Archives for May 2018

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries

(May 30, 2018) Host Catherine read sits down with Rebecca Kolowe, Executive Director of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM). Formed in 1987, WFCM is a coalition of 12 area churches from Centerville and Chantilly that provide life-essential services to reduce hunger and the risk of homelessness amongst the most vulnerable residents of western Fairfax County. For the past 29 years, WFCM has been a critical safety net for those struggling to make ends meet.

WFCM hosts the largest client choice food pantry in the community. This means that residents can come and “shop” at the pantry for items that meet their needs. For example, instead of clients being given a bag of food when they show up, they can actually browse the pantry to find what would best meet the needs for their family. This helps reduce waste, and can accommodate for food allergies. Additionally, during the holidays the organization supports a holiday food program to ensure that everyone enjoys food during the Thanksgiving and Christmas. They have also put together a wonderful turn-key “do it yourself kit” for food drives, so individual organizations like schools, scouts or swim clubs could put together a food drive to help support the pantry. This is especially helpful for the summer months, when children are not in school and families need extra support to help cover meals.

Emergency financial assistance is another key aspect of the WFCM program. If a family finds themselves unable to meet a utility bill or make a mortgage payment, there are resources that can be used to help them meet their obligations. The organization also runs the “Pathways to Success” program, where they work individually with 12-15 families at a time to provide a class in financial counseling, along with individual meetings, to help clients learn the skills they need to become financially independent. Upon graduation from the program, each family receives a $5,000 scholarship to be used to pay off debts and/or be put into a savings account. This helps to put families on a path to a brighter future. The goal is to equip each family with the skills needed to sustain their success.

In the second segment of the show, Kolowe speaks about how poverty in the western part of Fairfax County is often hidden, and many people quietly struggle to put enough food on the table and pay their bills on time. In the further out suburbs, there are not many low-income housing projects or the type of impoverished neighborhoods that are seen in the inner city. Often times, there are many families living together under one roof. They face challenges with transportation, with fewer direct bus routes and options for people who rely on public transportation. Kolowe notes that it can be a real struggle for a family who has no car to travel to their facility. It might take all afternoon for a client to reach them, because the bus route might take them from Centerville first to Vienna, where they would have to switch buses to get a connection to go to Chantilly. In recent years, Kolowe has been an advocate for updating the transportation routes in order to better serve their clients, a role she was not aware she was going to have to play as Executive Director of WFCM. Her point is that all of these things are interconnected, and it is important to advocate all across the spectrum to help lift the burden for their clients, who often do not have a voice of their own in the public policy arena.

This past spring WFCM had the joy of welcoming an intern to their organization, and with the extra help and energy they were able to launch two new programs for their clients. In partnership with Computer Core, they established a resume-writing seminar, which was well attended and received positive feedback. They are also partnering with the Centerville Presbyterian Church to support the community garden program called “Seeds of Hope”. Pantry clients are encouraged to use the plots at the church to grow their own food, which they can then take home. In conjunction with the community garden program, WFCM encourages community members to donate their excess vegetables from their own gardens to the pantry, or to simply “add a row” of extra vegetables that they could then donate. Looking towards the horizon, Kolowe hopes to bring more new and creative programs to life that will help lift up her clients, as WFCM continues to grow and evolve.

by Catherine Read

The Vienna Jammers – Inside Scoop

(May 28, 2018) In a special edition of Inside Scoop, Catherine Read is joined by 56 members of the Vienna Jammers Red and Black Ensembles. These students are in grades 2 through 5 and represent over 20 different schools in the Northern Virginia area. Their performance is led in studio by founder and director, David L. Reynolds, Jr., who was previously a guest on Your Need to Know in April.

In addition to the musical performances by these two percussion ensembles, Catherine interviews four of the Vienna Jammers parents and two of the Red Ensemble performers as well. A common thread among the parents is the visibility of the Vienna Jammers in Vienna’s annual Halloween Parade where the Jammers have taken 1st place in the Youth band category for the last five years. Bridger’s mother, Tema Gault, said she first saw the Vienna Jammers in the Halloween Parade when she was pregnant with Bridger. Many years later when he saw the Vienna Jammers himself in that parade, he was eager to join. He has been with the Vienna Jammers for four years now and is playing in the Black Ensemble. Tema talks about “following the smiles” in understanding what it is her son truly loves to do. He is completely invested in being part of the magic created by the Vienna Jammers and so is the whole family.

