Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference

1. Rosas Blancas, Fairfax, VA
2. Do Gooders, Hampton Roads, VA
3. The Humble Hustle, Roanoke, VA

• JR M.A.S.K. / HR M.A.S.K., Hampton Roads, VA

• Desmen Boykin (Montclair, Virginia)
• Amer Bayoumi (Reston, Virginia)
• Cartier Carey (Hampton, Virginia)
• Jordan Bell (Roanoke, Virginia)
• Buffalow Family & Friends (Chesapeake, Virginia)
• Xavier Duckett (Roanoke, Virginia)

Contact Person: Betsy Doud – betsy.doud@cornerstonesva.org
Hume Springs Citizens Association area of Alexandria is a wonderfully diverse neighborhood. When neighbors saw kids running around in neighborhood every day after school and became curious as to why kids weren’t doing homework after school. After questioning the kids, they realized the had homework but some of their parents had challenges with working late and juggling multiple jobs. Additionally language barriers created communication gaps that left a lack in understanding how to help their children with their homework. Given this, the neighbors of Hume Springs decided to organize and host Thursday Night Tutoring for children of all ages in the community. It began as a small group of kids and a few tutors and turned into 9-13 youth and 6-7 tutors each Thursday night. Starting in September and lasting throughout school year the group meets in the host tutor’s home to cook and share a healthy meal and then they work from 6 to 7 one-on-one or in small groups. The youth have goals for the program. They are to (1) show up on time, (2) try hard (3) be respectful (4)bring your homework and (5) a wild card- where the youth can just do something special for someone else. The positive results from Thursday Night Tutoring are numerous. The youth are more plugged into their academics and as a result, academics has become more important to them and their families. They also gained the valuable skills of time management, being prepared, setting goals and achieving them. While this program was started for the kids, it is transforming the Hume Springs Community for young and old alike. People used to just do their own thing and go about their own business. Now because of the youth have built bridges of connectedness, everyone knows each other and takes care of each other.

Contact Person: Shamon L. Gilbert- shamongilbert@yahoo.com
Community Cultivators is a non-profit organization that works as conduit with other community organizations to create employment opportunities for adults & Youth, while bringing the community together to create sacred connections and smart partnerships. In July 2015 Community Cultivators hosted their first annual Career and Life Development event. Over 80 people obtained employment and are still working today. Community Cultivators hosted and shared the second annual epic event on July 23, 2016 which also promoted life and career development opportunities. Several people came back to share their testimonials and reveal the impact this event had on their lives. Community Cultivators, along with local employers and organizations accomplished connecting the people with employers and resources that were in order to give them a chance to succeed and plan for a better future. They came together to deliver positive messages and access to resources which enhanced the participants ability to become employed, build a resume. Learn how to interview, register to vote and more. This gave the people of the community an outlet that was life changing all in this one day, one location event.

Contact Person: Bob Clement – bob.clement@roanokeva.gov
Representatives from the Roanoke’s Police Dept. Athletic Association and Inner City Athletic League helped Sherman Lea, a City Councilman create the Lea Outdoor Basketball League. Lea and former Police Chief Perkins realized that basketball related evens could help community members and youth get to know their police officers outside of the law enforcement duties. In turn this would help strengthen relationships with one another by forging a bond between them. The program was focused in an area of Roanoke where most of the city’s violent crime took place during 2015 including five homicides. The goals of the program are to teach leadership, decision making skills and foster community in an otherwise troubled neighborhood.

Contact Person – Ginger Brown, Co-founder – gingerb97@gmail.com
The Lee Highway Alliance is a grassroots citizen led effort of 18 civic associations that began three years ago. The Alliance contributed to improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods along the Lee Highway Corridor by building consensus for a new joint vision for an economically vibrant, walkable, attractive Lee Highway Corridor through an inclusive, transparent grassroots citizen led effort. Lee Highway was the only corridor in Arlington County without a focused planning effort and the General Land Use Plan had not been comprehensively updated for 57 years. These citizens created a step-by-step process to imagine a new future for Lee Highway and worked together to come up with new ideas. The process included (1) organizing and developing trust within & amongst numerous communities (2) Researching land use & policy topics (3) identifying goals of community which became a strategic vision and (4) convincing the County to formally plan the corridor & create the Lee Highway Taskforce. This process was followed to the letter and resulted in a new strategic vision for Lee Highway and a commitment by Arlington County to begin a formal planning process and the establishment of a Lee Highway Task Force in January 2017.

