Loudoun County Magazine Winter 2021 Issue by Loudoun County Magazine

Loudoun County Magazine Winter 2021

LCMG’s Guide to Winter Music in Loudoun County

Spotlight on the George C. Marshall International Center Winter Sports, Comedy, & Cooking Events D.C. Fashion Week Interview with Maria Brito, Rabbi Amy Sappowith, and more! The Technology of the Future with REI C.E.O. Shyam Saloma

Join the Loudoun County Magazine Spring 2022 Cohort Are you a Loudoun high school student interested in art, media, writing and publishing? Apply with Loudoun Community Press for our next student produced issue of Loudoun County Magazine.

APPLY BY JANUARY 21, 2021 HTTP://WWW.LOUDOUNCOUNTYMAGAZINE.ORG

Jessica Monte

Director of Loudoun Community Press

Beth Huck, Sarah Giardenelli, Matthew Monte & My Pham Board of Directors Loudoun Community Press

Winter 2021 Issue #3 2 Published By Loudoun Community Press For sponsorship, contact info@loudouncommunity-

Letter About This Project

Table of Contents

Magazines are elaborate and short-lived publications. Magazines, as a form of publication and art exhibit, involves its makers directly in the present moment and allows them to focus more deeply on issues of present significance to themselves and their audiences (i.e. society).

Home: Sustainable Living this Winter

Winter 2021

Magazines, as a learning tool, provide a space for student-artists to publish their work and become empowered to change the world. Many students explore their identit(y)(ies) through the printed word and art. Digital magazines like the one you are reading (though you may be holding it in print format), offer an enjoyable way for students to learn just about anything. At Loudoun County Magazine, which is powered by Loudoun Community Press and its donors, we are dedicated to providing Loudoun students the opportunities and resources to explore media in print and digital formats. In our winter issue, students interviewed their peers and adult leadership in Loudoun County about issues that matter to them; these included global warming, positive thinking during the pandemic, entrepreneurism, school lunch, fashion, international diplomacy, childhood cancer, multiculturalism, interreligious dialogue, family, empowerment, homelessness, and world issues like genocide. To prepare for this issue, students met weekly with each other to learn about writing, art, and journalism. They learned with experienced professional journalists, Capital Hill professionals, community leaders and from each other.

DC Fashion Week 8 Parking Space Art 10 Power of Positivity 11 Technology & Entrepreneurism: Shyam Salona

Opinion: Students Weigh in on School Lunch

Making a Difference Locally & Worldwide: The George C. Marshall International Center 14 Tastemaker: Allision Courtney of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 16 Winter Music in Loudoun County

Leadership: Rabbi Amy Sappowith

We hope you enjoy what they have created for you and for themselves.

Environment & Art: Maria Brito

Last, we wish all of Loudoun a beautiful winter season.

Holiday Recipe: Banana Bread

Warmest regards,

Poetry Corner 27

The Board of Loudoun Community Press

LCPL “ Write On” Winner

About Loudoun Community Press Loudoun Community Press offers access to writing, journalism, and art education with numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative learning, and other hands-on learning experiences for students and residents living and working in Loudoun County. Loudoun Community Press oversees Loudoun County Magazine and is dedicated to building community with the publication of print and digital media. For more information, visit http://www.loudouncommunitypress.org

Event Calendar 29 Loudoun Teens Take on Homelessness

Loudoun Teen Launches Global Magazine

LCM Media Kit 31

School: Rock Ridge High School Color: Light blue or turquoise Winter sport: Snowboarding Winter comfort food: Hot Cocoa Hangout spot: The Zone Laser Tag Dream Destination: Hawaii

Sydney Nguyen Graphic Artist

Mahika Bhatt Graphic Artist

School: Woodgrove High School Favorite Winter Event: Driving around to look at the Holiday lights Winter Hangout Spot: The Reston Town Center Ice Rink! Winter Comfort Food: Baked Mac and Cheese Dream Destination: Florence, Italy

We would also like to acknowledgex Monet Shum who authored our winter music article.

School: Independence High School and Academies of Loudoun. Favorite Winter Song: All I Want For Christmas Is You Favorite spot in Loudoun County: Downtown Leesburg (perhaps because it has my last name in it, Lee). Dream Job: Work at the United Nations

Yoobin Lee

Graphic Artist

School: Stone Bridge High School Favorite Winter Dish: Tomato and basil soup Favorite Album for Winter 2021: Dark in the City by Jordy Searcy Favorite Spot in Loudoun: Ashburn Bagels and Sandwich Shop, locally known as Karate Bagels Something Fun: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a dolphin trainer!

