The McLean Community Center (MCC) has a new governing board after a relatively quiet election cycle.
A total of 1,473 McLean residents voted in the race, which saw Kathleen Cooney-Porter, Katie Gorka and Gloria Marrero Chambers emerge victorious from a slate of five adult candidates.
The preliminary vote totals, tallied by the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area, are as follows:
- Kathleen Cooney-Porter: 1,047 votes
- Gloria Marrero Chambers: 729 votes
- Katie Gorka: 629 votes
- Matt Colsia: 582 votes
- Lincom Thillaichidambaram: 500 votes
- Write-ins: 18 votes
The top vote getter, Cooney-Porter has lived in McLean since 1998 and has worked in intellectual property law for nearly 30 years, including as a senior trademark policy advisor for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“I believe my experience will advance the programs of MCC and increase representation of our diverse community,” she said in a candidate statement. “I enjoy cooking, reading, tennis, walking and spending time with family and friends and our beloved French bulldog.”
In her candidate statement, Chambers highlighted her volunteer work, including serving as board vice president for The Langley School. A McLean resident since 2013, she’s also a past president of the Greater McLean Republican Women’s Club and was appointed in April to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Citizens’ Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion.
“As a member of the MCC Board, I will ensure that programs and events engage every member of our community,” Chambers said in her statement. “I will be a responsible steward of your tax dollars, and I will commit my decades of leadership and board experience to give back to our community.”
A second campaign turned out to be the charm for Gorka, who also sought a MCC governing board seat last year.
A resident of McLean since 2008, Gorka served in Donald Trump’s administration as a senior advisor in the Department of Homeland Security and press secretary for Customs and Border Patrol. She also had stints as a columnist for the right-wing media outlet Breitbart and as a research fellow for the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank.
“My priority is to support the McLean Community Center, which is a treasured community resource; to ensure that it provides programming of interest to all members of the community; and to ensure fiscal responsibility,” Gorka told FFXnow by email. “Organizations that receive taxpayer dollars, as the Community Center does, should use resources responsibly and transparently.”
Gorka didn’t respond to a follow-up asking for her stance on MCC’s stated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, concepts she has criticized as “Marxist-inspired ideology.” During her tenure in the Trump administration, she reportedly pushed anti-Muslim policies and cut grants to address right-wing extremism.
Cooney-Porter and Chambers didn’t return FFXnow’s inquiries about their priorities as new MCC board members. Read More
McLean Day is just around the corner.
The annual outdoor festival will return for a 108th year this Saturday (May 20), bringing amusement rides, live music, food and carnival games to Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Started in 1915 as a school and community fundraiser, McLean Day has taken place at Lewinsville Park since 1988 and draws as many as 10,000 people throughout the day each year, according to the McLean Community Center (MCC), which produces the event.
Like last year, the rides will open ahead of the full festival on Friday (May 19) from 2-10 p.m. Wristbands for unlimited rides are on sale now for $20, a $5 discount from on-site ticket purchases.
Performances will be held throughout Saturday on a main community stage and a more kid-oriented juggler’s stage. The community stage will feature singing, dance and theater, per MCC’s website:
- 11 a.m. — Art in Motion (MCC’s youth dance class participants)
- 12:50 p.m. — Noah Asher (low-key covers and originals)
- 1:10 p.m. — Hull (alternative rock band)
- 1:40 p.m. — Unruly Theatre Project, The Alden’s professional teen improv group
- 2:20 p.m. — Minahil Ishaq (singer-songwriter)
- 2:50 p.m. — Kiril French (Broadway and pop solos)
- 3 p.m. — Teen Character Awards
- 3:20 p.m. — Kiril French (Broadway tunes and pop solos)
- 3:45 p.m. — Hull (alternative rock band)
The McLean Citizens Association, which organizes the Teen Character Awards, shared last week that this year — the 25th annual ceremony — will have four honorees:
- Alex Abraham: a junior at McLean High School who volunteers at the food bank Share of McLean and runs an annual coat drive for the Virginia Hospital Center
- Sebastian Herbolsheimer: a senior at Langley High School who volunteers as an EMT for the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department and serves as junior assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 1916
- Kasim Khapra: a sophomore at the Potomac School who founded the nonprofit MyPy Coding, which provides free, online coding classes to students in second through eighth grade
- Tatum King: a junior at McLean High School who volunteers for McLean Little League’s Challenger division, a baseball program for kids with physical and mental disabilities
As usual, McLean Day will also have a voting booth where residents can cast ballots in person for MCC’s governing board election. This year, there are five adults and 10 teens campaigning for three adult and two teen seats on the 11-member board.
