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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 are 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 shared 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 Rachel Simon Leave a Comment

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 Leave a Comment

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 Leave a Comment

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.

by Rachel Simon Leave a Comment

AARP Speakers Bureau – Suba Saty

(Mar. 28, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Suba Saty, facilitator for the AARP Speakers Bureau in Northern Virginia. The Speaker’s Bureau is a wonderful benefit for AARP members, as the discussion topics are wide and varied, and provide a rich resource of information. Saty is in charge of finding speakers and matching them with organizations and programs in the community.

Presentation topics include everything from understanding Social Security and Medicare, to the 5 Pillars of Brain Health, to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft. The AARP website offers a full listing of upcoming talks, along with locations and registration information. AARP has recently forged a partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Center (OLLI), which is a part of George Mason University. Other speaking engagements take place at community centers throughout Northern Virginia, as well as in churches, synagogues and mosques. Anyone can request a speaker, but Saty notes that due to high demand they normally schedule engagements about 3-4 months out in the future. Speakers are also available to participate on panels for local conferences.

The Bureau is always looking for qualified volunteer speakers. If you have a specific expertise and are interested in getting involved, you can apply online to be vetted through the state office of AARP in Richmond. Once the application process is complete, the local Fairfax Bureau can be in touch to talk about how you can lend your specialized knowledge to local members.

In addition to the speaker series, AARP also has other local programming available to members. The driver safety course is given throughout the year, and can result in a small discount on car insurance premiums. AARP also offers year-round Tax Aid advice free of charge, and a Voter Engagement Program.

Several times throughout the year AARP will sponsor academies at local community centers, where there will be an entire day of programming featuring multiple topics. In June there will be a mini-academy at Walter Reed Community Center in Arlington and on September 8^th the OLLI institute will host an all day seminar. Please visit the website for more details and registration information. You can also signup to get newsletters and email updates. You can also find AARP Virginia on Facebook and Twitter (@AARPVa)

by Catherine Read Leave a Comment

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – The OLLI Players

(March 21, 2018) Catherine Read talks with Sandy Lisiewski, a member of The OLLI Players, and Michelle Blandburg, Treasurer of the OLLI Board of Directors and also a member of this local theatrical troupe. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is affiliated with both The Osher Foundation and George Mason University. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute was founded for the purpose of offering mature adult learners ongoing educational experiences along with social activities and special events.

Sandy Lisiewski joined a Readers’ Theater class at OLLI in 1998. It was a way for those interested in acting to participate in productions without costumes, sets or memorizing lines. That evolved into performing skits which they performed at local events. In 2005, Kathie West, a retired drama teacher, joined the Readers’ Theater and started a Drama Club at OLLI. The OLLI Players Theater was established shortly thereafter. One of their members is also a producer at the local Fairfax Public Access (FPA) studio and created the opportunity to produce radio and television productions in addition to their live performances. They branched out into interactive Murder Mystery productions. After the first production, a class was offered every semester that allows those who want to participate in a Murder Mystery to create the characters, write the plot and participate in the production.

In 2015, Kathie West started the OLLI Players Workshop Class. The first performances were at the OLLI campus. They decided to do community outreach to see if there were organizations interested in having them perform at their own locations. Out of the 75 organizations they contacted, a substantial number welcomed their free performances, and so they took their show on the road in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties. The players range in age from about 60 to 89 and there are 15 to 20 players in the troupe at any given time. Doing traditional plays are a challenge because the venues are dramatically different from one location to the next. So they have developed themed productions that are more of a variety show or vaudeville format to allow for different players’ availability and the constraints of the performance space. They have done a program around “Memories” and also “Lyrics from the Heart” as well as holiday themed shows. One of their favorite annual fundraising projects is a calendar featuring the OLLI Players in costumes around a particular theme.

Michelle Blandburg discovered OLLI through seeing it on a bumpersticker before she was even fully retired. She started taking classes around her part-time work schedule, and one of those classes was Readers’ Theater. She joined The OLLI Players, was asked to be on the OLLI Board of Directors (where she is currently Treasurer) and then began teaching the Readers’ Theater Class. There are 121 OLLIs affiliated with universities and colleges around the country supported by The Osher Foundation, at least one in every state and in DC. There is an introductory rate to try out the program for one semester. The annual membership fee for one full year provides unlimited classes (there are over 600 classes offered) and a GMU Student ID that offers eligibility for a number of discounts at the bookstore and in other places. Many instructors are academics (active and retired), and a wide range of other area professionals that are experts in their fields. If you want a class that is not provided, you can propose a class to the program committee and even teach it yourself.

