Blogging Archives - Read. Think. Act.

Gay Rights Movement with Dale Brumfield

(January 23, 2019) Catherine Read sits down with Cultural Archeologist Dale Brumfield, to talk about the history of the Gay Rights Movement. Looking back to the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Brunfield outlines the struggle faced by so many LGBTQ individuals, and the ongoing fight for equality.

This year will mark the 10^th year in a row that the Virginia General Assembly will introduce bills to protect LGBTQ people from housing and employment discrimination. These bills do not ask for special treatment for LGBTQ individuals, only equal protection under the law. In years past, these bills have made their way out of the Senate, but failed to gain passage through the House of Delegates. This year, there are two bills regarding employment non-discrimination (SB 998 and HB 2067), and four bills about fair housing non-discrimination (SB 1109, SB 1232, HB 2677 and HB 1823) that are being introduced. These bills are working their way through committee and will hopefully make it to the floor for a full floor vote in both chambers.

Looking back to 1953 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10450, our history shows that it was commonplace to be able to fire someone for being gay. There was systemic racism throughout the federal workforce, and society in general, against homosexuals. Gay people were labeled as sexual deviants, and thus regularly shunned. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was notorious for investigating those suspected of being gay, and formulating memos on people that dated back to the 1920’s. This was also during the time of McCarthyism, when many Americans were wrongly accused of being communists, and the two issues were often conflated. Many people who were even suspected of being gay were singled out and fired from government jobs, or shamed to the point of committing suicide.

There was one government astronomer name Frank Kameny who, instead of giving up when he was fired, decided to fight the injustice. He joined forces with Jack Nichols to form the Mattachine Society in Washington, D.C. In addition to acting as a support group for gay people, the Mattachine Society worked to raise awareness and fight for civil rights. Kameny was no stranger to Washington, as his father was an FBI agent, so he changed his name to Warren Adkins to avoid putting his father’s career in danger.

The gay rights movement began to churn forward, and chapters of the Mattachine Society began popping up in other large American cities, such as New York and Los Angeles. Mike Wallace of CBS News hosted the first mainstream documentary about the movement in 1967 entitled “The Homosexuals”, and Walter Adkins was interviewed for the show.

At the same time, gay publications were beginning to flourish. The first gay magazine was called One: The Homosexual Magazine, which mostly existed as an underground publication. Interestingly enough, it was rolled off the presses at the same time as the first Playboy magazine. Ironically, ONE was considered to be obscene, and the US Postal Service refused to allow the magazine to be sent through the mail, even though it contained no pictures or imagery. The irony was that Playboy could be sent through the mail, even though it contained nude photos. The publishers of One took the case to the Supreme Court and won, and the magazine survived and thrived for another 25 years.

The first widely circulated newspaper to serve the gay community was the Gay Blade (now called the Washington Blade), first published in Washington DC in 1969. The newspaper brought the gay community together, and chronicled LGBTQ news locally, nationally and internationally. In 1968, the Stonewall Riots in NYC were considered the first big act of the gay rights movement that gained national attention. These events were a jumping point for activists who were looking to gain civil right protections.

To this day, the LGBTQ community are still looking for equal protections under the law. Even after marriage equality was passed in the Supreme Court in 2015 with the Obergefell vs. Hodges case, and the federal workforce is protected with nondiscrimination, states like Virginia still lag behind in offering protections for LGBTQ individuals in regards to housing and employment.

by Rachel Simon

The Women’s Liberation Movement with Dale Brumfield

(Jan. 16, 2019) Catherine Read sits down with Cultural Archeologist Dale Brumfield, for a discussion about the history of the women’s liberation movement. As Virginia kicks off the 2019 legislative session, the Commonwealth is poised to be the 38^th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. Brumfield provides some history and context of the movement, and what brings us to this moment in time.

Brumfield begins by sharing the history of the women’s liberation movement. It was sparked in 1968, when the leftist hippie counter-culture movement was getting started. Women were brought into the coalition, to essentially provide cover for the men when dealing with the police during protests. When marching or protesting, the men who ran the movement would put the women up front in the marches so that the police would not attack them or use tear gas. When the women started to understand the dynamics of their situation, they decided to break from the ranks and start their own movement.