Parent Keith Tylecki praises the leadership of director Dave Reynolds and talks about how this experience focuses on working together as a group in an environment that is not driven by competition. His son Andrew joined the Summer Experience Camp between first and second grades and now plays with the Red Ensemble. Another parent, Jessica Plowgian, talks about how excited her daughter Lily was to see the Vienna Jammers in the Halloween Parade as well, and she too signed up for the summer camp between first and second grade. Lily has been fortunate to have director Dave Reynolds as her music teacher at Vienna Elementary School. The program initially started at Vienna Elementary and now includes students from schools as far away as Gainesville.

Lesley Laing, the mother of Greta who plays in the Black Ensemble, makes the drive from Gainesville twice a week for practices. Her daughter, an avid percussionist at an early age, wanted a camp program to build her skills over the summer. Lesley found that the majority of the programs in the area were intended for high school band students – except for the Vienna Jammer’s Experience Camp. Greta so enjoyed the camp program that she decided to stay on with the ensemble during the school year as well. Lesley echoed the sentiments of the other parents as to the value of the instruction, the benefit of being in an ensemble that is committed to excellence in their performances, and how much they value the leadership and direction of founder David L. Reynolds, Jr.

Two second graders in the Red Ensemble, Jayden and Piper, are all enthusiasm about their participation in the Vienna Jammers. They discuss their experience in the Summer Experience Camp, their favorite songs and which instruments they enjoy playing the most. They are looking forward to playing at the annual Viva Vienna Festival over Memorial Day weekend in Vienna, VA. Each plans to continue on with the Vienna Jammers in anticipation of one day playing with the Black Ensemble once they are in the fifth grade.

Founded in 2006, The Vienna Jammers mission is “To educate youth through percussion programs; provide a dynamic and diverse experience in the performing arts; nurture the creativity of each child, and enrich lives within the community.”

More information can be found at www.ViennaJammers.org You can follow the Vienna Jammers on Twitter @ViennaJammers on Instagram @ViennaJammers and through their Facebook Page.

by Rachel Simon

The Cause Finder App – Your Need to Know

(May 23, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Jill Hood and Emily Cowan, co-creators of a new technology application called Cause Finder. Their app is designed to help organizations connect, communicate and mobilize their grass-roots base. Following the Women’s March in January of 2017, Jill and Emily observed grass-roots engagement rise to heights that they had never observed in their lifetime. They also saw that there was no safe and effective platform for organizations to find and mobilize their bases, and connect with other groups who might have similar objectives. With Jill’s background in cyber-security and Emily’s expertise in organizational development, they combined their skills to develop a new and exciting product.

When designing this program, Hood and Cowan wanted to avoid the pitfalls that they saw in the free online systems such as Facebook, Google Hangouts and Slack, none of which were designed for the purpose of organizing. These free platforms support themselves in one of two ways – they sell advertising or they sell their user’s data. In recent months there has been quite a bit of information in the news about Facebook and privacy concerns. Both Jill and Emily firmly believed that there had to be a better way, and set out on a course to make that a reality.

Cause Finder is designed to avoid the pitfalls of the no-fee programs by being an affordable subscription based model, where organizations pay for the access and users can signup free of charge. Organizations will be able to easily connect with their base to effectively mobilize, while also connecting with other organizations who share similar objectives in order to make a bigger impact. The beta version of Cause Finder is currently deployed with a variety of non-profit organizations in a pilot environment, and the owners are continuously making improvements based on customer feedback.

In the second segment of the show, Jill takes Catherine through some screen shots of the Cause Finder program, to demonstrate the user-friendly nature of the application. Users of the program can find a way to connect with organizations based on a cause that they are interested in, while also finding relevant ways to take action and get involved. Additional functionality allows activists from different organizations to come together and rally behind a single event. For example, there are many different groups that are fighting for Gun Violence Prevention, who may want to rally around an event such as a new piece of proposed legislation. Cause Finder will allow these groups to easily identify who might be interested in showing up for a rally or testifying on behalf of a bill. On top of enhanced functionality, organizations can be assured that their member’s data is safe and protected.

Long term goals for Hood and Cowan include potentially rolling the application out to Federal and State agencies. For now, they are focusing on a successful launch of the new application this summer. Stay tuned and learn more at www.cause-finder.com.

by Rachel Simon

Senator Dick Saslaw – Inside Scoop

(May 21, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Senator Dick Saslaw (D-35), Virginia’s Senate Minority Leader, for a wide-ranging discussion covering the upcoming proposed budget with a potential of Medicaid Expansion, gun violence legislation in the wake of yet another tragic school shooting in Santa Fe, TX, and the prospect of increased funding for both education and transportation.

