Announcements

Giving Tuesday e-mails may have stopped, but for dozens of smaller Arlington nonprofits, some of the most important giving is still happening through the 6th annual Nonprofit Holiday Wish Catalog.

Hosted by Arlington Community Foundation, the Wish Catalog gathers year-end “wishes” from over 70 Arlington-serving nonprofits into one online giving platform, each with a clear need and dollar goal. This year’s Wish Catalog runs through January 1, 2026 and focuses on smaller-budget Arlington organizations that rarely have big fundraising teams, but serve neighbors whose needs are constant.

Holiday Gathering & December General Membership Meeting

NAACP Arlington Branch warmly invites you and your family to our Holiday Gathering on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 7:00 pm. The celebration will be held at Macedonia Baptist Church, located at 3412 22nd St S, Arlington, VA 22204.

Art House 7’s Small But Mighty Art Supply Store is a fabulous place to do some holiday shopping. Through December, you can make your own sale: Buy 3 items and get 30% (a few restrictions apply). We carry high-quality art and crafts supplies from a wide variety of brands. We have something for almost every art project, from kids to adults: painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramic glazes, needle felting, knitting and crochet supplies. Regular hours are Mon & Fri 10-6, Tue-Thu 9:30-7, Sat 10-3, Sun – closed. Parking is free and outside our door.

Art House 7

Join an information session for Prospective Preschool families at Kinhaven School in Ballston. Kinhaven School serves children aged 6 months – 5 years in a robust play-based setting using the HighScope approach to foster confidence and curiosity in our young learners. We offer both full day and morning (9am – 1pm) options. Visit our legacy program in a brand-new facility.

Arlington, VA continues to grow as a home for national associations, policy groups, corporate teams, and mission-driven nonprofits. Many of these organizations now rely on steady, high-quality video to share updates, educate members, and run events. As this demand grows, Rescue Media, an Alexandria-based video production and webcasting company, is expanding its long-term partnerships across Arlington, VA.

For years, Rescue Media has supported Arlington organizations, associations, and advocacy groups that need dependable, year-round video. Their work includes leadership messaging, annual meetings, multi-day conferences, educational series, campaign videos, and ongoing hybrid event support.

Homeless people in Arlington, Virginia, have interactions with the police resulting in being arrested for minor crimes, held in jail for several days and even risk dying in jail. Many of the underlying issues in these police interactions are a direct result of people’s unhoused status or symptoms of mental illness, substance use disorder, poverty and trauma. The last four people who died in the Arlington County Detention Facility were homeless living in extreme poverty. Three of the people were people of color who were arrested for the minor charge of trespassing when they had nowhere else to go, initially held in jail and continued to be held in jail for several days.

Join us to discuss how to divert people from the criminal legal system and jail, addressing the intercepts after arrest – initial detention, jail, court, re-entry and community support. We anticipate focusing on preventing prosecuting people for poverty crimes and holding them in the jail by discussing opportunities/barriers for community services instead of jailing or prosecuting in the future.

Arlington Girls Softball Association (AGSA)is the only organization in Arlington County that provides youth softball to girls ages 5 thru 18. All levels of softball competition are provided by AGSA from recreation level to Class A Travel teams.

Join now and get in the fun !!

Thursday’s Open House for Arlington’s Transportation Future event has been canceled. Please share your feedback with the county online before December 7th: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Plans-Studies/Transportation-Plans-Studies/Arlingtons-Transportation-Future

Lala Tamar is what happens when Moroccan soul and Brazilian beats meet on the dance floor. A singer, dancer, and gimbri player, LALA (“lady” in darija) brings North African music a fresh, feminine alchemy—ancient songs infused with the spell of gnawa trance, her grandmother’s music resurrected from the Atlas Mountains. Internationally acclaimed, she is known on the streets of Marrakech, her videos have millions of views, and her jubilant sound has carried her to festivals and stages on six continents. Wherever she goes, hearts and feet leave happy.

Master kora player Yacouba Sissoko devotes his gift to spreading the word of peace and expanding awareness of West African history and culture. His performances transform traditional songs and stories inherited from his forefathers into messages of love, harmony, and empowerment. The kora itself—an enchanting 21-stringed instrument central to West African culture—has long been played by djelys, or storytellers, who performed for kings, nobility, and village chiefs. Through song, they preserved the oral histories of their people, recording the rhythms of social life, cultural identity, and family lineage. In Yacouba’s hands, the kora continues this lineage, transporting audiences with its resonant sound.

Dr. Phillip Connor, Research Fellow at Princeton University, and long-time Arlington resident has published a new book, “MAKE RIGHT: Breaking Modern Injustices with the Ancient Compassion Code.”

If you’ve never met Phillip, you may have heard of his unusually large family of 7 children. (For years, it was hard to miss their huge brown van called “Tank Eh” around town). Or, you may have seen his research, particularly in the immigration policy space. Phillip worked as a researcher at the Pew Research Center for nearly a decade, followed by five years with FWD.us, an immigration and criminal justice reform organization. His policy work as a demographer has been featured in leading academic journals, top media outlets, and in presentations for Congress and several administrations.