During the 1968 Miss America pageant, women waged the first large group protest of the movement, coming together to denounce the entire premise of the beauty pageant. The New York Post falsely reported that women were burning their bras, when in reality they were tossing them in the ceremonial “freedom trash can”. Women in support of the women’s liberation movement were forever stereotyped as “bra-burning” radicals. The bad press was hard to shake, so the women decided to take control of their own messaging.

Marilyn Webb, a Virginian, was at the head of the movement at the time. She ambitiously founded Magic Quilt in 1968, designed to help organize the disparate women’s groups nationwide, and help mobilize and the ranks. The task proved to be too daunting, and she did not succeed in establishing Magic Quilt as the umbrella organization for the women’s liberation movement.

She did, however, successfully launch the first news magazine that was dedicated to women’s issues called “Off Our Backs”. Many people think that Gloria Steinem with Ms. Magazine was the first feminist publication of its type, but “Off our Backs” hit the printing press in 1970, several years before Ms. The magazine was meant to set the stage for, and define the narrative about, women’s issues.

Much of the coverage of the movement by the mainstream media was negative, so the purpose of the magazine was to change the tune and offer an alternative voice. At the time, Webb was unable to find anyone in Virginia to actually print the magazine, so they traveled to Atlanta to find a publisher. Off Our Backs continued publishing for 38 years, although they eventually transitioned to online publishing before closing shop in 2008. Archives of the publication can be found online.

Throughout the history of the United States, women have had to fight for equality in so many ways. From suffrage, to entering the workforce and even being able to own their own credit card without their husband’s co-signature, women have had an uphill battle every step of the way. Brumfield notes that it is challenging to maintain a movement over a long, sustained period. There are certain moments in time that spark a light to continue the fight.

Many women found the 2016 election, and the #metoo movement that followed, to be such a moment. Women have been inspired to take things into their own hands, and run for office in record numbers on the local, state and federal level. Here in Virginia, we elected three women to Congress in 2018. As women continue to get elected and hold office, he believes that progress will follow.

(update: The State Senate passed the ERA amendment on the first day of session, however the House of Delegates voted the bill down in committee, along party lines).

by Rachel Simon

Images for Good with Kevin Krisco

(Jan. 2, 2019) Catherine Read interviews Kevin Krisko, founder and President of the nonprofit images for Good, and Yassmin Salem, a student currently working with the organization. They discuss the history, purpose and goals of this unique program that teaches visual storytelling while supporting the work of other non-profits.

Images for Good is a mentored service photography nonprofit that empowers new service leaders in the community, using photography as a tool of change. Students who are interested in telling the stories of important work being done in the community are mentored in the art of photography to help amplify and elevate the good work being done all around them. Krisko founded the organization after volunteering his own services for nonprofit events, because often times they do not have a budget to hire a photographer to capture professional style images. He thought that pairing the opportunity to teach a student about the art of photography, while giving back to the community, was a perfect way to both teach and inspire students. So images for Good was born, and is currently thriving.

The all-volunteer staff strives to close opportunity gaps through youth development and social innovation. Images for Good partners with small, community based nonprofits to document their events and tell their stories. Krisko emphasizes that it is important to have a diversity of perspectives when telling stories, so images for Good is deliberate about recruiting students from a variety of backgrounds. Their recruiting material is even translated into ten different languages.

Students who participate in this program are taught and mentored by professionals in the field. The goal is not only to teach photography skills, but also to open the students’ eyes to the world around them. Krisko notes that they teach students how to see things differently by bringing heart and soul to their work, with the goal of inspiring the students to ultimately live their life in a more altruistic manner. Once a student graduates from the program, they are encouraged to in turn become mentors to new students who want to get involved.

