Archives for April 2018

Dan Lagana – Fairfax County Democratic Committee

(Apr. 30, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Fairfax County Democratic Committee Chairman Dan Lagana. Ninety days into his term, Lagana speaks about the upcoming primary elections, the grass roots effects of the Democratic blue wave washing over the commonwealth, and gerrymandering. He notes that his job as FCDC chair is to get Democrats elected to offices throughout the county – from Supervisors to School Board to Sheriffs to the Soil and Water Council in Fairfax County.

Although some of these offices that are up for election are non-partisan, Lagana notes that the candidates can still seek party endorsements, and the party can harness its resources and organizing power to help elect like-minded candidates. Lagana spoke in detail about the election of school board at-large member Karen Keys-Gamarra, which took place in the late summer of 2017. Karen sought FCDC’s endorsement for an oddly timed special election, and by having her campaign work collaboratively with FCDC, they were able to work together to prevail. Catherine also brought up the question of the municipal elections in May – asking Dan what his thoughts were on this process. Dan believes that all elections should be in November, as it front and center on everyone’s mind, and the turnout is likely to be higher.

Following the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, local democratic committees across the country saw a rise in participation and membership. On a local level, grass-roots disrupter groups like Network Nova and Win Virginia gained a lot of traction by bringing in people who had never before been involved in the political landscape. This helped usher in a blue wave last November, as Democrats picked up 15 seats in the House of Delegates. Lagana believes that FCDC has welcomed these newcomers with open arms, and promotes that more participation in the political process can only make us stronger as a county, state and nation. He shares that he has been working hard to make FCDC an inclusive environment, where everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.

As chair of the FCDC, Lagana reiterates that it is his job to help elect Democratic candidates to office in Fairfax County. As for how the districts are drawn, from the Supervisors to the Congressional districts, he thinks that there is much work to be done in Virginia on making it a more fair process. When the party in power is the one drawing these districts, the outcome is fairly predictable – that party will do whatever it takes to stay in power and protect incumbents. Lagana looks to states that have implemented a bi-partisan process for re-drawing districts for ideas. Although not perfect, states like Arizona have made strides to improve how it can be accomplished.

As for gerrymandering cases making their way through the court system, in Wisconsin lawyers for the case of Gill vs. Whitford are currently awaiting a decision to see if the Supreme Court will hear the case. This will be a telling sign, and have an impact on gerrymandering cases throughout the country. The fact that SCOTUS has opted to not hear the Pennsylvania case where the districts have been re-drawn, may be an indicator that they do not want to get involved. Lagana notes, however, that in order for things to change there must be a change to the law, or some sort of test, to show that the districts are fair. Without this, he is convinced that it will be business as usual.

In the final segment of the show Catherine speak with Lagana about the upcoming primaries in the 10^th Congressional District. There are 6 primary candidates vying to go up against Rep. Barbara Comstock, who is thought to be vulnerable this year. The 10^th district is routinely listed by the Cook political report as one of the most competitive races in the nation in 2018. There are 49 Fairfax County precincts inside the 10^th District, and Lagana invites all eligible voters to take some time getting the know the candidates, and be sure to get to the polls on June 12, 2018 for the primary. There will be many opportunities to meet these candidates at local forums, including the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia (DemBiz) forum, on Friday May 4^th at Maggiano’s in Tysons Corner. Lagana notes that the 10^th District spans a large geographic area, from the wealthy inner suburbs of McLean all the way out to the West Virginia border in Clark County. It will be important for everyone to participate in the primary process so their voices are heard and counted.

If you would like to support the FCDC, they are holding their biggest annual event, the Jefferson/Obama dinner this Sunday May 6^th at the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner. Registration is open to all, and Lagana encourages people to come hear what is happening across the county and help raise funds to support the critical job of helping to get out the vote. Special guest will be Senator Tim Kaine, who is up for reelection this year, along with Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. FCDC will be tipping its hat to the blue wave election of 2017 by having newly elected Democratic Delegates introducing the keynote speakers.

by Rachel Simon

Vienna Jammers – David Reynolds, Jr.

