Washington: Lauding the contribution of the Telugu community, Governor of the US state of Maryland Wes Moore said it was at the forefront of the state’s emergence as a technology and medical powerhouse. Addressing the 19th conference of the American Telugu Association (ATA) in Baltimore on Sunday, Moore also acknowledged the leadership of Aruna Katragadda Miller, the Hyderabad-born Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. In 2022, Moore and Miller made history by becoming the first elected Black Governor and the first woman of colour to serve as Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor. The three-day conference also saw the participation of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi, who was also born in Hyderabad and came to the US at the age of four with her parents. Founded in 1991, the American Telugu Association serves thousands of families through educational initiatives, youth development, cultural programmes, health awareness activities, humanitarian relief, scholarships, and community service.