Yassmin Salem, a student at George Mason University and current participant, was connected to images for Good when searching for a community service opportunity as part of her course work at school. She has thoroughly enjoyed her experience working with the organization, and was excited to be exposed to so many community nonprofits that she did not know about before she embarked on this journey. She has learned about photography and editing skills, as well as how to frame a good picture, capture authentic images and how to tell a story through her pictures.

Since inception in March of 2015 images for Good has worked with over 100 nonprofit organizations and covered over 150 various engagements. They have brought in 27 adult mentors to inspire, teach and plant seeds in the students who they work with. They are always looking for more adult volunteers, and welcome any donations to help purchase more equipment and continue their good work. As the organization grows and they build a network of relationships, Krisko hopes to inspire students to be open and welcoming to new people and new experiences, as well as learn how to advocate and support causes that are meaningful to them.

Krisko is grateful to everyone who has helped images for Good get to where they are today, including individual donors, corporate donors and everyone who volunteers. They can be found on Twitter (@imagesforgood), Facebook and Instagram (@imagesforgood) as well as online at www.imagesforgood.org

by Rachel Simon

Delegate Kaye Kory on Your Need to Know

(Jan. 9, 2019) Catherine Read sits down with Delegate Kaye Kory (D-38) to discuss the upcoming legislative session in the Virginia General Assembly. Korey represents the Bailey’s Crossroads and surrounding neighborhoods in Fairfax County.

After a career in community organizing, Korey launched her political career as a member of the Fairfax County School Board starting in 2009. After serving on the board for 10 years, and having accomplished many of the things she set out to do, she challenged the party incumbent in a primary and was ultimately elected to the General Assembly in 2009. She was excited for the new challenge, and eager to represent her constituents in Richmond. She has always looked for common sense, practical solutions to problems she sees in the system.

Many of the bills that she files are the direct result of constituents who come to her with ideas, or complaints, with how specific issues are currently being handled. Working together with groups or individuals, Korey prides herself on learning the ins and outs of any specific problem, and working hard to find ways to solve it. She is well versed in the inner workings of the legislature, and is eager to get to work on behalf of her constituents in Richmond.

This year, Virginia could become the 38^th and final state to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Korey was instrumental in raising a discussion about the ERA during last year’s session by working with her colleague Del. Sam Rasoul to start the discussion in the Privileges and Elections Committee. This helped to set the stage for the debate to happen in 2019. (Update: as of today, the bill has passed through the Senate, and will be sent to the House).

In addition to the ERA, Korey is always looking for ways to advance issues surrounding education, as it is an area near and dear to her heart. Bringing her experience as a school board member in the largest school division in Virginia, she is intimately aware of the challenges faced by teachers and administrators alike, and is always looking for opportunities to make things better.

In the 2018 session, one of her signature bills was HB 83. This bill requires that correctional facilities in Virginia provide menstrual hygiene products to inmates at no cost. The bill passed unanimously, and Korey has dedicated a great deal of time over the past year working with the Department of Corrections to ensure that the language on their books accurately represents the intent of the bill. She has diligently traveled the state to meet with corrections officers, and to personally see the impact of her legislation.

All 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for grabs this November. While the Republicans still hold a slim majority in both the Senate (21-19) and the House (51-49), the makeup of these two bodies could look drastically different come January of 2020.

by Rachel Simon

Fair Housing with Margaret Squires

(Dec. 19, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Margaret Squires, Fair Housing Coordinator, Fairfax County Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs. Their discussion focuses on fair housing, and how her office handles claims of fair housing discrimination in the county.

The Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs handles discrimination complaints in fives different areas: housing, employment, public accommodations, credit and private education. If a person thinks that they have been discriminated against, they can file a complaint with the county office. A case will be opened, and an investigation will ensue. Squires notes that protected classes of individuals are race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, disability, marital status and age discrimination.

If someone thinks that they have been discriminated against, Squires encourages them to contact her office to learn if they have a viable complaint. People can call the office (there is a TTY phone number available for the hard of hearing), they can visit the office in person and speak with a representative, or they can reach out to the office online to share information about their experience. In all of these situations, a case manager will be assigned to the complaint, and will identify if there is enough evidence to proceed. People have 365 days from the date of the event to file their complaint.