There is a course catalogue published four times a year, the schedule of classes is also online, and there is an online registration. Classes are taught at the main OLLI campus at Tallwood off Roberts Road in Fairfax, as well as in Loudoun County, Reston and at locations scattered around Northern Virginia, some in spaces provided by faith communities. Classes include things like dance, yoga and Tai Chi. In addition to the classes, there are also many clubs – for Bridge, Current Events, Arts & Crafts, Poetry and more. There are also special events like wine tastings, chocolate tastings and ice cream socials. The Special Events Committee is open to new suggestions. This is a volunteer driven organization, and the people in the OLLI community are what makes it go.

For more information visit: http://OLLI.GMU.EDU or email: [email protected] The main office is located at 4210 Roberts Rd in Fairfax, VA.

To book The OLLI Players at your location, email: [email protected]

by Rachel Simon Leave a Comment

Rebuilding Together – Patti Klein

(Mar. 14, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Patti Klein, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together of Arlington, Fairfax and Falls Church. Rebuilding Together is a national non-profit organization that brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners. They mobilize volunteer teams, who visit low-income homeowners to make much needed repairs. Over 80% of their clientele are seniors who are aging in place, and who are on a fixed income. They also work with those who are in vulnerable positions, weather its due to an illness, divorce or loss of a job.

Rebuilding Together was originally known as the Christmas in April program, initiated over 40 years ago. The organization has been re-branded, and now does work year around to help low income homeowners keep up with the demands of their properties. As previously noted, Klein finds most of the people who need their help are seniors who are aging in place. They work closely with Physical and Occupational Therapists who are able to make referrals to the organization when a homeowner is released from the hospital, and might need accommodations in order to return home safely. Klein notes that they also get referrals from both Arlington and Fairfax Counties when homeowners apply for property tax waivers. Additionally, Rebuilding Together appears in the Golden Gazette, a Fairfax County publication geared towards seniors. Klein wants people to know more about their organization, and encourages anyone to make a referral, call the office, or apply online to see if they qualify for services.

Rebuilding Together is a needs-based organization. Applicants must fall at or below 80% of the median income, which in Fairfax County is $52,000 for one person. Once an applicant is approved, Rebuilding Together will send a team out to survey the house and come up with a comprehensive list of improvements that need to be made. Many of the jobs wind up being relatively small, like grab bars, comfort height toilets, or fixing uneven flooring. Once a comprehensive list is made, then they find a sponsor for the project and work with volunteers to get the job done.

Funding for the organization comes from a variety of sources, including corporate and faith-based partners, individual donors and support from both Fairfax and Arlington Counties. Last year Klein notes that they completed 73 projects. These include many homes where aging in place improvements were made, as well as work at homeless shelters, group homes for the developmentally disabled and even a community garden. The average cost of materials for an individual project is around $450.

There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer for Rebuilding Together. Individuals or groups can apply online to be volunteers. Children over the age of 14 are encouraged to get involved, but would need to sign a waiver and be supervised by an adult if under the age of 18. These are ideal projects for scout groups or youth groups who are looking to take on a meaningful project. Each volunteer can be signed up for an email list, so they get a schedule of upcoming jobs, and are able to fill in on an as-needed basis when they are available. Klein notes that they are flexible and willing to work with anyone, even if they only have a little bit of time to give.

With only three full-time and two part-time employees to manage projects on approximately 100 homes, and organize 1200 volunteers on an annual basis, Klein notes that that they do as much as they can with the resources they are given. She encourages everyone to visit their website and to financially support the organization. April 28^th marks National Rebuilding Day, their big spring project day when they will rehabilitate up to 30 local homes and will need 15-50 people on each project. Klein encourages all who are interested to reach out and consider getting involved.

by Rachel Simon 1 Comment

Fairfax for All Coalition – Inside Scoop

(Mar. 12, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with community activists who are part of the Fairfax for All Coalition. These representatives are from local civic advocacy organizations that focus on supporting the immigrant community in Northern Virginia. Catherine speaks with Sookyung Oh of NAKASEC, Allie Boldt of Demos and Michelle LaRue of CASA Virginia. They all share important information about the work that they are doing every day to make our communities strong and safe for all residents.

In the first segment, Catherine interviews Sookyung Oh, the DC Area Director of NAKASEC (National Korean American Service Education Consortium). NAKASEC began its work in Virginia five years ago, and current programs are centered on immigrant rights, civic engagement, and parent and youth organizing. NAKASEC VA’s work is focused on the most vulnerable community members, including low-income, recent immigrants, limited English proficient, undocumented, youth, women, and seniors. It is a nonprofit aimed at building an inclusive community by creating economic opportunities for all, breaking down barriers and bringing people together.