Contact person- Matias Alvarez – Matiasalvarez108@icloud.com
Founder of the Chantilly Youth Group, Carmen Vargas focuses on teaching kids the importance of giving back and volunteering in their communities. The Meadows of Chantilly is a community of trailers where Carmen lives and she recognized signs of struggle in her community. Children in the street during school hours and the local park being overtaken by drug users where ambulance would come often due to overdoses in the park were indications of community struggles. Carmen opened her door to her home to advocate for the well being of these kids. Carmen implemented various Anti-drug, Healthy Relationships, Anger Management and financial planning classes which has been a tremendous help not only for the kids but also the parents to help them understand the consequences of their actions. She recently implemented workshops on getting students ready for college and real life situations such bill paying and finances (life skills) that the public schools don’t devote as much time to teaching. Over the past year Carmen orchestrated a financial fair where professional s spoke to parents and the youth about the importance of budgeting their money and setting & attaining goals. At a health fair Carmen planned people in the community were able to get medical attention and diabetes exams. Many of the residents hadn’t been to a doctor in awhile and this was an opportunity for them to get check and receive information to clinics where they can get affordable care. According to the youth group there has been such an upward change in the community, its residents and the youth themselves of which several have moved up to leadership roles within the group. They contribute this positive change to the leadership & advocacy of Carmen Vargas.

Contact person – Ron McCorkle – ron@urbiculture.org
The Dale Ave Mural was an idea destined to happen. Southeast Roanoke has appeared to be a forgotten part of Roanoke. For various reasons, many residents felt disenfranchised from the city as a whole. Driving down this main corridor, over 25,000 vehicles each day pass this wall. Nicole Harris knew that there needed to be mural on this perfectly blank cement wall. Nicole initiated a group of neighborhood residents who took up the project, worked collaboratively together and created a masterpiece. It turned out to be possibly the largest community build mural in the state of Virginia . Working with the City of Roanoke Office of Neighborhood Services, Dept. of Engineering, The Roanoke Arts Commission the REACH Youth group, a nearby elementary school two neighborhood groups and many volunteers this project consisted of hundreds of hours. A muralist and volunteer Coordinator were the two paid positions. Paid for with a Neighborhood Development grant, this group was able to leverage $6,100 in to a $45,000 mural. Nicole Harris is the source of inspiration for this mural. By initiating this idea and encouraging others to participate, she kept the project alive and ensured it was completed in a timely manner with as much community input as possible.

Contact Person = Constance Covington- ccovington@drhava.com
Ayanna Henderson is a 14yr old who resides in the Cardinal Village Community. She is co-captain of the JV cheerleading squad and has a love and spirit to make everyone who crosses her path, happy and a better person. Ayanna formed a cheer squad within the Cardinal Village Community. The girls practice three days a week three hours a day. It’s very popular and growing larger each day. Ayanna has incorporated Praise Dance as another outlet for the girls to learn and enjoy. The squad now goes on the road to perform for others. Ayanna is a natural born leader. She hosts parties for the Pretty in Pink Girls Club and has served as president of that club for the past 4 years. Ayanna also helps the girls with grooming. After a long practice day she takes 5 to 6 girls home with her and washes their hair, flat irons and styles it. She teaches them about dressing appropriately for functions they attend. Additionally she takes her squad out in the community to clean up trash and debris. She shows them by example how to care for their community and the environment. Ayanna also works with the community choir and gathers the children for rehearsal and helps maintain order during this time. She has so many wonderful qualities and her heart is as big as the universe. She looks for ways to be a blessing to others always. She is one in a million.

