2024 Festival Latinoamericano
On Friday, October 4, 2024, the 2024 Festival Latinoamericano was held at Arlington Mill Community Center. The event celebrated the vibrant and diverse cultures that enrich our community. Indeed, that was exactly what happened and ECNV staff provided information about RACE project base in Arlington, travel training, Bienvenidos Todos and other services that we provide. It was a blast!
Collage: (Center Top) Rosalia Fajardo, wearing a black t-shirt and black pants, surrounded by two Muslim women. A little boy is also holding one of their hands; (Bottom Left) ECNV staff Lorena Granados speaking with a consumer and handing them a pamphlet; (Bottom Right) Margarita Baquero and Lorena Granados with a Hispanic mother. The mother is holding a purple ECNV bag.
Know Your Rights!
On Sunday, October 12, 2024, Rosalia Fajardo Director of Disability Equity and Partnerships at ECNV was invited to present at the informational workshops to the community Know Your Rights. This event was co-hosted by Legal Aide Justice Center and Dreamers Mother in Action in Richmond city to a group of Latino women.
(Left) Rosalia Fajardo speaking in front of a podium, behind her is a projector screen with a slide presentation and ECNV logo; (Right) Rosalia Fajardo surrounded by a group of Latina women.
Vienna Health Fair
On Saturday, October 5 2024, ECNV participated in the Vienna Health Fair at the Vienna Seventh-day Adventist Church. Our staff provided flu vaccines and distributed information to consumers about ECNV’s various other programs. More than 300 attendees came!
(Top Left) Jimena Baron helping a male senior citizen fill out paperwork for a vaccine; (Top Right) A Vietnamese woman wearing a dark navy shirt and black pants, sitting with a Muslim woman. (Center Bottom) Jimena Baron, Walgreens pharmacist, Rosalia Fajardo.
Education in Action!
On Tuesday, October 15, Rosalia Fajardo ECNV Director for Disability Equity and Strategic Partnerships was invited by the U.S. Department of Education Department to the “Educación En Acción” (Education in Action) Summit.
(Center Top) Secretary of Education Luis Cardona, an African-American man, and the actor Mauro Castillo from Disney’s ‘Encanto’; (Center Bottom) A female wheelchair user and Rosalia Fajardo.
Himalayan Free Clinic
On Saturday, October 5, 2024, ENCV once again hosted the Himalayan Free Clinic, which provided vaccines to the Nepali Community. The clinic offered a range of healthcare services at no cost to their patients. Their services primarily included chronic care management, counseling on chronic diseases such as diabetes education, various low-cost screenings, and referrals to appropriate local public resources when needed.
Collage (Center Top): Davis Aguayo, Rosalia Fajardo and Nepalese women; (Bottom Left) Rosalia Fajardo with a Nepali woman; (Bottom Right) An elderly Nepali wheelchair user receiving the vaccine from a Walgreens pharmacist.
Providence Day and Back to School
On Saturday, October 5 2024, ECNV staff hosted a flu vaccine clinic at Providence Day and Back to School event. This community event which was co-hosted by supervisor Dalia Palchik, also showcased local organizations and businesses while fostering stronger connections among residents and community leaders. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet neighbors, connect with local organizations, and prepare the community for a successful school year. ECNV Trainer Andrew Shaw and Communications and Publications Specialist Elaine Shaw were the first patients of the day!
(Top Center) Elaine Shaw and Lorena Granados posing for a selfie; (Bottom Left) An African-American man receiving a flu vaccination from our Walgreens pharmacist.
(Bottom Right) ECNV Travel Trainer Andrew Shaw filling out a form for. a flu vaccination.
Hispanic Heritage Culmore Day
On Saturday October 26, 2024, Second Story hosted the Hispanic Heritage Culmore Day at the Culmore Family Resource Center in Falls Church, VA. ECNV distributed more than 100 COVID-19 home tests to the multicultural Hispanic community. It was a beautiful celebration and one of the best events of the year. Live music dances, Art Culture Games and Folkloric dresses made that day so special.
Our Lady Queen of Peace
On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, ECNV provided flu shots to the Latino community at Our Lady Queen of Peace, which serves a diverse, multi-ethnic congregation and seeks to promote racial harmony and social justice. Additionally, there was a food distribution. Their primary focus is within the immediate community and works to provide wellness to the marginalized everywhere.
(Center Top): Rosalia Fajardo posing with a large group of Latina women; (Bottom Left) Rosalia Fajardo with a woman waiting in line; (Bottom Right) a group of Latinos waiting to get vaccinated.
ECNV at Independence Now 30th Anniversary Celebration
On Friday, September 27, 2024, ECNV's travel training team and other ECNV staff attended Independence Now’s 30th Anniversary Harvest Ball Celebration. This was a wonderful networking opportunity for the ECNV travel training team to meet new consumers.