Budget

The discussion began with Senator Saslaw explaining the biennium budget process in Virginia. Every two years a budget gets introduced, and eventually passed through the General Assembly, then ultimately laid on the Governor’s desk for signature. Virginia will pass a budget that will be effective July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019. The makeup of the Assembly is quite different this year after last November’s blue wave, and the parity achieved in the House of Delegates led to a budget that included expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This provides relief and hope for the approximately 300,000 low-income Virginians who do not qualify for Medicaid because they earn too much money ($16,000 for an individual), yet cannot afford private insurance.

Through the Affordable Care Act, if Virginia opts into the program, the state will receive funding from the Federal government to cover 90% of the cost to cover these 300,000 individuals. Hard working Virginians have been paying into this program through their federal income tax since the inception of the ACA in 2012, yet because the General Assembly has not opted into the program, Virginia has left money on the table and is essentially funding the other 32 states (plus DC) who have adopted Obamacare (ACA).

By accepting the approximately $3 billion in federal funds, money is freed up for other state initiatives like across the board pay for K-12 teachers and state employees. As of today, the House budget (which includes adoption of Medicaid expansion) does not match the Senate version (which has not adopted the program). Examples of the budget differences include $170 million that would need to be cut from K-12 education and 106 million from higher education. These cuts would be catastrophic for students and teachers across the commonwealth.

Republicans have opposed participating in the ACA for the past 6 years because they claim that if the Federal government defaults on its promise to pay for the care, then the state would be stuck carrying the cost. This argument doesn’t hold muster because written into the budget is a “kill switch”, stating that if the feds default, then states can withdraw from the program with no penalty. Additionally, the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld that they cannot mandate states to carry on with the program if the feds renege on their responsibilities. This is why there are 32 states (plus DC) currently participating in the program, including conservative states like Kentucky and Indiana.

The Senate Finance Committee has been meeting regularly to try and hash out details, but if the budget cannot get moved out of committee for a vote on the floor, then Sen. Saslaw stated he will need to utilize the “nuclear option” (discharging the Senate Finance committee), something he does not take lightly and is hoping he does not have to do. If they can get the budget to the floor, he states that they have enough votes (19 Democrats and 2 Republicans) to get the budget passed with Medicaid expansion. The question will be how exactly it will all unfold. Budget amendments have already been negotiated with their counterparts in the House, so should the budget make it to the floor for a vote he anticipates a smooth process thereafter. If the General Assembly does not pass a budget by June 30^th, then the government would shut down, something he says is unacceptable and irresponsible.

Gun Legislation

In the wake of yet another tragic and senseless school massacre in Santa Fe, TX, Senator Dick Saslaw speaks to gun violence prevention bills that have been introduced in Virginia. Unfortunately, none of the measures designed to protect Virginians; from universal background checks to banning bump stocks, passed through the body this year. The GOP are still in control of both the Senate and the House, even though it is a thin majority, and they have the power to make both committee assignments and to control where bills get assigned. For example, if they want a bill to not pass through a certain committee, it might get reassigned to the rules committee (where everything goes to die). He adds that the only solution to ensuring that reasonable measures get passed through the legislature is to vote in a majority of lawmakers who are committed to working on this issue.

Senator Saslaw points to a statistic that he says speaks for itself. The United States has 4.4% of the world population, yet it has 43% of the world’s guns in circulation, not counting military and police. He claims it is pretty simple and obvious, more guns are going to equal more fatalities. The only way to curb the violence is to put common sense measures in place to help protect innocent lives. Catherine adds that it is important to reframe the issue as a public health crisis. If people were dying at this rate from any other cause we would be scrambling as a nation to figure out how to save their lives.

Education and Transportation Funding

In the next segment of the show, Senator Saslaw speaks about funding initiatives for both education and transportation. Relative to education, he explains that funding levels are finally back to where they in 2008, after massive cuts to education during the Great Recession. This, however, does not account for inflation, or the fact that we have far more students enrolled in the system. As previously noted, should the General Assembly pass a budget with Medicaid Expansion, then money is freed up in the General Fund to put towards investments in education.

Across the board pay increases of 3% for K-12 teachers would take effect July 1, 2019, which is a measure that both the Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers are in favor of. As of today, Virginia ranks 35^th in the nation on teacher pay. If the Northern Virginia region were pulled out of those statistics, Virginia would rank 50^th in the nation. Senator Saslaw believes we can do better for our teachers and students by committing to properly funding our educational system, and bringing the pay to a competitive level so we can both attract and retain talent.

In regards to higher education, the additional funds that are proposed would help lower tuition at the 4-year Universities, as well as make significant improvements to the Community College system. The investment in community colleges would provide critical pathways to well paying careers, for students who are not going to attend a traditional four-year college. There are many careers with thousands of job openings, but not enough people to fill those positions. Today in Virginia, there are 36,000 job openings in cyber security alone. These workforce development plans would yield win-win results for both citizens and employers.