Jillian Wallner Science Editor

School: Light Ridge High School Favorite Spot: The view from my backyard in Loudoun County Winter Dessert: Gingerbread cookies Book or Podcast: Ranger’s Apprentice Dream Destination: Greece

Akhil Meda

Contributing Editor

School: Rock Ridge High School Favorite Winter Dish: Anything really as long as I don’t see or taste Onions Favorite show: Total Drama Island Something about me: Since 4th to 5th grade, I dreamed of being a news anchor Dream Destination: London or Germany

Aline Gabriela Gonzalez Contributing Editor

School : Loudoun County High School Favorite winter dish: Homemade holiday chex mix Favorite show: Squid Games Favorite spot in Loudoun County: The Old Lucketts Store Something Fun: My dream job is being a travel blogger Dream Destination: Santorini, Greece 4

Olivia Zavadil

Contributing Editor

School: Academies of Loudoun and Stone Bridge Favorite Winter Event: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Winter Walk of Lights Winter Hangout Spot: Ashburn Ice House Winter Comfort Food: Macadamia Cookies Performance: The Nutcracker Book: Little Fires Everywhere Dream Destination: Bora Bora

Aishani Satia

Contributing Editor

School: Homeschooled Favorite Winter Dish: Capirotada Favorite Album for Winter 2021: Mercury Act One album by Imagine Dragons Favorite Spot in Loudoun County: Bears Den in Bluemont Something Fun: An all you can eat restaurant with every single kind of fruit!

Ebaadah Martínez-Jaka Community Editor

High School: Briar Woods High School Favorite Winter event: Olympics Winter Hangout spot: anywhere warm Comfort food: hot cocoa Show: Hamilton Dream Destination: Australia

Mason Kinnahan Event Editor

Favorite Winter Event: Hot tub Winter Hangout Spot: Reston Town Center Winter Comfort Food: Cookies or brownies Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: Mean Girls or Les Mis Dream Destination: Hawaii

Kashvi Rmani

Student Contributor School: Independence High School Favorite Winter Event: 2022 Winter Olympics Winter Hangout Spot: My cozy bed, or somewhere snowboarding or ice skating Winter Comfort Food: French onion soup and cheesy bread! Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: I hope to see the Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker (basic but it’s such a classic) Book: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover (read over summer, it was so good!) Dream Destination: Santorini, Greece

Ella Huck

Food Editor & Photographer

Keep Loudoun Beautiful Sustainable Living in the Dead of Winter As the leaves start to cascade down and the tem-

excited you want to be involved in this, but we realperature plummets, our focus shifts from the natural ly need you to start using reusable bottles, because, world outside to our own home interiors. No matter what you’re seeing is a symptom of a problem, which the season or where we spend our time, being mind- is we’re generating too much trash.” Mosley said. ful of our environment here in Loudoun is important, When asked about sustainable living in wintertime, even through the bleakness of winter. Mosley provided insightful tips that are easy to follow. Keep Loudoun Beautiful is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve the beautiful wildlife of Reduce and Reuse Loudoun County throughout every season. They accomplish this through community cleanups, raising Mosley stressed the importance of using sustainable environmental awareness, and facilitating fundraising items. “Don’t buy fast fashion; things that you’re going to wear three times and then they’re going to tear. projects. There are all sorts of great things in terms of cosmetics “I started with Keep Loudoun Beautiful in 2000 as and personal hygiene products. Don’t buy disposable an area leader,” said Carrie-Anne Mosley, Vice Pres- razors, instead buy a razor with just disposable razor ident. “I showed up at the first Keep Loudoun Beau- heads. Also, use an electric toothbrush and you genertiful meeting with a single use bottle of water, and ate so much less plastic waste per toothbrush.” the president at the time took me out and said, “I’m 6

Remember to Sort Mosley detailed common mistakes people make when recycling. Many well intentioned people mistakenly place soft plastic bags into curbside recycling bins. Soft plastic bags clog curbside sorting machines. Consequently, they must be recycled at big box stores such as Walmart, Harris Teeter, Wegmans and other supermarkets with plastic bag collection bins. Check the Accepted Item List Foregoing aspirational recycling is crucial to living more sustainably. This means if an item’s recyclability is questionable, throwing it in the trash is safer. “The problem is, when you put in aspirational recycling, and it’s not actually on the accepted list, it causes all the recycling in that bunch to become trash.” Mosley explained. “Just little things like that make a huge impact.” Host or Attend a Community Cleanup Con-

trary to common belief, winter is a great season to get outside and clean up Loudoun’s environment. Without the threat of lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses like in summertime, community cleanups in winter are wonderful opportunities to get involved with Keep Loudoun Beautiful.

