Author: Krysta Jones

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Recently I was walking through a single-family neighborhood in South Arlington. As I turned onto the street of my destination I immediately second-guessed my decision to walk instead of drive. I wondered if I would be threatening as an unfamiliar Black person walking down their street.

As many of us have heard through countless testimonials of African Americans since the murder of George Floyd, on a daily basis, Blacks often have to assume that our presence and actions can be construed as dangerous. This is just one example of the effects of racism.

Arlington should be a leader in eliminating racism at all levels and in all spaces. The “Arlington Way” should include steps to actively combat racism. Here are just a few ways we can continue to incorporate anti-racism in the “Arlington Way”.

Take responsibility for your learning — I have heard several Black people over the last few days say, “I am tired. I can’t help white people right now; I am dealing with so many other issues.” It is critical that we talk to each other about race, but we also have a responsibility to read and learn through the vast amounts of information that exists. Arlingtonians should learn about Arlington as told through the perspectives of Black Arlingtonians including Wilma Jones Kilgo author of “My Hall’s Hill Family Neighborhood” and Dr. Alfred O. Taylor, author of “Bridge Builders of Nauck/Green Valley“, and visiting the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington.

Speak Up — While it’s hard to admit, white voices are valued more than Black voices. The reason that the conversation/protests around race feel different this time is because so many young white people are involved. Do you have an opinion or a personal story on racial justice issues, police brutality and inequality? Are you able to influence where your organization’s or company’s dollars are spent? You should speak up and consider requesting funding or adding thought leadership to one or more of the many organizations including the Arlington NAACP, Challenging Racism, and Vote Lead Impact, or not invest in organizations which do not support racial justice.

Support Black Economic Empowerment and Advancement — According to Black Enterprise, Black buying power is projected to reach about $1.5 trillion by 2021. I was heartened to see the list of Black businesses in ARLnow and several groups sharing Black business that covered the DC metro area, but it does make one wonder why there are not more Black businesses in Arlington. In a June 6 New York Times article, Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation and board member of Pepsi questions the authenticity and commitment of corporations that have issued statements supporting racial justice. He notes that “generations of well-intentioned pledges by businesses have resulted in only marginal advancement for the black community. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated grim employment trends, and today fewer than half of black adults in America have a job. Black workers make less money than white workers. That is due in part to the fact that they are more likely to have poorly paying service jobs, but research also shows that highly educated black employees are paid less than their white peers.” We should all advocate for fair wages, and support businesses and corporations which have shown their commitment through action.

Do your part to make sure Blacks are represented — If you serve on boards or commissions, and participate in civic associations, look at the racial diversity. Think about your current practices which may discourage a wide variety of participants including inconvenient meeting times, unwelcoming attitudes, or unwillingness to consider new points of view.

What I find most interesting is that we immediately look to Black organizations and leaders to solve racism, when whites perpetrate and condone it. The solution lies in us coming together. White leaders, white-owned businesses, and white-led organizations need to take an active role. Together, we must ensure the “Arlington Way” continues to complement the protests with sustainable action, and root out racism whether it be overt or implicit.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

The organization Women in Government Relations held an excellent webinar last week on fine-tuning one’s executive presence in this new normal.

The panelists who represented national corporations and associations focused on the changing culture due to COVID-19. Specifically, they conveyed how we can look at past outcomes and determine how to achieve similar results now by changing our tactics through intentionality and over-communication.

For example, we previously could easily run into someone in the hall at work, or even go to a meeting for one purpose but also connect with others to communicate. Those interactions may now be harder to achieve in our new age of physical distancing.

While it is not new, this past week we were reminded of the consistent disparities and inequities which exist locally.  Even if there are disputes about how the data is analyzed, recent health data show that the Columbia Pike corridor is overrepresented in COVID-19 cases.

Arlington prides itself on the Arlington Way, a process that aims to ensure opportunity for civic engagement, participation and transparency to address our community challenges. Many look to the government when searching for solutions, but it is critical that we also focus on civil society. The formal and informal organizations in Arlington are an essential part of our culture. We should all question how we can do more as a community to confront and prevent challenges.

As we adjust to the new normal in Arlington, this is the perfect opportunity to rethink our organizations’ role in the Arlington Way. A few recommendations include:

Countywide all sector State of Arlington summit — An annual “State of Arlington” Summit which brings together several sectors of our community could foster and result in regular communication and collaboration. This would build on the great work of several organizations that have conducted similar events including the Arlington Community Foundation’s Shared Prosperity Initiative, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s State of the County and many other events throughout different sectors.

