ECNV Staff Took Sail on the Odyssey for a Luncheon
On October 15th, ECNV staff and peer mentors enjoyed a wellness day aboard the Odyssey, setting sail for a relaxing luncheon-style afternoon on the water.
Image: ECNV staff (left) Emily Kudron, Maura Schmidt and ECNV volunteer, on right Kevina Brown and Paul Whitney on board the Odyssey for a health wellness afternoon.
2025 Festival Latinoamericano
ECNV participated with a table of information at the 2025 Festival Latinoamericano was held on Fri., Oct. 3, from 5-9 p.m. at Arlington Mill Community Center. Arlington County's Festival Latinoamericano is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and diverse cultures on Columbia Pike that enrich our community. With a showcase of the rich tapestry of Latin American art, food, and culture.
Image: David Ayuago, a Hispanic male in a black and grey sports outfit, next to Rosalia Fajardo in a blouse with dots, stuffing the ECNV table.
ECNV Attends Flu Clinic
On Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the Jim Scott Community Center, the Chinese American Community Health Services (CACHS) hosted its annual health Fair. ECNV generously supported this event, providing free flu vaccines to uninsured community members attending their annual community health fair in Northern Virginia.
Image: A Muslim male receiving a flu vaccine from a Walgreens pharmacist.
Congratulations to RAMP Summer 2025 Participants!
On Friday, October 3, 2025, ECNV RAMP students celebrated at their Closing Ceremony & Celebration! It was so lovely to be able to celebrate the achievements of our RAMP students together!
Image: ECNV RAMP students pose with their certificates in hand.
Arlington NDEAM Proclamation
On October 21st, ECNV's Laura Kim, attended the Arlington County Recess Meeting, where JD Spain read the proclamation of the disability employment awareness month.
Image: The Arlington DAC Chair Karen Audant and Laura.
ECNV Partners with Fairfax County at Free Flu Clinic
On Thursday, October 2, 2025, ECNV partnered with Fairfax County Health Department’s Division of Community Health Development for a free flu clinic at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, VA.
Image: David Ayuago, a Hispanic male in a black and grey sports outfit, next to Rosalia Fajardo in a brown blouse with dots, stnding at the ECNV table.
Accessibility Tools to Help You Vote in November
The 2025 Virginia House of Delegates election is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 to elect members of the 164th Virginia General Assembly.
If you are a US Citizen, aged 18 years or older, you can vote - regardless of disability. There are several tools to help persons with a disability make sure they are ready to vote on Election Day.
Image: your vote matters, voting, election day, vector design.
The way to transition from school to adult life
Come and learn about the transition of students with disabilities going from High School to college or directly to work; you’ll also learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA, advocacy and useful resources.
ECNV ENDependents
On Friday, September 19, 2025, The ENDependents Social Group went out to Andy's Pizza as part of their monthly group. If you are interested in future events, be sure to review our calendar regularly or email us at info@ecnv.org for more information
Collage: The ENDependents Social Group went out to Andy's Pizza.
Friday Adult Social Outing Group Explores Smithsonian Zoo
On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Adult Social Outing Group took on a fun and educational day out at the Smithsonian's National Zoo!
Image: Group of staff and consumers in front of trees at the zoo and service dog in front row
Celebrando el Mes de la Herencia Hispana: Honrando el Proyecto Bienvenidos y Su Legado
Al conmemorar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, celebramos no solo la riqueza de nuestra cultura, tradiciones e historia, sino también la fortaleza de las iniciativas comunitarias que han apoyado a familias hispanas en toda Virginia. Entre ellas, el Proyecto Bienvenidos, liderado por el Endependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV), se ha destacado como un movimiento poderoso de inclusión, empoderamiento y defensa de derechos.
Celebrando el Mes Nacional de Concientización sobre el Empleo de Personas con Discapacidad 2025: Celebrando el Valor y el Talento
Cada octubre, el Mes Nacional de Concientización sobre el Empleo de Personas con Discapacidad (NDEAM, por sus siglas en inglés) nos recuerda que los lugares de trabajo prosperan cuando refl ejan toda la diversidad de nuestras comunidades.
Victor Wear Employment & Empowerment Expo
ECNV is a proud fiscal sponsor for the Victor Wear Employment & Empowerment Expo to be held October 18, 2025 from 10-4 at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City. We seek exhibitors and volunteers to help make this first expo a success.
Image: Victor Wear Expo, October 18, 2025, Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, 2799 Richmond Highway, Arlington, Virginia, United States, 22202, Register Today.
ECNV Interviews Big Ocean (K-Pop Band)
ECNV is excited to share the finalized interview conducted with Big Ocean, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-pop Band by Cali Willcockson, that was recently highlighted for a RAMP career exploration unit. With ECNV’s support Kevina and Cali also brought some of the RAMP students to the concert. As you know, this event was an incredible opportunity for the students to explore a unique and inspiring career path and to witness first-hand how individuals with disabilities overcome challenges, receive accommodations, and can thrive and succeed in the entertainment industry. This collaboration was incredibly empowering for our students, seeing people like themselves be global successes.
In addition to the band, we also highlighted their management company, Parastar, which is currently the only talent agency in South Korea solely representing people with disabilities—from musicians to Paralympians. Their commitment to disability inclusion and empowerment was a powerful message for our RAMP students.
Big Ocean generously provided ECNV with three press passes for both the concert and the interview. We want to acknowledge Dan Kolanky, a volunteer photographer who did an exceptional job capturing the event and moments with the RAMP students.