Inside Scoop Archives - Read. Think. Act.

Northern Virginia Family Service – Inside Scoop

(Dec. 3, 2018) Catherine Read interviews several members of the Northern Virginia Family Service leadership team to talk about the wide array of services that they deliver to families throughout the region. For the past 95 years, NVFS has delivered support to the most vulnerable families in Northern Virginia. The organization was recently selected by Jeff and McKenzie Bezos to be a recipient of a $2.5 million grant from their Day 1 Families Fund to help end family homelessness in our region.

NVFS Programs

In the first segment, Catherine speaks with Andrea Eck, Executive Vice President of Programs at NVFS. Andrea points out that the programs offered to families range from workforce training to housing assistance to hunger relief to early childhood development and support. The unique thing about NVFS is that all of their programs are integrated with one another, and are designed to support the families they serve in a holistic manner, with the goal of moving the family toward self-sufficiency.

Eck notes that NVFS works collaboratively with partners throughout the region to help deliver necessary services, so that resources can be used wisely and efforts are not duplicated. She is confident that their excellent track record is what led to the grant from the Day 1 Families Fund. The grant money will be used to fight family homelessness in Northern Virginia. Specifically, they will be enhancing their housing locator service, improving their career navigation center, and enhancing the availability of mental health services in order to get people healthy so that they can support themselves and contribute to society.

Multi-Cultural Center and Youth Initiatives

In the second segment Catherine talks to Meredith McKeen, Director of the Multi-Cultural Center and Youth Initiatives. On the multi-cultural center side, her job is to oversee the array of services designed to help people recover from exposure to trauma and violence. Her department utilizes case management to navigate the issues, and services are delivered in 7 different languages to meet the needs of the community. Many families have suffered trauma throughout the immigration process, and McKeen’s department is designed to assist families with immigration legal aid, as well as assist them in finding the support services that they need within the community.

Under the youth umbrella, NVFS runs a gang prevention program to help keep kids safe and out of trouble. Additionally, for young people who have witnessed or been exposed to violence, her department is tasked with helping them find and access mental health services. Getting young people access to these critical programs is so important, because the sooner they can deal with the trauma that they have experienced, the sooner they can get back to school and be able to move their lives forward.

Another important aspect of McKeen’s department is the family reunification program. Many times, immigrant families are separated from one another for many years, with some parents being separated from their children for up to a decade. Reunification is always the goal, but with it comes its own set of challenges. First off, parents and children need to get to know one another again. Additionally, the children may have endured an arduous journey to make it to America, and they may have residual trauma from their travels. This program is aimed to get ahead of these challenges and address issues up front in order to keep everyone safe. It has been shown to help avoid child abuse, future foster care placement and potential mental health problems down the road. It is an investment in the family today that can have a lasting impact into the future. Families are resilient, but they need the right tools in order to be healthy and happy.

Workforce Development

In the third segment of the show Catherine speaks with Julie Mullen, Director of Workforce Development about how NVFS is working toward customized career training for its clients. This new approach is aimed at helping their clients identify their goals, attain the necessary skills and ultimately find a sustainable wage job. The One on One Navigator program is one of the areas that will greatly benefit from the grant give by the Day 1 Families Fund. A job with sustainable wages is the best way to keep a family out of homelessness, so this program will be critical to meeting their goals.

The One on One program will allow career counselors to help clients tap into their talents, then connect them with the partners in the community who can help them build the skills that they need to succeed. Money from the grant will be able to help pay for certifications or English classes, even assist with the costs of opening a new business like an in-home childcare center. The career navigators can assist with understanding the regulations and the paperwork needed to get a business started. Removing these barriers and hurdles are critical to helping clients move forward.

This winter NVFS is launching their “Team Up” imitative in the hospitality, manufacturing and healthcare space. They will be co-locating in space with their business partners to help deliver services and make sure that workers have the tools that they need to be successful and productive. For example, now that Medicaid has expanded in Virginia, NVFS will have people available to help workers understand that they are eligible for benefits, and assist them in learning how to apply.

Health Access and Nutrition Services

In the final segment of the show, Catherine interviews Ondrea McIntyre-Hall, Director of Health Access and Nutrition Services at NVFS. Her department oversees the Hunger Resource Center, located in Prince William County. The center serves 600-700 families a month, and processes approximately 3.3 million pounds of food a year. There is a growing community of food insecure families in our region, and NVFS is looking at creative ways to help stem the tide of hunger by providing food support and nutrition services. Their resource center includes cooking classes and demonstrations, in order to teach families how to make the best use of the ingredients that they have access to. Additionally, there is no limit on the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that families can take when visiting their facility.

Thanks to generous donations from local farmers markets, grocery stores and the USDA the Hunger Resource Center receives a great deal of fresh, perishable food. Therefore, they partner with other smaller food pantries in the area so that the food can get better distributed in a timely manner. Many families cannot access the center in Prince William, so this gives the smaller, more local pantries an opportunity to get fresh fruit and vegetables distributed to their clients.

Currently, NVFS is launching an exciting pilot program with Mason and Partners (through George Mason University) that will give clients a “prescription card” for certain fruits and vegetables that clients need to maintain their health. Clients will then be able to redeems these cards at participating vendors – food pantries, Farmer’s Markets, stores where the cards are accepted. This innovative approach to providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables recognizes that what we eat can greatly contribute to supporting a healthy lifestyle.

by Rachel Simon

Menstrual Equity Update with Holly Siebold

(Dec. 10, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Holly Seibold (President) and Shaheen Khurana (Legislative Affairs) of BRAWS (Bringing Resources and Aid to Women’s Shelters), along with Del. Jennifer Boysko and FCPS School Board Member At-Large Karen Keys-Gamarra regarding the issue of menstrual equity.