This year, the General Assembly passed a Transportation Funding Bill that fell in line with what the LaHood Commission recommended for funding of Metro improvements and maintenance. Virginia’s share of the commitment includes a budget appropriation of $154 million to go towards the $500 million a year that is needed to keep the system functional. In addition to metro funding, there was money appropriated, mostly through local governments and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, to fund road construction. Some of that money will be funded through a 1% increase in the hotel occupancy tax (going from 2 to 3%), along with an increase in the Grantor’s Tax from 15 cents per $1000 to 20 cents per $1000.

The original proposal by Senator Saslaw included an increase of the Grantor’s tax to 25 cents per $1000, which was widely supported by the Virginia Association of Realtors. Unfortunately Del. Tim Hugo, who convinced his entire caucus to vote against the increase, derailed this measure. To give an idea of what the difference in the Grantor’s tax meant, on the sale of a $1 million home, the cost would increase by $1000. By not raising the revenue through the Grantor’s Tax, the burden for road construction will be shouldered by localities, which is ironic since the money for road improvements is desperately needed in Del. Hugo’s home district of Clifton/Chantilly.

Redistricting

In the final segment of the show Senator Dick Saslaw discusses his positions on redistricting, which is slated to happen in Virginia in 2021. Gerrymandering and redistricting has been a hot topic of late, with several cases currently being heard in both federal and state courts. Senator Saslaw fully supports an independent commission to redraw the districts, but wants to make sure that when that commission is formed, it is truly impartial. The members of the General Assembly currently draw their own districts, and would need to pass a constitutional amendment to change that process. In order for an independent commission to be effective for the 2021 redistricting, legislators would have to pass a constitutional amendment in the 2019 session, then again in 2020, because a constitutional amendment requires that it pass twice, with an intervening election and a change of legislative body in between votes.

If a ruling comes down from the Supreme Court in the Wisconsin case of Gill vs. Whitford, which was heard last fall, then the landscape of how districts are to be drawn could dramatically change not just in Wisconsin, but nationwide. The “test” for congressional district is that it must be “compact and continuous”. Recent years have seen politicians use big data to draw themselves ideal boundaries, designed to keep themselves in power. That is why Senator Saslaw supports non-partisan redistricting, to make the process more fair and transparent. Stay tuned to the headlines to better understand where things might be headed in Virginia for the 2021 redrawing of districts.

by Rachel Simon

Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind

(May 16, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Tony Cancelosi, CEO and Joceyln Hunter, Director of Communications, for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. Since 1900, their organization has been dedicated to helping the blind or visually impaired population of the greater Washington region overcome the challenges of vision loss. Their work enables people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired to remain independent, active and productive in society.

There are approximately 24 million people nationwide who are visually impaired or blind. Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind works every day to meet the needs of those in our area affected by vision loss. Through over 10 programs and with a staff of about 90 employees and 150 volunteers, they serve about 1000 clients with a variety of services ranging from free vision screenings to workforce training to independent living skills and assistive technology.

When founded over a hundred years ago, Cancelosi notes that the organization strictly focused on direct services for clients who were affected with vision loss. Over the years, the organization has grown and adapted, and now works to apply innovative solutions that help their clients thrive. One project that Cancelosi highlights was developed through a grant given by the Department of Transportation. The goal was to create a smartphone technology that was designed to help blind people independently navigate a metro station. The program is currently active and deployed in 11 Metro stations in our area. Building on that, Columbia Lighthouse is now developing an additional component to this technology, where i-beacons are added to the program to help their clients know what types of businesses, such as restaurants, banks and retail stores, are located in the neighborhood when they exit the station.

Columbia Lighthouse dedicates much of its technology based work to assisting businesses in making their websites accessible for those with disabilities. Some of their clients and partners include the National Restaurant Association, the worldwide chain of Carmine’s Restaurants and My Eye Doctor, all who have used their services in relationship to their website accessibility. Columbia Lighthouse has also created a proprietary tool that can score a website to tell a business owner how accessible their site is. Cancelosi encourages businesses to ask themselves “how much business are you losing by not making your website accessible to all?” As the baby boomers age at the rate of 10,000 people per day, he notes that we can anticipate a large growth in the blind population in the coming years. It will be important to be prepared for the challenges that this will pose to our society.