(Apr. 25, 2018) Catherine Read interviews David Reynolds, Jr., Executive Director of Vienna Jammers, a percussion ensemble in the Vienna area with over 120 youth musicians aged 8-18. Their mission is to educate youth through unique percussion programs, provide a dynamic and diverse experience in the performing arts, nurture the creativity of every child, and enrich lives within the community.

Vienna Jammers was established in 2005 as an after school program at Vienna Elementary School, where David Reynolds serves as a Music Educator. Dave Cohen, then a high school student and percussionist at James Madison High School, approached Reynolds about starting a percussion ensemble for elementary school aged children as part of a service project he was looking to launch. The after school program gained much notoriety, and began performing out in the community at high profile places like Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts and the Verizon Center during a halftime show. By 2013, Reynolds had upwards of 70 children wanting to participate in the ensemble, with slots for only 20 children available. So he started exploring ways he could grow the program and expand participation.

Reynolds knew of a similar, well-established percussion group based in Louisville, KY called the Louisville Leopards. He reached out to their director, Diane Downs, to see if he could learn more about how their program operates. He took off on his spring break that year to visit the group and learn as much he could about their program. Diane was generous with her time, and helped Reynolds learn how he could move the program from being an after-school program to more of a community based organization. Reynolds returned home, and shortly thereafter established the Vienna Jammers as a 501C-3 nonprofit organization. They were able to grow their participation exponentially, and they now have 120 students ranging from 8-18 participating in a number of ensembles.

The students play on a wide variety of instruments; traditional drums, steel drum sets, bongos, marimbas and even trash can drums. Reynolds notes that percussion is a very easy entry-point to making music – it doesn’t require any special training or instruction to pickup a stick and start banging on a surface. Of course, he notes there is a difference from banging on a table and making music, and that is what they focus on teaching their students.

Vienna Jammers offers a robust summer camp program, which serves as an introduction to the instrument, as well as an audition to participate in the yearlong ensemble programs. They have two different tracks for students to choose from with the yearlong program, where students can practice either once a week or twice a week, depending on their interest and commitment level. The organization is continually looking for opportunities for the musicians to perform. This year the group traveled to Atlantic City to perform at a conference for Music Educators, at a volunteer reception held by the Mayor of Vienna, as well as at the Vienna Halloween Parade. They also seek out opportunities to bring music to those in the community who would otherwise not be able to get out and see them. The ensembles performed this year at Jill’s House, a home for special needs children in Vienna, and a number of retirement communities in the area.

Vienna Jammers operates year-round, with a 9-month program that coincides with the school year, and a robust offering of summer camp workshops. Students pay tuition, but it doesn’t cover all of the costs needed to operate the organization. Reynolds notes that they receive grants from The Arts Council of Fairfax, as well has having a number of corporate sponsorships to help subsidize costs. He also shared that scholarships are available if students are interested, but do not have the financial resources to make the tuition payments. Additionally, tickets are now on sale for their annual performance called the Big Jam, to be held on May 6^th at 4pm at James Madison High School in Vienna. Come on out to support the Vienna Jammers and to hear some fabulous music that will lift your spirits!

by Catherine Read

So Lim – Challenges of May Municipal Elections in Virginia

(April 18, 2018) Catherine Read, a former candidate for Fairfax City Council in 2012, talks with first time candidate So Lim about some of the challenges of running in a May election for local office. The walk list candidates use to determine whose door to knock on is based on who has voted in that election previously. Local elections – also called municipal elections – have notoriously low voter turnouts. Many towns and cities have moved their elections from May to November to capitalize on the higher voter turnout for major statewide and federal elections. Fairfax City is not one of them.

Two current Fairfax City Council Members, Jeff Greenfield and Ellie Schmidt, announced that they would not be seeking re-election this year. This has left two open seats on the six person City Council. There are now eight candidates on the ballot for those six seats and the six candidates receiving the most votes on May 1st will make up the 2018-2020 Council in Fairfax City. For the first time in the city’s history, there are two Asian Americans on the ballot: So Lim and Sang Yi. There is a substantial community of Asian Americans in Fairfax City, most are Korean Americans. Since incorporating as a city in 1961, there has been almost no diversity on the council. Mayor David Meyer, a former Council Member who is running unopposed, holds a Mayoral position that has been exclusively held by white men since the city was founded.