Catherine first speaks with Holly Siebold about the term “menstrual equity” and why it is on the radar of so many people in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Holly became involved with this issue several years ago, when she founded the organization Bringing Resources and Aid to Women in Shelters (BRAWS). At the time, her goal was to get menstrual supplies to low-income women who did not have the resources to purchase them.

As Siebold has learned more and more about this issue, she has championed the idea of bringing full access of these products to all women in need. She specifically mentions that the place where the most work needs to be done is in the public schools. In her travels throughout Northern Virginia she has found that 30% of the girls surveyed have had to miss school to manage their period. This could be for something as simple as not having a tampon or pad at school, or being forced to go home to get products or to change clothes. This puts girls at a tremendous disadvantage, especially those who come from low-income households who do not have the necessary resources to deal with these challenges.

In addition to the fact that they are forced to miss school, many young women feel shame and stigma about having to manage their menstruation. Schools are not equipped with products to help the girls, and students might not want to tell the nurse or counselor what their problems are due to shame, anger or embarrassment. Part of Holly’s work is to help change this dynamic, and to change how adults approach and talk about menstruation. BRAWS also sponsors a teen council to help de-stigmatize periods and elevate this issue, as well as advocate and raise funds for those in need.

In the second segment Catherine speaks with Shaheen Khurana, the legislative affairs specialist at BRAWS working on menstrual equity bills in the Virginia General Assembly. Last year, BRAWS successfully worked with Del. Kaye Kory to pass HB 83, a bill directing all correctional facilities in Virginia to make menstrual products readily available, and free of charge, to all inmates who request the products. In the past there was a wide disparity throughout the state run correctional facilities on how these requests were handled. Many inmates were required to purchase the products as the store, but could not afford to buy them. This legislation ensures that all women have access to the sanitary supplies that they need on a monthly basis.

Del. Jennifer Boysko joins Catherine in the following segment to discuss her work to bring the Dignity Bills to the floor of the chamber in 2019. These bills are designed to abolish the sales tax charged on menstrual products to help ease the burden of the cost of these goods. The first bill introduced last year would have removed the tax only during the sales tax holiday, which is designed and marketed as “back to school” sales tax relief. Currently, everything from wedding dresses to candy are included as part of this tax relief program. The second bill would have removed sales tax permanently on all purchases throughout the year.

Both bills were killed in committee last year, but Boysko hopes to have a better outcome with these bills during the 2019 session. As menstrual equity is elevated in the state and national discourse, she believes that they can make progress. To date, fifteen states have already removed sales tax from these products, and NY, CA and IL have all required their school systems to provide menstrual products free of charge to students in need.

Catherine’s final guest is Karen Keys-Gamarra, School Board Member at Large for Fairfax County Public Schools. She has successfully included support for menstrual products to be supplied to students who need them in the FCPS legislative package being sent to Richmond this year. Keys-Gamarra strongly believes that as the largest school division in the state, it is important to include this as a priority and be a leader on this issue. She notes that the school accreditation standards have recently been updated to include school absence as a factor. Based on the student surveys indicating that girls are missing classes due to not having access to menstrual products, she felt compelled to raise the issue. FCPS Superintendent Scott Braband has been directed to explore the scope, cost and impact that this request would have on the school system’s budget.

by Rachel Simon

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

(Nov. 19, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Jen Siciliano, Chairperson of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, along with recently hired Executive Director Julie Coons. Their wide-ranging discussion covers the makeup of the organization, the mission of the Chamber, and the wide variety of programming that the Chamber sponsors.

Jen Siciliano serves in a professional capacity as the Chief External Affairs Officer at INOVA, and has been active in the chamber for many years as a representative on the Healthcare committee. The Chamber has played a key role in her personal and professional development over the years. Her goal is to keep the organization relevant by meeting members where they are, and continuing to deliver a diverse set of programs and initiatives that support area businesses. One of the keys to the success of the Chamber is the ability to work collaboratively across industries and as a regional leader, while also cultivating the next generation of business leaders.

The Chamber hosts many successful annual programs that highlight the diversity of the Northern Virginia region. They recently hosted the Annual State of Healthcare Conference, where they brought together a panel of representatives from the insurance industry, medical professionals and hospitals to talk about the recently passed legislation that expanded Medicaid to low income Virginians. There are now significant changes in how healthcare will be delivered to thousands of Virginians, and this forum was a way to bring businesses together to better understand the nuances of the new system. Healthcare cuts across industry, and touches every business owner and employee, so the chamber was proud to sponsor this forum.

The Chamber also sponsors a variety of committees geared toward women in business, minority owned businesses, government contractors, and non-profits to just name a few. Each industry has their own set of issues and challenges, and it is important for business owners to be able to come together. The chamber also works hard to elevate the collective voice as a business community. They adopt legislative initiatives and advocate for policy positions at the local, state and federal level. One example of the success of the chamber was the Metro deal that they helped to negotiate in 2018. The investment in transit will benefit both employers and workers, and Siciliano is very proud of the hard work that went into negotiating that regional deal.

