ECNV Staff at the NCIL
ECNV was well-represented at this year's NCIL conference. Travel trainer Joe Postow, Lead Community Activist Jimena Barron, Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Laura Kim, travel trainer Karla Nativi, Community Transition Liaison Vanessa Romero, Lead, Disability Justice and Strategic Innovation Cherie Takemoto and Information & Referral Specialist (and DME) Alexa Mavroidis!
ALT: Left to right front row: Joe, Jimena, Laura, Carla.
Second row: Heidi, Vanessa, Natali, Roman.
Third row: Cherie, Aida, Alexa
Cherie Takemoto Receives Judy Heumman Award
On Monday, July 20, 2026, ECNV Lead, Disability Justice and Strategic Innovation, Dr. Cherie Takemoto, proudly celebrated on receiving the Judy Heumann Award. This prestigious honor recognizes her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing disability rights, particularly for immigrants with disabilities. We are grateful for Cherie's dedication, advocacy, and the lasting impact she continues to make in our community. Congratulations, Cherie, on this well-deserved recognition!
ALT: Photo Collage (Left to Right): Photo 1 - Dominique Dunford-Lack, Rebecca Cokley and Cherie Takemoto posing with their awards, and Rosalia Fajardo; Photo 2: Rebecca Cokley and Rosalia Fajardo; Photo 3 on bottom center: Cherie Takemoto and Rosalia Fajardo.
ECNV Staff Join the 2026 NCIL March
On 07/21/26, ECNV staff, Roman and Karla, attended the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) 2026 Annual Conference, to march to the Capitol. The theme was “Protect. Persist. Prosper.”, focusing on defending independent living, advancing the movement, and building a thriving future for the disability community.
ALT: Karla and Roman at the NCIL March!
Arlington County Board Honors ECNV
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, JD Spain Sr. from the Arlington County Board presented a Proclamation honoring Disability Pride month and recognizing disability nonprofits serving Arlington including The Arc of Northern Virginia, SPecially Adapted Resource Centers - SPARC, and ECNV - ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia!
ALT: ECNV represented at the Arlington County Board meeting, from left to right: Rosalia Fajardo, Laura Kim, Jimena Barron, (non-ECNV staff, JD Spain, Sr.), Cherie Takemoto and Dominique Dunford-Lack.