NAKASEC took on two big legislative priorities this year. The first was advocating in Richmond at the General Assembly for a Driver’s Privilege Card for all, including undocumented immigrants. This would extend driving privileges to anyone who has been tested, trained and insured. Unfortunately this bill got killed in committee and never made it to the floor for a vote. Their second legislative goal was to extend in-state tuition to all eligible students who graduated from a Virginia high school. Currently DACA recipients are eligible for in-state tuition, but only after a full year after being granted DACA status. This bill would have loosened the strict requirements and opened up the doors for many more students to pursue a college degree at an affordable price. This initiative was also killed before getting to the floor for a vote. NAKASEC will continue to advocate for these benefits in the coming years.

In the second segment Catherine speaks with Michelle La Rue from CASA Virginia and Allie Boldt of Demos. CASA is an immigrant rights organization that aims to organize, advocate for and expand opportunities for Latino and immigrant populations in our local communities. Demos is a non-partisan, national public policy organization working for an America where everyone has an equal say in our democracy and an equal chance in our economy.

Boldt spoke about the fact that being an undocumented immigrant is not a crime, it is a civil offense similar to not paying taxes. Civil immigration enforcement is separate from the criminal law system. Demos focuses on pressing Fairfax County to end all unnecessary and unconstitutional collaboration with ICE. Boldt would like to see the end of the over-criminalizing of the immigrant community. She was pleased to see that Sheriff Stacey Kinkaid has agreed to stop honoring ICE requests to detain someone past their scheduled release date, and would like to see the Juvenile Detention Centers follow suit.

LaRue shared that CASA is intent on protecting confidential and sensitive information about community members. They aim for local officials to guard this data, instead of freely sharing information with ICE officials. This includes personal contact information and immigration/citizen status. She would also like to limit ICE agent’s access to county facilities like jails, schools and other public facilities. Another goal is to end the practice of arresting immigrants and bringing them into custody on misdemeanor charges, when other citizens would simply be released.

The cumulative effects of the practices that CASA and Demos are aiming to eliminate actually have the result of making our communities less safe. Both organizations claim that the current policies of Virginia law enforcement’s unconstitutional collaboration with ICE breed mistrust and fear that endangers the safety, health and well-being of the entire community. Extensive research shows that, compared to counties that cooperate with ICE, counties that refuse to honor detainers have statistically lower crime rates, stronger economies and put less strain on social and mental health assistance programs. This is because there is greater trust and cooperation between the police and the communities when people do not fear being deported.

In addition to NAKASEC, Demos and CASA, the Fairfax for All Coalition is comprised of La Collectiva, DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network, and ACLU People Power. They are working together to move the needle on regulations at individual agencies and departments like the Sheriff’s Office and Police Department, as well as through countywide ordinance. The Fairfax for All Coalition has provided Fairfax officials with the resources to update their regulations and pass an ordinance. Both Boldt and LaRue note that if these issues are important to you, than you should not hesitate in making your voice heard. Reach out to your Supervisor and share your stories, experiences and opinions. The next opportunity to speak publicly about this will be on April 3^rd at the Public Safety meeting held by Sheriff Kinkaid. Check the CASA website and facebook page for more information as the date approaches.

by Rachel Simon Leave a Comment

2018 Russian Elections with Dr. Klara Bilgin

(Mar. 7, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Dr. Klara Bilgin, Dean of Public and International Affairs at Virginia International University, about the upcoming Russian elections to be held on March 18, 2018. Although Vladimir Putin is widely expected to win the elections, there is much that can be learned about Russian electoral system which provides insights into what is happening in the country.

On December 6^th Vladimir Putin announced that he would seek reelection for his second consecutive term, and his fourth term overall. Putin served his first two consecutive terms from 2000-2008, after which he was barred from running again. During Dmitry Medvedev’s administration the constitution was changed to a 6-year term. Putin ran again in 2012, and his 6-year term is now ending. Should he be elected again, which is widely expected, he would be 72 years old at the end of this next term. It is not expected that he will attempt to change the constitution and try to run for another term, more likely he will look at grooming his successor.

Dr. Bilgin shared that the office of the presidency in Russia is quite strong. The Russian President can institute decrees and legislative initiatives without oversight of the legislative branch. Even if there was stronger oversight, the Duma (lower house of parliament) is held by United Russia, the party that is closest to Putin. The party holds 350 of the 400 seats in that body, with only 50 comprising the opposition. This allows Putin to have complete control over the Executive and Legislative process. The Russian Judiciary is made up of 19 Justices, all appointed by the President; so neither does that branch serve as a check on the Executive.