Jen also believes in the importance of cultivating the next generation of business leaders. The Next-Gen Council is designed to bring new people into the organization, and get them excited about having an impact on the business community. It also helps them better understand the benefits of professional networking that comes with chamber membership. Anyone can attend any of the chamber programs free of charge to see if it is a good “fit” for them. Jen notes that the chamber was instrumental in her professional success, and has a goal of bringing this value to the next generation of leaders.

In the second segment, Catherine speaks with newly hired Chamber CEO Julie Coons. Coons comes to the Chamber as former CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, and is excited to be a part of the regional leadership as she heads the NoVa Chamber. She recognizes that there are many moving parts to such a large organization, and looks forward to working with her staff of 10 people to plan, execute and deliver relevant programming to her members.

Many small business owners think that a large, regional chamber such as NoVA Chamber is only for the large Fortune 500 companies. Coons points out that 60% of the member organizations have fewer than 50 employees, and 25% of members have fewer than 4 employees. Membership in the chamber gives a local business access to unique networking events that can help grow a business, as well as elevate their voice when it comes to legislative initiatives. The collective voice of businesses can make a big impact.

At the beginning of her tenure, Coons ventured out on a listening tour around the region, in order to ensure that she heard from different constituencies. She believes it is important for her understand the needs of her members, and the obstacles that they face in their respective industries. She also wants to understand priorities and make sure that the programming that the chamber offers is relevant and meeting the needs of her members. Coons understands the importance of looking for emerging business opportunities, so she strongly supports business incubators to help grow new business and cultivate new industries. For many years, the region relied heavily on government work. When that started to dry up, it became more important than ever to think about new ways to grow the economy.

Coons is excited about the new Amazon Headquarters slated to open in Crystal City. The jobs will be welcomed, and the investment in resources such as schools and transportation will be a huge benefit. Another ancillary benefit will be the innovation campus slated to open adjacent to the Amazon headquarters. This will not only be a pipeline for workers at Amazon, but a boost to the local economy by encouraging new businesses to sprout from the research and development that will be sparked by this campus.

The NoVa Chamber has a great relationship with both Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University. The chamber is looking to further develop some apprenticeship programs that will help students who might not look at attending a 4-year university. This will help in a variety of industries where there are actually shortages of workers in good paying jobs.

One of the Chamber’s hallmark events is the upcoming 27^th annual Economic Forum that will be held on January 31^st. The theme is Focus on the Future and will look at the evolution of the regional economy. There will be a variety of panels and speakers, with the goal that each person who attends the conference will be able to take away highly credible information, along with actionable items. Coons hope that all who are interested can join for this very popular annual program.

by Rachel Simon

Enrolling Virginians in Medicaid with Deepak Madala

(Nov. 12, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Deepak Madala, Director of Enroll Virginia, to discuss the process of enrolling Virginians in Medicaid. Enroll Virginia was created by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and is a non-partisan community based effort to educate all Virginians about the new health insurance marketplace and provide free, unbiased assistance with the application and enrollment process.

When the Virginia General Assembly passed Medicaid expansion this year, Virginia became the 33^rd state to expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Approximately 400,000 Virginians became eligible for benefits. Deepak explains how Enroll Virginia is working hard to reach eligible participants, and get them signed up for health insurance. Madala notes that Virginia has the benefit of learning best practices, and pitfalls, from the states that have already gone through this process.

Medicaid is sometimes confused with Medicare. Both Medicaid and Medicare are public health insurance programs but Medicare is administered solely by the federal government and provides coverage for seniors aged 65+, people with disabilities, and those with end stage renal disease. Medicaid (the subject of this show) is a partnership between the federal government and the state governments, designed to provide health insurance coverage for those in poverty. When the ACA passed in 2010, it afforded the states the option of expanding Medicaid with federal dollars for adults aged 19-64 who are considered the “working poor”. Applicants can make up to 400% of the poverty level and still qualify for this program. The state administers and sets guidelines for this program, however it is funded through federal tax dollars.

Enroll Virginia is working hard to reach everyone who is eligible for this coverage. They are leveraging partners in the social services arena to spread the word and educate the public. “Train the Trainer” workshops are being scheduled throughout the commonwealth. This is helping to educate social workers and case managers, so they can better understand and communicate eligibility and benefits. Organizations can contact the Virginia Health Care Foundation to register for a SignUpNow workshop. There are no restrictions of who can receive this training; it can be a non-profit, a religious organization or even a business. The rules have changed for the better here in Virginia, and their mission to ensure that the word gets out.

For those who are interested in finding out if they are eligible, they can simply call the 1-800 number to speak with a trained representative, go online to do the application or they can mail in a paper copy. The applicants will need to provide information about income, and after that is verified they will know what benefits they are eligible for. If the applicant calls in, and their income can be verified on the spot, then they may not even have a waiting period to know how to proceed.

Enrollment for Medicaid is rolling, so there is no deadline to get signed up (as there is in traditional insurance plans). However, the deadline for securing insurance with the ACA State Marketplace is December 15^th. So, if an applicant is not sure of whether or not they are eligible for Medicaid Expansion they should contact the office as soon as possible, because if they do not qualify for Medicaid then they have adequate time to secure private insurance by the December 15^th deadline.

