to receive the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award and I’m immensely proud of her,” said Atnre Alleyne, Founder of the Proximity Project.

Hyland is a junior at Howard University majoring in political science with a minor in legal communications. She serves as the vice president of the University’s College of Arts and Sciences, the institution’s largest college. She is also the President of the Howard University Chapter of Black Girls Vote, an organization focusing on empowering Black women to participate in the democratic process. Hyland has previously interned with renowned organizations and elected officials, including Results for America, the office of U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, Emerson Collective, TeenSHARP, and the Proximity Project. Her achievements include recognition as an AT&T Rising Future Maker and a Target Scholar.

Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are open in the fall of each year.

Eligibility requirements for the Award include:

  • The nominee must be a resident of the State of Delaware.
  • The nominee must be 25 years or younger by the close of the application submission window.
  • The nominee is recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life in their community.
  • The nominee has shown a meaningful commitment to address civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.

Submissions for nominations for the 2024 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award will open later in the year. To learn more about the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, visit de.gov/johnlewisaward

 


Export Delaware Announces the Compass Grant to Help Delaware Businesses Increase their Sales Globally

Delaware small businesses who are seeking support in selling around the world may now apply for a Compass Grant from Export Delaware. The Compass Grant helps Delaware small businesses navigate international business development through grant funding to support marketing and sales activities around the world.

Grant funds can be used to reimburse Delaware businesses for up to 50 percent of all pre-approved, eligible, international business travel and marketing expenses. This includes international business travel, website translation, localization, and global optimization, design of international marketing material, export education and training, CE Mark and compliance testing, translation of product information/user manuals, and exhibiting at international trade shows, and more.

“We are pleased to offer this brand-new grant to the Delaware business community,” said Delaware Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “Businesses that sell internationally are more profitable, grow faster, and more resilient to economic fluctuations. They also create more local jobs benefiting our economy. We trust that this will be a worthwhile investment to take businesses to the next level.”

Export Delaware has a track record of helping small businesses grow and create jobs. By supporting Delaware small businesses to expand their exports, the agency has helped create 89 jobs and retain 234.5 jobs in Delaware since its inception. This is due to the agency’s practical business approach which provides tangible sales to the Delaware small business community.

The Compass Grant expands upon the agency’s efforts to help Delaware small businesses grow their international sales.

“This grant offers greater flexibility than previous programs,” said Beth Pomper, Director of International Business Development for Export Delaware. “We’re investing more time and funds into helping Delaware companies than ever before.”

Delaware small businesses who have been in business longer than one year, and have plans (or desire) to sell internationally are encouraged to learn more and apply online here. Contact the Export Delaware team with any questions at 302-577-8464 or via email at export@delaware.gov.

About Export Delaware: 

Export Delaware is the State’s official export resource for Delaware’s small and medium-sized businesses. An initiative of the Delaware Department of State, Export Delaware assists Delaware companies that seek to export their products and services. Experienced staff provides on-site guidance to businesses that are looking to explore export opportunities or to expand their current export activities to new markets.


Secretary of State Renews Emergency Order Placing Xylazine in Schedule III

Pursuant to 29 Del.C. §10119(3), Delaware Secretary of State Jeff Bullock has renewed an Emergency Order placing xylazine, also known as “Tranq”, temporarily in Schedule III in the state of Delaware. The Emergency Order took effect June 2, 2023, and was effective 120 days.

The public threat posed by xylazine continues. Therefore, the renewal of the Secretary’s order is required to ensure continuity of xylazine’s status as a Schedule III controlled substance. The renewal took effect on September 30, 2023, and will remain in effect for 60 days as authorized by 29 Del.C. §10119(3).

The Secretary will accept, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person for reconsideration or revision of this regulation by addressing the same to the attention of the Office of Controlled Substances, Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904.

A copy of this Emergency Order renewal can be found here. A copy will be submitted to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the next Delaware Register of Regulations.

To view the original Emergency Order placing xylazine in Schedule III of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, click here.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Rony Baltazar-Lopez (rony.baltazar@delaware.gov) or (302) 739-4111.


Nominations Open for 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

The Delaware Secretary of State has begun accepting nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. The award recognizes a gifted, civic-minded young Delawarean who has demonstrated leadership abilities, has a passion for social justice, and is improving the quality of life in their community.

“John Lewis was a heroic American who changed the course of history,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “I’m honored to have the privilege to present this prestigious award to a young Delawarean who has demonstrated a commitment and passion for social and community change. It is my hope that this award continues to inspire young folks to make a difference in their community.”

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established by the National Association of Secretaries of State to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of the late Congressman John Lewis. His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come.

In 1961, at the age of 21, Lewis was one of the original thirteen Freedom Riders. In 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington and also one of the “Big Six” leaders who organized the march. In 1965, Lewis helped lead the Selma to Montgomery marches. The first march took place on March 7, 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge where unarmed marchers were attacked by state troopers. The event later became known as “Bloody Sunday” and was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis’ activism at an early age continued throughout his life and he served as a U.S. Congressman for 33 years until he passed away in 2020.

