Big Congratulations to Our Very Own Kevina Brown!
On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) awarded Kevina with the RAMP Coordinator Award !!!
Image: (Left to Right) Director of Programs Hannah Roberts, Manager of Youth Programs Paul Whitney, RAMP Program Coordinator Kevina Brown, and Peer Mentor Carlos Marquez. Kevina is holding her award.
2025 Virtual Special Education Summit in Spanish
On Saturday, August 16, PEATC, in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education, held the 2025 Virtual Special Education Summit in Spanish. This virtual event, which was presented entirely in Spanish, brought together parents of students with disabilities and professionals to better understand special education and discover resources that help meet the needs of our community.
(Left): A flyer of the event reading in Spanish “Cumbre Education Especial.” ; (Right): a picture of the speakers of the event, including Rosalia Fajardo.
(Bottom): Jimena Barron wearing a red blouse and glasses.
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church’s Multicultural Celebration & Health Fair and Back to School
On a beautiful sunny Saturday, August 16, ECNV staff Margarita Baquero and David Aguayo attended St. Mark’s Lutheran Church’s Multicultural Celebration & Health Fair and Back to School event hosted by Fairfax County Community Services and Health Department. Testing/screenings were provided by the Fairfax County CareVan. ECNV sponsored the Bienveniodos Todos Project for this back-to-school event.
(Left): Davis Aguayo from ECNV providing information to a female in a pink pant floral blouse; (Right): Javier Alarcon, a Caucasian man in a blue t-shirt and brown shorts, Rosalia Fajardo, Claudia Thomas from Fairfax County Public Schools in a blue blouse and jeans.
Minnie H. Peyton Community Center Back-to-School Event
On Saturday, August 9, 2025, ECNV participated in a successful Back-to-School event at Minnie H. Peyton Community Center at Bailey's Crossroads area of Falls Church. This event was organized by Fairfax County Community Services and Health Department, and had around 700 attendees. Partners distributed 400 backpacks at this “Back to School” event!
(Left): ECNV Travel Trainer Margarita Baquero, in a blue t-shirt and pants, Rosalia Fajardo in a black blouse, white pants and Jimena Barron wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and black pants; (Right): Bienvenidos organizer Jimena Barron, in a white blouse and black pants, interacting with attendees.
(Bottom): Rosalia Fajardo in a black blouse and white pants, posing with an African American boy using a wheelchair.
RAMP Makes Waves at the Reston Cardboard Boat Regatta!
On August 9, 2025, RAMP participants went out to the waters and competed in the Reston Cardboard Boat Regatta. RAMP's boat stayed afloat and all stayed dry!!
Image: RAMP participants rowing and competing in the Reston Cardboard Boat Regatta.
Dreamers Mothers in Action Informational Luncheon Meeting
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Dreamers Mothers in Action, DMIA in partnership with ECNV, hosted an informational session with community leaders at the luncheon meeting, with the support of several communities that work directly with immigrants affected by the increase in criminalization and detention policies. We were pleased with your presence for this informational session with eight general Latin American consuls who provided useful information about services for their communities.
(Left): A group of Consuls, male and female; (Right): Margarita Baquero and Rosalia Fajardo. (Bottom): Lenka Mendoza in a pink t-shirt next to her Margarita Baquero ECNV travel Trainer wearing an ECNV T-shirt and black jeans.
Disability Rights Podcast Interviews ECNV Travel Trainers
The Disability Rights Podcast interviewed various groups of persons with disabilities at the NCIL Conference! Surprise, surprise! Two of ECNV travel trainers, Mindy Niland and Karen Arnett were interviewed and talked about travel training!
Photo: ECNV travel trainers, Mindy Niland and Karen Arnett.
ECNV Partners with Fairfax County for Health and Wellness Fair
On Saturday, July 12, 2025, ECNV partnered with Fairfax County to co-host a health and wellness fair. We had a great opportunity to serve and provide resources to the Latino and other communities residing in the Berkdale Apartments. We provided a lot of great service and information to the residents and community.
(Left), Participants at the health fair and Rosalia Fajardo surrounded by attendees; (Right) Center image description: a white woman in a light blue blouse, a boy in a grey t-shirt, Rosalia Fajardo, a mother in a grey sport t-shirt and two Latina women in purple blouses.
Integration Station and Response to ECNV Letter of Support from an Integration Station Alumnus
Integration Station isn’t just a program that I worry about being shut down. It was where I first received speech and occupational therapy.
As a young child, doctors insisted that speaking normally and being understood was out of reach for me. They said that tasks like holding pencils, processing sensory information, and understanding what people said would all be beyond my ability.
Community Connection Night
On Wednesday, February 21, ECNV participated in Community Connection Night organized by Fairfax County Public Schools at Providence Elementary School, where more than 150 families attended. This event was full of resources for students and families that included information on after‑school programs, mental health and behavior support, and assistance with basic needs such as health insurance and food security.
Collage: Rosalia Fajardo is wearing a white and black sport outfit with a Latino Family; Rosalia with a group of firefighters who were picking up their COVID home test and ECNV goodies.
ECNV and Ed Futuro-Neighborhood Health Vaccine Clinic
On Saturday, February 17, 2024, ECNV delivered COVID-19 home test kits to Ed Futuro and Fairfax County partners for a Neighborhood Health COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
Collage: Rosalia Fajardo with Edu Futuro staff. Rosalia is wearing a black sports sweater and pants with a male in white t-shirt and two females wearing jeans and in Edu Futuro t-shirts; Rosalia Fajardo in dark blue jacket and black pants distributing covid home with Eduardo Mantilla director of Neighborhood clinic and in brown jacket and tan pants with a female in dark jacket and jeans.