There are six different plan options available to all Virginians, which are different health insurance networks. Coverage is not limited, and there are no premiums, co-pays or deductibles. There is also a specific emphasis on preventative care, things like immunizations and well visits. When choosing a plan, applicants will want to review the various networks to find their current doctors, in order to ensure that they are finding a plan that best meets their needs. Many of the free clinics, where these patients currently seek care, will have counselors on hand to help patients navigate getting signed up for Medicaid and best understand all of the different options.

For people who are already receiving certain benefits from the state, such as FAMIS, Virginia’s health insurance program for children, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the state has technology in place to assess eligibility for other family members. Recipients should expect to receive a YELLOW envelope in the mail, where they will need to complete a few more pieces of information in order to finalize the application. The goal of the program is to enroll as many eligible participants as possible. If people do not receive this envelope, they should visit the CoverVA website, call 1-855-242-8282, email [email protected], or fill out a paper application at their local social services office to determine eligibility.

by Rachel Simon

Successful Children & Youth Policy Team (SCYPT)

(Oct. 22, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Megan McLaughlin (Braddock District) and Tamara Denerak-Kaufax (Lee District) of the FCPS School Board. Their wide-ranging discussion covers a variety of topics, but focuses on the work being done by the Successful Children and Youth Policy Team (SCYPT). This joint effort of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board, established in 2013, utilizes a collaborative approach to ensure that children and youth in Fairfax County thrive and reach their fullest potential.

Prior to 2013, the Board of Supervisors and the School Board operated virtually independent of one another, even though there was often overlap in the services that were being delivered. SCYPT was created to bring these two organizations together, and look at services that need to be delivered in a more strategic way. This ensures efficiency in the operations for both agencies. The collaborative approach allows them to be align objectives and initiatives, as well as work together in forming strategic plans and think about shared goals.

Over the past 10 years Fairfax County has seen big changes in demographics. There are pockets of deep poverty in certain regions, which pose challenges to teachers and administrators. FCPS has the goal of offering a world-class education to all students, no matter where they live in the county. In order to do this, the county recognizes that certain needs must be met. For example, children are not able to thrive if they are hungry, or do not have access to medical care. Therefore, part of the SCYTPT program is to identify what the needs are and think about how services are delivered to students and families.

The SCYPT committee is comprised of 2 School Board Members, 2 Board of Supervisors members, local police and community representatives as well as Fairfax County government employees. The committee covers a range of issues, including early childcare and school readiness, racial and social equity, access to mental health resources, attendance policies and the prospect of expanding the use of community schools. They have been very busy since the committee was formed in May of 2013.

Pre-Kindergarten Initiatives

Beginning with some of the youngest students, SCYPT has taken a multi-pronged approach to early childcare and school readiness. They have successfully cut the wait time for student’s access to Pre-K in half. In the last six years FCPS has opened 30 new pre-K classrooms, and they continue to look for any opportunity that they have to expand. They know that for every $1 invested in high quality Pre-K, they can save $10-15 later on the child’s education.

Currently there are 3 ways for Pre-K to be delivered. Students can attend center-based programming in schools funded by Head Start or the Virginia Pre-K initiative, through licensed in-home daycare providers who receive strong support and guidance from the county to ensure that these children are ready for Kindergarten, and private preschool for families who are able to afford this.

For students who are not able to access the centers or in-home programs, FCPS has established a free 3-week “Bridge to Kindergarten” program offered in August of each year, which gives students an introduction to school and a basic education on how to thrive in a Kindergarten classroom.

Attendance and Discipline

McLaughlin and Derenak-Koufax both agree that it is important to look at creative ways to solve problems. They continually are looking to other jurisdictions for success stories, and to see if those practices can be replicated in Fairfax. One initiative regarding attendance and discipline reform revolves around Restorative Justice practices. Having alternative accountability in place for students, that recognizes some of the challenge that they face and inspires the students to improve and do better, is just one of the areas that is being worked on. Allowing students some space to learn from their mistakes, without facing automatic suspension, can go a long way in making them better students and citizens. It has been documented that students of color are disproportionately disciplined in a harsh way.

Social Services and Mental Health

When considering social services related issues, SCYPT aims to have a wrap-around approach to delivering care. Over the past few years there have been a record-number of cases of students reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety, leading to an uptick in attempted suicides. FCPS is addressing this through a new behavioral health model that employs a multi-pronged approach to this challenge.

Mental health services are delivered in the school by increasing the number of substance abuse counselors, health advisors and contracting with outside providers to help deliver care and to keep students healthy and ready to learn. Programs directed at students are designed to assist them in identifying signs of depression in their friends, and ensure that they know where to turn if that does happen. Additionally, a crisis text line was established so that teens can easily and anonymously access support when they most need it

The school system now runs a Mental Health and Wellness Conference as a resource for students, families and school personnel. The school system is also working side by side with PTA’s to help make sure that they are meeting the ever-changing needs of the community. This wrap-around approach to social services is intentionally designed to meet the students and families where they are and deliver services in a timely and efficient manner.

Community Schools

McLaughlin and Denerak-Kaufax acknowledge that due to the great diversity of our school system, that the same approach will not be effective in every community. Therefore, they look to other jurisdictions and models to see if successful best practices can be employed in Fairfax. One of those models is the use of community schools. A community school can be defined as both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services and community development leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities.

This year, FCPS and SCYPT is piloting this model in two schools, Mt. Vernon Woods Elementary School and Whitman Middle School, two of the schools in FCPS that are faced with the highest rates of poverty and face some of the biggest challenges. A high percentage of students in these schools are living in poverty and also qualify for ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages), which pose great challenges to teachers and administrators.

