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online at www.connectionnewspapers.com June 14-20, 2017 Photo by Shirley Ruhe/The Connection Entertainment, Page 6 Classified, Page 10 Arlington Arlin g ton Connection Connection The The HomeLifeStyle HomeLifeStyle Page 9 Home Life Style The nearly 90 degree temperatures didn’t bother the children at Lyon Village splash park on Saturday, June 10. A Splashing Good Time News, Page 3 A Splashing Good Time News, Page 3 Refugee Stories — Different But the Same News, Page 3 Selected for Grammy Camp People, Page 8 Targeting Asian Tiger Mosquito News, Page 3 Refugee Stories — Different But the Same News, Page 3 Selected for Grammy Camp People, Page 8 Targeting Asian Tiger Mosquito News, Page 3

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Page 1: Arlingtongton Theconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/0… · a raft with 16 other people and a dog. “I’d lost all my connections with no plan.” The

Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.comJune 14-20, 2017

Pho

to

by Shirley R

uhe/T

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onnectio

nEntertainm

ent, Page 6

C

lassified, Page 10

ArlingtonArlingtonConnectionConnection

TheThe

HomeLifeStyleHomeLifeStylePage 9

HomeLifeStyle

The nearly 90 degreetemperatures didn’tbother the children atLyon Village splash parkon Saturday, June 10.

A SplashingGood Time

News, Page 3

A SplashingGood Time

News, Page 3

Refugee Stories —Different But the SameNews, Page 3

Selected for Grammy CampPeople, Page 8

Targeting AsianTiger MosquitoNews, Page 3

Refugee Stories —Different But the SameNews, Page 3

Selected for Grammy CampPeople, Page 8

Targeting AsianTiger MosquitoNews, Page 3

Page 2: Arlingtongton Theconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/0… · a raft with 16 other people and a dog. “I’d lost all my connections with no plan.” The

2 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Page 3: Arlingtongton Theconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/0… · a raft with 16 other people and a dog. “I’d lost all my connections with no plan.” The

Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

See Refugees, Page 10

NewsArlington Connection Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

See Toss, Page 11

By Eden Brown

The Connection

A few weeks ago, the firstof the Asian tiger mosqui-toes (Aedes albopictus)

starting biting. Arlington County‘s Public Health Division had al-ready distributed a notice about“tossing and tipping (and cover-ing)” any standing water from gar-bage cans, house gutters, down-spout extenders, pool covers,flower pots, coolers, or any othercontainers or objects where rain-water or hose water could collect.They specifically suggested tossingold tires, drums, bottles, cans, bro-ken appliances or other items out-side that aren’t being used, in or-der to stop the Asian tiger mosqui-toes from living and multiplyingaround homes and businesses.

A concerned Arlington resident,Jake McGuire, reported the stashof used tires at the Red Top Cabparking lot behind the Liberty Tav-ern to a Connection journalist onMay 30. “Yesterday I drove downthe alley behind Liberty Tavern in

Clarendon and saw that Red Topcab had a large pile of discardedtires outdoors hidden between acouple of buildings .... if the people

By Shirley Ruhe

The Connection

Fazela Mahmoodi came to theU.S. from Afghanistan at theend of 2015 because the se-curity situation got very bad.

Civilians had the worst time of anyone.She was safe here but found “life inAmerica to be very, very difficult.”

A u g u s t i nNtabaganyimanacame to Americafrom Rwanda.He awoke onemorning afterthe genocide tofind them tryingto kill his step-mother. “Lifewas not pretty.”

Jessi Calzado-Esponda woke

up one night when she was 7-years-old to find her aunt secretly packingher bags to flee Cuba. In the blink ofan eye Calzado-Esponda ended up ona raft with 16 other people and a dog.

“I’d lost all my connections with no plan.”The panel of former refugees discussed

their experiences resettling in this countryat the Ethiopian Community DevelopmentCouncil’s 23rd National Convention on June1. Their program stated, “the conferencecomes at a crucial time for refugees, bothabroad and domestically. The world refu-gee crisis continues to be one of the defin-ing issues of our time.”

Each refugee had a story.Mahmoodi explained that to live in Af-

ghanistan is not only dangerous but the“situation is even worse” for women. Shesays if you had a good family you could havea normal life but a lot of women didn’t have

that support and were abused. “And the se-curity situation was so bad that they weredependent on foreign powers to maintainsecurity.” Mahmoodi says that personallyshe only had one incident when her officewas bombed. “The physical experience wasvery different than watching it on the TV. Itwas mentally very damaging. Thank God Isurvived.”

Mahmoodi applied for a visa and it tooktwo years to get results from the U.S., “andthat was fast tracked.” Then in the middleCongress issued new visa requirements soit took another six months. “I wasn’t sure Iwould ever get a visa.” Then after the longwait and anticipation, she found it wasn’t

easy at all to establish a new life. “It wasreally difficult.”

Ntabaganyimana said after the Congogenocide he wasn’t a target

but his stepmother was. “I awoke onemorning and they were trying to kill mystepmother and it went downhill.” He saidhis father was middle class so each time theytried to kill his stepmother, his father gavethem money. But the money could only lastso long. They ended up in a refugee camp.“Living in a tent in the heat was terribleand going from three meals a day to twoand finally to one. “When it was discoveredthat some families were harboring refugees

Refugee Stories — Different But the SameLearning to lookat the long term.

Fazela Mahmoodi, Afghanistan.Augustin Ntabaganyinama,Rwanda. Jessi Calzado-Esponda, Cuba.

“They thinkwhen they getto America,everythingwill be OK.”

— Nouf Bazaz

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s by Sh

irley R

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A Splashing Good TimeThe nearly 90 degree temperatures didn’t bother the children at Lyon Villagesplash park on Saturday, June 10. “Push the button; push it hard.” Suddenly spraywas popping out sideways, from the ground and across the circles. The rules read:“Don’t run, no pets, no food, no horseplay.” How could anyone have any fun? Butthe shrieks as the children ran through the spray, filled their buckets and jumpedin the puddles was evidence of the contrary.

Pho

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s by Sh

irley R

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Toss and TipSimple precautions will avoidmounting Zika cases in the area.

Water sitting in tires andoil drums outside Red TopCab’s offices. The Asiantiger mosquito only breedsin standing water, not inswamps and ponds likeother mosquitoes.