Other noteworthy activities include laser tag, rock-climbing walls, a petting zoo, beachball corral, an activity called Bubble Ball, a magician and various costumed characters.
No parking will be available at Lewinsville Park, so Fairfax Connector will provide free shuttles from the McLean Metro station and three satellite locations: McLean Baptist Church (1367 Chain Bridge Road), McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue) and Redeemer Lutheran Church (1545 Chain Bridge Road).
All of the shuttles will run from 10:25 a.m. through 6 p.m., according to MCC.
The sun will shine into the night this Saturday (March 25), as the McLean Community Center hosts its first-ever Fiesta del Sol.
The inaugural celebration of Latin American and Caribbean cultures will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:45 p.m. before the doors at 1234 Ingleside Avenue open 15 minutes later.
According to a media advisory, anticipated ribbon-cutting attendees include county officials, MCC staff, and representatives of Latin American and Caribbean embassies, businesses and nonprofits in the area.
MCC partnered with Stafford-based VIP Impressions Event Planning to organize the festival, which will have live music, food, drinks, and local business and artisan vendors until 9 p.m.
“We are looking forward to a super fun evening with a Latin beat,” MCC Special Events Manager Catherine Nesbitt said in a press release. “We will celebrate the cultural wonders of Latin American and Caribbean traditions through live music, dancing, great food and art.”
Admission to the festival is free, but tickets will be sold on-site for food and beverages, including alcohol for those 21 and older. Prices will range from $5 to $15 per item.
The tapas menu comes from Pikoteo, a Latin American eatery that recently opened in the former TAV Mediterranean Bistro spot at 6811 Elm Street.
Proceeds from the festival will go to The Institute for Building Agency, a nonprofit that provides civics education and training to people of color. The woman-led organization was chosen as the beneficiary in honor of Women’s History Month, according to MCC.
Here’s more from the community center on the evening’s scheduled performers:
Following a ribbon cutting and official opening of the event at 4:45 p.m., the festival kicks off with Salsa Guy Richmond, who will offer a demonstration of basic bachata, salsa and merengue dance steps. He will present a demonstration 20 minutes before each band performance. D.C.-based DJ Leo will work his magic to keep the party going. Laura Sosa and the Pa’Gozar Latin band will perform bachata, a form of Dominican music, at 5:30 p.m. Originally from Peru, lead singer, Laura Sosa, has created a band that emulates the rich and varied music of South America and the Caribbean. These talented musicians and excellent vocalists are sure to get patrons on the dance floor.
At 6:30 p.m., Izis, La Enfermera de la Salsa performs. Originally from Puerto Rico, Izis is now a nurse in the United States Army, where she has served for 15 years. The band recently released a new Christmas album, “My Favorite Things,” that features a salsa beat. Pablo Antonio and La Firma rounds out the evening with a performance at 8 p.m. Originally from El Salvador, Pablo Antonio began performing at age 10 in Arlington. His band generates a celebration of merengue that has won fans nationally and internationally.
The McLean Community Center’s efforts to attract the attention of a younger generation appear to be paying off.
Earlier this week, the organization announced a robust slate of candidates for its upcoming governing board election that includes five adults and 10 teens — more than tripling the number of kids who competed in last year’s elections.
Voters will once again choose three adult board members and two teens, one representing students in the McLean High School boundary area and the other representing the Langley High School area.