The idea behind this type of approach is that the school and the county would bring wrap-around social services to the families via the school, in order to ensure that they are meeting the needs of these families, as opposed to asking the families to find these services out in the community. It is a shift in mindset, and the work of SCYPT is to bring together the county resources and use them strategically in partnership with the school to make them accessible to children and families.

United Community Ministries is slated to manage the program, and each of the schools will have a community organizer assigned to them. The school system recognizes that the greatest opportunity for upward mobility is through public education. For the most vulnerable students, who are living in poverty and don’t have a strong support network, a community school can offer them the things that they might not be able to find at home. Both McLaughlin and Derenak-Kaufax are excited about this new endeavor and are eager to see positive outcomes in these schools that can be replicated elsewhere in the county.

by Rachel Simon

VA Senator Scott Surovell on Inside Scoop

(Oct. 15, 2018) Catherine Read interviews State Senator Scott Surovell (D-36), in a discussion ranging from transportation to predatory lending to environmental reforms regarding coal ash. Sen. Surovell represents the 36^th district, including parts of southeastern Fairfax, eastern Prince William and northern Stafford counties. Surovell is a native Virginian and graduate of West Potomac High School, James Madison University, and University of Virginia Law School. He is proud to represent the area in which he grew up.

Throughout his tenure in the Virginia General Assembly, Surovell has worked hard to expand opportunities and help solve problems for his constituents. He was first elected to office as a Delegate in 2009, followed by a successful bid for the state Senate in 2015. He recognizes the great disparity and income inequality in his district, which very much mirrors what is happening throughout Northern Virginia.

Transportation

One of the areas that Sen. Surovell has paid particular attention to is the Rt. 1 Corridor, stretching through the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County. Year ago, this corridor used to be a vibrant commercial district, but has been left behind as much of the rest of the area experienced economic growth. The result is that these neighborhoods are now some of the poorest and are home to some of the most vulnerable residents of Fairfax County.

Starting in 2009, Surovell brought his big ideas to VDOT regarding redevelopment along the corridor. He successfully lobbied VDOT to fund a study of the area south of the Huntington Metro. This led to a set of recommendations that were given in 2015 to ultimately widen Rt. 1 to 6 lanes and to institute a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to facilitate traffic flow. Accordingly, the land needs to be rezoned along the corridor to allow for increased density. In order for the region to qualify for grants through the Federal Transportation Administration, the number of residents needs to increase from 40,000 to 100,000 in order to support the investment in transportation upgrades.

One of the biggest concerns that surround a redevelopment project of this scope is to ensure that residents are not displaced during the construction of the project. There is already a shortage of affordable housing in the area, and when planning the redevelopment it will be crucial to ensure that affordable housing remains available. In order to qualify for the federal funding, there is a provision that there is no net loss of affordable housing after the project is complete. Additionally, public officials need to be very careful that communities are not displaced and torn apart.

As part of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Act that passed in 2013, which raised the gas tax and grantors tax in order to fund local transportation initiatives, the Rt. 1 corridor is finally seeing some money flowing down to fund projects. The NVTA is making a $370 million down payment to begin the work on this development. The process of getting this work done is long and complex; Surovell said we can expect to see a shovel in the ground in 2026.

Additional projects in his district include widening of Rt. 1 in Dumfries and the bottleneck of traffic on I-95 South when crossing the Occoquan. The hangup with that particular project includes having to renegotiate the contract with Transurban, who maintains the HOT lanes on I-95, as they will suffer in lost toll revenue if the road is being worked on.

Coal Ash

Sen. Surovell has worked hard over many years to bring reform to the power industry in regards to how they dispose of coal ash. Coal ash is the residue that is produced after burning coal for power. For years, standard operating procedure allowed Dominion Energy, the state’s main power provider, to bury this coal ash in the ground. Holes were dug, filled with water and the ash was dumped in them. Several years ago those coal ash “ponds” burst, and that coal ash flowed into the adjacent rivers, polluting the Potomac, Occoquan and James Rivers. The EPA then ordered the state to shut down the practice and clean up the sites, which all show evidence of arsenic, cadmium, lead and hexavelant chronium, mercury and selenium. Up to this point, Virginia was the only state that did not require power companies to recycle coal ash.

The good news about this is that the coal ash that is being dumped is a key ingredient in the production of concrete. So much so, that the concrete companies are actually importing coal ash from Italy in order to meet their supply needs. Dominion will eventually be able to sell this as a product to the local concrete companies. The ash that needs to be cleaned up could also be marketable, however the challenge is that the coal ash that the ash will need to be dried out and the problem chemicals will need to be extracted from the ash before it can be sold.

The question faced today by lawmakers is how much will this process cost, and how much can Dominion will be allowed to hike rates to cover their costs. There are currently a small group of delegates and senators who are working on coming to a consensus on how to best handle this multi-billion dollar issue.

Predatory Lending

Another very prevalent issue in Sen. Surovell’s district is the practice of predatory lending. There is a high concentration of predatory lenders located in the Route 1 Corridor, including a variety of Pay Day and Car Title loan companies. Over the past several years there have been numerous restrictions on these practices, and it seems like each time there are rules put in place to curb the practice, new companies pop up in a different iteration with another way to scam borrowers.