Pho

to

by Eden

Bro

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4 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

@ArlConnection

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Steven MaurenEditor

[email protected]

Mike SalmonAssistant Editor

[email protected]

Vernon MilesReporter

[email protected]

Eden Brown, Shirley RuheContributing Writers

[email protected]

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Debbie FunkDisplay Advertising/National Sales

[email protected]

Andrea SmithClassified & Employment Advertising

[email protected]

David GriffinMarketing Assistant

[email protected]

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

[email protected]

Editor in ChiefSteven MaurenArt/Design:

Laurence Foong, John Heinly,Ali Khaligh

Production Manager:Geovani Flores

Special Assistant to the PublisherJeanne Theismann

[email protected]@TheismannMedia

CIRCULATION: [email protected]

ArlingtonThe

Connection

In 1967, Virginia was one of 16 states thatbanned interracial marriage and hadcriminal penalties for violators. MildredJeter, an African-American woman, and

Richard Loving, a white man, were married in1958, were convicted and banished from liv-ing in Virginia for 25 years to avoid serving aone-year prison sentence. On June 12, 1967,

the U.S. Supreme Court, in Lov-ing v. Virginia, overturned theconvictions of Mildred and Ri-chard Loving, declaring the ban

on interracial marriage unconstitutional.Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the opinion:“Marriage is one of the ‘basic civil rights of

man,’ fundamental to our very existence andsurvival. … To deny this fundamental freedomon so unsupportable a basis as the racial clas-sifications embodied in these statutes, classifi-cations so directly subversive of the principleof equality at the heart of the FourteenthAmendment, is surely to deprive all the State’scitizens of liberty without due process of law.The Fourteenth Amendment requires that thefreedom of choice to marry not be restrictedby invidious racial discriminations. Under ourConstitution, the freedom to marry, or notmarry, a person of another race resides withthe individual, and cannot be infringed by theState.”

This week, Gov. Terry McAuliffe celebrated

Loving Day, June 12, with a new state histori-cal marker to commemorate the U.S. SupremeCourt’s decision in the landmark case. Thededication marked the 50th anniversary of the1967 ruling that overturned all state laws re-stricting interracial marriage. The ceremonywas held at the former site of the Virginia Su-preme Court of Appeals, where the case washeard before it reached the U.S. SupremeCourt. The Lovings’ story istold in a movie of the samename.

On Valentine’s Day, 2014,Judge Arenda Wright Allen,ruled that Virginia’s ban onsame-sex marriage is uncon-stitutional. In the opening ofher order, Allen quotesMildred Loving in a state-ment she made in 2007 onthe 40th anniversary of Lov-ing v. Virginia:

“We made a commitment to each other inour love and lives, and now had the legal com-mitment, called marriage, to match. Isn’t thatwhat marriage is? ... Today’s young people re-alize that if someone loves someone they havea right to marry. Surrounded as I am now bywonderful children and grandchildren, not aday goes by that I don’t think of Richard andour love, our right to marry, and how much itmeant to me to have that freedom to marrythe person precious to me, even if othersthought he was the ‘wrong kind of person’ forme to marry. I believe all Americans, no mat-ter their race, no matter their sex, no mattertheir sexual orientation, should have that samefreedom to marry. Government has no busi-

ness imposing some people’s religious beliefsover others. ... I support the freedom to marryfor all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are allabout.”

Judge Allen’s written decision begins:“A spirited and controversial debate is un-

derway regarding who may enjoy the right tomarry in the United States of America. Americahas pursued a journey to make and keep our

citizens free. This journeyhas never been easy, and attimes has been painful andpoignant. The ultimate ex-ercise of our freedom ischoice. Our Declaration ofIndependence recognizesthat ‘all men’ are createdequal. Surely this means allof us. While ever-vigilant forthe wisdom that can comefrom the voices of our vot-ing public, our courts have

never long tolerated the perpetuation of lawsrooted in unlawful prejudice. One of thejudiciary’s noblest endeavors is to scrutinizelaws that emerge from such roots. “Plaintiffsassert that the restriction on their freedom tochoose to marry the person they love infringeson the rights to due process and equal protec-tion guaranteed to them under the FourteenthAmendment of the United States Constitution.These challenges are well-taken. …

“The Court is compelled to conclude thatVirginia’s Marriage Laws unconstitutionallydeny Virginia’s gay and lesbian citizens thefundamental freedom to choose to marry.”

Adapted from an editorial published by ConnectionNewspapers in February 2014.

Fundamental Freedom to Choose to MarryVirginia is historicallyslow in extendingrights.

Government has nobusiness imposingsome people’sreligious beliefsover others.

— Mildred Loving, in 2007

Editorial

Me & My DadOlivia and Emma Di Leonardo enjoy Sunday Brunchwith their Dad, Al Di Leonardo, at Tupelo Honey onJune 11. The girls are looking forward to celebratingwith their Dad next Sunday for Father’s Day.

YoungEntrepreneurWakefield High Schoolsenior Tasnim Alam wasnamed one of the top sixentrepreneurs in thecountry at the the YoungEntrepreneurs Academy(YEA!) Saunders Scholar-ship Competition inRochester, N.Y. on May 5.Tasnim is the founderand CEO of HeatlessHotness, a business that

sells heat-free hair curlers that are convenient to useand create salon-like results, which she launchedwhile participating in the Arlington Chamber ofCommerce’s YEA! program.

“Flourishing After 55” from ArlingtonOffice of Senior Adult Programs for June19-24.

Senior centers: Lee, 5722 LeeHwy.; Langston-Brown Senior Center,2121 N. Culpeper St.; Walter Reed,2909 S. 16th St.; Arlington Mill, 909 S.

Dinwiddie St.; Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th

St.Senior trips. Wilton House Mu-

seum, Richmond, Tuesday, June 20,$15; Baltimore Basilica and Walters ArtMuseum, Thursday, June 22, $15. CallArlington County 55+ Travel, 703-228-

4748. Registration required.

NEW PROGRAMS:Geomotion workout with mu-

sic, Monday, June 19, 1 p.m., WalterReed. Register, 703-228-0955.

Explore the works of unknownImpressionists, Monday, June 19, 1p.m., Aurora Hills, $6. Register,

703-228-5722.Informal current events discus-

sion, Monday, June 19, 10 a.m., WalterReed. Register, 703-228-0955.

Aging in place using Universalhome design, Monday, June 19, 11a.m., Langston-Brown. Register, 703-228-6300.

Armchair tour of Iceland, Tues-day, June 20, 11 a.m., Arlington Mill.Details, 703-228-7369.

Rubber stamp workshop, Tues-day, June 20, 11:30 a.m., Lee. Register,703-228-0555.