So Lim has found that people care about very local issues: traffic, housing density, redevelopment projects and the downtown economy in Fairfax City. She has branched out beyond those who have previously voted in a May election for City Council and has started to talk with others in the city who aren’t aware there is a May election. Fairfax City has a high median income and a high level of education among the residents who live there. It’s perplexing as to why this population of people is not civically engaged in determining who will set their tax rate, fund their schools and pave their roads. So further discovered that there are over 300 registered Asian American voters in the City and only 20 have ever voted in the City Council election previously.

They discuss the City’s relationship with George Mason University, where Catherine is a 1984 alumna, and consider ways to better engage the thousands of students who live just outside the Fairfax City border. These ideas include bike sharing, better sidewalks, and businesses that appeal to college students. Catherine points out that many city voters were here long before Mason became the largest university in Virginia (by enrollment) and that having a “commuter school” in the 1970s and 1980s is vastly different than suddenly finding you are a “college town” within a matter of 20 years.

Catherine and So discuss affordable housing in the context of providing a variety of housing stock that allows everyone who is currently here to remain here – like senior citizens who want to age in place in homes more appropriate to their space requirements, income, and mobility. Students who want to remain in the area after graduating from Mason find it difficult to find housing they can afford. Families with children are drawn to our residential neighborhoods – many of which have parks nearby – but have trouble affording them. There are numerous redevelopment projects in various stages of completion in the city that will provide more townhouses, condos and apartments but affordability is still an issue and traffic concerns make many of these projects unwelcome by city residents.

In discussing ways in which to tap into the rich diversity of Fairfax City’s residents, So Lim proposes an international festival in the city that will bring people together. Catherine shares information about the annual International Showcase organized by the Centreville Immigration Forum that does exactly that. Now in it’s 8th year, the International Showcase is a celebration of the culture, music and food of the many ethnic communities represented in the Centreville area. Creating opportunities for a richer community connection and fostering cross cultural appreciation is something former Mayor Scott Silverthorne attempted to do when he brought Walter Tejada, Chair of the Arlington Board, to the city for a forum on diversity in 2013. While the forum was well attended, there was no advancement of the ideas brought by Walter Tejada.

So Lim is a local business owner. She started her insurance business nearly 20 years ago when her youngest child was only 4 months old. Fairfax City has been a good place to grow her business to quadruple its original size. She’s lived with her husband Mark Hardy in Farrcroft since 2001, her sons attended Fairfax City schools, and she is the former President of the Korean American Association of Greater Washington. While successful in these ventures, she’s not been involved politically in the City. As a political neophyte, she’s navigating her way through this process. So enjoys talking to people at their doors and she’s interested in what they have to say about what they love – and don’t love – about Fairfax City. She’s hoping that voters will give her an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to council decision making, the future visioning of the city and some experience in building healthy businesses.

More information can be found about So Lim at www.SoLimForCityCouncil.com Election day is May 1st.

by Catherine Read

The Color of Law – Richard Rothstein

(April 2018) On Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 90-year-old Walter F. Mondale wrote an op-ed about the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which he co-authored as a U.S. Senator. The next day, a 14-year-old black student in Detroit was shot at by a homeowner when he rang their doorbell asking for directions to his high school. The Color of Law explains why a hundred years of public policy designed to segregate neighborhoods and communities made that moment inevitable, despite the 1968 Fair Housing Act.

Author Richard Rothstein sets out to show how unconstitutional laws and unconstitutional public policies set up a system of de jure racial segregation in housing. Where once there was integrated housing and neighborhoods a century ago, a system of establishing “whites only” and “blacks only” housing and neighborhoods was engineered and promoted from the Oval Office and the Supreme Court to State Legislatures and City Planning Commissions, passing through court rooms that refused to uphold the tenants of our U.S. Constitution’s 5th and 14th Amendments.

In the Jim Crow era following reconstruction, there was collusion at every level to deny African Americans the right to buy housing any place where they could afford it. Integrated neighborhoods were systematically dismantled and policies put into place that would create separate and unequal housing for black Americans.