In 2009 the state put a 36% rate cap on payday loans. Then, in 2010 the car title companies showed up to offer an alternative to those in need. In 2011, the laws put in place were not well constructed, which opened up the door for these companies to lend to car title holders in MD and DC (where this practice is greatly restricted) for up to 267% APR. The people who are seeking these loans are desperate and often do not understand the implications of what they are doing. They often borrow to pay off other loans, and the situation can tend to snowball for them. If you have feedback for Sen. Surovell he is open to hearing from constituents, and would like to work with his colleagues to curb these practices.

by Rachel Simon

National Woman’s Party with Zakiya Thomas

(Oct. 8, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Zakiya Thomas, Executive Director of the National Woman’s Party (NWP). Founded in 1913, the NWP originally focused its work on the passage of the 19^th amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote. As the centennial celebration of the 19^th amendment approaches, the NWP is being reimagined to continue the fight for women’s equality envisioned by their founders more than 100 years ago.

The founder of the NWP was Alice Paul, who dedicated her life to the advancement women’s rights and equality for all. After the successful passage of the 19^th amendment, the NWP went on to push, with laser-like focus, for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. The NWP lobbied on the Federal and State level, and successfully got the measure passed on Capitol Hill and ultimately in 37 states.

Thomas is now hoping that her home state of Virginia will be the final state to put the measure forward. Although the NWP used to be primarily a lobbying outfit, they recently became a 501C-3 nonprofit organization. Their mission now is to build a coalition, and work arm in arm with the community to inspire action and advance women’s equality.

Zakiya Thomas comes to the NWP with a wide variety of experiences that makes her well suited to lead the organization into the future. After a successful academic career at William and Mary and Columbia University, she ventured off into the world of consulting. As she traveled the world and the country, she began to understand how policies affected people. She chose to work to advance good policies and the people who make them, to in order to have real and deep impacts on her community.

This led her to organizing the successful campaign of Sheriff Stacy Kincaid, the first female to be elected Sheriff in the 276-year history of Fairfax County. Sheriff Kincaid has transformed her office to have her officers be more engaged in the community, has implemented a Diversion First program designed to help officers recognize people with mental illness, and has pushed for increased educational opportunities for inmates. Thomas believes that by helping to get Kincaid elected, she has helped to improve the lives of those living in Fairfax County.

After achieving success in 2015 with Sheriff Stacy Kincaid, she moved on to manage the campaign of Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax in 2017. Fairfax was the first African American to be elected to the post in the commonwealth’s history. He was a descendent of a slave who was freed from Lord Fairfax, the original landowner of Fairfax County. Thomas is proud of the work she has done to help elect these two public servants, and is pleased to see how they have made impacts for the people who they represent.

Today, Thomas plans to lead the NWP by inspiring its partners nationwide to adopt policies that help advance women’s equality. While the organization is a nonprofit and cannot lobby Congress or State Legislators for specific measures, they can be a resource for those who do. Their goal is to highlight the history, including their vast collection of historic documents and artifacts, to spark a conversation about the women’s equality movement. Their headquarters at the Bellmont House on Capitol Hill is now listed as a historical monument, and is managed by the National Park Service. Tours are given of the Bellmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, and it will serve as a centerpiece in the 100^th celebration of the 19^th amendment.

Thomas also plans to “take her show on the road”. She is working hard to establish relationships and partnerships with organizations nationwide, and plans to bring the collection out into the community. The broader goal is to work with these partners to amplify their voice and spark a national dialogue about equal rights for women, as well as expand programming and conversations around the Equal Rights Amendment. Their first stop will be in Charlottesville, where she will be speaking with a League of Women Voters about Diversity Inclusion in the fight for equal rights. They also have a variety of events planned locally, including books talks about Code Girls and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics. The website has further information about these events.

Many are not aware that the very first March on Washington was the Women’s March for the Vote, held on Pennsylvania Avenue on the eve of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration in January of 1913. In recent years we have seen the rebirth of the Women’s March, and the NWP is looking to raise their profile during these events. This year’s Women’s March will be held on January 19, 2019 and Thomas indicates that the NWP will be looking to plug into programming and use this event to reintroduce the NWP to the public. Thomas wants everyone to know that the NWP is recommitted to the cause, has a new, fresh look and is ready to bring the NWP into the 21^st century.

by Rachel Simon

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia with Tarina Keene

(Oct. 1, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Tarina Keene, Executive Director of NARAL (National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws) Pro-Choice Virginia. Tarina has been with NARAL for 10 years, and has overseen tremendous growth of the organization during her tenure. Her work focuses on protecting the rights of women to make their own healthcare decisions through policy, training and education, in addition to electing politicians who are committed to protecting this right.

Over time, Keene notes that although Roe v Wade has not been repealed, some states have worked hard to chip away at a woman’s right to choose. This makes it harder for women to exercise their right to be in control of their own bodies. With the rise of the Tea Party starting in 2010, there was a wave of conservative politicians swept into office on the promise of rolling back abortion rights.

Some states, like West Virginia, have only one clinic in the entire state. This makes it economically unfeasible for poor women to incur the expense to travel to the clinic and possibly need overnight accommodations. Other states have put restrictions such as minors being required to have parental approval, or a 24-hour waiting period for the procedure. These laws are all designed to be harmful and burdensome for women, which can ultimately put women at risk. Abortion is proven to be one of the safest medical procedures on the books, yet there are those in power who choose to put women in harms way by not allowing safe access.