Moving to a retirement commu-nity tips, Tuesday, June 20, 1 p.m.,Lee. Register, 703-228-0555.

“Flourishing After 55”

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Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Miracle Parish

The Connection

The 12th annual Gang PreventionSoccer Tournament will held atWashington-Lee High School onJune 25. The tournament is

hosted by the Arlington Gang PreventionTask Force, to prevent at-risk youth fromjoining local gangs. The coordinator of thisevent is former probation officer and formerWashington-Lee graduate, Robert “Tito”Vilchez.

The tournament began 2005 in ArlingtonCounty as a way to combat gang activity inthe Latino community. Vilchez thought soc-cer would be a great way to bring the Latinocommunity together. It began as an initia-tive to help youth feel like they are a partof something, which research shows as themain reason youth join gangs. The tourna-ment gives youth ranging from ages 12 to17 the opportunity to participate in posi-tive recreational activities such as sports andafter-school clubs as alternatives to gangparticipation.

The Gang Prevention Task Force hosts thisevent to appeal to youth in Northern Vir-ginia that emigrated from gang-infested andsoccer prevalent countries. The youths com-ing from other countries tend to feel iso-

lated from others in the community, and thetournament gives them an opportunity tobe a part of something, he said.

But, Vilchez warns that no community isimmune from gang violence. Vilchez alsoapplauds the Arlington community’s partici-pation in the previous soccer tournaments.

“That’s what’s amazing about ArlingtonCounty, we come together.” Vilchez said.

Vilchez attributes the success of the pre-vious tournaments to the community andthe generous contributions of local busi-nesses. Vilchez and the rest of the GangPrevention Task Force expect the same turn-out for this year’s event.

Vilchez hopes that this tournament canencourage people to get involved and be-come mentors for these children. Thetaskforce will also be providing lunch forthe local volunteers as a token of their ap-preciation.

“It only takes one hours a week to makea difference.” Vilchez said.

Vilchez and the rest of the task force willbe hosting a table on tournament day forthe community to get involved and sign upto be mentors.

The tournament will be held Sunday, June26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Register by emailing Vilchez [email protected] or call 703-274-2699.

Tournament helps youths feel less isolated.

Bringing Community Together

Arlington’s12th annual

Gang Preven-tion Soccer

Tournamenttakes placeJune 25 at

Washington-Lee High

School.

The Arlington County Police Depart-ment is now accepting applications forthe fall Citizen’s Police Academy. The21st Citizen’s Police Academy will beginon Thursday, Sept. 7. The Academy willconsist of 12 sessions that meet on Thurs-days from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at po-lice headquarters located at 1425 NorthCourthouse Road.

The Citizen’s Police Academy is de-signed to create better understandingand communication between citizensand the police through education andprovide comprehensive informationabout the operations of the Arlington

County Police Department. Some of thetopics of discussion include: police hir-ing, legal considerations, use of force,vehicle operations, community engage-ment, K9, SWAT and mental health cri-sis intervention.

Individuals who wish to apply will besubject to a background check. Applica-tions are due no later than Friday, July7. Individuals seeking additional infor-mation about the Citizen’s Police Acad-emy may contact the Training and Ca-reer Development Unit at 703-228-4247or by email [email protected].

Apply for Citizen’s Police Academy

Photo

Contributed

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6 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Submit entertainment announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at leasttwo weeks before event.

ONGOINGRosslyn Rocks Concerts. Through

June 29, 6-8 p.m. at Central Place, N.Moore Street at Rosslyn MetroStation. Free live music everyThursday evening in June at CentralPlace Plaza. Each week will feature adifferent cover band. Beer and winewill be available for purchase. June 1features local band White FordBronco. Visit www.rosslynva.org formore.

Summer Bootcamp. 2-7 p.m. Mondayand Wednesdays through July 1;9:30-10:30 Saturday at GatewayPark, 1300 Lee Hwy. $35. Visitwww.rosslynva.org/do/summerbootcamp for more.

“Jesus Christ Superstar.” Extendedthrough July 9 at the SignatureTheatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. Visitwww.sigtheatre.org for more.

“King Lear.” Various times throughJune 25 at Gunston Arts Center,Theatre Two, 2700 S. Lang St.Shakespeare’s mature classic withlocal actor Rick Foucheux. Visitwscavantbard.org, or call 703-418-4808.

Rosslyn Cinema and Pub in thePark. Fridays through August 25, 6p.m. at Gateway Park, 1300 LeeHighway. On Fridays, RosslynCinema brings you games, drinks,dinner and free outdoor movies thissummer. Visit www.rosslynva.org formore.

Arlington Farmer’s Market. EverySaturday, 8 a.m.-noon at the cornerof N. 14th Street and N. CourthouseRoad. A weekly celebration of localfood including fresh produce, meats,dairy, cheese, baked goods, freerange eggs, specialty items, cutflowers, plants and herbs. [email protected] or call 917-733-6402.

Cycling Volunteers Needed. The20th annual Armed Forces CyclingClassic needs volunteers for the June10-11 race. [email protected] for more.

Outdoor Zumba. 6-7 p.m. onWednesdays through May 24 atFreedom Park, Entrance on Lynn St.at Wilson Blvd. $20 for all fiveclasses. Visit www.rosslynva.org formore.

FRESHFARM Market. 3-7 p.m. onTuesdays at 1900 Crystal Drive. Shopfrom local farmers and producers

with seasonal fruits and vegetables,fresh-cut flowers, container plantsand herbs, farm-raised eggs, all-natural meats, artisan baked goods,and specialty foods. Visitwww.crystalcity.org for more.

Mobile Bike Repair. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. onThursdays at 1900 Crystal Drive.Drop off your bike on Thursdaymorning and have it tuned up andready to ride before heading home.Email [email protected], or phone855-VELO-FIX for more.

Food Truck Thursdays. 11 a.m.-2p.m. at 1900 Crystal Drive & 20112th St. Actual truck schedules aresubject to change so be sure to followyour favorites. Visitwww.crystalcity.org for more.

Crystal Ball: Street Hockey. 6:30p.m. Thursdays at 1900 CrystalDrive. A coed social league, Inpartnership with the DC Fray, hockeyenthusiasts compete competitivelyand recreationally in Crystal City.Games are played weekly andchampions are crowned at the end ofeach season. Visitwww.crystalcity.org for more.

