| On January 19th, eleven VOICE leaders held a listening session with Assistant Principals from Arlington County Public Schools. We introduced VOICE to these administrators, developed relationships, and had some deep conversations with them about their experiences on the front line of the youth mental health crisis every day. For next steps, VOICE leaders will follow up with listening sessions in individual school communities based on the relationships formed and have an upcoming listening opportunity with APS students. The team will also meet with Arlington County Health officials to review the status of their programming and hope to set up a time to meet with local hospital leaders. |
Missing Middle Housing
In January, dozens of VOICE leaders turned out at Arlington County Board hearings to support ending the County’s exclusionary zoning policy and expanding much-needed housing options. Leaders wearing purple shirts and yellow buttons filled several rows of seats in the County Board room for seven hours on a Saturday and a subsequent hearing the following Tuesday night.
The Patch online blog reported: “Hillary Horn, a long-time Arlington resident speaking on behalf of Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement, or VOICE, said her group supports the Missing Middle proposal because it believes Arlington needs to expand its housing supply.”
DCist/WAMU reported: “’This is a racist past, and we continue to live in it, and we want out of that system,’ said Rev. Ashley Goff, the pastor of Arlington Presbyterian Church, who also owns a home in Green Valley. She was at the hearing Saturday with a large contingent of Arlington clergy and parishioners from local congregations (representing) Virginians Organized For Interfaith Community Engagement, a group that advocates with and for low- and middle-income communities.”
The County Board voted to hold hearings over the next 5 weeks on specific changes that among other things would allow multi-family housing of up to 6 units in areas now zoned for single family homes only. While VOICE leaders were disappointed at the exclusion of the 8-unit buildings, we plan to work with allies to ensure the final vote in March results in the inclusion of 6-plexes without restrictions.
Alexandria Caucus
There was something happening in the fellowship hall at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on a rainy morning in mid-January. Twenty leaders from a number of religious and community institutions met to talk about breathing new life into organizing with VOICE in the city of Alexandria. The conversation, co-chaired by community activist Kevin Harris and Rev. Linda Olson Peebles, heard VOICE updates from staff organizer Loren DePina. Mr. Harris presented a technique for doing power analyses, and the group discussed their insights into the Alexandria structures of power. Everyone agreed that it was time for each of them to hold listening sessions in February, and to reconvene to plan a way forward. All folks interested in Alexandria VOICE are invited to add to the renewed energy for building power, at 10:30am on Wednesday, March 8, at Beth El on Seminary Road. Sign up here