Open to all residents of MCC’s tax district, absentee voting began today (Wednesday) and will continue through 5 p.m. on May 17. The official election will be held at the annual McLean Day festival from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road).
Absentee ballots can be requested online, by phone (703-744-9348) or by email at elections@mcleancenter.org. They can be dropped off in-person at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue) or sent by mail.
The candidates certified for this year’s election are:
Adults
- Gloria Marrero Chambers
- Matt Colsia
- Katie Gorka
- Kathleen Cooney Porter
- Lincom (aka Amirthalingam Thillaichidambaram)
Teens — Langley High School
- Sophia Bruno
- Cabot Fisher
- Charlotte Loving
- Duy Nguyen
- Ethan Pwu
- Sonya Thott
Teens — McLean High School
- Eleanor Ague
- Rafik Hanna
- Katy Perez-Nesmith
- Philip Rotondo
The slate features a couple of familiar names. Current Langley representative Charlotte Loving is seeking another term, and former Trump administration official Katherine Gorka is making another bid for a seat after falling short last year.
Personal statements submitted by each candidate can be found on MCC’s website.
The 11-member governing board oversees the community center’s budget, programs and facilities. Adults serve three-year terms, while the youth members serve for one year.
The spirit of Black History Month will extend into March at The Alden in McLean.
For tomorrow (Saturday) only, the McLean Community Center’s theater will host a one-act play by the Ohio-based company Mad River Theater Works “that brings the history of the Underground Railroad to life,” according a news release.
The sole performance of “Freedom Flight” will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. Featuring original music, the play is based on the true story of Addison White, who escaped slavery in Kentucky and later served in the Union Army during the Civil War.
“Freedom Flight” is a one-act play with music by Mad River that revolves around Ohio’s most famous incident in the history of the Underground Railroad: the story of Addison White, an escaped slave, and his rescue by the citizens of the town of Mechanicsburg, Ohio. When Evelyn, a descendant of Addison White, confronts her own difficulties with racism, an array of characters tell and relive their family history.
Founded in 1978, Mad River Theater Works produces original plays that “challenge racism, sexism and intolerance” by finding inspiring stories in American history, according to its website.
Tickets for tomorrow’s play cost $15 for all residents of MCC’s tax district and $25 for non-residents, though seniors and students pay just $20. The Alden is a 383-seat theater in the community center at 1234 Ingleside Avenue.
In February, MCC marked Black History Month with a performance by the all-female, a capella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. The center also hosted “The 1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones, who was invited to speak by Fairfax County Public Library.
Nikole Hannah-Jones, the investigative journalist behind “The 1619 Project,” is coming to McLean.
Anyone hoping to snag a last-minute ticket to her talk at the McLean Community Center on Sunday (Feb. 19), however, is out of luck. Seats filled up quickly once registration opened last month, and the waitlist has exceeded 400 people, according to the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), which organized the free event.
Fortunately, Hannah-Jones has agreed to let the county make a recording of the event that will be shared “for a limited time” with attendees and everyone on the waitlist, FCPL Director Jessica Hudson says.
“We are honored and excited to host Ms. Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award winning author, and creator of the landmark 1619 Project, during our Black History Month celebration,” Hudson said in a statement. “Authors are chosen for a variety of reasons including educational value, because they inspire a high level of interest among our diverse community members, and for their ability to offer unique insight into important cultural and social issues.”
Since launching in The New York Times Magazine on Aug. 14, 2019, The 1619 Project has ignited vigorous debate among academics and the general public alike over its argument that racism and slavery are foundational — not incidental — to American history.
The initiative won awards for Hannah-Jones, including a 2020 Pulitzer Prize, and has expanded with a teaching guide, podcast, the nonfiction book “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story,” the kids’ book “Born on the Water,” and most recently, a documentary series on Hulu.
The project’s longevity surprised even its author — as has the intense backlash, which has manifested in everything from historians disputing specific claims to politicians banning it from classrooms.
