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 debateΒ 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 cafΓ© 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 π
Friday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m.β7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.β6 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m.β4 p.m.https://t.co/svZaHJTwh4 pic.twitter.com/pSiVux4DtP— McLean Community Center (@mcleanvacenter) November 23, 2022
The McLean Community Center is on the lookout for local teens who are in tune with what kids these days enjoy.
The community center has launched a new MCC Youth Ambassador initiative that invites students from McLean and Langley high schools to provide input on and promote events at their schools and online.
MCC provides programming for older kids and teens through its Old Firehouse Center (OFC) at 1440 Chain Bridge Road. The facility generally attracts middle school-aged students, but attendance dips once kids enter high school, according to minutes from the governing board’s Sept. 28 meeting.
“I think the reason why is that they felt that it was more of MCC telling them to come — rather than it being a high school-oriented and high school-planned event publicized throughout social media,” said Charlotte Loving, who represents the Langley High School area on the board.
Conceived by Loving and Sarah Tran, who represents McLean High on the board, the initiative is open to all students enrolled in those two schools who live in MCC’s tax district, known as Dranesville Small District 1A.
Here’s more on the volunteer positions from MCC’s announcement, released on Friday (Nov. 18):
Youth Ambassadors will serve as liaisons between community youth and the two youth members of the MCC Governing Board, Sarah Tran (Langley High boundary area) and Charlotte Loving (McLean High boundary area). The ambassadors will promote MCC activities via their social media platforms and through resources at their respective schools. They will also assist in planning events and activities targeted to the youth of McLean in support of acquiring their growing participation in MCC programs. Ambassadors will meet monthly at MCC or the Old Firehouse Center to discuss public feedback and plan future activities.
Applications can be found on the MCC website and sent when completed to MCC General Programs Director Michael Fisher at michael.fisher@fairfaxcounty.gov. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 9.
According to the website, the ambassador program is currently considered a pilot. If deemed successful, it could expand to allow participants from private high schools in the tax district.
The McLean Antiques Show & Sale is returning to McLean next month for its 46th year.
The event, sponsored by the McLean Community Center (MCC) at 1234 Ingleside Avenue, is described in a release as a “treasure hunt.”
“[The sale] will feature an exciting selection of designer vintage clothing and American Folk Art as well as well-known traditional show offerings,” the release said.
The show is scheduled for 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Admission is $10 per person for both days of the show, though anyone under 18 gets in for free.
The McLean Antiques Show & Sale typically brings in dealers from across the eastern seaboard, from New England to North Carolina, but the release said there will be some differences this year.
“This year’s show will be more diverse than in the past,” the release said. “Dealers will feature traditional offerings of fine jewelry, paintings, furniture, porcelains, a variety of interesting collectibles, accessories and Oriental rugs as well as a larger selection of designer vintage clothing and accessories, American Folk Art and country furnishings.”
The full list of dealers can be found online.
“Dealers offer unusual, quality items from various corners of the world,” said show manager Dordy Fontinel in the release. “The continued emerging trend of antiques and vintage items is appealing to sustainability-minded customers and provides a beautiful, greener alternative.”
The McClean Community Center’s annual Fall Community Parking Lot Sale — a large flea market for local residents and businesses — is returning next weekend.
The sale is scheduled to run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 1234 Ingleside Avenue.
“Featuring more than 50 vendors, the Fall Parking Lot Sale is considered by many to be the first, biggest and best sale of the fall season,” MCC Marketing and Communications Director Sabrina Anwah said in a release. Local residents and commercial dealers will sell a wide variety of items at the open-air event — new and gently used household goods, electronics, furniture, clothing and appliances, among other items.”
The sale will also feature a special “Kid’s Row” set aside for sellers ages 3-15.
“These young vendors gain entrepreneurial skills and put their math skills into practice as they sell toys, clothes, games and other items,” Anwah said.
Admission to the sale is free.
What might you find at our upcoming Fall Community Parking Lot Sale? π€© There's only one way to find out!
Find bargains and treasures from up to 60 community resident vendors selling household items.
π@ MCC
π Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m.β1 p.m.
π https://t.co/26TgeqmzYq pic.twitter.com/V7AKHmD2Zn— McLean Community Center (@mcleanvacenter) September 6, 2022
Image via McLean Community Center/Twitter