Research conducted over the past four years shows that six in ten women who are getting an abortion already have a child at home. This disproves the myth that the majority of women who are having this procedure are teenage girls. In any case, for whatever reason, all women should have legal access to a safe abortion if that is what they decide is right for them. Keene also believes strongly in all women having access to family planning and affordable birth control, because that reduces women having to be in the position of making this difficult decision.

Here in Virginia, we have seen progress on these issues over the past several years. In 2010, under Republican leadership in the legislature and the executive branch, some of the most restrictive laws were passed in regards to women’s health. The Virginia Senate passed the very controversial mandatory trans-vaginal ultrasound bill, requiring all women who wanted access to an abortion to undergo an invasive procedure and have a mandatory 24 hour waiting period. Additionally, in 2011, we saw the TRAP regulations put in place (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers). These required all abortion facilities to be treated as hospitals, and forced closure of many clinics, reducing access to many women throughout the state.

Since then, these laws have been repealed under the leadership of former Governor Terry McAuliffe and now Governor Ralph Northam. Keene continues to work hard to elect more pro-choice candidates. Today, there are 49 pro-choice legislators in the House of Delegates and 19 pro-choice State Senators. She is looking to 2019 with hopes of turning the legislatures to a solidly pro-choice majority.

When that happens, Keene’s next goal is to enact a constitutional amendment in Virginia that enshrines a woman’s right to choose. If the state elects a pro-choice majority in 2019, then a constitutional amendment can be introduced in 2021 (the year of a Governor’s race in Virginia), which would allow the measure to be brought to the ballot box in 2022. It is a lofty goal, but one that Keene is ready and anxious to take on.

Keene is very nervous about what the Supreme Court will decide regarding Roe v Wade in the upcoming months and years. With the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, coupled with campaign promises by President Trump to overturn Roe v Wade and put laws in place that punish women and criminalize abortion, NARAL is gearing up for a fight to preserve a woman’s right to choose. Keene admits that much work will need to be done on the state level, as the shocking prospect of Roe v Wade being gutted is now on the table. There are many cases working their way up through the court system as we speak. With Kavanaugh being sworn in this week, we now have an Associate Justice who has referred to Roe v Wade as “rotten precedent”.

Keene invites all who are willing to stand with her to speak up and protect a woman’s right to choose. She is excited about the prospect of more women representing Virginia in Congress. She hopes that all men will stand with her, especially in today’s climate, to denounce the patriarchal aspects of our society and bravely support women who want to have autonomy over their bodies. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia will be holding a “Men for Choice” event at Port City Brewery in Alexandria on October 17^th. Check out the website for details, and make the choice to come together and support women’s reproductive rights here in the commonwealth.

by Rachel Simon

NAACP with Kofi Annan

(Sept 24, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Kofi Annan, President of the Fairfax Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). They discuss the goals and accomplishments of the local chapter.

Annan is excited to enter the second year of his presidency of the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP. Several years ago, when racial tensions were rising, he decided to join the chapter in order to help affect positive change in the community. He quickly made a mark, and was encouraged to run for a leadership role. His background is in military service, and had never dabbled in the policy arena, but was excited for the challenge. The chapter has been very busy under his leadership, and he hopes to continue to make a mark in the community. He and his wife reside in Herndon, where they are active members of community and are raising their two sons.

Annan, along with his staff and volunteers, has been engaged in the community efforts to ensure equality for all. His first big accomplishment included a change to the Drivers Education curriculum. The program is now required to include a presentation by a police officer that talks about how all drivers should interact with the police if they are pulled over. This is an important addition to the curriculum, and helps young drivers to know how to appropriately handle this situation in order to stay safe. Setting realistic expectations helps everyone stay on the same page, and can help avoid misunderstandings which can ultimately cause fatal problems.

Following their success with the Drivers Education curriculum, Annan chose to address inconsistencies that he noted with School Resource Officers (SROs). When reviewing data regarding SRO write-ups, he noticed that 60% of the SRO referrals happening in Fairfax were for students who are of African American or Latino heritage, even though those students only make up 30% of the population. When digging further into these incidents, they noticed that many of the referrals were for behaviors that should have been handled administratively through the school, not through the SRO.

After taking the data to the School Board and the Board of Supervisors, as well as raising awareness in the media, all parties were able to work together to pass a new policy. The policy is aimed at reducing the number of SRO referrals and arrests through the justice system, and encouraged SRO’s to work collaboratively with the school to try and resolve issues proactively at a local level. Annan mentions the fact that all parties were willing to come to the table with an open mind, along with ideas of how they could improve the process, allowed them to craft a policy that made sense for everyone.

The local chapter has also been heavily involved with the renaming of JEB Stuart High School in Falls Church. Several years ago, a group of students came together to protest the fact that the school was named after a Confederate General. These students took their issue to the School Board, with the help of their local NAACP chapter. They ultimately succeeded in their goal, and recently had the official naming ceremony of the new Justice High School. The entire process took approximately three years from start to finish, and Annan found it rewarding to see it come full circle.

In 2018, the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP was recognized for all of their hard work when they were granted the prestigious Thalheimer award. This national recognition was given at the annual NAACP conference in San Antonio in July. Annan was thrilled that his chapter was recognized for all of the hard work that they are putting in to make Fairfax County a more welcoming, fair and equitable community.