“I think winter time is actually the best time to clean up and I’ll tell you why, because all of the growth and the brush dies in the winter, so I think January is the time when I notice the most trash.” Mosley said. “We have different groups across Loudoun doing sort of pop up events in December and January, and I will tell you that the weather is fabulous. Those days it’s a crisp 45 degrees in the morning, you put on a coat and it’s really beautiful.” A cleaner and healthier environment is something that a community must achieve together. Therefore, by inputting simple living practices and sustainable habits into our daily lifestyles, we can keep Loudoun beautiful regardless of the season. Article by Jillian Wallner, Design by Yoobin Lee 7

The 35th season of D.C. Fashion Week swept it’s audiences away in a whirlwind of lush textures, sparkling accents, and statement styles. The week was split into three showcases featuring over 40 designers launching their fall and winter collections. Like its host city, DCFW was nothing if not diverse. From y2k inspired simplicity to intricate patchwork dresses, each show revived style with an original sense of passion and conviction. As unique as the pieces themselves were the stunning models draped in them. Each of the 120 models working the event owned their looks; the uniting feature among the various ethnicities, body types, and sizes being their unwavering ferocity. The participating designers, ranging from ages 9 to 80, built their collections to represent their distinctive visions of design. The week began on Friday night with the Washington Menswear Collection. It was followed by Saturday’s Emerging Designers Showcase and concluded late Sunday night when the International Couture Collection Showcase heard it’s final round of applause fade out. Each event was emceed by both Mr. D.C. Fashion Week Ean Williams, the executive director and founder of DCFW, and Miss D.C. USA 2021 Sasha Peara. We settled into our seats at the International Couture Collection Showcase on the final night of fashion week. Here’s a glimpse of what the night held, from the minute we received our press identification to the final valet check. Preparations for the showcase ran as close to the debut as possible. Even before the venue had turned the lights on, models were marking the runway, practicing their walks. This show was especially interactive because the models sashayed between rows of seated audience members. The energy of the room resembled an antfarm as models, workers, vendors, influencers, and press worked simultaneously in organized chaos. We got the exciting opportunity to chat with some of the models as they relaxed during a small

Fashion Week 8

break before the night’s events commenced. A few of the night’s most striking models— from seasoned veterans to first-timers— indulged us with how they got into the right headspace before their final 2021 DCFW walk: “Music for me,” male models Clarence Mcmorris, who has been modeling since 2017,” respectively, agreed. “Hmm I don’t know, [my] top artist? Who’d you pick?” Mcmorris asked [], who replied with Lil Baby. “I’ve been on the new YoungBoy album lately. The new YoungBoy album and some more of Rod Wave,” he decided. The duo left us with more opinions on the hip hop scene and plenty of excitement to watch them strut a little under an hour. We spent the rest of the hour talking to as many of the attendees and models as possible. While everyone we spoke to had an air of confidence and happiness around them, the sunniest person we talked to that evening was singer, songwriter, and runway model Hannah Grace. Grace has been modeling for about two years and in that time, she’s gained plenty of catwalk experience. Before showcases, Grace makes it a habit to laugh and talk to everyone. She says that “when everyone else is in a good mood, [she] can be in a good mood.” When asked what her favorite part of DCFW was, she shared: “I love meeting other people [and] seeing other people. So I love seeing people in their looks and getting to meet people and experience them and learn from them. And I just love the thrill. The thrill that you get from walking down the runway is just something that you don’t get many other places; it’s a really good feeling.”