Healthy Lifestyle Runs. Saturdays, 9a.m. at Roosevelt Island, GeorgeWashington Memorial Parkway.American Cancer Society partnerswith parkrun USA to promote fitnessin the fight against cancer. Free. Visitwww.parkrun.us/rooseveltislanddc/for more.

Friday Night Live. 8 p.m. Fridays atthe Church at Clarendon, 1210 N.Highland St., Suite A. Localmusicians perform. Free. Visit1bc.org for more.

Culinaire’s Winter Lunch. Tuesdaysthrough Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-1p.m. at The Art Institute ofWashington, 1820 N. Fort MyerDrive, 12th floor. Culinaire, thestudent-run restaurant of the ArtInstitute of Washington, is nowserving lunch from their winter menuon Tuesdays, Wednesdays andThursdays. Visitwww.artinstitutes.edu/arlington formore.

Arlington’s Historical MuseumOpen on First Wednesdays. TheArlington Historical Museum is opento the public on the first Wednesdayof every month from 12:30-3:30 p.m.The museum consists of exhibitschronicling Arlington County’shistory from Native Americansettlements up to the present day.The museum will continue to be openon Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4p.m. Admission is free. The museumis located in the former 1891 HumeSchool building at 1805 S. ArlingtonRidge Road. Contact Garrett Peck at

571-243-1113 or [email protected].

LGBT & Straight Friends Social.Tuesdays. Happy Hour, 3-7 p.m.;Mikey’s “Bar A” Video Wall, 7 p.m.;start time at 8 p.m. IOTA Club &Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd. For 21 yearsand older. Free. Visitwww.iotaclubandcafe.com for more.

Open Mic Comedy. Wednesdays 8-10p.m. at Ri Ra Irish Pub, 2915 WilsonBlvd. Doors open at 7 p.m. Age 21and up only. Free show, $25 cashprize for best joke. Call 703-248-9888 or Visit www.RiRa.com/Arlington for more.

Food Truck Thursdays. 5:30-8:30p.m. at the corner of North Irving St.and Washington Blvd. Find a round-up of regional food trucks. Free toattend. Visit www.dmvfta.org.

Invasive Plants Removal. Workparties are held every month to keepthe parks free of destructive invasiveplants. Teens, adults and familieswelcome. Every second Sunday of themonth 2-4:30 p.m. at Gulf BranchNature Center, 3608 Military Road;call 703-228-3403. Every thirdSunday of the month 2-5 p.m. atLong Branch Nature Center, 625 S.Carlin Springs Road; call 703-228-6535 or Visitregistration.arlingtonva.us. Free, noregistration required.

Poetry Series. 6-8 p.m. second Sundayof the month at IOTA Club & Cafe,2832 Wilson Blvd. Hosted by poetMiles David Moore. Featured artistsshare their poetry followed by openreadings. Free. Visitwww.iotaclubandcafe.com or call703-522-8340.

Open Mic Nite. 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.every Wednesday at IOTA Club &Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd. Sign-uptimes are 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Bring instruments, fans and friends.Visit www.iotaclubandcafe.com orcall 703-522-8340.

Karaoke. 8 p.m. on the first Sundayevery month at Galaxy Hut, 2711Wilson Blvd. Visitwww.galaxyhut.com or call 703-525-8646.

Pub Quiz. 8 p.m. every Sunday atWhitlow’s on Wilson, 2854 WilsonBlvd. Prizes for first place. Free. Visitwww.whitlows.com or call 703-276-9693.

Storytime. Wednesdays and Fridays,10:30-11 a.m. at Kinder Haus Toys,1220 N. Fillmore St. Storytime withMs. Laura. Call 703-527-5929.

Lego Club. Monthly on the firstWednesday. 4-5 p.m. GlencarlynBranch Library, 300 S. Kensington St.The library provides tubs of legos anda special challenge and after theprogram the creations are displayedfor everyone to see. No registrationrequired. Call 703-228-6548 formore.

Crystal City Sparket. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.on Wednesdays at 1900 CrystalDrive. Sparket — A Creative Marketis an extension of DC’s EasternMarket with arts, crafts, andhandmade goods. Free to attend.Visit www.crystalcity.org.

Open Mic Night. Wednesdays, at 8p.m., sign ups are at 7:30 p.m. and10 p.m., at Iota Club & Café, 2832Wilson Blvd. Free. Visitwww.iotaclubandcafe.com/.

Art for Life. Third Thursday of eachmonth. The Hyatt Regency CrystalCity’s “Art for Life” Partnership withNational Kidney Foundation brings anew artist each month to The Hyattfor a reception. Free. Visitwww.torpedofactory.org.

Brunch at Freddie’s. Third Saturdayof every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. atFreddie’s Beach Bar, 555 23rd St.The Arlington Gay and LesbianAlliance gathers for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet ($9.99). All arewelcome. No reservation is required.Visit www.facebook.com/events/700174390103305.

THURSDAY/JUNE 15Film Screenings. 6:30-8:45 p.m. at

the Arlington Central Library, 1015N. Quincy St. Screening of threeshort films illuminating theexperience of Syrian refugees. Call703-228-5990 for more.

DEADLINE JUNE 16Gang Prevention Through Soccer

Registration. at Washington-LeeHigh School, 1301 N Stafford St. Afee of $7 per player includes a t-shirtand lunch for each participant.Further details are available inEnglish and Spanish. Registerthrough Robert “Tito” Vilchez,coordinator of the Arlington GangPrevention Task Force and supervisorof the Detention Diversion Program.Arlington’s 12th annual GangPrevention Soccer Tournament takesplace Sunday, June 25 atWashington-Lee High School, 10 a.m.to 7 p.m. [email protected] or call 703-274-2699.

FRIDAY/JUNE 16Outdoor Concert Series. 8 p.m. at

Lubber Run Amphitheater, N.Columbus Street & 2nd Street N.Series kicks off with The Grandsonsin concert. Concerts run through

Sept. 27. Free. Visitwww.arlingtonarts.org for more.

SATURDAY/JUNE 17Champion Trees Bike Ride. 10 a.m.-

noon at the Long Branch NatureCenter, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road.Marvel at some of Arlington’s treeson this ride while stopping at pointsof natural and environmental interestalong the way. Visitparks.arlingtonva.us/ for more.

Columbia Pike Blues Festival. 1–8:30 p.m. at 2611 Columbia Pike.Musicians such as Bettye LaVette,Rufus Roundtree and Da B-moreBrass Factory; Full Power BluesBand; Sol Roots with Carly Harvey,and Jonny Grave. Visitwww.stayarlington.com or call 703-892-2776.