After the case managers determine that there is a basis for the claim, they move forward in contacting the housing provider to try and resolve the issue. The case mangers always try and bring the parties together to come to a resolution. If an investigation has determined that a housing provider is in violation of fair housing law, and they refuse to come to an agreement, then Squire’s office will refer the case to the County Attorney’s office for further review. Many times, after the disputes are resolved, the person in violation of the law will be required to attend a Fair Housing training in order to better understand the law and how to conduct business in the future.

In the second segment, Catherine discusses some trends that Squires has been noticing in the field. Specifically, she mentions concerns regarding an increasing reluctance to file a complaint by members of the Hispanic community, and the immigrant community at large. In today’s current political climate, many immigrants are afraid to speak up even if they are legitimately covered under the law. It is a disturbing trend, and Squires emphasizes that her case mangers do not need documentation from people when filing a complaint. She worries that many people are getting taken advantage of, because they are unwilling to speak out.

Squires also points out that it is illegal for a housing provider to retaliate against someone who files a complaint. If a housing provider evicts a tenant after they have filed a complaint, the provider could be subject to fines as they are not viewed favorably if they retaliate.

Additionally, Squire’s office is available as a resource to the community, as they provide education and outreach services. Services include training for housing providers, real estate professionals, property managers, lenders and other housing professionals. They are also available to provide information and training to the public at no cost.

by Rachel Simon

League of Women Voters with Beth Tudan

(Dec. 5, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Beth Tudan, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area for a discussion focusing on voter registration and voter education.

Several years ago, Beth realized that there was a wide disparity regarding how students were being taught about voter registration throughout Fairfax County. This was brought to her attention when her own son was in high school, and she learned that not all students were getting equal access to education and assistance about the voter registration process. After learning in 2016 that only 1600 out of approximately 13,000 senior students were registered to vote, she embarked on a mission to change the paradigm.

Together with the FCPS school system; the League of Women Voters sponsored a voter registration challenge. Understanding that not all students are able to register to vote, they adjusted eligible student numbers for each high school, and came up with realistic goals based on the school population. By the end of the challenge, they had boosted registration up to approximately 5,000 students countywide. Last year, Hayfield Secondary School took the prize, under the enthusiastic direction of Doug Ziwall. The League will again sponsor the challenge for the 2018-2019 school year and are looking to improve on last year’s success.

In addition, the LWV created a non-partisan lesson plan that they use to emphasize the importance of voting, and the responsibilities of being a citizen in a democracy. Tudan and her volunteers use interactive exercises to demonstrate why students should not let others decide about public policy on their behalf. In Virginia, citizens do not register by party, so voters can decide which primary that they will participate in year by year. This training is now being shared with Leagues throughout the state, which will hopefully boost voter registration throughout the Commonwealth.

The class also informs students how they can vote absentee once they go off to college, as well as how to find information about candidates, and locate their polling place. The goal is to give students the tools that they need to be able to actively participate in the democratic process as well as develop a habit of voting. Tudan notes that the wonderful thing about the Commonwealth of Virginia is that elections are held every year, so the students will always have a reason to go to the polls the same year that they register.

Each high school is required to offer voter registration opportunities to students three times a year. Tudan has worked with volunteers at the LWV to ensure that every school that requests a visit can be covered. In Virginia, there are only three organizations that are authorized to visit schools regarding voter registration. They are the League of Women Voters, Aspire Virginia and the Board of Elections.

The LWV regularly works with students who are looking to fulfill the requirement of service hours for graduation. She has opportunities for students to research candidates (in a non-partisan fashion), help organize candidate forums, and manage social media posts with tips and information for voters. Please reach out to Beth via email if you are student and you are interested in getting involved.