Regular communication among organizations — One of the basic lessons of crisis communications is regular updates and more opportunities for communication and feedback. We should continue this COVID-19 practice by intentionally sharing knowledge and raising awareness among organizations, to our members and the broader community on new issues on the horizon through regular online meetings, newsletters, and social media.

Standard (optional) organizational analysis — Groups and organizations should be encouraged to complete a customized Arlington organizational analysis which focuses on the attributes that Arlington values including equity, participation, digital and technological capacity and collaboration. The internal analysis could assist organizations in directing their efforts towards both their objectives and broader Arlington goals, and allow them to measure their progress towards increased engagement in Arlington and their organization.

Formal organizational capacity building and sharing — Organizations are at different levels in terms of experience and resources. Yet the ability of organizations to promote engagement and interaction with different sectors is a critical part of the Arlington Way and Arlington values. Access to online training, webinars and classes specific to achieving organizational objectives, and sharing and mentoring among organizations in Arlington could help strengthen our civil society.

Arlington’s new normal elucidates challenges that have always been present. We should rethink how we view the organizational component of the Arlington Way as a preliminary step in continuing to address the concerns which plague our community. We must be intentional and communicative in order to continue to move Arlington forward and leave a legacy of which we are all proud.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

I have always been intrigued by how organizations adapt. As an Arlingtonian, I am beyond impressed by the outstanding work of Arlington’s organizations and businesses during the pandemic. Due to their leadership and long-standing collaboration, they have thrived in ways that will have a positive impact on Arlington for decades to come.

Coordination — The Arlington Community Foundation was established in 1991 when the Honorable William T. Newman, Jr. observed the work of the San Francisco Community Foundation after the earthquake of 1989. Today the Foundation coordinates critical initiatives including Shared Prosperity and Bridges Out of Poverty. The Foundation’s extensive work with other nonprofit organizations has allowed them to seamlessly provide Rapid Response grants to local organizations during COVID-19.

The Cooperative for a Hunger Free Arlington was created in early April as a collaboration between the Arlington County Department of Human Services, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and a number of organizations providing meals to those in need through school PTAs and local neighborhood groups. AFAC is working with the Cooperative to provide groceries that can be delivered to homebound individuals, those in quarantine, and those with active cases. Having a strong organization such as AFAC has been critical during COVID-19 and they are seen as a key collaborator

Resources — Funds, materials, food and other resources have been critical to ensuring our community is served during COVID-19. Amazon contributed $1M to four area community foundations, of which the Arlington Community Foundation received $350,000. Arlington County is giving $300,000 to Arlington Thrive which delivers same-day emergency funds to our neighbors in crisis, and has been a leader in Arlington for 45 years. Businesses are offering free meals to seniors, students and families.

Adaptability — Many organizations, businesses and churches did not skip a beat to continue their work despite the social distancing and stay at home orders. The Arlington Committee of 100, founded in 1954 to foster open and vigorous discussion of issues involving all facets of community life in Arlington,  held its April gathering via Zoom. The Rosslyn BID will be holding virtual trivia nights. The Arlington Chamber of Commerce is connecting businesses with resources for signage to alert customers about delivery and carryout options. Several organizations and businesses have updated their websites or apps to facilitate ordering and general communication. The League of Women Voters of Arlington has started Pandemic Postcarding where they wrote 1000 postcards to rural African American voters in Virginia for the NAACP.  I am sure dozens of budding entrepreneurs and existing businesses have started making and selling masks.

I recognize that in addition to these formal organizations, there are countless smaller and information gatherings of people who are doing similar work. Oftentimes the collective of these organizations and businesses characterize a community. They can be our vehicles to solve community problems. They represent the fabric of who we are. When times are good, it is easy to forget about the dedication and the innovation it takes to run both businesses and organizations. When challenges arise we expect them to rise to the occasion. It may be months before we fully realize the impact that our businesses and nonprofits are making, but whether we are having a pandemic or not, they deserve our full support.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

I have always been fascinated by leadership. Studies often focus on important aspects of leadership including authenticity, influence, and communication.

Another common theme that I have recently observed is more focus on courage, especially for women. Whether it’s “leaning in,” “courageous leadership” or confronting your fears, successful leaders address their inner doubts and external criticism, and use their voices and talents for good.