The show began at 6:00pm and, after a quick introduction by the emcees, models began flooding the floor for their introduction walkthrough. Each collection was announced with a brief description of the vision and purpose behind the clothing. The models came out rapidly and then slowly, emphasizing particular pieces and styles. Each showcase was truly a spectacle for the senses; music was carefully chosen to accentuate the vibe of the designs, models worked the floor, weaving between the rows of chairs and removing outerwear to show off the designs, and projected displays featured the designer’s logo. The FK X ADE collection featured denim patchwork, simple silhouettes, and a y2k aesthetic. Many of the pieces layered different washes of denim in various geometric designs. The pieces were visually appealing mono or dual-chromatic designs. Ramona Atelier, the creator of Ramona Designs, presented a collection of evening gowns. As an Egyptian designer, elements of the unique culture were featured throughout. The showstopper on the runway was Rania Younis wearing a stunning satin, off the shoulder, asymmetrical slit gown with a cleopatra inspired headpiece and matching jewelry. The African Fiesta Cafe was by far the most vibrant collection of the night. Combinations of crocheted accessories and bold patterned fabric in traditional drapes made up the modern African clothing line. Wife and husband duo Peggy and Mutombo Kankonde aren’t exclusively designers, however. In addition to creating their fusion clothing line, they also run a cafe in El Paso, Texas. House of Sky had the most eccentric designs of the night. All of the pieces in the show featured bright splashes of color, a variety of textures, and multiple layers, fabrics, and garments. The best part of the runway collection, though, was seeing the designer’s accomplished smile as she walked out alongside the featured model, who was wearing a gorgeous emerald, lime, and purple tulle gown and headpiece. Heydari Design produced an almost futuristic collection through a series of bold geometric designs. The clothing line featured bold accessories and sharp silhouettes. Heydari markets itself as “Artsy Clothing for Women” and we can agree that the 2021 runway show was certainly art. Foberini was our favorite collection of the night. The de-

Each showcase had a wildly different energy about it. From colorful patterning reminiscent of the 70s to intricate knitwork, each outfit was bursting at the seams with detail. As part of the International collection, all the designers included various elements of their home country. In companies where more than one designer worked together, like the African Fiesta Cafe, the outfits were blended to pay tribute to both countries and styles. The show didn’t slow for a second as the night went on, barring the intermission. Models strutted one after the other, carrying their heads high. Stonefaced, the models walked down all two or three runways, providing the entire audience and press an opportunity to take in their outfit.

signs were entirely vintage style evening gowns and dresses in pastel colors. All of the dresses held impressive amounts of detail with statement collars, intricate lace, and signature ini is based out of Ukraine and sleeves. Foberalthough designer Iryna marenko shied Lyaway from speaking at the end of her show, we think her collection speaks for itself. The International Couture Collection Showcase was a night filled with design, passion, diversity, and love for the craft. No one sums up DCFW better than founder Ean Williams: “We’re all about diversity, all about love, all about celebrating the creativeness that D.C. has.” Article by Mahka Bhatt, Design by Yoobin Lee

Parking Space Art: Self-Expression, School Spirit, & Because it’s Fun

their lives. The bonus? Other students and all who visit Loudoun County Public High Schools get to enjoy what they’ve created. Article by Aline Gonzalez

Each year before the school year starts, students attending Loudoun County Public Schools, create and display their artwork using their school parking lot spots. Students make use of their parking space canvas to exhibit fun and expressive pieces of work. Works vary from cartoon classics such as Spongebob to famous, classic art pieces, to King Julien. Many students paint their parking space for one last chance at school spirit. “I wanted to take part of the senior tradition and make my parking spot memorable for me” from Independence High school, senior Lucia Martinez said. According to Martinez she decided to combine two of her favourite art pieces by a famous artist called Keith Haring. Similarly, Park View High School Senior Emma Selby benefited from extra hands. “My mom, my friends, my twin sister, and my boyfriend because they’re all very close to me.” Selbys’ parking spot is of Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star from the iconic TV show “Spongebob Squarepants.” Students like Selby, Martinez, and Hamel love taking part in the tradition of making parking space art. A meaningful significance accompanies this rite of passage too;Elizabeth Pruiksma from Rock Ridge High School commented, “It was about taking the next step, and for me, that’s graduation.” Parking space artwork is a memorable way for students across Loudoun and the United States to express themselves during a momentous part of 10

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Silver Lining

Quarantine Stories from LCPS Students Due to the quarantine and virtual schooling, I was able to get my pilot’s license faster. I was able to log in and attend some of my classes from the Leesburg Airport terminal, which enabled me to secure flight times that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise, which was especially helpful during the winter when sunset came early. Having that flexibility in my schedule sped things along, and I was able to become a licensed private pilot in under 11 months. -Cannon Grove, 12th grader from Woodgrove High School