Examples of more traditional direct services that Columbia Lighthouse provides include their Mobile Eye Care Unit, that travels the area and can visit senior living facilities, as well as low-income housing and family shelters for the homeless. The Mobile Unit is designed to ensure that everyone has equal access to eye screening. Now that many of the school system no longer test eyesight as a regular practice, this resource can help diagnose problems and assist in being more proactive in getting services to those in need. They also run an early intervention unit, that can provide in home services for blind children up to the age of three.

The high school youth employment program is a 3-week program run on local college campuses that is designed to teach vision impaired high school seniors how to live independently. The students receive workforce skills training, learn to live independently on campus, and receive a modest stipend for their work. It is a tremendous opportunity for students to build confidence and learn how to thrive on their own after they graduate high school.

Columbia Lighthouse also creates opportunities for the blind to experience activities such as sports or art, things that are not always accessible to all. The organization sponsors a 5K run, where runners are tethered to one another, as well as adaptive skiing opportunities. They also host an annual art show featuring work of their clients at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC. Jocelyn Hunter, Director of Communications, shares that the annual Shot in the Dark Golf Tournament is coming up on Monday May 21^st at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD. This will be the 6^th annual tournament, and they will be featuring Phil Blackwell, a world champion blind golfer. He will conduct a workshop for golfers of all skill levels – and there are still spaces if you are interested in playing. This is one of their largest fundraisers, and they are looking forward to a wonderful day of golf, along with a festive dinner and silent auction in the evening.

You can find Columbia Lighthouse for the blind online at www.clborg

on Twitter @Columbia Light

Facebook: www.facebook.com/columbialight

Proud member of the United Way of the Capital Area, Designation Code 8110 CFC# 94397

by Catherine Read

Finer Women: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority 1920 – 1935

(May 2018) This is such a remarkable book. The clue to how good it is comes down to how many pages I read aloud to my husband Tom, punctuated with “Did you KNOW this?” My favorite read aloud section of the book is Chapter Six “Honorary Members.” I learned more about black history in the pages of this book than I have in the last 50 years.

Author Tilu Khalayi has amassed the personal biographies not only of distinguished Honorary Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, but also of the very interesting and accomplished young women who founded the Zetas from it’s charter at Howard University in 1920 through it’s amazing national and international charter of chapters to 1935. It’s extraordinary. Full stop. It just is.

The style of the book reminded me of an actual college yearbook – personal biographies of the women founders, histories of the individual chapters, the Honorary Members, and Selected Writings and Speeches. Khalayi walks us through the genesis of Zeta Phi Beta as a sister organization of the already established Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Howard University. There were already two well established sororities on campus, Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and Delta Sigma Theta (Delta).

Zeta was “the first black sorority for which members were selected primarily on the basis of academic achievement.” [Audrey Kerr, Maryland University] Myrtle Tyler Faithful confirmed this, having stated that “we weren’t looking at how rich you were or what you looked like or how you dressed.” Instead the sorority considered young women for membership based on their unique abilities, and the famous writer Zora Neale Hurston is a great testament to that practice.

Students had to be academic standouts to get into the Zeta Phi Beta and they had to maintain that academic excellence to stay. The principles that they established as the ideological foundations of the sorority are scholarship, service, sisterly love and finer womanhood. They began with a “Finer Womanhood Week” that became “Finer Womanhood Month” and their annual Boulé meetings held each December featured speakers that focused on that theme of Finer Womanhood and how it is achieved.

I was captivated reading about where these young women came from, who their parents and grandparents were, where they went to school and how they came to be at Howard University, and what they did afterward. It is such a window to what the world was like for black women striving to better their own lives and those of other women. And there are all kinds of gems tucked into those biographies.

One of the first pledges of the new Zeta Alpha Chapter, Pauline Johnson Phillips, age 17, was the first black valedictorian of any high school in Connellsville, Pennslvania, graduating on June 16, 1917. What struck me about this biography was the fact that there were integrated schools in this country before de jure segregation of cities and neighborhoods forced them to be segregated. The local Connellsville Daily Courier reported: “She is the first colored graduate to take honors here and the entire occasion was made very impressive. She received an ovation as she rose to deliver her essay.” Having recently read Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law I’m infuriated all over again by how this country has perpetuated institutionalized racism with impunity.

Annie Turnbo Malone. Holy Cow, how could I possibly NOT know who this woman was? The first profile under “Honorary Members.” She was the Oprah Winfrey of the turn of 20th century America. The first self-made black woman millionaire, she built an empire on hair care products for black women. What an extraordinary woman. She pioneered the business model on which Avon and Mary Kay were built – giving women the opportunity and incentives to sell products and make money. She gave record breaking endowments and donations to Howard University and many other HBCUs, along with numerous charities. She built Poro College in St. Louis that became the center of black St. Louis. Who knew this?