(Center Top), a group of ECNV travel trainers and other ECNV staff, who attended the Independence Now 30th Anniversary Celebration. From Left to Right: Alicia Simms, Doris Ray, Andrew Shaw, Roman Senbato, Melinda “Mindy” Niland, Aleshia Whatley, Susan Picerno; (Left Photo, Front Row), Doris, Alicia Simms, Melinda “Mindy” Niland (Left Photo, Back Row) Andrew Shaw, Roman Senbato; (Right Photo, Front Row) Melinda “Mindy” Niland, Alicia Simms, Susan Picerno (Right Photo, Back Row) Roman Senbato and Aleshia Whatley.
WMATA Travel Training
On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, ECNV Training and Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw presented a special travel training at WMATA headquarters. ECNV's new travel trainers also attended. Mr. Shaw talked about what to take with him when he travels by train.
Image: Travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains the basics of travel training.
Empowering Independence: Shamarke's Travel Training Adventure to Panera
ECNV's travel trainer, Margarita, recently (3/25/24) accompanied Shamarke to Panera Bread in Alexandria to get lunch via metro bus and back to Springfield metro. During the journey, Shamarke successfully learned to use the Smart Trip card independently.
A triptych collage of Shamarke at Panera Bread.
More Travel Training with the Arc of Northern Virginia
On Thursday, March 21, 2024, ECNV travel trainers Andrew Shaw and Hunter Cardwell led a group of persons with disabilities from the Arc of Northern VA on a travel training trip from Ashburn to Tysons metro. There were 30 attendees.
Collage: Travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains the basics of travel training; a look inside a metro car while in transit; meeting at the Ashburn station; travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains how to enter and exit a metro station.
Travel training can help transport you to a galaxy (gallery) far far away…
On Friday, March 1, 2024, ECNV Travel Trainer Andrew helped Pete S. take the metro to the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Image: Pete and ECNV Travel Trainer, Andrew Shaw (right) posing for a photo with iconic droids, C-3PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars movies at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
ECNV and the Arc Travel Train in Loudoun
On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, travel trainer Andrew meets with a group from The Arc of Loudoun to use the Loudoun Transit bus to One Loudoun.
Collage: ECNV Travel Trainer Andrew Shaw explains to a group from the Arc of Loudoun how to read a metro bus schedule map, at an indoor bus stop; The Arc travel training group waiting for a bus; Andrew, center, posing with the travel trainees from the Arc of Loudoun.
Travel Trainer, Andrew Shaw and Pete S. Featured in Incl(US)ion Adventures, February 2024 Newsletter
ECNV Travel Andrew Shaw and Pete S. were featured in the February 2024 Newsletter.
Andrew Shaw from the Endependence Center of Northern Virginia and Pete discussing travel training.
Connecting with Students at Mason Life
On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, ECNV Training & Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw spoke to Mason Life students at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. He presented to students from all grades, from freshmen to seniors about travel training.
ECNV Training & Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw presents to college students from the Mason Life Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
Travel Training
During the week of 12/18/23, the ECNV travel trainer took some photos of Nathaniel Thomas, who participated in the travel training, they went to Tysons Corner to buy Starbucks.
Collage: ECNV travel training consumer Nathaniel Thomas sitting int front of a Christmas tree in an outdoor setting; Nathaniel Thomas sitting in a booth with a cup of coffee.
Wings for All!
On Saturday, October 28, 2023, ECNV Travel Trainer Hunter Cardwell, and Outreach Coordinator Pansy Walker, attended the Wings for All event sponsored by Arc of Northern VA. This event , which took place at the Reagan National Airport, gives families and aviation professionals the confidence to take to the skies with ease by providing an airport rehearsal as well as a presentation on the aircraft and in-flight safety protocols.
Collage: “Wings for All” check-in sign; Pansy Walker and Hunter Cardwell at ECNV’s outreach table at the Wings for All event.
Adventures in Loudoun
In the late summer, Andrew Shaw provided instruction to Liza Unverzagt in how to successfully use the bus in Loudoun County to areas such as Downtown Leesburg, One Loudoun, and finally the Metrorail that had opened in Ashburn and how to use it.
Image: Caucasian woman with a blonde ponytail and glasses smiling while on a Loudoun County bus lift outside the Loudoun County Government Center in Leesburg.
Back to School: Freedom to Travel the Metro
Are you tired of being tied to Metro Access where you have to make appointments and wait for your ride? Did you know that with a little orientation and training, you can make decisions about where you want to go and when you want to go by checking the schedule for the next bus or metro? ECNV’s Travel Training program for people with disabilities continues to grow!
An inside look at an empty metro car, newer model.