ECNV - ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia

05/01/2026

Hands United will be hosting a webinar, “What I Wish I Had Known,” for parents of Deaf and hard-of-hearing young adults share real experiences and reflections on the transition into adulthood — including:
✅ College
✅Vocational training
✅ Employment
✅ Independent living

When: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 7pm EST.

This workshop is for DHH professionals, interpreters, and families. Presented in English, Interpreted in ASL & Spanish.

Registration is available at this link (https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/what-i-wish-i-had-known).

05/01/2026

May is , and we’re raising the alarm about a growing crisis affecting older adults across the country. Ninety-four percent of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) say there are not enough affordable housing options for older adults in their communities. As housing costs continue to rise, millions of older adults are at increased risk of eviction, displacement and even homelessness. AAAs are on the front lines, working every day to stabilize older adults at risk, prevent homelessness and connect people to housing and support services—often with limited resources and overwhelming demand. This is an urgent issue that demands action. Learn more about the housing crisis, how we got here and what can be done to protect older adults: https://ow.ly/7rQn50YSXQz.

05/01/2026

💜 May is Older Americans and Adult Abuse Prevention Month. It is a time to honor the many ways older adults contribute to our families and communities, to look at how our population is aging, and to renew our promise to support older adults.

This year’s theme is “Champion Your Health.” It focuses on staying healthy, preventing illness, and taking personal responsibility for your health. It encourages older adults to speak up for themselves, get regular checkups, and make choices that help them stay independent. Learn more at https://bit.ly/DFS-OA-OAM.

05/01/2026

Resource Friday!!

It’s Resource Friday!

Today, we’re highlighting the Job Accommodation Network’s Workplace Accommodation Toolkit. This resource gives employers practical guidance on how to handle accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It offers step by step instructions and templates to help everyone involved in the process, from small business owners to HR staff: https://askjan.org/toolkit/index.cfm

05/01/2026

Dana Traynham from The DisAbility Law Center of Virginia will be doing a virtual training on Supported Decision Making on May 19, 2026 from 2:00pm - 3:30pm. This will be the Q3 statewide Part B training.

Registration is available at this link (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/mfCcBn9STzGEmll0QqrY8w #/registration).

VACIL will have Spanish captioning!

04/30/2026

We are writing with heavy hearts to share the passing of our colleague, Arlethia Champion.

Arlethia was a fierce advocate for social and disability justice. As a Program Coordinator at ECNV, she was widely respected for her professionalism, clarity, and unwavering dedication to service—both within our organization and among our partners, especially the Arlington County Government’s Department of Human Services.

She played a vital role in coordinating complex financial stability, housing, and eviction-prevention efforts, always ensuring accuracy, transparency, and accountability in support of vulnerable community members. Through her steady communication and thoughtful collaboration, Arlethia strengthened trust across teams and partnerships.

Her attention to detail and commitment to doing things the right way helped ECNV deliver critical assistance with integrity and compassion. Arlethia’s work leaves a lasting and positive impact on both her colleagues and the communities she served.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who were touched by her life and work.

For more information and to honor her memory:
[https://www.preciousmemoriesfunerals.com/obituaries/Arlethia--Champion-?obId=48173845&utm_source=email&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=obituary-updates&utm_content=view-obituary]

04/30/2026

Zoom in Museums is a blog that provides virtual and in-person verbal description tours of various art museums. The website’s admin, who is legally blind, has recently posted the schedule for May 2026!

All museum tours are East Coast time. If you are interested, please visit https://www.zoominmuseums.com/calendar for more information.

For the visually impaired, visit: https://mailchi.mp/8614a97f151e/join-me-for-virtual-verbal-description-tours-10345049to listen to a schedule of museums for this month!

ALT: An exterior view of the Guggenheim Museum from Fifth Avenue, New York.

04/30/2026

Discover what accessible events are happening next month in May at the DC Public Library!

The Braille Class meets regularly at MLK Library. This is a beginning braille level class. They meet every Saturday in May from 10:00am - 12:00pm.
Learn more: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/15415419

Braille Club is for low vision and blind kids in grades K-12! They meet on Friday, May 15, 4:00pm - 5:30pm.

DC Public Library is also hosting classes for iOS VoiceOver, which is a screen reader that will read what is otherwise displayed visually on the iPhone screen that will allow you to use the iPhone without sight. Meetings are on Thursdays! Times may vary.

Down Syndrome and Friends Community Play Group is for Families of kids with disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and developmental disabilities, are invited to play, read, and create art together at the library! The next meeting is on Saturday, May 16th at Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library - Meeting Room 1.

Registration is required.

Learn more: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/15080193

DC Public Library and the Center for Accessibility will be hosting an accessible screening (open captions and open audio descriptions) of The Fantastic 4: First Steps on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 1:30pm - 4:00pm at the MLK Library (901 G St, NW), in 401-E Conference Room (20-46 Person Capacity). The film is just under 2 hours long.

Learn more: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/16110986

For All DCPL Events: https://tinyurl.com/accessible-dclibrary-may2026

04/30/2026

On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, ECNV staff Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Laura Kim, Lead Community Activist Jimena Barron, Training & Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw and Communication and Publications Specialist Elaine Shaw met with Congressman Walkinshaw's District Director Maddy White and disability intern and advocate Adam Rizzoli. This was an informal meet-and-greet with Walkinshaw's Fairfax office and a valuable opportunity to introduce ECNV and highlight the role we play across Northern Virginia, especially in Fairfax.

During this meeting, we were encouraged by how warmly issues that matter most to our community were received, including access to healthcare, support for students, and protecting the supports people with disabilities rely on so they can not only live, but truly thrive.

We are excited about the possibility of continuing the conversation!

Photo 1 (Left to Right): Andrew Shaw, Jimena Barron and Laura Kim in a conference room for an informal meet-and-greet with Walkinshaw's Fairfax office staff.

Photo 2 (Left to Right): Lead Community Activist Jimena Barron and Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Laura Kim introduce themselves to District Director Maddy White (off-screen) and their roles at ECNV.

Photo 3 (Left to Right): Disability intern and advocate Adam Rizzoli and District Director Maddy White from Congressman Walkinshaw's Fairfax Office

Photo 4 (Left to Right): Jimena Barron, Laura Kim, Ryan Rizzoli, Maddie White, Andrew and Elaine Shaw pose for a group photo at Walkinshaw's Fairfax office. The background has a lot of transportation decor.

04/29/2026

April 29 is International Guide Dog Day. Today, we want to highlight the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Uber for allegedly refusing rides to passengers with service dogs. Under the ADA, Uber drivers generally must accept riders with service dogs and cannot deny a ride because of the animal. In practical terms, a service dog is not treated as a pet, and riders should not be charged extra or refused service because of it.

Read more: bit.ly/uber-sd.

04/29/2026

UPDATE: Tonight's circle has been cancelled, stay tuned for more updates!

If you’re looking for support, insight, or simply a space to talk it through with others who get it, we’d love to have you with us.

Sign up and be part of the next conversation! https://www.cognitoforms.com/ECNV2/ECNVPeerSupportGroupSignUp