ECNV Partners with Second Story
During the February month, ECNV partnered with Second Story, hosting several community events mainly focusing on food security and health resources. ECNV distributed COVID-19 home tests to the public.
Collage: A group of Latinos residents of OAKVIEW apts receiving COVID home tests; a Korean male holding a COVID home test; Rosalia Fajardo in dark blue jacket distributing COVID home tests.
Distributing COVID-19 Home Tests to Educators
ECNV wants to congratulate the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers and the Fairfax Education Association -- the FEU -- for their amazing 40,000-book giveaway at the Lorton Community Center on Saturday, February 10, 2024. We were invited to attend this amazing event to distribute COVID-19 home tests to the multicultural and diverse community of families who attended.
Collage: (Top), David Aguayo and Rosalia Fajardo posing with a family; a Muslim family attending the event; Two African American older females holding ECNV bags and wearing a black dress with dots and jacket and the other in a light brown jacket; (Bottom) a Chinese mother wearing a typical red Chinese new year outfit with her daughter; a Vietnamese mother with her daughters.
Strengthening Relations
On Friday, February 2, 2024, ECNV was invited to participate at a meeting for community leaders organized by the Embassy of Colombia. This meeting was intended to strengthen the relations with government agencies and non-profits to expand services for the Colombian diaspora residing in the Washington Metropolitan area.
Collage: A group of Colombian women and men posing for the official picture taken by the Embassy; an African Colombian, the General Consul of Colombia, in grey coat holding a ECNV bag, on right, Rosalia Fajardo.
Himalayan Vaccine Clinic
On Saturday, February 3, 2024, ECNV co-hosted a Himalayan Vaccine Clinic. We provided vaccines to seniors with disabilities and the general population and distributed COVID-19 home tests to attendees.
Collage: A group of Latinos residents of OAKVIEW apts receiving COVID home tests; a Korean male holding a COVID home test; Rosalia Fajardo in dark blue jacket distributing COVID home tests.
United for Wellness, Mental Health and Wellness Conference and Resource Fair
On Saturday, January 27, 2024, ECNV staff attended the United for Wellness, Mental Health and Wellness Conference and Resource Fair at Riverside High School. This event was hosted by Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) and was attended by more than 45 governmental agencies, and nonprofits. United for Wellness highlights LCPS was focused on all areas of student health and well being. Conference presenters included mental health professionals, fitness, and wellness coaches, and LCPS educators.
Collage: Margarita Baquero in dark green sweater, travel trainer specialist at ECNV explaining to caucasian female wearing dark sweater about the program; Margarita Baquero in dark green sweater, travel trainer specialist at ECNV explaining to Indian Female wearing pink t-shirt and black pants about the program; (Bottom) Rosalia Fajardo in Navy Blue blouse and Margarita Baquero in dark green sweater, sitting at the ECNV outreach table.
The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics
On Friday, January 26, 2024, Rosalia Fajardo, Disability Justice Partnerships was invited to attend The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics meeting. Commissioners and attendees met with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials to discuss ways their agencies are advancing economic opportunity for the Latino community including those with disabilities.
Collage: Rosalia Fajardo wearing a navy blue blouse and black pants, posing in front of a White House standing blue banner in a book study; a Hispanic male wearing a khaki suit holding a magazine, a Hispanic female wearing black pants and also pictured, Rosalia Fajardo; (Bottom): A group photo of the Commissioners, (center), Isabel Guzman, SBA Director.
ECNV Staff Attend Independent Living (IL) Advocacy Day at the VA State Capitol
On 01/24/24, ECNV staff and consumers boarded a charter bus to Richmond, VA to attend the IL Advocacy Day. We spoke to Legislators, Delegates, and Senators to discuss priorities for the disability community.
Image: A group photo of ECNV staff and advocates celebrating a successful IL Day 2024 together in a hallway!
Corazon De America Thanksgiving Food Distribution in Culmore
On Sunday, November 19, ECNV gave away bags and COVID-19 home tests to more than 300 members of the Culmore Community in Falls Church. Residents also received turkeys and other meals to help make a Thanksgiving meal, thanks to donations from CORAZON DE AMERICA, a non-profit collaborative whose mission is to improve the lives of the immigrant communities residing in Falls Church, VA.
Collage: ECNV Director of Multicultural Families, Rosalia Fajardo wearing a light blue sweater and black pants (center), a Hispanic male wearing black jacket and pants, (right) Director Corazon de America, Magaly Prudencio Executive in red shirt and blue jeans; a group photo of Corazon volunteers, pictured with Rosalia.
ECNV Continues to Serve the Diverse Faith Network
On Sunday, November 19, 2023, ECNV partnered with Durga Temple of Virginia to provide vaccines and free COVID-19 home tests to Hindu faith community, located in Lorton and serving Fairfax County.
Collage: Cherie Takemoto, Rosalia Fajardo, a Japanese male volunteer and Manju Sangruala from Durga temple in flower dress; a group of Hindu families celebrating Diwali and waiting for the vaccines; a young female volunteer wearing a grey traditional Hindi shirt and black pants.