Tudan points out that this is a big year for Virginia, as every seat in the General Assembly (100 House seats and 40 Senate seats) will be up for grabs. Additionally, elections will be held at the municipal level, as well as at the county level for the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Visit the League’s website for more information about voting and candidates in the Fairfax County area.

by Rachel Simon

Welcome Home Reentry Program with Judy Wetzel

(Nov. 28, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Judy Wetzel to discuss the Welcome Home Reentry Program, which is organized by Catholic Charities of the Arlington Diocese. This program provides mentors to those who have faced addiction, and are coming out of jail and reentering society. These mentors are an integral part of the reentry process. They can help a client stay on track, as well as being there to listen when times are tough. Often times, family members and friends are not willing or able to take on these roles as they have lived for many years with the ups and downs that go along with addiction. Someone who is a third party can also do a better job at being honest, and holding accountable, someone who faces the challenges that go along with addiction.

Wetzel became involved in the Welcome Home program after her son, Billy, went through a long and difficult struggle with addiction. Billy grew up in a strong, middle class Catholic family in Northern Virginia, and Judy never imagined that this was something that she would have to contend with. Billy started using drugs at a young age, starting with alcohol and marijuana when he was 13 years old. As much as the family tried to get him help and counseling, his addiction grew stronger and he continued to use more potent drugs. Eventually, after getting help and sticking to the 12-step program, Billy was able to get himself clean and was in remission.

Sadly, Billy’s dad became ill after suffering a heart attack and stroke, and eventually passed away. This was a difficult time for Judy and the whole family, and it had a catastrophic effect on Billy. He simply fell apart, and fell back into bad habits to help ease the pain. After a series of misdemeanors caught up with him, he found himself back in jail. When he was released, he was fortunate enough to land a spot in the Oxford House, which is a home run by Catholic Charities specifically designed for those with addiction, who are reentering society after incarceration. Judy was so thankful for this program. While there, Billy had a mentor and Judy felt as if he was really getting his life back on track. From her perspective, the month that he spent there was very positive. He had a safe place to live in an independent way, and it gave him time to bond with family. Sadly, although Judy really thought that Billy was on a path to a brighter future, he lost his life to an overdose just about a month after he was released from jail.

After much grieving, Judy vowed to make a difference and help others who face her own struggle. She has become involved with the Welcome Home program as an ambassador, and has gone out into the community to encourage people to get involved and become mentors. She does not want her son’s life to have been in vain, and sees this as a way to honor his memory. As she knows from first hand experience, often times a family member cannot serve as a mentor because they are too close to the situation. The family member wants to provide unconditional love, and cannot always hold the person accountable for their actions. Family members also tend to be fatigued from years of coping with the ups and downs of addiction, that is why mentors are critical to success.

Wetzel notes that although the program is run through Catholic Charities, one does not have to be Catholic to serve as a mentor. They are in search of mentors who are able to commit to a 6 month “post”. The first 60 days you will work specifically with one person. The mentor is there to hold their client accountable, listen to their challenges, assist them with a job search, or even drive them to the thrift store or to an AA meeting. Often times, when people are exiting jail, they leave with no money (and often times have a bill from the jail), no clothes, no car, and nowhere to live. They are facing a huge uphill battle. The Oxford House, and the Welcome Home Reentry Program, aims to make this adjustment just a little bit easier. The program is designed to give these people a fighting chance at making a better life for themselves, and becoming a contributing member of society.

Judy encourages anyone who in interested to get involved. If you cannot commit to being a mentor, there are a variety of other ways that you can help. There is a backpack program that provides those who are leaving prison a backpack of personal items to help them get started. They also need people to volunteer in an administrative capacity and could also use drivers to help get people around to AA meetings and job interviews, if the mentor is not available. Each and every person who can dedicate their time can make a huge difference and impact a life. You can find more information about the program by contacting Sally O’Dwyer at [email protected].

by Rachel Simon

Communities of Trust Committee with Shirley Ginwright

(Nov 21, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Shirley Ginwright, Co-Chair of the Fairfax Communities of Trust Committee (COTC). The committee was established in December of 2014, following the tragic death of Michael Brown and the ensuing riots and civil unrest that emerged in Ferguson, Missouri. For the past 4 years, this committee has successfully brought together local law enforcement and emergency response agencies so that they can effectively work together and have trust between agencies, as well as build community trust with law enforcement.