Madam Evanti, the famous black opera singer I’ve never heard of. (Her great uncle, Hiram Revels, was the first black person to serve in the United States Senate.) Her race barred her from joining the Metropolitan Opera in this country, but she was celebrated and welcomed elsewhere in the world. She did perform at the White House for three presidents: Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower and was given a commendation by President Eisenhower for her work with the USO.

Nettie Langston Napier. She was considered “The First Lady of black Nashville.” Her father, John Mercer Langston, was the first black Dean of Howard University Law School, and the first black representative elected to Congress from Virginia in a contested election in 1888. Her husband J.C. Napier was a Register of the Treasury from 1911 -1913, and he would go down in history as one of only five black people whose signatures have appeared on U.S. currency. Her nephew was the poet Langston Hughes.

See what I mean about a whole lot of history stuffed into a few well crafted paragraphs?

What interested me about this book in the first place is the extraordinary power of black sororities. They are a powerhouse and their influence is fully a hundred years in the making. This was brought home to me by an article in The Atlantic in 2015 The Political Power of the Black Sorority. I see them in the gallery of Virginia’s House and Senate on Lobby Days (they are hard to miss!) and I am in awe of their ability to organize and apply pressure where it counts. This book shines a light on a history I did not know and I enjoyed every minute of discovering these women and what they accomplished.

I’ve never belonged to a sorority, but I know quite a few women who are active members of black sororities and I admire them greatly. I highly recommend this book to those who loves American history and are curious about the history they’ve never heard before.

by Rachel Simon

Walk for Peace – Student Peace Awards

(May 14, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Jessica Lee, founder of Community Peace Network, regarding their upcoming Walk For Peace and Unity, and Margaret Fisher, founder of the Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County. They share information about their programs, and what drives them to both pursue and celebrate peace.

In the first segment Catherine speaks with Jessica Lee, founder of the Community Peace Network. Her group is organizing the upcoming Walk for Peace and Unity, to take place on June 2^nd in front of the White House. Their event is designed to coincide with the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lee was inspired to plan this walk in light of the recent developments on the Korean Peninsula. Jessica’s family has their own tragic story of separation, as her grandfather and his brother were separated during the Korean War, over 68 years ago. The prospect of peace and unification is a strong desire for so many in the Korean community, and Lee hopes to galvanize support during this unique moment in time. Although there are many variables and unknowns as this process unfolds, their goal is to bring the Korean community together to celebrate the prospect of peace, and encourage people to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities it holds.

The Community Peace Network is planning a celebration of the Korean community on June 2nd in front of the White House. Artists, musicians and speakers will add a festive nature to the event. Participants can signup via the website through an Eventbrite link, so the planners can do the best possible job to anticipate the size of the crowd and the needs of the participants. Their goal is to show solidarity with the Korean people, and support peace and unity, in whatever form it takes.

In the second segment, Catherine speaks with Margaret Fisher, co-founder of the Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County. Since 2006, her organization has recognized high school juniors and seniors who work as peacemakers, and have made a positive contribution to their school or the wider community by promoting mutual understanding and respect for all people. They award gifts to students throughout the 31 public high schools in Fairfax County, as well as a handful of private schools who participate in the program. Each school puts forward one student from their community that has demonstrated acts of peace. This recognition award is a wonderful way for these students to share what they have learned in their work to make this world a better place. Whether it is a student working to make the school community a safer and more peaceful place through acts of loving kindness, or it is one who is working with a non-profit like Amnesty International to fight injustice around the world, each of these students have made a lasting impact on those around them.

Fisher heads the nonprofit group, comprised of a volunteer board and supported by many local faith organizations. After the individual schools identify the award winner, a board member will visit each student in order to better understand their story. At the end of the academic year, the students receive a $200 reward for themselves as well as $100 to go towards any non-profit organization or project they have worked on. All award recipients are invited to attend a reception sponsored by the organization, as well as being recognized at their own high school awards banquets. The program is designed to promote peace and highlight students who go above and beyond to demonstrate peace or non-violent conflict resolution. Fisher adds that she is excited that this program is being replicated in Frederick, MD and hopes that more school systems will adopt similar programs throughout the country.

by Rachel Simon

Russian Elections – Dr. Klara Bilgin

(May 9, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Dr.Klara Bilgin, Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs for Virginia International University, about the outcome of the recent Russian elections. Dr. Bilgin shares her insights as to the what the future holds for Russia, and how she believes Vladamir Putin plans to exercise his influence inside his country and around the world.