Although Putin is expected to win this election, it is interesting to look at his opponents in this race. Ksenia Sobchak, a TV anchor, opposition activist and journalist announced in October of 2017 that she would run for President. Sobchak is the first female candidate in 14 years, and the youngest candidate to run since 2004. Dr. Bilgin heard her speak recently here in Washington, DC and was very impressed with her knowledge of the issues. Her ideas were quite liberal in the Russian context and even touched on some feminist themes. Sobchak admits she is not seriously running for office, but is using this platform as a “dry run” for the Russian Parliamentary elections in 2021. She also represents a young challenger from deep inside the current regime, as her father was a mentor to Vladimir Putin.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a 41-year-old lawyer whose protests and corruptions exposes of the sometimes gilded lives of government officials have irked the Kremlin, has been barred from the contest over what he says is a trumped up suspended prison sentence. Unable to challenge the 65 year old Putin at the ballot box, and kept off state TV, he has devised a different strategy: A long-term political siege of a man most Russians consider invincible. He has energized young voters in the cities, and has called for a boycott of the election. His goal is to reduce the votes by 10% to show that his cause has force and power behind it. Navalny also plans to deploy tens of thousands of observers on Election Day to chronicle the event and to hopefully discourage fraud.

In taking a global look at the Russian electorate, Dr. Bilgin shared that it is important to understand the mindset of the Russian voters, who are conservative by nature. After living through the tumultuous times of the 1990’s under Boris Yeltzin, they find a sense of comfort in what they know. Today the economy is somewhat stable, with inflation at around 7% and growth in the 1.7-1.8% range. The older Russian voters, especially, have no desire to return to the instability that marked the recent past. Therefore, they are likely to reward Putin for keeping the country stable as opposed to taking a chance on someone new and unknown.

by Catherine Read Leave a Comment

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia – Inside Scoop

(March 5, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Roopal Mehta Saran, Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Northern Virgnia (LCVN), about the numerous programs and services being offered in the Northern Virginia area. They are joined by Amy Tristan, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, in the last segment where they discuss the numerous ways individuals, organizations and companies can engage with LCNV.

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia is 55 years old, and Roopal Saran has been at the helm of the organization for the last six months. There are over 36 million American adults that don’t have literacy, writing or math skills above a 3rd grade level. Some those adult learners are native English speakers and some are native speakers of many other languages. The Northern Virginia area is multiculturally very rich with over 100 languages being spoken in classrooms and homes around our region. Adults learning English as a second language may or may not have literacy skills in their native language. LCNV’s Beginning-level English classes teach the foundational skills adult English Language Learners (ELLs) need to learn to speak, understand, read and write English.

Classes are taught in multiple locations – in places such as the James Lee Community Center where LCNV has offices, in schools such as Crestwood Elementary, and spaces provided by collaborating non-profits such as Connections for Hope in Herndon, VA. The idea is to take the classes to meet the people where they are and where it’s easy to get there using public transportation. There will be new classes starting out in the Centreville area in early 2018.

LCNV is also collaborating with local companies in workforce development training through increased literacy that is both industry and company specific. Destination Workforce® training for B.F. Saul Hospitality Group’s Doubletree by Hilton at Tyson’s Corner focused on their housekeeping and banquet employees. The program provided instruction on language and cultural tools to provide better staff interactions with customers through the B.F. Saul “Know Your Hotel” framework. LCNV has also partnered with Goodwin House in Bailey’s Crossroads and with other local business to craft specific literacy programs that are job specific. The Destination Workforce® program is also working with the City of Alexandria to help newly arrived refugees with basic English literacy in preparations to more quickly prepare for entry level job opportunities.

Amy Tristan spoke about the hundreds of literacy volunteers that make their programs possible. Many have been with LCNV for over a decade and they are always looking for new volunteers who are interested in taking the training to be classroom instructors, to offer small group tutoring and also conversation classes. There are programs to meet that time and location preferences of a variety of volunteers and they welcome companies who encourage their employees to engage in community volunteerism. LCNV also welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with other organizations and non-profits who serve clients with basic literacy needs.

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia was named Parade Magazine’s 2017 Outstanding Charity in Virginia: “Last year, 1,551 students from more than 90 countries (including the U.S.) participated in LCNV Programs.”

Like all non-profits, LCNV relies on individual donations and corporate partnerships. More information can be found at the LCNV website: www.lcnv.org or by calling them at 703-237-0866. They can also be found on Facebook and on Twitter @LCNV