Arlington Community Chorus. 7p.m. in the Kenmore Middle SchoolBlack Box Theater, 200 S. CarlinSprings Road. Directed by Mary-Hannah Klontz and accompanied byDiane Carsten-Pelak, the concert willfeature choral, solo and ensembleperformances. Free. Visitwww.apsva.us/adulted or call 703-228-7200.

Outdoor Concert Series. 8 p.m. atLubber Run Amphitheater, N.Columbus Street & 2nd Street N.Cubano Groove in concert. Concertsrun through Sept. 27. Free. Visit

Entertainment

ConcertTuesday, June 20, Frank Herman Martin Concert, 8:30-9:30 p.m. at Ireland’s Four Courts, 2051 Wilson Blvd. Aresident of Silver Spring, Md., Frank is a winner of the2016-2017 Artist and Scholars Grant, sponsored by theArts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County,Maryland. Visit www.irelandsfourcourts.com/ for more.

AuthorEventOn Wednesday, June28, at 7 p.m. in theArlington CentralLibrary, Arlingtonresident and PulitzerPrize winning jour-nalist Glenn Frankelexplores the story of“High Noon,” and thepolitical era in whichit was made. Frankelis author of “HighNoon: The HollywoodBlacklist and theMaking of an Ameri-can Classic.”

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Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

To highlight your Faith Community, call Don at 703-778-9420

DAILY EUCHARIST:WeekdaysMonday-Friday, 8:30 AMSaturday, 8:30 AM

SUNDAY LITURGY SCHEDULE:Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PMSunday: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 AM1:30 PM Spanish Liturgy

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Entertainment

www.arlingtonarts.org for more.

SUNDAY/JUNE 18Mr. Knick Knack Concert. 11 a.m. at

Lubber Run Amphitheater, N.Columbus Street & 2nd Street N.Concerts run through Sept. 27. Free.Visit www.arlingtonarts.org for more.

Father’s Day Auto Festival. 2-6 p.m.at 220 20th St. S. This family-friendlyfestival features a variety ofautomobiles including sports cars,electric vehicles, classic muscle cars,antiques and more. Free. Visitwww.crystalcity.org for more.

Beekeeping Lecture. 6:30-8 p.m. inthe Shirlington Branch Library, 4200Campbell Ave. Master beekeeper Dr.Frank Linton has been keeping honeybees on his deck in Fairfax for over10 years. He also keeps honey bees ina glass observation hive in his house,and published a beekeeping book.Visit www.novabees.org/ for more.

TUESDAY/JUNE 20Project Linus Blankets. 2-3:30 p.m.

in the Shirlington Library, 4200Campbell Ave. Learn how to make aProject Linus blanket for a child inneed of comfort, and work on it forthe rest of the summer to finish it,before dropping it off at the libraryfor donation. Visitwww.projectlinus.org/about/ or call703-228-6545 for more.

Frank Herman Martin Concert.8:30-9:30 p.m. at Ireland’s FourCourts, 2051 Wilson Blvd. A residentof Silver Spring, Md., Herman is awinner of the 2016-2017 Artist andScholars Grant, sponsored by the Artsand Humanities Council ofMontgomery County, Maryland. Visit

www.irelandsfourcourts.com/ formore.

WEDNESDAY/JUNE 21Project Linus Blankets. 2-3:30 p.m.

in the Westover Library, 1644 N.McKinley Road #3. Learn how to

make a Project Linus blanket for achild in need of comfort, and workon it for the rest of the summer tofinish it, before dropping it off at thelibrary for donation. Visitwww.projectlinus.org/about/ or call703-228-5260 for more.

Summer Solstice Celebration. 6:30-

8:30 p.m. at Bluemont Park, 601 N.Manchester St. Celebrate the longestday of the year with Arlingtonians fora Clean Environment (ACE).Volunteers will have a variety ofservice projects including trash andlitter cleanup and invasive plantremoval. Call 703-228-6418 or [email protected] formore.

FRIDAY/JUNE 23Jogo Project Concert. 8 p.m. at

Lubber Run Amphitheater, N.Columbus Street & 2nd Street N.Concerts run through Sept. 27. Free.Visit www.arlingtonarts.org for more.

JUNE 23-24Dance Presentation. 5 p.m. at the

Signature Theatre, 4200 CampbellAve. Dancers will celebrate the life ofArlingtonian, Rita Andelin. Visitwww.SIGtheatre.org for more.

SATURDAY/JUNE 24Meet the Artists. 6-9 p.m. at the

Arlington Arts Center, 3550 WilsonBlvd. Featuring 10 contemporaryartists with backgrounds rooted in avariety of fields and disciplines fromnatural history, ecology and botanyto technology, dance, and music,called INTERDISCIPLINARIUM. Visitarlingtonartscenter.org/ for more.

Caz in Concert. 8 p.m. at Lubber RunAmphitheater, N. Columbus Street &2nd Street N. Concerts run throughSept. 27. Free. Visitwww.arlingtonarts.org for more.

SUNDAY/JUNE 25Arlington Philharmonic Concert. 6

p.m. at Lubber Run Amphitheater, N.Columbus Street & 2nd Street N. Thisperformance, their 3rd Annual “Popsfor Pets” is a benefit for both theArlington Philharmonic and AnimalWelfare League of Arlington Free.Visit www.arlingtonarts.org for more.

WEDNESDAY/JUNE 28,Meet the Author. 7 p.m. in the

Arlington Central Library, at theArlington Central Library, 1015 N.Quincy St. Arlington resident andPulitzer Prize winning journalistGlenn Frankel explores the story ofHigh Noon, and the political era inwhich it was made. Frankel is authorof “High Noon: The HollywoodBlacklist and the Making of anAmerican Classic.”

JULY 11-AUG. 29Drawing: The Natural World. 6:30-

8:30 p.m. at Arlington Arts Center,3550 Wilson Blvd. This eight-weekcourse will focus its attention on thenatural world, and teach you torecord what you see, using materialslike graphite, charcoal, and ink.$250. Ages 18 and older. Call 703-248-6800, or visitwww.arlingtonartscenter.org formore.

JULY 12-AUG. 30Drawing and Painting: The Figure.

6:30-8:30 p.m. at Arlington ArtsCenter, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Beginning,returning, and advanced studentslearn drawing and painting in thiscourse on the human form. $280. 18and older. Call 703-248-6800, or visitwww.arlingtonartscenter.org formore.