The outcome of the March 18^th elections came as no surprise, as Vladimir Putin sailed to victory with 77% of the popular vote. Many were disappointed that the opposition candidates put up such small numbers. The candidate to receive the second most amount of votes was a communist party candidate, receiving 12% of the vote, while the ultranationalist candidate received 5.6% of the vote. The one liberal opposition candidate did not get more than 2% of the vote, which was also a disappointment for those who want to see Russia move in a new direction.

Because of his resounding victory, the country did not experience the protests that were thought to materialize after the election. This was a welcomed development by the establishment, as it shored up Putin’s authority. Dr. Bilgin had several insights into this election, as she often sees these international events through a different lens. According to the Russian constitution, this election will be Putin’s last, and his term will last for 6 years. Some may consider him a lame duck president, however, Dr. Bilgin feels otherwise. She sees his role as one of spreading Russian influence throughout the world.

Dr. Bilgin notes that Putin was very affected by the death of Muammar Gaddafi and the regime change that happened in Libya. Putin seeks to get in front of that type of situation happening in his own country by spreading his power and influence throughout his country and the world. Putin has shored up support inside his country by concentrating power domestically and putting oligarchs in charge of many of the central services. Now that he has that under control, he aims to strategically affect outside elections and governments. Starting with those close to home, he has worked at spreading his influence to the former Soviet Republics and Eastern Europe. Next he moved on to influencing elections in Western Europe and the Americas, as witnessed in recent elections in France, Germany and the United States. It has also been shown that Russians, through Cambridge Analytica, attempted to influence the Brexit vote.

Other recent news out of Russia includes information on the case of a double agent (Skripal) and his daughter Yulia who were poisoned in England. These are considered open and brazen assassination attempts by the Russian government, designed to send a message of what will happen if you defy the Russian government. Dr. Bilgin thinks that Putin underestimated the world response. Seventeen countries have condemned these acts, and the world is on alert to Russia’s dirty practices. Dr. Bilgin hopes that Britain will crack down on Russian oligarchs who park dirty money in London banks. She thinks that going after these bad players would send a strong message to Putin and those around him that they need to play by the same rules.

Lastly, Dr. Bilgin discussed a devastating fire that tore through a mall in the small Siberian town of Kemerovo. There were 64 victims, and many who were there claim that there were a variety of things that could have prevented such a devastating loss of life. An improved alarm system could have helped people escape, and if the doors had been unlocked people could have escaped faster. Additionally, they thought that Emergency personnel could have had a quicker response, and if they had then the outcome could have been different. Many citizens on the ground in Siberia demonstrated against the government, and were simply dismissed by the local governor as troublemakers. After such a devastating event, the people did not approve of this response. Putin finally stepped in to address the concerns, but many were not pleased with the overall response.

by Rachel Simon

Tahirih Justice Center – Inside Scoop

(May 7, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Anusce Sanai, Adriana López and Casey Carter Swegman about their roles at the Tahirih Justice Center. Through direct services, policy advocacy, training and education Tahirih protects immigrant women and girls, and promotes a world where women and girls enjoy equality and live in safety and dignity. The center was founded in 1997 with the proceeds from the book “Do They Hear You When You Cry” published by attorney Layli Miller-Muro, which documented her landmark case of Fauziya Kassindja. Kassindja fled Togo to seek asylum in the US in order to avoid forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). This landmark case set national precedent for United States Immigration Courts, that established gender-based persecution as grounds for asylum.

In the first segment Catherine speaks with Anusce Sanai, who is the Greater DC Supervising Attorney for Immigration and Family Law for Tahirih. She gives a broad overview of the holistic nature of the services that Tahirih provides for its clients. The center works with a network of over 1400 pro-bono attorneys, located in five locations throughout the United States. In addition to the Greater DC flagship office located in Falls Church, Tahirih has offices in Baltimore, Houston, Atlanta, and San Francisco. In addition to providing legal services to help clients navigate the immigration system, Tahirih assists clients who are fleeing violent domestic situations with every type of wrap-around social service that they will need to survive and to thrive.

The immigration system in the United States is complex and ever-changing, and the success rate for women seeking asylum is very low. However when clients are represented by Tahirih attorneys, there is a 95% success rate. Clients come to the center mostly through word of mouth referrals and through agencies who are on the ground working with detained individuals. The attorneys work to stay on top of best practices and fully understand the rules and procedures that can affect their clients. Today, there is a huge backlog of cases, which is challenging for women who are fleeing difficult situations and are trying to make a fresh start for themselves.