Annan and his team are currently working on several other important initiatives, including forming a curriculum subcommittee and a group to address criminal justice reform issues. The curriculum subgroup will look at what history is taught to our kids, and how it is taught. The goal is to incorporate different perspectives and viewpoints, as much of our history is taught from an Anglo-American perspective.

As for criminal justice reform, there are two main areas that are being addressed. First, the NAACP will be working together with Fairfax County Police regarding implementation of body cameras for all police officers. They are embarking on a pilot program this year, and are working closely to make sure that there are good policies surrounding the use of the cameras and the data that they will yield. They want this process to be transparent, and for all who are interested to be able to weigh in on the process.

The other program that will be getting their attention is the Diversion First program. Implemented in 2016 under the leadership of Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, this program is designed to help officers focus on de-escalation of criminal situations in low level crime situations. This program offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities. The goal is to have the police officer intercede whenever possible to provide assessment, treatment or needed supports. Annan is working with the justice system to make sure that minorities are being diverted at the same rate as white people. His goal is to ensure that the policy is effective across the board and all are being treated equally.

Annan is working hard to make the NAACP attractive to young people. They have an event planned on September 29^th called Justice in the Park. The program will feature a panel of adults, including an author, a police officer, a representative from the Juvenile Justice System and a school representative, and will be moderated by the students. There will be free food and an opportunity to engage on a variety of levels.

Looking ahead, Annan has several other engagement opportunities available for those in the community. There will be an Affordable Housing Forum and a Job Fair on October 2^nd, a Veterans and Minority owned Business Expo on December 15^th, and a Women in the NAACP event on November 8^th. He encourages all who are interested to participate in their monthly meetings, held on the 2^nd Saturday of every month (check the website for location). Elections are coming up in November, so it is an ideal time to get involved.

by Rachel Simon

From Prison to Paralegal with Kelly Hebron, Esq.

(Sept. 10, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Kelly Hebron, Esq. founder of From Prison to Paralegal, a recidivism reduction program that offers incarcerated individuals a path to a professional career via training to become paralegals. There are many openings in this field, with a variety of jobs that are well paying and stable. This six week training program, coupled with an internship opportunity, gives hope to individuals who are looking to forge a new path for themselves after they have paid their debt to society.

The first pilot class of this program was launched this past summer at the Fairfax Adult Detention Center. After collaborating with Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, Hebron identified 8 students who would be good candidates. The students needed to have basic reading, writing and comprehension skills equivalent to an 8^th grade education. After the six week training, her program is designed to teach the students how to complete legal research, use critical thinking skills to analyze the cases, and then summarize their findings with proper legal writing. Hebron mentions that even if these students do not wind up with jobs as a paralegal, the skills they are learning are transferable and can be applied to a variety of positions, such as executive assistants or court clerks.

Hebron’s program is designed to be a gateway for students to move themselves forward. Her ultimate goal is to identify employers who have openings, and pair her students with the employers once the students have transitioned back into society. Before that happens, however, there are often many obstacles that these students may face. Some do not have any clothes to wear to an internship or even an interview. The student may lack resources for transportation to get to the job, especially if they do not have help from family or friends on the outside. In one instance, Sen. Tim Kaine’s office offered a full time opportunity for a work-release internship, but the candidates was restricted from traveling outside of the county so the job went unfilled. However, as the program grows and more opportunities arise, Hebron is confident that they can overcome many of these obstacles by partnering with other nonprofits who can help support the students.

Hebron strongly believes that the purpose of incarceration should be rehabilitation, as opposed to a lifetime of punishment. The cold, hard reality that exists for most people when they are released from prison is that they do not have very many opportunities to turn their life around. They often have no money, no job, no voting rights and limited education. This makes it exceedingly difficult for them to secure housing, a good paying job, and the ability to take care of themselves. They often turn back to the old habits they had that put them in jail in the first place. It is the reason why the recidivism rate in this country is so high. Hebron strongly believes that education is the key to giving hope and the confidence to believe that they can make a better life for themselves.

In the second segment Catherine speaks with Mohammed, a graduate of the From Prison to Paralegal program. Mohammed admits that he made some very bad choices when he was younger, and was serving his time for his crimes. He admits that there were not very many opportunities to do anything productive while in prison. When he noticed the flyer posted about the program, he spoke with his Mom who encouraged him to apply. He enjoyed the classes, which reminded him of the work he did in high school, and said that attending the classes were the highlight of his day.

Upon gradation, he landed an internship opportunity with the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) office. He absolutely loved going to work at their office, noting that the people he worked with were respectful, kind and warm. He never understood that work could be so enjoyable, and that working for a higher purpose could be so meaningful. Working at the ACLU has opened up his eyes to the many opportunities that await him. This program was transformative for Mohammed, and gives him hope for the future. He understands that his education cannot be taken away from him, and he envisions himself as gainfully employed once he is released.

As Hebron looks ahead to the future, she is encouraged by the success that she has had in Fairfax. She hopes to be able to bring this program to more students in the near future. The program lives under the social enterprise umbrella of Rising Tide, designed to bring opportunities for building a variety of skill sets for incarcerated individuals. Hebron is in the process of applying for grants and securing funding in order to grow the program. If you are interested in supporting her efforts, you can visit the website for more detailed information about how to get involved. She is looking for employers who are willing to hire individuals, along with donations to support the nuts and bolts of delivering the 6-week program, including money for textbooks and instructors. Hebron envisions endless possibilities, and hopes to grow the program in order to give hope to more incarcerated individuals.