MCC CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH “TALK BACK, LOOK FORWARD” PANEL DISCUSSION

The McLean Community Center celebrated Black History Month by bringing together some of the civil rights leaders featured in the “Traveling While Black” Virtual Reality Experience for a panel discussion on Friday, Feb. 4. MCC hosted the VR Experience from December to mid-February, before it was moved to Sherwood Regional Library, where it was on display through March 31. The “Talk Back, Look Forward” Panel Discussion featured Ben’s Chili Bowl Founder and Owner Virginia Ali, D.C. Civil Rights Veteran Courtland Cox, DC Legendary Musicians Chair Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, and Tamir Rice Foundation Founder and CEO Samaria Rice, all of whom were interviewed in the documentary. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Je rey C. McKay gave opening remarks and Media Strategist Joshua Henry Jenkins served as moderator. For more information, call MCC at 703-790-0123, TTY: 711.

Above: Panel moderator Joshua Henry Jenkins (on right) with panelists (from left) Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale and Virginia Ali. Left: Panel Discussion participants included: (front row, from left) Fairfax County Chief Equity Officer Karla Bruce, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Traveling While Black VR Producer Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Ben's Chili Bowl Communications Director Vida Ali, Ben's Chili Bowl Founder and Owner Virginia Ali, Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, MCC Governing Board Chair Barbara Zamora-Appel. (Back row) Panel Moderator Joshua Henry Jenkins, D.C. Civil Rights Veteran Courtland Cox, MCC Governing Board Vice Chair Carla Post and MCC Executive Director Daniel Singh.