Interestingly, leadership advice can sometimes come from the most unlikely sources. In early March I attended the Junior League of Washington’s Women’s Leadership Summit with Carly Fiorina as the keynote speaker. Ms. Fiorina has recently started consulting with nonprofits on leadership. Regardless of her political ideology, I believe her message of encouraging women leaders to confront their fears is compelling.

I recently heard an interview with Jennifer Lopez where she discussed learning how to not internalize criticism she received early in her career. It is an inspiration to know that a former presidential candidate/Hewlett Packard CEO and talented dancer, actress and international celebrity have challenges with finding the courage and confidence to ignore the 24-hour news cycle and negative online commenters and continue living up to their full potential.

Amid our current COVID-19 reality, opportunities for leadership abound. Some of our leaders are stepping up to the plate, and others are faltering. During a recent interview on COVID-19, a health professional admitted that she is scared, but she must leave that at the hospital door. She can’t effectively serve her patients if she is afraid.

A March 27 article by Aisha S. Ahmad in The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that we should recognize that life has been changed forever by COVID-19. We may slowly start to return to work, dine in restaurants, exercise at the gym, and meet in large groups in a few weeks, but we won’t ever forget this experience.

Sometimes it’s easy to only remember the negative aspects of a traumatic situation. I personally hope that I never forget how I am marveling at the countless health professionals, grocery store workers and other essential personnel whose names we will never know, who bravely battle the pandemic. Or how I admire the leadership in Arlington: those starting community corps and Facebook groups, the entrepreneurs who innovatively pivot to new business models to keep their employees working, the nonprofits that collaborate for those most in need and even local leaders who are both praised and criticized for every decision.

I don’t ever want to forget the spirit of community I felt when I left a roll of paper towels outside the home of a total stranger in Fairlington who posted in the Facebook group “Arlington Neighbors Helping Each Other Through COVID-19 “because I purchased a large pack from Costco a few months back. Or that I was moved to get off my couch and dance around my living room after being inspired by a DJ who was live-streaming hip-hop and 90s music from his basement to raise money and secure matching chicken donations for those on the front lines during the pandemic.

When we begin our post-pandemic lives, I lament that the fear, death, isolation, nonsensical press conferences, persistent media, and any missteps by our leadership will remain in our psyche. We are all applauding the courage of our community today. On the other side of this pandemic, my hope for our community is that the “Arlington Way” will encompass people who have the courage to allow both our individual and collective experiences to transform us into a permanently courageous community.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

In 2020 we commemorate the centennial of women gaining the right to vote, and last month Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

It is natural to analyze how far we have come in the years between 1920 and 2020, and what should be done in the next 100 years to reach full equality.

In 1920, most white women were allowed to vote, along with select groups of non white women. Today, most women of all races enjoy the right to vote.

Over the years the number of women in elected office has increased, despite the challenges. According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, the number of Democratic women challenging incumbents in 2018 for the U.S. House of Representatives increased nearly 350% from 2016.

According to the National Committee on Pay Equity, in 1963, women who worked full-time, year-round made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. Today, while white women earn 80 cents on the dollar of what men earn, Black women earn $0.61, Native American women earn $0.58, Latina women earn $0.53, and Asian women earn $0.85.

While I do not have data on pay equity in Arlington County, Alexandria conducted a study which found that female city employees earned 94 cents for every $1 earned by their male peers. (The article notes that it does not appear that many local governments come close to this small gap in wages.)

In Arlington, women have succeeded in political and civic leadership. Approximately 40% of the civic association presidents are women, and several women (primarily white) lead our nonprofit and business entities including Leadership Center for Excellence, Arlington Community Foundation, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Rosslyn BID, Crystal City BID, and the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization. At least 10 women have served on the Arlington County Board. To my knowledge, all have been white. On the School Board, at least 26 women have served, including at least three Black women and two Latina women.

Despite progress in voting rights, electoral politics, leadership and pay equity, sadly, violence against women and sexual discrimination have characterized the gender gap in the United States and across the globe, particularly in the last few years. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that approximately one in four homeless women is homeless because of violence committed against her. While I have never been a victim of sexual assault, the #MeToo movement was impactful to me because it adds a personal face to the sobering statistics.

In September 2019 I spoke to a group of university students about the “Power of Sisterhood” among women of different racial groups. One of the Black female students asked me if we are Black first, or women first.