Contact Person- Marcie Spragan – mspragan@hampton.gov
Ciara Lewis was nominated for this award for her leadership role in the civic engagement of young people. Ms. Lewis is a graduate of Class of 2016 Phoebus High School in Hampton VA. Ciara has demonstrated a strong passion and sincere interest in improving the Hampton Community and being civically involved. She served as a student leader in her community in various capacities. At her school she was a member of the Principal’s Ambassadors, a freshman mentor and in her last year she served as the student representative for Hampton School Board and for the Hampton PTSA. The passion for leading civic engagement of Hampton’s young people was not limited to her school environment. She is committed to service in her neighborhood and the City of Hampton Communities. During the local campaign season Ciara served as youth engagement advisor on multiple local campaigns. In this position she lead youth voter registration drives, organized meet & greets between City Council candidates and Hampton youth residents of voting age. She lead teams of young people conducting door to door canvassing in Hampton’s neighborhoods. During one of he candidates campaigns, Ciara served as social media team leader and worked to ensure that information and coverage of the evens were shared through Periscope, snapchat and Facebook Live. She and her team were often seen at campaign events conducting live interviews of the candidates and those in attendance & then sharing those interviews with a wide audience through social media. As a result of Ms. Lewis demonstrated leadership she was invited to attend a national security town hall meeting with Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton held in Hampton. This gathering focused on ways our government and community could support military families who loved one are consistently deployed. Ciara represented the youth voice in that town hall meeting.

Contact person – Matias Alvarez – Matiasalvarez108@icloud.com
The Chantilly Youth Group Foundation is comprised of a number of teen/young adult leaders that focus on teaching kids the importance of giving back to the community. This is a community that has worked together to overcome some of their challenges. The Foundation this year planned and carried out a health fair where many people got free medical attention, many of whom this was there first time receiving preventative medical care. The youth group has implemented various anti-drugs, anger management, healthy relationships, and financial planning classes. These classes have been a tremendous asset not only for the kids but as well as their parents. As a result of the work of the Chantilly Youth Group Foundation there has been such an upward change in the community, its residents and the youth themselves. Kids who became a part of the Foundation at an early age have now moved into leadership roles in the organization. These young people are viewed as resources in their community.

Contact Person – Portia Clark – portiaclark1@gmail.com
The NYE Community Services Team was started as a way to engage youth in and around the Nauck Community. Many were hanging around and getting into trouble at a nearby Community Center. Nauck Youth Enterprises began meeting with the youth at the community center where they were hanging out. Through the meetings they gained more insight into what was going on in the neighborhood and what was going on in their lives. They found that young people wanted someone to talk to and listen to them. Many needed food and money so they were fed and then began projects where the youth would help and in some cases they were able to be paid a stipend for their help. Some of the projects youth are engaged in include helping seniors aging in place with snow removal from driveways and public spaces, raking leaves in yards and helping with odd jobs as needed. Through this engagement a “Learn to Earn program” was started where the youth learn to earn money in the community through NYE.

The west end of the City of Roanoke’s downtown area was a blighted, low income area with a high crime rate in 2011. The area consisted of mostly older Victoria Style homes that had been neglected for some time. The City of Roanoke, seeing a need for revitalization in this neglected and depressed area, collaborated with Habitat for Humanity, Community Housing Partners, Total Action against Poverty, Lead Safe Roanoke and other community partners to successfully revitalize significant portions of the West End Neighborhoods. Houses were built, repaired and rehabbed & this project also provided affordable new homeownership in these neighborhoods. The city invested over 5.1 million in the West End Target area resulting in 30 new homes being built or rehabbed for first time homebuyer, placing a financial institution in neighborhood to encourage savings and renovating the façade of commercial buildings to improve the commercial core of this targeted area.

The Hampton Home Repair Blitz is a collaborative program that brings together over 300 volunteers, numerous community sponsors and homeowners within Safe & Clean targeted neighborhoods to improve the exterior of 20-30 homes all in one day. The Blitz began as an effort to meet a need in the community for minor exterior repairs and to improve the appearance of Hampton’s housing stock in concentrated areas. The City of Hampton, Habitat for Humanity and the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority established this partnership out of an interest in addressing basic home repair needs in a coordinated way to assist residents who did not have the financial or physical means readily available to address property maintenance needs. The partnership has leveraged over $50,000 in community sponsorships, grants and in-kind donations in addition to $15,000 in city grant funds. The volunteer time for the five events was valued at over $175,000.