Far from being wary, Hannah-Jones wants to visit states like Virginia, where pushback to her work and the once-niche academic concept of critical race theory has evolved into broader fights over how history is taught in schools and access to books. She spoke in Arlington last year for “Banned Books Week.”
“It’s really important for me to go into places that are having these battles,” she told FFXnow. “Really, I see part of it as standing up for teachers and librarians and students’ right to learn, but of course, in a place like Virginia or a place like Fairfax County, or a place like Arlington, or really anywhere, we are daily seeing how the legacy of slavery is shaping lives, and people don’t often recognize that.” Read More
The Rotary Club of McLean will peer back into the colonial era this weekend for its 11th annual chocolate festival.
Set to return this Sunday (Jan. 29), the McLean Chocolate Festival will feature a colonial America chocolate-making demonstration, along with vendors, free entertainment and children’s games. The demo is being presented by American Heritage, a brand of locally headquartered candy maker Mars Inc.
The festival is organized by and serves as a key fundraiser for the rotary club, which uses the proceeds to support local and international charities and educational programs, according to the website.
The 2022 festival, which marked a return after a year off due to Covid, drew 2,500 attendees and raised almost $24,000, the rotary club says.
The following chocolatiers and other vendors will be participating this year:
- Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates
- The Capital Candy Jar
- Le Papiyon Chocolatier
- Soul Good Kitchen
- Chesterbrook Residences
- River-Sea Chocolates
- Arcay Chocolates
- Sugar Mama’s Ice Cream
- Pacari Chocolate
- Lammar Marie’s Gourmet Popcorn
- Tysons Creamery
- My Alfajor
- Artisan Confections
- United Flavors, which sells hand-crafted chocolate bonbons and other sweets
Entertainment options include a talk about the history of chocolate from Mars Inc. chocolate historian Dave Borghesani and music from the J2N2 Project, a Maryland-based flute quartet.
The festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue). Admission costs $2, though kids 3 and under can get in for free.
For anyone whose chocolate cravings aren’t sated Sunday, you won’t have to wait even a week for the return of Fairfax City’s Chocolate Lover’s Festival, which will be held Friday, Feb. 3, through Sunday, Feb. 4.
Photo via American Heritage Chocolate/Unsplash
To Betsy May-Salazar, the McLean Community Center (MCC) is a place for making connections.
Funded by a special resident tax district, the facility at 1234 Ingleside Avenue serves a variety of functions, from organizing community events like the annual McLean Day festival to offering educational classes and providing meeting space.
The overarching goal of all those activities is to bring people together, says May-Salazar, MCC’s newest executive director.
“A community center is a place for members of the community to connect, and our vision is to generate inspiration and creativity and connection to McLean and its communities,” she said in a recent interview. “Our goal again is to be a warm, inclusive environment for all, a place for McLean residents who want to learn, play, relax, connect.”
As a longtime McLean resident, May-Salazar’s experience with MCC extends much further back than her a few weeks as executive director, a position she officially assumed on Jan. 3.
In addition to regularly attending performances at the Alden Theater and other cultural events, she says her children were dedicated participants in the center’s summer camps and after-school programs at the Old Firehouse Center when they were young. She has also been involved in PTAs and other groups that meet at MCC.
May-Salazar told FFXnow she’s eager to pair her perspective as a patron of the center with her professional background working at D.C.’s National Building Museum. As the museum’s senior vice president and chief operating officer, she helped manage finances and operations, while also developing programs, such as a summer block party.
“We also positioned ourselves there as a town square, where people could gather and important conversations and dialogue take place,” May-Salazar said. “I think all of this experience is applicable when looking at the community center’s role to provide opportunities for the community to engage with one another.”
After a “whirlwind” of introductions to staff and board members, May-Salazar is set to meet with the full MCC governing board for the first time on Wednesday (Jan. 25). Her initial goal is to review the strategic plan that has been in development since fall 2021 and will be finalized “in the coming months.”
In terms of specific program or event ideas, she says she’s “not walking in the door with preconceived priorities” — a deviation in approach from her predecessor Daniel Singh, whose arrival in the spring of 2021 was accompanied by a full slate of newly announced programs.