As we celebrate the centennial of the 19th amendment here in Arlington, and I see photos of white women in traditional sashes and suffrage garb, that does not tell the full story of the fight that my Black ancestors waged for their rights. That is why it is important for me to be involved in several different centennial celebrations and portray the diverse voices of the movement. I am proud to say that the story we tell today picks up where my history books left off.

Over the next 100 years, I believe it will take all of us speaking up, and providing a space for different voices to be heard. While we definitely want to see more equality, I believe it is also an internal question. For me personally, it is an everyday feeling of being respected, heard and seen equally as both a Black person AND a woman (over the next 100 years, we should not have to choose unless we want to!) — living, playing, working, and leading, in Arlington.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

I recently did something which may be considered a faux pas among social media users.

The “People You May Know” section on Facebook had gotten on my last nerve. I have designed a very specific Facebook experience for myself. I don’t like reminders or requests. I check messages and handle any action items which create notifications quickly, just so I do not see the notification. (I do realize this is odd!)

I had approximately 4,600 friends, and the limit is 5,000. I randomly added about 400 friends so I would reach the limit and avoid enduring the “People You May Know” section while I scrolled on my Facebook timeline.

While most of the people with whom I have shared this think it’s the stupidest thing someone can do (who wants a bunch of random people to see their posts or better yet, why do you want to see their random posts?), it has been a fascinating experiment. It has forced me to get comfortable with being uncomfortable each time I see a post contrary to my long held beliefs.

In 2006 I graduated from the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. One of the basic principles of the organization is to bring together people who “have a wide variety of viewpoints and backgrounds but want to work together for the common good.” I relished the opportunity to hear different perspectives and to have my own ideas challenged. So much so that when I started Virginia Leadership Institute in 2006 to increase the number of Black elected officials, it was important to me that the organization was non-partisan.

While the majority of African Americans identify with the Democratic Party, if we are focusing on electing the most qualified African Americans who will create public policy which helps all African Americans advance, we must recognize the value of diverse perspectives at the table.

On Facebook, when I meticulously selected friends who I either knew personally, or knew people I knew, I predictably agreed with the majority of what they posted. With my new influx of “friends,” I quickly began to notice ideological differences in everything from politics, to what they felt comfortable posting on Facebook (some of these comments and memes are straight out of the 1950s in terms of the sexist tones.)

It is tempting to unfriend them, or unfollow them, but being confronted daily with opinions which are so far from what I would ever believe or entertain, is important. That “discomfort” comes with a constant reminder that there really are people who think that way, and they have supporters who like, love and laugh at their opinions and inappropriate humor.

I recently took an unpopular position publicly and have been chastised for it, to include rude and inappropriate behavior in public. I was surprised because I expected more from the person. Living in a progressive Democratic community, I had hoped that disagreements would be treated differently.

When members of our community react negatively when we disagree, it creates an unhealthy dynamic. Arlington’s public engagement norms for the most part provide ample opportunity for dialogue, but what happens afterwards? How are you treating people on the “winning” or “losing” side? Are we coming together to rationally discuss our differences? We will not grow as a community if we don’t learn to respectfully disagree, and truly understand each other’s perspectives.

This month, I challenge you to find at least one person who you disagree with on an issue and just talk to them about it. Listen to their ideas. 2020 is sure to bring a number of challenges throughout Arlington. We will not always agree on the best way forward, but the final solutions will likely be a combination of perspectives, with a dash of discomfort along the way.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Last weekend I joined eight women activists for a retreat in Williamsburg, VA to plan the Network NoVA 2020 Women’s Summit. The third annual Summit in 2019 brought together almost 1,000 registrants who were motivated and inspired to build on and create a grassroots progressive movement powered by women.

Arlington County is revered as having an engaged citizenry, yet I would posit that oftentimes the same people are active in different areas of the community. If we want to continue to increase engagement we will need to adopt new methods to address the challenges of the next decade and expand the traditional base of leaders.

This year I managed the Commonwealth’s Attorney campaign in Loudoun County of Buta Biberaj, a previous summit attendee. With this campaign, we were faced with several challenges which included expecting traditionally low turnout in an  “off off year” election, the need to coordinate numerous individual campaigns, grassroots organizations, and party programs, and a desire to make sure state party resources flowed into our races proportionally to neighboring campaigns.

In order to overcome these challenges we felt we had to do something different. Buta’s record of community leadership, her journey to political office, and the role that women played in her campaign and so many others, provide an excellent template and justification for why we should rethink and how we can maximize engagement in Arlington.