ArtOn Saturday, June 24 “Meet the Artists,” 6-9 p.m. at theArlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Featuring 10contemporary artists with backgrounds rooted in a vari-ety of fields and disciplines from natural history, ecologyand botany to technology, dance, and music, calledINTERDISCIPLINARIUM. Visit arlingtonartscenter.org/ formore.

Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork wel-come. Deadline is Thursday at noon,at least two weeks before event.

JOBS PORTALHire Autism Now Open. The

Organization for Autism Research(OAR) today announced thelaunch of its new employmentinitiative, Hire Autism, for its testrun in Northern Virginia. HireAutism is an online jobs portalthat helps individuals with autismof all capacities connect withbusinesses and employers willingto consider them as candidates forcompetitive employment. VisitHireAutism.org orwww.researchautism.org formore.

WEDNESDAY/JUNE 14Gardening Talks &

Demonstrations. 7 p.m. at theArlington Central Library, 1015 N.Quincy St. The Arlington FoodAssistance Center and the MasterGardeners of Northern Virginia willsponsor a series of talks anddemonstrations about gardening. Inaddition to basic gardeningtechniques, topics will include wildedibles, pollinators, food preparationand preservation, and more. For acomplete schedule, visitwww.afac.org/.

DEADLINE JUNE 16Make a Difference. 6:30-8 p.m. at

Arlington Campus Founders Hall,3351 Fairfax Drive. ArlingtonCounty’s Neighborhood CompleteStreets Program is encouraging thepublic to submit nominations of

“problem streets” for project fundingconsideration. Visitprojects.arlingtonva.us/ for more.

SUNDAY/JUNE 18ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk.

8:15 a.m. at Pentagon RowCourtyard, 1101 S Joyce St.. The Endof Prostate Cancer joins forces withPotomac Urology. Visitwww.zeroprostatecancerrun.org/dcfor more.

DEADLINE JUNE 19Public Art Master Plan. The Public

Art Master Plan is getting an update.Check out the project site for moreinfo and help update the plan byfilling a questionnaire here,www.surveymonkey.com/.

WEDNESDAY/JUNE 21

Gardening Talks &Demonstrations. 7 p.m. at theArlington Central Library, 1015 N.Quincy St. The Arlington FoodAssistance Center and the MasterGardeners of Northern Virginia willsponsor a series of talks anddemonstrations about gardening. Inaddition to basic gardeningtechniques, topics will include wildedibles, pollinators, food preparationand preservation, and more. For acomplete schedule, visitwww.afac.org/.

SUNDAY/JUNE 25Guest Pastor. Various times at Rock

Spring Congregational UCC, 5010Little Falls Road. Dr. LeonardHamlin, Senior Pastor of MacedoniaBaptist Church Arlington, will offerfresh and varied perspectives on theBible and issues facing thecommunity and the world in a series

called “Other Voices.” Visitwww.rockspringucc.org for more.

TUESDAY/JUNE 27Information Session. 6-7:30 p.m.

Leadership Center for Excellenceis now accepting applications andholding an information sessionfor the Young ProfessionalsProgram Fall Class of 2017, aprogram that aims to developleaders in various sectors acrossthe D.C. Metropolitan area over afour-month period. Interestedparties may RSVP for infosessions and apply for theprogram online atleadercenter.org/ypp-information-session/. Theapplication may be found onlineat www.leadercenter.org with arolling admission deadline untilAug. 4, 2017.

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8 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Elite Piano Academy RecitalHyun-Mi Chung: Director (202) 674-0499

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People

By Beatriz da Costa

The Connection

For people who prefer themusic of the ’60s and ’70s ,they can find a kindred

spirit in young up-and-comingsinger-songwriter Calista Garcia.An Arlington native, the 16-year-old has performed more than 100gigs in the northern Virginia area,and written more than 100 songsinfluenced by her favorite artists,such as The Beatles and Hozier.

Not only have her vocal talentsand songwriting capabilities cap-tured the attention of the Wash-ington, D.C. metro area citizens,but nationwide as well. Garcia isone of 119 high school students who have been se-lected to attend a Grammy Camp, hosted by BelmontUniversity and University of Southern California’sThornton School of Music, from May 30-June 4. Sheand 11 other teens have the opportunity to learn theins and outs of the music industry, and perfect theirareas of interests.

“It’s really crazy.” Garcia said about the Tennes-see-based camp, “I didn’t think I was going to makeit, honestly. It’s really cool.” At the camp, studentscan choose from four career tracks to focus on dur-ing their six-day program. Some may prefer audioengineering, vocal or instrumental performance,however, Garcia picked songwriting. She also hopesto “gain connections and skills, and learn more aboutthe [music] industry,” as well. To attend this camp,Garcia, a rising high school junior, will have to missout on a week of school, at H.B. Woodlawn in Ar-lington, but for the singer-songwriter who has beenperforming at least one gig every two weeks for thelast couple of months, learning how to balance schooland her career, has become second nature. Of coursesetting time for homework and her studio sessionsmeans that Garcia has to give up a couple of things,one of them being high school theatre.

“I used to do more theatre at my school, but Ihaven’t been able to do as much of it, I can’t stay forrehearsals.” Despite this, she has still been able tocontribute to her school’s arts program by creatingmusic for the theatre’s musicalthat found its way onto themusic streaming app, Spotify.Not only does she balance hercareer, her academics, and the-atre, but she has also been apart of her school’s SongwritingClub since June 2015. Run byH.B. Woodlawn teacher, DanielParis, who currently teachesGarcia in a songwriting classoffered at the school, Paris con-siders Garcia a “naturalfrontwoman,” and that she has“great banter with the crowd”when performing live.

Paris began teaching Garciain September 2016, and al-though he believes that she hasimproved since being in hisclass, he does not believe it wasdue to his teaching. “She hasimproved since working with

me, but not because of me. I just enable, encourageand help record. She doesn’t require my assistanceto be successful as a songwriter. I just stand backand let the magic happen.”

While Garcia may describe her music being “ver-satile, artistic-based” and having a “folk side” to itwith a “pop element,” Paris was more hesitant todescribe her music. “Not to slap a genre label, shecan stretch her own boundaries.” He said. “She canwrite a fun song, I’ve heard her write great rocksongs.”

Rock isn’t such a far description of her music. Herfather, Juan Garcia, an avid rock fan, passed downhis passion for music, and the guitar to his daughter.Furthermore, she holds rock artist Stevie Nicks asone of her inspirations for her sound and lyrics, alongwith Alanis Morissette.