In the second segment, Catherine interviews Adriana López, the Social Services Program Manager for the Greater DC office. Adriana’s job is to oversee the wrap-around social services that the center provides. Most women coming to the center have experienced severe trauma – whether it be rape, domestic abuse, forced marriage, or human and sex trafficking. Tahirih Justice Center embraces a holistic model, that extends additional safety nets for their clients. These services include, but are not limited to, medical services, medical debt relief, food pantries, emergency housing, English language classes, career counseling, mental health assessments and safety planning. By developing partnerships with community agencies and local nonprofits, Tahirih helps find resources in the community that can support their clients and give them the best possible opportunity to thrive.

López points out that there are a variety of ways for people to volunteer, even if they are not able to provide pro-bono legal services. The center is always seeking out mentors for women who can provide professional support and assist clients in navigating the difficult terrain of living in a foreign country. They are also always in need of help of administrative support in their office, with childcare, assisting with support groups and providing translation services. If you are interested in learning more, visit the website to learn about all of the opportunities.

In the final segment, Catherine speaks with Casey Carter Swegman about Tahirih’s Forced Marriage Initiative. In 2016, this team worked very hard to pass a bill prohibiting child marriage in Virginia. The center advocated a policy position that children under the age of 18 should not be allowed to marry. Nationwide across the US, there are approximately 200,000 minors who are married on an annual basis. Many times, these minor women are marrying much older men (with parental consent) but nobody at the courthouse is asking the minors if they truly want to be married. These minor women had no legal way to get themselves out of this untenable situation.

Carter Swegman, in conjunction with community partners and bi-partisan support in the Virginia legislature, passed the first bill of its kind in the US designed to protect children from forced marriage. Co-patrons of the bill, State Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer McClellan worked very hard to make this bill a reality. The bill does include a provision where a 17 year old can request emancipation from their parents in order to marry. This is a process built into the system to enable those who are serious about wanting to get married, while still protecting minors from being forced into a situation against their will.

The Tahirih Justice Center has experienced exponential growth since its inception in 1997 thanks to the generous donors who support their mission. The center is funded in part by government grants, foundations, corporations, law firms and private donors. Their annual Gala is happening on Friday May 11^th at the Marquis Marriott in Washington, DC, featuring Grammy award winning singer Andy Grammer You can visit their website to purchase tickets, to make a donation in support of the center and to volunteer.

You can follow the Tahirih Justice Center on Facebook, @TahirihJustice on Twitter, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel. The Greater DC Office can also be reached by phone at 571-282-6161

by Rachel Simon

High School Voter Registration – Beth Tudan LWV

(May 2, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Beth Tudan, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Fairfax. Their discussion focuses on the League’s voter registration campaign for high school students, prior to the June 12^th Primary and the November general elections. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization, founded during the suffragist movement, that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issue, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

The League of Women Voters has recently renewed and revamped their efforts to bolster voter registration amongst high school students. After Beth’s own son went through his senior year of high school she saw first hand that there was no standard of how schools were handling the process of helping students to register. Some were registering during government class, but not all students were taking government. Some classes had the Board of Elections come in to talk about voting, some did not. Even within the same school, this process varied widely based on what classes the students were enrolled in.

As one of only three organizations who are authorized to go into the schools (the other two being the Board of Elections and Inspire Virginia), Beth recognized an opportunity. She took time to look around at best practices, and bring a better solution to the table. After working with the neighboring League in Arlington, and gathering information from successful programs across the country, she came up with a script and program that can be easily replicated in the classroom throughout Fairfax County. Beth sees this as an opportunity to partner with the schools in order to make a big impact with the 12,000 seniors registered in FCPS high schools countywide.

In collaboration with the Fairfax County Council of PTA’s (FCCPTA), where Beth also serves as President, she suggested running a countywide competition to see how many students each school could register to vote prior to the June primaries. This contest promotes school spirit and gets students to encourage their friends to take action. The League has visited many of the 27 high schools in FCPS. They have done presentations in government class, as well as host information tables with registration information in the school cafeterias.To date, 3500 students are registered out of a total of approximately 12,000 students. Even though not all students are US citizens or VA citizens, it is evident that there is more work to be done.

Tudan shares that students do not have to be 18 in order to register, but they do need to turn 18 by Election Day, November 6th. They simply need to submit their contact information, be a US and VA citizen, and provide their social security number (which can be found on the Common Application for college). The form can be submitted on paper or online. In fact, if the student has a driver’s license then have already been verified, therefore the online form takes a mere 5 minutes to complete and submit.

The deadline to register to vote in the June 12th primaries is May 21st at 5pm (11:59pm for online forms). The deadline to register for the November 6th General Elections is October 15th at 5pm (11:59pm for online forms). Remember, you can register as long as you will be turning 18 by November 6th.