May-Salazar noted that she’s joining “at a fortuitous time” after much of the work on the strategic plan has been completed. The document is intended to guide MCC”s priorities and programming for the next five years, a time period that will include the center’s 50th anniversary in 2025.
“I want to learn from the staff and from the board and from the community members about what’s working well and what opportunities we have moving forward,” she said.
The McLean Community Center has found a new executive director who will, hopefully, be a bit more permanent than its last one.
Fairfax County announced yesterday that the MCC Board of Directors appointed Betsy May-Salazar at a special meeting on Wednesday (Dec. 14) after an over four-month search for a long-term successor to Daniel Singh, who resigned on July 26 just 14 months into the job.
Evan Braff, a countywide coordinator in Fairfax County’s Office of the County Executive, took over as acting executive director on Aug. 15 following Singh’s resignation. May-Salazar will officially assume the position on Jan. 3.
“On behalf of the McLean Community Center Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome Betsy as our new executive director,” MCC Board Chair Barbara Zamora-Appel said in a statement. “Her extensive experience managing operations, strategic planning and development of compelling programs for the public, along with her longstanding ties to McLean, position her well. I look forward to working with Betsy to expand our reach, cultivate partnerships and make the McLean Community Center the best it can be for our community.”
Say hello to the new Executive Director of the McLean Community Center, Betsy May-Salazar!
Her appointment was approved by the MCC Board of Directors at their meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14. She succeeds MCC Acting Director Evan Braff.
Read more: https://t.co/vRkumQ9vSJ pic.twitter.com/yvVuwp4J7n
— McLean Community Center (@mcleanvacenter) December 15, 2022
A longtime resident of McLean, per the news release, May-Salazar had worked at the National Building Museum in D.C. since 1995, most recently serving as its senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Before that, she was program director of the Washington chapter of the American Institute of Architects, a professional nonprofit that provides education, advocacy and community outreach for architects.
She received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in interdisciplinary studies from Miami University and a master’s degree in arts in American studies from George Washington University.
When Singh arrived at MCC in April 2021, he and the board touted promoting diversity and equity as a top priority, a stance that occasionally spurred backlash from some community members.
While the county’s release didn’t share much insight into what May-Salazar will do in her new role, the community center has focused on expanding its audience as it works to finalize a five-year strategic plan and prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Last month, MCC launched a youth ambassador initiative to promote its events and programming more among local high school students.
The McLean Holiday Art and Crafts Festival will hit the 40-year mark this weekend, just as gift shopping kicks into full gear.
Featuring work by 80 artisans from around the region, the annual handmade crafts fair will be held Friday through Saturday (Dec. 2-4) inside the McLean Community Center. Hours will be 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
This will be second time that MCC hosts the event in person during the pandemic. It first returned to 1234 Ingleside Avenue last year after going virtual in 2020.
“This fun and festive community event includes every price point and is sure to inspire holiday cheer,” MCC Special Events Manager Catherine Nesbitt said in a news release. “Esteemed jurors have carefully selected artists who have created extraordinary treasures. Support your community and shop locally.”
Selected by a jury, the festival artists work in a range of mediums, from pottery, glass, wood and jewelry to soap, mixed media, holiday decor, and the culinary arts. Their works will be available for purchase.
There will also be an on-site café where visitors can grab a meal and drinks.
Admission is free for kids 12 and younger, but it otherwise costs $5, though that price covers all three days of the festival. The first 200 attendees will receive a free MCC-branded tote bag.
All proceeds will go to the nonprofit Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild, which is cosponsoring the event and supports local artists with exhibits, scholarships and educational opportunities.
We're giving away these MCC tote bags to the first 200 people who join us each day of the McLean Holiday Art & Crafts Festival! Don't miss it 🎁
Friday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.https://t.co/svZaHJTwh4 pic.twitter.com/pSiVux4DtP— McLean Community Center (@mcleanvacenter) November 23, 2022