Her mother, Denise Garcia, also played a role inher daughter’s creative growth, and said that, “Youknow how some people don’t know what they wantto do? From a young age, it was so clear that [mu-sic] was what she [Calista] was focusing on. It justkind of comes with her.”

Sooner rather than later, Garcia fans will be ableto hear just how focused she is in regards to music.She won the 2017 Bernard /Ebbs Young Songwriterof the Year Award in Bethesda, Md. in March. Per-forming at the Live Well Loudon Festival back in Apriland at the Parallel Wine Bistro in Broadlands a month

ago has led to the upcomingrelease of her EP. It’ll be acces-sible to anyone with an AppleI.D., and listeners will be privyto the artist’s self-written bal-lads, her favorite songs, andrecordings she has compiledover the years.

Garcia’s EP will give theyoung singer-songwriter thechance to show others the po-tential her family and teacherbelieve she has. “She [Calista]has a number of songs that ifyou heard it on the radio itwould not be out of place.”Paris said.

“If it were available on iTunesone would buy it happily. I trulyhope she is successful becauseit seems like something shewould hope to do. Her songsspeak to people.”

Selected for Grammy CampLocal singer-songwriter to release her EP.

Calista Garcia in performance.

Photo by Beatriz da Costa

The Connection

Calista Garcia at BeanGood.

Pho

to

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tributed

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Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

whereseniors ages62 and better

enjoyrewardinglifestyles inthe heart

of Alexandria

Home LifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

The warm days and nights of sum-mer lend themselves to outdoor en-tertaining. From colorful pillows

and cozy throws to textured fabrics andjewel-toned tableware, local designers of-fer ideas for creating a festive space for analfresco soiree.

Consider the way an outdoor space willlook when it’s viewed from inside yourhome, says Madeline Fairbanks, productdevelopment director, Country Casual Teak.

“Choose fabrics that coordinate and ac-cent the colors used indoors to create aseamless transition between the spaces,” shesaid. “Add texture with fabrics, from gauzysheers to the heaviest brocades, to bring thetextures of indoor upholstery outdoors. Anadded plus is that they help hide dirt andstains.”

The transition from a home’s interior toits exterior should be fluid, advises Jim Rillof Rill Architects. “It shouldn’t just be anoutdoor patio, but an extension of the in-door spaces,” he said.

Rill suggests using outdoor walls, fire-places and trellises to create a sense of scaleand comfort. “For instance, stone walls,hedges, pools and ponds help give an out-

Patio Ready for Summer? The latest trends forentertaining alfresco.

Photo courtesy of Country Casual Teak

Outdoor furniture pieces like theseby Country Casual Teak help definethe outdoor atmosphere of thisPotomac, Md., home.

Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Todd Martz of Home on Cameronin Alexandria advises using color-ful table accessories to set thestage for a festive gathering.

“It shouldn’t just bean outdoor patio, butan extension of theindoor spaces.”

— Jim Rill of Rill Architects

door setting scale and coziness,” he said.“Think of the outdoor space as a room andconsider how it’s organized with furnitureand materials like you would an indoorroom. Patterns in the patio materials alsoorganize the area.”

Outdoor entertaining is often food-cen-tric and for an upbeat outdoor table set-ting, Todd Martz of Home on Cameron inOld Town Alexandria suggests acrylic tableaccessories. “Incorporate colorful pitchers,glasses and plates to set the stage for a fes-

tive gathering,” he said.Have a few key pieces for hosting,

whether you entertain weekly or just oncea year, recommends Fairbanks. “Keep a barcart near an entrance for wheeling refresh-ments to guests, or an outdoor sideboardnear a dining area for easy buffet-style ser-vice,” she said.

For chilly nights, drape throws on theoutdoor seating for guests, advises Martz.“With the popularity of fire pits, add com-fortable seating with indoor-outdoor cush-ions around them to enhance the experi-ence,” he said.

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10 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Announcements Announcements

Alice Elizabeth Lee “Julie” (Age 76)Peacefully passed away on June 5, 2017. She was born in Washington, DC on June 27, 1940 to the late Edward and Catherine English. Julie graduated from Mary Washington College in 1962 with her bachelor’s degree. She went on to work as a social worker then an administrative assistant with Northup Grumman. Julie married her husband on August 17, 1963 and had 2 children. Her memories will be cherished by her beloved husband Ronald, sons Andy and Ned, grandson Aaron, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends. A memorial celebra-tion will be Monday, June 12th from 4-7 pm at Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. A second memorial celebration will be held in Raleigh, NC on Wednesday, June 21st from 4-7 pm. Online condolences may be made at www.murphyfuneralhomes.com.

Obituary Obituary

News

Refugees Share Their StoriesFrom Page 3

See Refugees, Page 11

Refugees

he had to run away again and he ended up walking“I googled it later … I think about 1,000 miles. Manypeople died along the way.”

After the second Congo War, he was heading to-ward the Zambian border, was caught again andimprisoned “just for being a refugee.” ButNtabaganyimana had some luck because he inter-acted with an individual from the U.N. who con-vinced the authorities there was no cause to holdhim. He still remembers the date. “I was released inSept. 23, 1999.” He entered the U.S. as a refugee

from Rwanda in 2000. Now he cur-rently serves as acting director ofgrants management at the MarylandDepartment of Human Resourceswhere he oversees the Office for Refu-

gees and Asylees.All three of the panelists agreed about the gener-

osity of the American people. Ntabaganyimana saidthe resettlement agency sent someone who spokeFrench to meet him at the airport. “I was surprised.I was wondering how I was going to make it withthe language barrier and we’d learned that Whitepeople kill Black people.” But he found Americanswould offer help for anything. “We will help youlearn to drive.” They assisted him to enroll in col-lege which was difficult because he didn’t have hishigh school diploma. “You don’t take it with youwhen you are running for your life.” He said “Peoplewere really going out of their way.”

Calzada-Esponda said she ended up in Miami“where we automatically had a community willing

to show us the ropes, to explain things like Thanks-giving and why you eat turkey instead of pork.” Shesaid one of the biggest challenges is adapting to thiscountry from Cuba because countries all do thingsdifferently. “My aunt was not able to assimilate aswell as I was and committed suicide a year after shehad come to the U.S.” Calzada-Esponda said in 2012she had a terrible car accident and suffered traumaticbrain injury. “But this country has taught me you canovercome anything.” Calzado-Esponda is currentlyCEO of Cuba Inspires and a former Capitol Hill staffmember. She said, “We have to get out the success

stories of the doctor who was a refugee, the law-yer who was a refugee and let people know that refu-gees aren’t terrorists. “We have to change the worldand that’s that.”