In 1926, the same year that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld exclusionary zoning, it also upheld restrictive covenants, finding that they were voluntary private contracts, not state action. With this decision to rely upon, successive presidential administrations embraced covenants as a mean of segregating the nation.

This march toward segregation in housing was exacerbated by the acceleration of home construction during World War II to support war workers around the country. The migration of black workers to industrial centers following war jobs, created a sudden influx of African Americans needing housing where there was none. The hasty construction of war housing created separate and very unequal communities, setting a pattern that would continue for decades afterward.

The post war housing boom in the 40’s and 50’s was fueled by GI bills and VA loans that made it possible for WHITE war veterans to afford to own their own homes in suburban neighborhoods that were “whites only.” Black war veterans were not able to use the benefits GI bills provided for housing and higher education. Very few higher educational institutions would even accept black students. And there were few homes for African Americans to buy and the housing finance industry would not approve mortgages for homes in “red lined zones.” The history of the Fair Housing Authority (FHA) is a dark one.

Rothstein does an outstanding job in presenting thorough and credible research about how segregated neighborhoods were a result of unconstitutional de jure policies rather than any de facto settlement patterns. He explores how discrimination in educational opportunities, within the federal civil service and the military, and even within labor unions systematically disadvantaged African Americans and depressed their earning potential. That disadvantage persists from one generation to the next. The heritable wealth that white Americans have passed down from one generation to the next has created a wealth gap in this country that will not be easily reversed by any policies created moving forward.

The neighborhoods created for “blacks only” were often on the edge of industrial and commercial zones used as buffers between white suburban neighborhoods and black communities. The proximity of that housing to industrial toxins and pollution are factors that have impacted the health of African Americans living in those communities. When we speak of “social determinants of health” things like the location of housing, overcrowding, the lack of job opportunities, food deserts and the lack of adequate public transportation all lead to poor health outcomes in predominantly black neighborhoods.

The role that the mortgage and real estate industries played in segregating the country is appalling. The “block busting” that preyed upon white homeowners and black homebuyers alike by real estate agents is unconscionable and for far too many years it went on unabated. The sub prime mortgage debacle a mere decade ago greatly disadvantaged minority homebuyers and homeowners and resulted in many losing their homes.

Upholding the validity of housing covenants right through the 1960s has left us with deeply segregated neighborhoods that have subsequently led to very segregated public schools. To this day, the zoning policies of towns, cities and counties across the country determine what types of housing are built, who can afford to live there, and how that housing stock impacts the make up of public school classrooms. The phrase “residential character of our neighborhoods” takes on a whole new meaning after reading this book.

I finished this book asking myself – again – why we do not teach public school students about the economic history of this country. The national mythology that passes itself off as history in our textbooks and school curriculums does not provide a foundation for young people to make better decisions as adults than their own parents did. We are truly ignorant of our own history and I see no movement to correct that.

The Color of Law would make an excellent AP History textbook. Our history does not dictate our future – unless we don’t know that history – in which case it’s very likely we will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

by Rachel Simon

Artificial Intelligence – Dr. Chakib Chraibi

(Apr. 13, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Dr. Chakib Chraibi, Dean of Computer Information Systems at Virginia International University, about the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. AI is defined as the ability of a machine to perform cognitive functions associated with the human mind, such as perceiving, reasoning, learning and problem solving. Dr. Chraibi speaks with Catherine about how AI will impact our society and culture in the years to come.

Dr. Chraibi notes that Artificial Intelligence is already being used by most of us on a daily basis. Applications such as GPS help us by processing information regarding traffic, to assist us in getting where we need to be on time. Voice activated assistants such as SIRI (Apple), Alexa (Amazon), Google Assistant, and Cortana (Microsoft) are designed to help us stay organized and solve everyday problems. These tools are very powerful and can help us become significantly more efficient in our everyday lives.

