RAMP is Flying into Education
In June, the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program participated in STEM Learning.
They wrapped up June with a thrilling and educational trip to iFLY Indoor Skydiving in Ashburn, VA!
Image: Two RAMP students experiencing ifly skydiving in an air vacuum.
Real Impact: A Travel Training Journey
Valerie Klaussen at the metro where she and a travel trainer did travel training last week. She also stated, “My thoughts about the bus and Metro Rail are that it's a fun and easy way to get around and it's safe.”
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ECNV Goes to National Council on Aging Conference
ECNV's staff, Lelena Dagne and Tracee Garner, present at NCOA Conference 2025 in May. The National Conference on Aging was held from May 28-30, 2025, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.
Image: Tracee and Lelena stand in front of a screen.
Summer RAMP Program is in Full Lift-Off Mode
On Friday June 13, 2025, ECNV’s Summer RAMP program enjoyed time at Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA.
Image: Group of ECNV students and staff pose in front of Space Shuttle Discovery, which is on display in the James S. McDonnell Space at the Air & Space Museum in Chantilly, VA. Discovery was the third Space Shuttle orbiter to fly in space. From 1984 to 2012, Discovery flew 39 Earth-orbital missions, spent a total of 365 days in space, and traveled almost 240 million km (150 million mi) —more than the other orbiters. NASA transferred Discovery to the Smithsonian in April 2012 after a delivery flight over the nation's capital.
Celebrando el Orgullo de la Discapacidad en la Comunidad Latina: AbrazandoIdentidad, Inclusión y Fortaleza
La comunidad latina es conocida por sus fuertes valores familiares, su cultura y su resiliencia. Sin embargo, dentro de este grupo, los miembros con discapacidades a menudo enfrentan desafíos únicos y, a veces, pasan desapercibidos. El Mes del Orgullo de la Discapacidad busca honrar y elevar estas voces, especialmente las de nuestros miembros latinos con discapacidades. Es un momento para abrazar sus contribuciones, destacar las barreras que superan y celebrar sus logros.
ALT: Más de 4 millones de latinos en EE. UU. viven con discapacidades. Al fondo, un hombre caucásico con síndrome de Down, y a su derecha, un hombre afroamericano con una camisa azul a rayas. En el pie de página, el logotipo de ECNV.
Discapacidades del Aprendizaje: Apoyando la Inclusión y el Empoderamiento
Las discapacidades del aprendizaje (DA) son diferencias neurológicas que afectan la manera en que el cerebro procesa la información. Estas diferencias impactan habilidades fundamentales como la lectura, la escritura, las matemáticas, la comprensión del lenguaje y las interacciones sociales. Es importante destacar que estas discapacidades no reflejan la inteligencia de una persona; muchas personas con discapacidades del aprendizaje tienen una inteligencia promedio o superior.
ALT: The word Dyslexia is placed horizontally on the left hand side. To the right is text is violet and white that reads: Las discapacidades del aprendizaje con diferencias, no deficiencias.”
ECNV Presents at Northern Virginia Intergenerational Summit
Karla Nativi, ECNV staff member, attended the Northern Virginia Intergenerational Summit on 4/29/25 at the Karter School of One Loudoun.
Image: Woman in blue dress speaks with microphone in front of projector screen
Accessibility at PAX East Boston 2025
Earlier this month, Andrew Shaw and Elaine Shaw attended PAX East in Boston (May 8, 2025 – Sun, May 11, 2025) for vacation but still attended some disability related panels.
Left to Right: Elaine Shaw, wearing a light blue Spock Out t-shirt, a blue shoulder bag, and carrying a Firefly tote bag, Steve Seylor, Andrew Shaw wearing a black Quark’s bar t-shirt at PAX East 2025.
RAMP in Action: Full Speed on Activities
RAMP has been ramping up between January-May 2025.
ECNV Attended the Flip the Script on Aging Event
On Thursday May 15, 2025, Andrew Shaw and Karla Nativi attended the Flip the Script on Aging event at Oakwood Meadow Senior Residences.
Image: male in red shirt and female in blue blouse sit at outreach table
Tomar Nuestras Propias Decisiones: Por Qué Importa la Toma de Decisiones con Apoyo
Imagina poder decidir dónde vivir, qué médico visitar o cómo gastar tu dinero — no en soledad, sino con el respaldo de personas en quienes confías. Esa es la esencia de la Toma de Decisiones con Apoyo (TDA o SDM, por sus siglas en inglés). Es un modelo que respeta el derecho de las personas con discapacidades a tomar sus propias decisiones, con guía en lugar de control.
ALT: Toma de Decisiones, texto negro sobre un bloque de madera, todo en mayúsculas, sentado en una plataforma de madera, vista aérea. Un bloque blanco se superpone encima. El texto interior dice: La Toma de Decisiones con Apoyo permite que las personas con discapacidades tomen decisiones por sí mismas. Con apoyo, todo es posible.