When Ginwright first approached Fairfax County officials after the Ferguson riots, she posed the question of “what do we have in place to PREVENT a similar situation from happening right here in Fairfax County?” After discovering that there really was nothing in place, Chairman of the Board Sharon Bulova established the Communities of Trust Committee, and appointed Ginwright the chair. Representatives from every law enforcement agency, including local police, the sheriff’s office, state police, the FBI, the Justice Department, emergency response and school resource officers were brought together under this effort.

The committee holds lengthy discussions and shares information and best practices. They discovered that many of their agencies were doing the same thing, but were unaware of what their counterparts were doing, and how they were doing it. Now that relationships are built between agencies, they are more likely to collaborate and help one another in challenging situations. The exercise of bringing these groups together fostered understanding and trust, as well as a forum of how to approach the larger issue of how to address lack of trust with law enforcement. They have worked hard over the past 4 years to come up with concrete ways to bring officers into the community and demonstrate that the police are there to keep residents safe and protect them from threats.

One of the programs that emerged from the COTC is the Police At Lunch (PAL) program, born in the Mt. Vernon district. This program brings officers into the school lunchrooms to help kids open containers of milk and have lunch with the kids. The programming is designed to make the officers accessible, and show children that officers are safe and trustworthy.

The COTC has been able to make a big impact relative to how School Resource Officers integrate into the disciplinary system in the middle and high schools throughout Fairfax County. Data indicates that students of color and students with disabilities were disproportionately affected by being brought into the juvenile justice system by SRO’s in certain schools throughout the county. The COTC worked collaboratively with FCPS and local law enforcement to focus the role of the SRO on safety, and allow school administrators to deal with discipline for students regarding non-violent offenses. This has kept many more children in school and out of detention centers. The signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been so successful that it has become a model that it is now being replicated in other school districts, as well as on the state level.

The COTC has also been instrumental in helping parents better understand their rights, if and when their child is detained by an officer or disciplined during the school day. The committee has hosted 4 forums designed for parents, so that they understand what the process should be if their child is detained. The committee has created a flowchart and videos for parents so that they can understand the various phases of the disciplinary process in an effort to help increase transparency.

The committee has also weighed in on issues such immigration and diversity in the police force. The COTC has created videos to help parents and kids understand their rights if a parent is picked up or detained while a child is in school. It is called the “know your rights video” and can be found on their website. They have also worked collaboratively with citizen groups to advocate for diversity and better minority representation on the local police force. Representation matters, and helps to build trust with minority communities.

Ginwright is excited about the new initiatives that the committee is taking on, such as working with the police force on policies surrounding body cameras. The committee meets every Thursday at the Fairfax Government Center, and welcomes guests to join them for their meetings. She also notes that they are available to visit groups for presentations in the community. More information can be found on the website.

by Rachel Simon

Virginia Women’s Monument

(Nov. 14, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with the Hon. Mary Margaret Whipple, Vice-Chair of the Virginia Women’s Monument Commission. The commission was established back in 2010 to explore the idea of honoring historic women who have many significant contributions to the commonwealth. Over the past 8 years, the commission has come up with a design plan, secured land on the Capitol Grounds, and raised money to finance the monument. “Voices from the Garden” will be the name of the new monument, and it will seek to educate Virginians about women who might not be household names, but have made significant contributions in their lifetimes.

One of the ideas that resonated with the commission was to make the monument something that people could relate to and even interact with. The 12 women who will be honored will be cast in bronze statues that will be standing or sitting on benches in the space. It is meant to imply that these women were regular people who walked amongst us, making their mark in everyday life. They did not want these women to be set up on pedestals. There will be walls surrounding the garden that will tell the amazing stories of each women who is honored, and they will also be adding names to the walls in future years. The one caveat is that people who are honored will need to be deceased for 10 years, in order to ensure that their accomplishments stand the test of time.