Although there are many benefits of artificial intelligence, Dr. Chraibi shares that some are worried about job disruption and the ripple effects AI can have on the worldwide economy. Studies show that approximately 1.8 million jobs will be eliminated with the rise of AI. However, the introduction of AI into new industries will result in the creation of about 2.3 million new jobs. The difference is that AI will be eliminating many jobs that are considered low skilled, while the new jobs that are being created will be higher skilled. The key to making this transition, according to Dr. Chraibi, is to properly prepare the workforce to meet the demand. The exciting prospect of bringing artificial intelligence to the workforce means that we can use these powerful tools to help solve many of the big problems facing the world at large.

In order to help us better understand artificial intelligence, Dr. Chraibi explained the basic process of how computers learn information. Supervised learning happens when humans feed data to a machine, and then teach the computer how to recognize information so that it can then make decisions. An example of this is Spam software. Programmers feed features of spam email to the computer, and the spam software can learn the information and make decisions on how to sort the mail into categories.

Unsupervised learning takes this to the next level. Programmers feed data to the computer, and the machine is then able to find patterns in the information on its own. This is a more powerful and newer form of artificial intelligence. For the first time in history, we have seen supercomputers such as IBM’s Deep Blue beat the human world champion in the game of chess, IBM’s Watson win in Jeopardy and Google’s AlphaGo win in the Chinese strategy game Go. This is because machines have the ability to store more data than the human mind, learn the patterns and quickly apply their knowledge to solve problems.

Ultimately, computer scientists are searching for the “master algorithm” which would allow a machine to solve any problem. If this is achieved, computers could supersede humans in intelligence, something that is is called singularity. The question then becomes “what role do humans have in society?” Overarching concerns include whether or not social and emotional learning can take place, and wonder if morality be imparted to a non-human device. Computer scientists also worry that if we reach this point, a computer could refuse a command from a human, and choose to make its own decisions. This would enable computers to essentially take over the world, making human beings less relevant and no longer in charge.

An excellent book on this topic is The Rise of Robots by Martin Ford.

by Rachel Simon

FACETS with Executive Director Joe Fay – Your Need to Know

(Apr. 4 2018) Catherine Read interviews Joe Fay, Executive Director of FACETS, a local nonprofit that touches and improves the lives of thousands of families every year. Founded in 1988 by Linda Wimpey it was orginally known as Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Services, Inc, (FACETS). For the past 30 years, and with the help of numerous local faith communities, FACETS has helped some of the most vulnerable in Fairfax County meet their emergency shelter, food and medical needs. By opening doors and helping people gain safe, sustainable and permanent housing, FACETS aims to break the cycle of poverty through educational, life skills and career counseling programs. Fay notes that their multi-disciplinary professional staff manages a comprehensive range of programs, and a volunteer base of several thousand people. As a founding member of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness, FACETS is committed to working collaboratively in a countywide effort to expand safe and affordable housing.

The Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, run by Dean Klein, is a public-private partnership that leverages the good work being done by local non-profits and aims to have these groups effectively work together to tackle a variety of issues that surround poverty and homelessness. Klein meets monthly with the groups that are affiliated with this network to help coordinate efforts, and the county provides funds to these groups to manage the work being done. In addition to county funds, each of these nonprofits conducts fundraising to support their own work. For every dollar that the county provides, these private groups at least match the funds, which makes this a very effective way to manage the support services needed by so many in our county of over 1.2 million people. Currently, it is estimated that approximately 6% of county residents live below the poverty level, leaving over 300,000 vulnerable county residents.

FACETS runs a wide variety of programming to meet the needs of county residents. Fay spoke passionately about their hot meals program that delivers meals 7 days a week, and two times on Sunday, to three different spots along the Rt. 50 corridor in Fairfax. Volunteers through faith-based partnerships fuel this program, like many under their purview. Fay also talked about their hypothermia programs that they run during the cold winter months. These programs are often operated by a house of worship, whose community agrees to open their doors for the night to provide warmth and food to those on the street. Often times, FACETS will use the vans that are delivering hot meals during the day to pickup people who use the day centers for the homeless and transport them to the hypothermia shelters in the evening. All of this work takes great coordination and many hands to keep the operations running.

In addition to feeding the hungry and providing emergency shelter programs, FACETS works in low-income communities to provide support to families, through after school programming, adult education and career counseling services. These services are aimed to help engage families, provide much needed support so children in these families have a fair shot at success, and offer families the opportunities to become self sufficient.