Eligibility requirements for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award include:

  • The recipient must be a resident of the State of Delaware.
  • The recipient must be 25 years or younger by the close of the application submission window of October 20, 2023.
  • The recipient is recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life in their community.
  • The recipient has shown a meaningful commitment to address civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.
    • Examples could include youth leadership in a specific project or program, advocacy or even literature as the Congressman also won a National Book Award for young people’s literature.

Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award will be accepted beginning on September 5th through October 20th, 2023. An award recipient will be announced in November 2023.

Karelin Torres was the recipient of the 2022 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. She was the first individual in Delaware to be honored with this award. To learn more about her civic engagement, visit https://sos.delaware.gov/johnlewisaward/karelin-torres/.

To learn more about the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award or to nominate a young individual, visit de.gov/johnlewisaward.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Rony Baltazar-Lopez at Rony.baltazar@delaware.gov.

The mission of the Delaware Department of State is to promote Delaware’s economy and generate state revenue; manage and facilitate citizen access to governmental, educational, and recreational information; preserve and promote Delaware history, art, and culture; assist and provide direct services to Delaware veterans and their families; promote equal opportunity and protection for all persons; provide regulatory, licensing, investigate and consumer services to protect the public’s health, safety, and economic welfare; and administer the State’s public and merit employment relations laws and government ethics laws. 

 


Secretary of State Orders Emergency Classification of Xylazine aka “Tranq” as Schedule III Controlled Substance

Delaware Secretary of State Jeff Bullock has placed xylazine, also known as “Tranq”— a non-opioid drug used primarily in veterinary medicine—in Schedule III of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act. Tranq has been used increasingly as an additive in opioid abuse to create a “zombie-like” condition for users. Secretary Bullock’s actions follow a recommendation from the Delaware Controlled Substance Advisory Committee on May 5, 2023, to adopt an emergency regulation placing xylazine in Scheduled III to protect the public and address the dangers posed by the drug.

“Xylazine is a powerful animal sedative with beneficial uses in veterinary medicine. But when abused by people, the consequences can be devastating. This order is not designed to interfere with the legitimate veterinary uses of xylazine but can help to reduce its abuse as ‘tranq’ when it’s used by humans, often as an additive in opioid abuse,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock. “This order will allow state and federal policymakers the time needed to identify permanent solutions to the growing problem of xylazine abuse in our communities.”

Known under the street names “tranq”, “tranq dope”, “sleep cut”, “Philly dope”, and “zombie drug”, xylazine has not been approved for human use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that the animal sedative is not safe for use in humans and may result in serious and life-threatening side effects. When used in conjunction with an opioid, xylazine may worsen respiratory depression in the event of a drug overdose. Xylazine use may be accompanied by skin ulcers with wounds that secrete puss, decaying tissue and bacterial infections which can lead to amputations at higher rates than other injectable drugs.

Since xylazine is not an opioid, opioid-reversing medications such as naloxone (Narcan) will not reverse the effects of xylazine itself. There is currently no known antidote or reversal agent for xylazine overdose in humans. However, naloxone can still be effective in reversing the effects of the particular opioid involved and should still be administered if symptoms consistent with possible opioid overdose are present.

Xylazine has been a growing issue across Delaware and the nation. It has been increasingly detected in the illicit drug supply and in drug overdoses, primarily in combination with opioids such as heroin and fentanyl. The non-opioid has also been found to be combined with stimulants, including methamphetamine and cocaine.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the emergence of xylazine across the United States has followed the same path as fentanyl, starting in the Northeast and then spreading to the South and working its way into drug markets westward. Between 2020 and 2021, the use of xylazine rose in all four U.S. census regions, most notably in the south (193%) and the west (112%). The low cost of xylazine has also contributed to xylazine’s increased presence in the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Section 4717 of Title 16 of the Delaware Code establishes that “[t]he Secretary [of State] shall place a substance in Schedule III if the Secretary finds that: (1) The substance has a potential for abuse less than the substances listed in Schedules I and II; (2) The substance has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and (3) Abuse of the substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.” Further, emergency regulations may be promulgated pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act, so long as an agency determines there exists “an imminent peril to the public health, safety or welfare.” 29 Del.C. §10119. Such regulation will only be effective for a maximum of 120 days, but may be renewed once for an additional period of 60 days. 29 Del.C. §10119(3).

The Secretary of State will accept, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person for the reconsideration or revision of this regulation by addressing the same to the attention of the Office of Controlled Substances, Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904.

A copy of the Emergency Order can be found here https://dpr.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2023/06/06.02.2023-Secretary-of-State-Emergency-Classifying-Xylazine-as-Schedule-III-Controlled-Substance.pdf. A copy will also be submitted to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the next Delaware Register of Regulations.

Delawareans seeking substance use treatment or recovery resources for themselves or a loved one can call the Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE or (833) 946-7333.

The Controlled Substance Advisory Committee promotes, preserves, and protects the public health, safety, and welfare by regulating and monitoring the use and abuse of controlled substances. To learn more about the Controlled Substance Advisory Committee, click here.