Once the design selection was made, the commission focused its attention on choosing the women who would be honored. They worked together with a committee of scholars of Women’s Studies programs throughout the state. It was critical for them to have geographic and ethnic diversity in representation. The women who are being honored are not necessarily household names, but have made significant contributions in our state and throughout society. A complete list of the women can be found on the website.

The commission has raised $3 million of the $3.8 million needed to complete the monument. A small fraction of the money was given by the state, but the balance has been raised through individual donors, foundations, corporations and banks. In order to begin work on the project, they needed to have enough money in the bank to ensure that the project could move forward. The groundbreaking took place on December 4, 2017 and then Gov. Terry McAuliffe attended and gave the keynote address. Production is in place for 4 of the bronze statues, and as money is raised the remaining statues will be put into production. Whipple has a fundraising plan in place to raise the balance of funds by February 2019, so that the dedication can take place as scheduled in October of 2019. She welcomes any donations, large or small, which can be made on the website.

by Rachel Simon

Dr. Sarah John – Medical Mission to Haiti

(Wed. Nov 7, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Dr. Sarah John, who leads an annual medical mission trip to Haiti with We Care to Share. In addition to the medical services provided to the people of Chantal, Haiti, for the last five years special projects in the village have been funded by the Rotary Club of Centerville-Chantilly in collaboration with other area Rotary Clubs in District 7610. She began organizing this annual trip to the village of Chantal, which is located approximately 150 miles southwest of Port-Au-Prince, after the massive 2010 earthquake devastated the island.

This will be the 16^th mission trip for her group, and Dr. John is very proud of all that they have been able to accomplish over the years. She has successfully brought together fifteen Rotary Clubs from Northern Virginia to help provide the village of Chantal with things like school bathrooms, solar arrays, a school kitchen, solar cooking pots, and many over the counter medications. The medical missions first brought large items like dental chairs, so people would not have to lie on wooden boards while having their teeth cleaned, along with smaller things like band aids and pharmaceutical goods that people did not have access to. On each trip, volunteer doctors, nurses and lay people serve over 1000 patients for medical and dental checkups.

This year, Rotarians working in conjunction with Bethel United Methodist Church from Warrenton, VA, will be funding the set-up of the very first science classroom in the village, outfitted with lab equipment and computers. There is no access to the Internet in this remote village, but the Computers for Education group that works with Bethel Church is retrofitting laptops with educational software and Wikipedia information, in their native Creole language. These computers will be networked together, so students can have access to information. This will provide a hands-on learning experience, complete with microscopes and lab equipment, something these students have ever had. Part of the mission trip will include science teachers visiting to train the teachers in Chantal on how to use these new resources.

Dr. John is still looking for individuals who are interested in going on this mission trip scheduled for January. In particular, she is in need of pharmacists, who will process prescriptions for all of the patients who are seen in the free clinics. They could also use more doctors, nurses and lay people to help carry out the mission. The cost to attend is the airfare, plus $650, which covers housing, meals and transportation on the island. She notes that after all of the hard work is done, the fee includes a stay at a beautiful hotel and a day at a Caribbean beach.

In the second segment of the show, Catherine speaks with Dr. Jerry Foltz, a doctor of ministry and a fellow Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly. One of his first major efforts in supporting the mission involved driving goods up to Brooklyn to be loaded on a ship bound for Haiti. One of his first assignments was to deliver the dental chairs. He notes that they were difficult to move and deliver, but after seeing what a difference they make when he visited Chantal, he knows that it was important work to be done. In the trip he made with Dr. John two years ago he worked in a variety of capacities – helping to organize patients and prep them for a doctors visit, as well as work in an administrative capacity to enter data into the system after the doctors are done with their work.

Dr. Foltz loves the culture of trust in the village of Chantal, and thoroughly enjoyed his trip there with other volunteers. He notes that the strong infrastructure of Rotary worldwide is what makes projects like this possible. He enjoys collaborating with Dr. John, and with other Rotary clubs, in using their combined resources to make a significant impact in a part of the world that lacks so many resources.