A key component to the success of FACETS is the extensive volunteer network they have built over the past 30 years. Even though the network is strong and effective, Fay notes that they are always looking to establish new relationships with individuals and organizations. If you are part of a service group or faith organization looking to take on a new project, FACETS is constantly welcoming new members to their network. You can reach them directly to let them know how you can help.

FACETS will be holding their 30^th Anniversary Benefit Breakfast on April 19^th at the Fairview Park Marriott. There is no cost to attend, as they welcome all who want to who share their vision of a Fairfax County where everyone has a place to call “home”. They are actively looking for table captains, if you are looking to support the organization with a financial contribution. Find more information at www.FACETSCares.org

by Rachel Simon

Shelter House – Joe Meyer

(Apr. 2, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Joe Meyer, Executive Director and CEO of Shelter House, serving homeless families and victims of domestic violence in Fairfax County. Shelter House aims to break the cycle of homelessness by providing crisis intervention services, temporary housing and social services to promote self-sufficiency for their clients. He oversees the operations of two family shelters, the Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax and the Patrick Henry Family Shelter in Falls Church. Additionally, Meyer oversees the Artemis House, a home specifically operated for women fleeing domestic violence. Shelter House received the 2017 Nonprofit of the Year award from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Approximately 60% of the people who come to Shelter House are the working poor. They are often working low wage jobs on a full time basis, but are still not able to make ends meet. In Fairfax County, approximately 1000 people are homeless on any given night, and over half of those people are children. A decade ago Fairfax adopted a 10-year plan to eliminate homelessness. Through successful programs like Shelter House, Fairfax has cut homelessness by 50%, but Meyer notes that there is still quite a bit of work to be done. Dean Klein is currently the head of the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness in Fairfax County. He has built partnerships with over 20 organizations that work together to provide support and services to the most vulnerable in the community.

Meyer shares that Shelter House follows the philosophy of “housing first”. The aim is to break down the housing barrier for clients, and help them get into a stabilized environment. The average shelter stay for a family is 65 days. Once the family is settled into a permanent housing, then social workers begin to help the family become self sufficient. In an expensive area like Northern Virginia, one might imagine that it is difficult to find an affordable place to live on a small budget. Shelter House has specialists on site who work with a network of landlords who have agreed to take in families at discounted rates, as long as they are receiving support and backing from Shelter House.

These partnerships with landlords, business owners and community leaders are critical to making programs like this thrive. In addition to landlord arrangements, Shelter House works with employers who are willing to hire and train workers. These wrap around services that are being provided give families the opportunities they desperately need to break the cycle of homelessness and be able to thrive independently. In addition to giving the families the dignity of having their own home, providing services in this manner is far less expensive then keeping families in institutional homeless shelters.

In the final segment of the show, Catherine speaks with Joe about the Artemis House shelter, specifically geared toward women who are fleeing domestic violence. Fairfax County has a hotline for women who are in a dangerous situation, or Meyer shares that women can always call 911 if they are worried or fearful for their lives. He reminds us that a woman is most likely to be killed if she is in a domestic abuse situation and gets caught leaving. Counselors will give women tips to help safeguard themselves and their children. The shelter is at an undisclosed location for safety purposes, and employs trauma counselors for both the women and the children seeking refuge.

Finally, Meyer shares that Shelter House is holding its 5^th annual benefit breakfast on Thursday April 12^th at Westwood Country Club in Vienna. The event is sold out, but Meyer encourages anyone who would like to attend to visit their website and get on a waiting list. Additionally, if you are a landlord or an employer that would like to get hooked up with Shelter House, he encourages you reach out and make a connection. They are always seeking out business and community leaders to partner with. Shelter House also welcomes various groups like scouts, schools and community youth groups who would like to run collection drives or come in to run programs with the children at the shelter. Food, diaper, and feminine product drives are all welcome, along with hosting a monthly birthday party for children at the shelters. BRAWS and The Pajama Program are one of many partnering organizations. Any donation of time or money is greatly appreciated. If you, or a group you are affiliated with would like to get involved please reach out and you will be connected with the appropriate staff.