Tinbridge Hill is a small neighborhood with a rich history. While it has struggled since the 50’s it continues to possess many of the ingredients needed to achieve the modern day spirit it was so recognized and admired for in that era. The Friends of Tinbridge Hill is a group of stakeholders and agencies committed to achieving measurable goals in this neighborhood. They assisted in the development of a neighborhood plan in partnership with the City Of Lynchburg and the Tinbridge Hill Neighborhood Council (THNC). The Plan identifies general goals and action steps within each goal that will form the agenda for the Friends and THNC over the years. The Friends have worked with THNC to meet the vision of the plan and establish measurable benchmarks by which they can celebrate progress.

For over 35 years Constance Covington has devoted her time, talent and energy to the youth and residents of her community. She conducts over 150 educational programs each year and recruits volunteers to give of their time to teach life lessons to those less fortunate. She assists juveniles ordered by the court to complete community service projects. She adds to their experience in a way in which they earn not just the hours but confidence in themselves, pride in their work and the value of hard labor. Constance Covington, volunteers full-time at Cardinal Village ( a housing complex under the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, where she provides the opportunity for youth to complete the requirements of the court and to see the significance of giving back to their community. The power of Mrs. Covington’s Community Service Projects always is aimed at moving the neighborhoods forward from their past. She works with the community’s most at-risk youth and prepares them to be the community’s future leaders and outstanding citizens.

Jane Baber White’s involvement in a vast number of community projects has forever impacted the City of Lynchburg. She has a fierce vision for community restoration. Her quiet personas, contagious energy and successful efforts to ensure the recognition of the African American legacy and her dedication to the Lynchburg community are insurmountable. She continuously uplifts other people or agencies by writing letters of sponsorship, writing agencies for donations on behalf of a local community effort or lobbying for continued improvement within local government, schools or the neighborhood. Her stellar involvement and efforts continually and currently has impacted the following projects in this community; The Old Cemetery located in Tinbridge Hill; The Anne Spencer Garden and Museum; the African American Legacy Museum and the Tinbridge Hill Neighborhood Plan.

Steve Edwards works hard to improve the community around him and continues to encourage positivity while doing so. Through his volunteer involvement as the Faith Based Representative and Chair of the Hampton Neighborhood Commission Steve has partnered with HELP (Hampton Ecumenical Lodging & Provision) to create the Street Church program which helps families in the community that are in crisis and homeless while receiving a home cooked meal on the 4th Sunday of each month. Pastor Steve has devoted his time to helping faith-based organizations within the community to partner with other organizations on outreach, recreational events and charity drives through the Neighborhood Commission Registered Neighborhood Organization Program. The registration program was one of the ventures he encouraged as Commission Chair. It serves as a tool in identifying and developing relationships with key organizations and networks that make up the Hampton Community. Steve embraces the ABCD ( Asset Based Community Development) model for sustainable community driven development. Through his ministries and work as the Chair of the Commission Steve tries to build on the assets that are already in the community and bring them together.

The Youth Board of Lindenwood/Cottage Heights/Barraud Park Civic League is comprised of youth who have become involved in the monthly civic league meetings from the aforementioned neighborhoods. They serve as Youth Officers of the Civic League and have organized and implemented such projects as: Monthly cleanups, senior checkups, Youth Leadership events, Back to School Supply giveaways and Community outreach. Their 1st annual “Tied to a Brighter Future” youth event in August 2014 was planned, organized and designed specifically by the Youth Board. This event was geared to preparing young men for a brighter future through workshop sessions and one on one support. The event improved the community by involving youth from the community and teaching them basic etiquette skills and good grooming techniques needed for job interviews, school, church and other areas of social interaction. It also gave them a perspective on the importance of money management and seeking a successful career. These accomplishments help strengthen the neighborhoods though youth volunteerism, youth leadership, youth employment and education preparation as well as youth development. Thus the Youth Board is becoming more engaged in activities that will strengthen their community as a whole and foster good family values.