ECNV’s I Am Self-Advocacy Program: April 2025 Update
The IASA Program is a Pre-Employment Transition Service (Pre-ETS) focused on helping students with disabilities, ages 14-22, hone their skills in self-advocacy through a combination of individual and group sessions. Funded by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), this program is offered to students referred by the Fairfax, Alexandria, Leesburg, and Manassas DARS offices.
[Image: Three circles overlapping each other with words Self Advocate in the center and words Motivated, Committed, and Passionate on each circle].
Disability Policy Seminar Hill Day
On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, along with with The Arc, The Autism Society, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), Caring Across Generations, Disability Belongs™, National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) participated in Hill Day.
Image: Peer mentor David Aguayo (He, Him), ECNV Advocacy Intern Laura Kim (She, Her, Hers), and Disability Outreach Coordinator Lorena Granados (She, Her, Hers) attend Hill Day at The Disability Policy Seminar at Capitol Hill on April 9, 2025 in Washington D.C/ El mentor David Aguayo (Él, Él), Practicante de la Defensa de ECNV, Laura Kim, y la coordinadora de Alcance de la Discapacidad, Lorena Granados, asisten al Día de la Colina en Capitol Hill el 9 de abril de 2025 en Washington D.C.
Personal Assistance Services (PAS)
QuickMatch specializes in matching an individual with a personal assistant. A personal assistant (PA), also known as a personal care attendant (PCA), is a person who assists an individual with activities of daily living in their home, their community, their school and in their workplace. Activities of daily living include bathing, transferring, dressing, driving, toileting, eating, shopping, reading, assistance to support employment, sports, recreation, entertainment and many other activities of daily life.
Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)
ECNV is a Center for Independent Living led by people with disabilities who provide advocacy and services to people with disabilities in Northern Virginia.
Gum Springs Male Health and Wellness Initiative
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV participated at Male Health and Wellness Initiative, which was hosted at Gum Springs Community Center Advisory Board (GSCCAB) and MAGNUS Temple #3. This event focused on Diabetes, Kidney Disease, and Prostate Cancer and offered various health screenings as well. ECNV distributed COVID-19 home test kits!
(Left to Right), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV with Daniel Admas, providing info to a African American male in burgundy sport sweater and tan pants table, Daniel Admas providing info to a African American senior citizen in light blue sport sweater. (Center
The Happy Healthy Safe Arlington DD Awareness Month Event
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV staff attended The Happy Healthy Safe Arlington DD Awareness Month, which was celebrated at Fairlington Community Center. ECNV gave out information about our travel training program and distributed COVID-19 home test kits!
(Left to Right), Rosalia Fajardo giving an African-American female consumer a purple ECNV bag, ECNV travel trainer Margarita Baquero, Rosalia Fajardo and Bienvenidos organizadora Jimena Baron. (Center Bottom), ECNV travel trainer Margarita Baquero providing info to a family.
Alexandria Community Shelter
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV distributed vaccines at Alexandria Community Shelter, a 64-bed residential emergency shelter that serves both families and individuals. The shelter offers a comprehensive array of services for children, women, and men experiencing homelessness in Alexandria, VA.
Image: Lorena Granados from wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and blue jeans, surrounded girls in pink outfits, ECNV peer intern David Aguayo, Director Rosalia Fajardo and a female African American female pharmacist wearing a medical gown and black pants. In front of them is a table with a red table cloth and other education materials for distribution.
Carpenter Shelter Vaccine Event
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, ECNV provided vaccines at Carpenter Shelter in Alexandria, VA. This shelter offers a comprehensive array of services for children, women, and men experiencing homelessness and accomplished the core of our mission guaranteeing health to vulnerable communities. COVID-19 home test kits were distributed.
(Left to Right), Lorena Granados from wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and black pants in front a table with a patient waiting to receive a vaccination; A Walgreen pharmacist wearing a medical gown and black pants with a senior male consumer ready to get the vaccine. (Center Bottom), Lorena Granados wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and black pants helps a senior male wearing a grey T-shirt, and jeans to fill out a vaccine form.
Porto Charities Disability Inclusion Conference
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Director of Programs Hannah Roberts and travel trainer Mindy Niland attended the 2025 ‘From Inclusion to Belonging Annual Conference on Disability.’ It was an all-day conference focused on how to plan for your transition from high school to beyond and was held at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, VA. It was sponsored by Porto Charities.
(Top), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV, a female wearing a purple sport sweater and black pants, with Karla Nativity ECNV travel trainer in a black outfit, and Melinda Nilan “Mindy” Travel trainer in a black sweater staffing ECNV table. (Bottom), Melinda Nilan “Mindy” Travel trainer in a black sweater staffing ECNV table taking with two Latina females with VHC uniforms.