Mahmoodi says she found people who actuallywork in this refugee field like the caseworkers andcounselors are very much open to refugees. “Thatmakes a big difference.” She continued, when youare new in this country, it is important to help refu-gees integrate. Mahmoodi has more than five yearsof experience with US-AID funded programs focusedon economic development in Afghanistan.

The program moderator moderator, Nouf Bazaz,asked what advice the panel would have for refu-gees having difficulty integrating into the commu-nity. She said, “Folks don’t expect it to be as hard asit is. They think when they get to America everythingwill be OK.”

Ntabaganyimana said, “They have high expecta-tions in the beginning. But they need to learn to think

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Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Since I have some alone-time; just me andthe cats, I thought I’d try to write my next col-umn a few weeks ahead and take a bit of thetime-sensitive deadline pressure off. Not thatmeeting my weekly commitment has been toomuch of a problem over the years (nearly 20 infact), still, I thought I’d put pen to paper, liter-ally, and see what comes out.

So far what has come out is that I’m havingcreative difficulty writing something that’s to bepublished two weeks hence. It seems/feels thatwriting in the present about something to bepublished in the future is awkward, sort of. It’ssomewhere between wishful thinking and aprediction. Neither of which is characteristic ofwho I am or how I think. I guess my writingnature is that I like to react to reality and thenaddress it in print, rather than anticipate it andthen respond to it. Typically I prefer to be cur-rent in my thinking and honest in my prose.Apparently, I have nothing else to share so try-ing to explain that void is the semi point of thiscolumn.

And I suppose, without being too self-indul-gent, that if a stage IV cancer patient — yourstruly, who shares everything with you regularreaders; highs, lows and in-betweens, has noth-ing of particular interest to share, perhaps it’sbecause I’m experiencing a comparatively easyfortnight between 24-hour urine collection,pre-chemotherapy lab work, every-five-weekinfusions, and quarterly scans followed by myquarterly face-to-face appointment with myoncologist, so I have minimal cancer-relatedbusiness to preoccupy my life. It’s almost as ifI’m unencumbered by my underlying problem:non-small cell lung cancer. And I have to admit,it’s a heck of a feeling to not have my consciousand unconscious minding my business and re-minding me that I have an incurable form ofcancer. Which of course I never need remind-ing of; as opposed to ending a sentence with apreposition which obviously I do need to bereminded of.

Getting back to the substance — if you caneven call it that, of this column: my difficultywriting weeks ahead of publication. What’spuzzling about this difficulty is how uncharac-teristic of my personality it is. I am not sponta-neous. I rarely do anything spur of the momentother than getting off the couch, changing thechannel on the television, switching radio sta-tions in the car, deciding what to wear, eat-ing/drinking/going to the bathroom and/or mis-cellaneous other household-type duties andresponsibilities. Yet the problem I’m experienc-ing now — related to my June 14 column, isthat since I’m not being spontaneous, I’munable to create?

How can that be a problem? That’s who Iam all the time. I do everything in advance —of consequence, that is. Maybe I’m making toomuch out of nothing? (Oh, really.) Maybe I’msimply stuck in my head and need to get out ofmy own way. Not that I make mountains out ofmole hills but sometimes, and I’ve told by myoncologist that I can blame my having cancerfor everything, I might not think so clearlyand get bogged down emotionally. Ergo, I willlay the blame for this column and it’s lack ofsubstance, on having “terminal” cancer.

Cancer doesn’t work in mysterious ways(well, perhaps it does to researchers), it worksin destructive ways: physically, mentally andspiritually. Logical becomes illogical — and viceversa; rational becomes irrational — and viceversa; and manageable becomes unmanage-able — and vice versa. For cancerpatients/survivors, expecting that one’s life willgo merrily along is totally unrealistic. Expectingthe unexpected is the path of least resistance.

This week’s column/dilemma is simplyanother example/reminder of how cancerintrudes and deludes and affects those of uswho naively thought we would be uneffected.

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News

From Page 10

Refugees2, 3,10 years down the road. Once theylearn English and get to know the commu-nity, life gets better. Down the road they willhave integrated.”

Calzada-Esponda advised, “Learn the lan-guage.” She remembered

her first words were “mister, mister, giveme candy,” to the soldiers. “Have patienceas you are trying to get that job.” She said,“The more you try to fit into the commu-nity, the better it will be. “Figure out whatmakes you happy as an individual becausein America there is a little bit of everything.”

Mahmoodi adds one thing to help refu-gees integrate is to welcome them and makethem feel comfortable. In the beginningthey feel inferior, shy. Let them know it’sOK to make mistakes in the beginning.

The moderator asked, “What is the onething you would like the U.S. to know aboutbeing a refugee?”

Ntabaganyimana said, “The refugee pro-gram works. It saves lives. Without it Iwould be dead or forced to join rebel groupsto survive.”

Calzado-Esponda said, “America was builtby refugees. This is not new. To deny this isto deny America.”

Mahmoodi said, “They are hardworkingand are after a safe normal life. They arenormal people.”

The ECOC was established in 1983 as anon-profit organization with a mission toresettle refugees. Recently it was added asthe third official resettlement agency, alongwith Catholic Charities and Lutheran Ser-vices, to serve the Northern Virginia area.ECOC specifically assists Special Immigrantsfrom Iraq and Afghanistan. ECOC is head-quartered in Arlington.

This is part of an ongoing series of articles focusedon refugees and immigrants.

From Page 3

Toss and Tipin all those new condos in Clarendon

knew they were in for a terrible summer ofgetting eaten alive because of this ...”,McGuire said.

Red Top Cab was contacted on June 2 and3: in one phone call they indicated theywere not aware of tires on their lot; a sec-ond call was not returned. The tires re-mained on the lot, full of water, as of June12.

A call on June 12 to follow up was an-swered more proactively. Red Top ShopManager Andy Chao said they had called aremoval company to take the tires away“sometime by the end of this week.”

Asian tiger mosquitoes can carry the Zikavirus, as well as other harmful mosquito-born diseases such as West Nile Virus.Twenty-five Virginians have now contractedthe Zika virus, the Virginia Department ofHealth reported on its website in early June,up from 20 reported cases the previousweek. Fourteen of those cases were inNorthern Virginia.

For more information see [email protected] and www.ZikaVA.org.

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12 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ June 14-20, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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