Each year the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Controls hosts a week-long conference for Virginia Teenagers called Youth Alcohol and Drug Prevention Project (YADAPP). At the end of the week each team of youth creates a STAN Plan or Strategy to Act Now Plan. This is a youth engineered, youth created plan to educate and mobilize their peers about substance abuse prevention. After they leave the conference they head home to their communities to implement their plans. Three high school youth from FACETS Ragan Oaks community in Fairfax County implemented their plan in April 2015. Their vision was to host a local 3 on 3 basketball tournament that could also be used as a platform to speak with their peers about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The basketball tournament was youth driven. The three lead youth sought the support from the other FACETS communities to assist with set up, manning information booth& games, serving food and helping to clean up. By giving their peers responsibilities and tasks, the lead youth encouraged others to take on leadership roles. In addition to engaging their peers from their neighborhood, they expanded the reach to other community centers, schoolmates and friends & families. The tournament also strengthened the bonds between FACETS and two partnering organizations for the event, Fairfax County Police and the Mott Center.

The Pretty in Pink Program began as collaboration between the 22nd Court Service Unit at Danville’s Diversion Program and the Cardinal Village Tenants Association. It has evolved and shaped into a valuable program for young girls. The young ladies have elected officers and host regular monthly meetings as well as field trips and community projects. They have become more active within their neighborhood and city at large. They started to have regular tea parties as part of their monthly meetings where all girls are asked to dress in pink, spend time together and come with an open mind to learn something new. They invite an older group of women to join in the event from time to time. This is a wonderful mentoring opportunity for these young ladies. The program grew from a regular membership of 12 to the current membership of 45 young ladies from the ages of 5-16 years. There is a sense of ownership of being a part of something bigger within their own community where poverty and gangs make it difficult to see things sometimes in a positive light. Additionally the program has also created a connection within the Greater Danville Area through service projects that take them out of their neighborhood to other neighborhoods within their City.

Bryauna is a high school senior who is employed as a Junior Youth Planner for the City of Hampton. In her time as a junior Youth Planner, Bryauna has displayed strong leadership skills necessary to lead a group of 22 high-school aged Hampton Youth Commissioners. Due to her collaborative nature, she is relied upon to carry out tasks or help others in completion of goals for the Hampton Youth Commission. Bryauna has excellent written and oral presentation skills and showcases these skills bi-monthly by presenting formal presentations to the City of Hampton Planning Commission and memos written to the Planning Commission, including the City Manager. This past year Bryauna collaborated with other staff members to develop bus tour plans to ride the (Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) System for the Youth Commissioners and their peers. The project contributed to the quality of life of the Hampton Community by exposing young people to riding a city bus. It helped to break the negative perception they had about riding a public bus which then opened their minds to an affordable and accessible alternate mode of transportation. The HRT bus tours that Bryauna took a lead in planning and effectively executing, strengthens the Hampton Community for success because it helped educate more young people about their transportation options.

Over 25 years ago, Old Southwest, Inc. in Roanoke dedicated a memorial in Argonne Circle to commemorate the sacrifices made by World War 1 soldiers from Roanoke. In the years since not much else had happened to this space. While serving in the Argonne Circle rededication in 2012 Frank saw the need for the circle to be refreshed. He contacted Old Southwest, Inc. and spoke at a neighborhood meeting seeking support for his plan to enhance the memorial located on the circle. Frank’s planning development and leadership on this project involved approval from Roanoke Parks & Recreation and the city’s architectural review board. Once Frank received approval he began raising capital to fund the project. With sponsorships from Old Southwest Inc and Home Depot Frank was able to enhance the memorial by adding a flagpole, information center, benches and planting a poppy flower symbolic of World War 1. Frank then went on to coordinate the rededication of Argonne Circle for Veterans’ Day 2014 to honor those who lost their lives in WW1 helping to keep alive the sacrifices they made so we can continue to enjoy the freedoms we have today.