The human element. We observed that traditional canvassing protocols (door knocking — the backbone of campaigns) didn’t take into account volunteers’ discomfort with knocking on a stranger’s door, so we provided a training before the canvass. Organizations in Arlington should encourage citizens to provide feedback on current processes and see what works for different types of people. Is meeting attendance low? Maybe the location, time or child care options don’t work for them. Are they fearful of not knowing anyone? Encourage the buddy system. It’s not enough to recognize these concerns, we must also find solutions.

Engagement, like fundraising, is a long term process. You may not get everything you want on the first ask. If you focus on cultivation, like you would a donor, with higher levels of asks over time and engaging them and thanking them each step of the way, you may get them to assume more responsibility. This also requires a coordinated tracking system to follow up with volunteers and participants.

Capitalize on our own resources and retain our institutional knowledge. During the campaign we were tempted to find a celebrity to motivate our base and recruit outside talent to work on campaigns, therefore one of our canvass launches featured local youth and they were amazing! Arlington community members should increase investments in local programs including the Leadership Center for Excellence to groom local talent. We should also invite new leaders to moderate panels and give keynote speeches at our staple community events. When you keep local leaders involved they can also develop and retain institutional knowledge which will eventually result in greater success for us all.

Continue intentional and authentic diversity and inclusion efforts. Organizations and teams are changing procedures and recruiting more diverse candidates and team members. While that’s a great start, these efforts must be authentic. We can’t only engage diverse communities when we need them to check a box. Invite them for all of their talents, not only their “difference”.

In order to continue our record of being an innovative and progressive county, we must embrace new ways of growing our community and rethink traditional engagement.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.

Community Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Building community can be one of the most challenging and rewarding actions that a group of people can undertake. For the last 15 years of my life as a resident of Arlington, I have made a conscious decision to take part in that challenging process.

When I moved to Arlington in 2004, I admit that I did not deliberately choose Arlington. My real estate agent found a condo in the Arlington Mill (formerly known as Columbia Heights West) community that was in my price range. I was promised that this neighborhood would soon see changes under the Columbia Pike revitalization plan, and I assumed that I would move to a larger property in the near future.

Over the years the neighborhood has grown substantially. Do you remember the Safeway where the Arlington Mill Community Center used to be, and the Arlington Mill Community Center that was there before the renovated center?

Initially, Arlington was just a place I laid my head down at night. I attended my first Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC) meeting around 2006, where I was welcomed, but wondered why there weren’t more minorities in attendance. I managed a local campaign in 2007 and the work I did on that campaign – from canvassing in North Arlington, to meeting supporters at events and getting to know the people of the Democratic Committee, helped me feel more a part of Arlington.

I stayed involved in ACDC and served on the boards of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, A-SPAN, the Arlington Mill Civic Association, and the Commission on the Status of Women. I graduated from Leadership Arlington in 2010 (the best there has ever been!) and worked as the Director of Outreach for congressmen Jim Moran and Don Beyer. I currently serve on the Board of the Arlington Community Foundation.

With each role, program, and activity, I learned a little more about the place I now call home.

Along my journey to help build the Arlington community, I have learned more about Arlington’s past. We should be proud of our history of being the home of Freedman’s Village after the Civil War, and our role in standing firm against massive resistance.

I am also a member of the Junior League of Northern Virginia (JLNV), formerly known as the Service League of Arlington. The first Black members of the Junior League joined around 1980. The JLNV has a rich history and counts among our successes a number of accomplishments in Arlington. As I reflect on my journey, I can’t help but note that I would not have been welcomed as a member of the Service League of Arlington in 1958, despite how we currently view our history of that time.

We may have come a long way since 1958, but we still have a long way to go. The data on the geographic disparities in Arlington is disturbing. According to an ARLnow article in October 2018, research “reveals that where children are born in Arlington can have a decades-long ripple effect on their futures, with kids in the county’s more ethnically diverse neighborhoods growing up to make less money and end up in jail at higher rates than their counterparts.”

For me, community engagement has been a personal, professional and civic journey. A manifestation of a desire to connect more, give back more, learn more, and help Arlington be “more.”

This column will seek to explore what “community,” diversity, inclusion and engagement means in Arlington. While not always perfect, we are constantly striving to be an inclusive and progressive enclave that has enough “soul” to compete with the best of them.

Krysta Jones has lived in Arlington since 2004 and is active in local politics and civic life. This column is in no way associated with or represents any person, government, organization or body — except Krysta herself.