-Andrew Toppen, 10th grader from Stone Bridge High School [Quarantine] removed a lot of distractions from my life and helped me grow closer to God. COVID-19 allowed me to get closer to my family. It also allowed me to focus on my mental health. -Elizabeth Diluiji, 9th Grader from Independence High School The COVID-19 quarantine allowed me to participate in the Kindness Never Stops campaign hosted by Touching Heart, which was a campaign in which kids hosted events online and, under COVID guidelines, continued to spread kindness, inspiring compassion and generosity for others. In this campaign, we were able to host multiple events and raise money for foster kids, families in need, healthcare workers, and more. This campaign was such a great opportunity to uplift people in need during such difficult times and taught me the importance of acts of kindness. https://touchingheart.com/kindnessneverstops/ -Zara Gill, 12th grader from Broad Run High School Quarantine was really impactful for me. I started reading a lot and finding out some more of my hobbies. With all that time, I figured out what I want to do with my life and my plans for the future. -Sofia Stanziola, 10th grader from Stone Bridge High School -Annika Lawrence, 10th grader from Stone Bridge High School I did no work, slept, and I felt better than I did in any other school year. Over quarantine, I used my free time to start new hobbies. I baked a lot of new recipes. I also discovered I loved to run and joined my high school’s cross country team the following year. -Ayla Shapiro, 10th grader from Stone Bridge High School

Article by Jillian Wallner 11

The Future: Technology, Relationships, & Authenticity

Shyam Salona, co-founder and CEO of REI Systems Inc., emphasizes the importance of treating each day as an adventure to become a better version of yourself and uplift those around you. Forty-one years ago, Salona traveled across two oceans to a renowned land filled with opportunities, where he had heard that, “If you do good work [and] work really hard, then you can be successful, regardless of your background and connections with people.” He describes how his journey was never mapped out from the start; instead he embarked on life one challenge at a time. Salona passionately put his heart and soul into whatever he was working on while simultaneously allowing life to steer its course. Ultimately, this approach landed Salona to this beautiful destination. Salona fell in love with the art of computer science precisely the same way he approaches life: through logic and common sense. For Salona, the field of computer science simply “wants you to look at the challenge; there is a computer who can understand only a limited set of instructions. How can you solve the problem by telling the computer using that set? It [requires]so much common sense that it’s fun.” This philosophical approach led him from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi to a large technology corporation in New Hampshire. He partnered with Veer Bhartiya to start REI Systems Inc. [SS1] Salona explains their reasoning for founding REI: “Even though we had such talented people and such a large corporation,[SS2] because of the multiple layers, what we got done at the end of it was not as significant. So, I felt that if we have small teams who are pursuing goals that matter, enjoying the learning, and helping each other, [SS3] then those teams can produce much better results.” Furthermore, he felt that “at some stage, you kind of get stuck as a technical person. For you to move further, you have to start [engaging]in the business aspects and becoming savvy at navigating the organizational politics[SS4] .” Instead he wanted to create, “ an environment where you can just do your work, be good, and not have to worry about politics and positioning.” Which is exactly what REI Systems is working to accomplish. Initially, Salona, like many ambitious young adults, enjoyed working late into the night with a computer. But, he ex12

plains that his perspective shifted significantly over the years, “I believe that technical skills are important, and they give you a start. But after that, for you to grow, the interpersonal skills take on a much more significant role because to produce much more significant results, you have to work with teams. The way to inspire and empower [others], take on a much bigger role.” That is exactly why in a typical work day, Salona explains that his role is “to uplift and inspire teams to pursue whatever goals they are going after. I get to look at the holistic aspect of our business, that means the financials, the customer, then how well we are helping employees, their well being, and how well we are delivering, and the impact we’re making.” Our world places great importance on being ‘successful’, but what truly defines this ambiguous goal of society? Salona explains that, “success is not a milestone that you reach. To me, success is, in an ongoing matter of becoming a better version of yourself. It’s not defined by reaching a specific goal, it is more about pursuing things, progressing, and enjoying the journey.” Salona not only is focused on the current world of technology but also is a visionary for the future of technology, “There are three fields that are going to determine and have an impact on the way we live: biotech, artificial intelligence, and an alternate source of energy.” Salona’s parting words of wisdom for working towards success in any field is to “always put your heart and soul in whatever you’re doing, do the best you can. And when opportunities arise, be open to getting out of your comfort zone. Stay true to yourself. Each one of us is unique and special. Instead of trying to be someone else, we need to learn what that special thing is within you and then focus on leveraging those strengths and being authentic.” Article by Aishani Satia

Photo of Shyam Salona

Opinion: Students Weigh in On School Lunch Food is crucial to our survival as human beings. For children, it is even

more important to get the correct nutrition they need to grow. Because schools reopened after the worldwide pandemic, the USDA announced that all students in Virginia public schools will have free lunch during the 2021-2022 school year. This statewide program benefits a number of students and families across Loudoun, and we wanted to survey them about it. Loudoun County Magazine surveyed 22 students who live in Loudoun County and attend public school via a Google Form. We learned a great deal about our participants. Nearly 20 percent were neutral about school lunch, over 75 percent of students reported some dissatisfaction with school lunch, and 5 percent are satisfied. All participants contributed to the following suggestions regarding school lunch.

Make lunches fresh. Many people said that they would enjoy the lunch more if it was fresh.“Make sure that fresh fruit is ripe,” wrote one student.. Another student commented, “The food is soggy, especially the canned vegetables.” It is clear that students are seeking fresher food for school lunch.

Include More Variety & Vegetarian Options. Multiple students commented that they would prefer greater selection of food. One student said, “Most items are patties and nuggets.” Another

student asked that the school system provide more vegetarian options, writing, “Include more vegetarian dishes such as veggie fried rice or veggie noodles.”

Include High Quality Food

The last main suggestion is to make the quality of the food better. A student from Lightridge High school said, “ The chocolate bears are harder than rock, the pizza tastes like cardboard, and the milk is chunky.” I think it would be beneficial to make the lunches have better quality so people would eat them. Article by Akhil Meda

Making a Difference Locally & Worldwide: The George C. Marshall International Center In Leesburg, there is no shortage of history. The George C. Marshall International Center located in the historic district at Dodona Manor encompasses the life of the Nobel Peace Prize winner of the same name. To learn more about Dodona Manor and its famous inhabitants, I spoke with Valerie Beaudoin, Executive Director of George C. Marshall International Center. On the George C. Marshall International Center’s purpose and mission. [We] bring to life Marshall’s timeless values of selfless service and unwavering integrity to develop visionary leaders worldwide. When students visit our house, we teach them about Marshall and encourage them to make a difference in their lives the way he did. In addition, Eagle Scouts often come in to receive help with their projects. Our biggest student event is our Ethical Leadership Conference. Its goal is to help students become better leaders through researching Marshall’s life and learning from it. To learn more about our programs, visit the “Education” page under the Marshall Center’s website. (www.georgecmarshall.org) Beaudoin’s Personal Connection to General Marshall There were multiple crossovers between General Marshall’s work and I, but the most notable is that I had been part of the Rotary Club and he was an honorary member. He always put the nation first. Many leaders are in it for fame, while Marshall was a humble philanthropist. 14

What You Probably Didn’t Know About Dodona Manor 95 percent of everything in the house belonged to the Marshalls. In most historical homes, the antiques are reproductions or “of the era”. There are many of these items that are important to me in the house, but one of the most interesting is Marshall’s bedroom. It may not look the most impressive but it has the biggest impact for me because it shows the reality of his situation since he slept in such a small bed. It is very humbling. Most people [in our region] don’t know about the GCMIC. People see Dodona Manor and don’t realize it is a museum you can visit. I also wish General Marshall received more recognition. In school, students quickly learn about World War II and that the Marshall Plan saved Europe. It was so important to the European countries that they received the United States’ support. It was crucial to their economic stability. George C. Marshall International Center Annual Events We host the official town and county Veterans Day event. Every year on November 11th from 10:30 AM to 11:11 PM, we have a celebration to commemorate veterans. This year is our 17th year of the tradition and it is free and open to all. It is important to the Center because Marshall had to save peoples’ lives and take care of his soldiers, so we do the same. Join us!

The Best Part about the GCMIC We are dedicated to the next generation. Other museums are stuck in the past and tell the old story back in the day. We look towards the future to foster great leaders like Marshall was. That is our mission. I invite everyone to visit. Take the first step and learn about his life and the person he was so you can be part of the discussion. You could be the next great leader. Article by Kashvi Ramani

Pictured below. A youth photography series hosted at Dodona Manor by Loudoun Community Press with local Loudoun photogographers.

Tastemaker Profile Allison Courtney of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

treatments that have been discovered. LLS was actually one of the founding investors in immunotherapies through Dr. Carl June. I feel like immunotherapies, like precision, are going to open up the realm of possibility for different types of treatments. I envision us having a treatment option such as taking a pill from the convenience of your home. How can our readers get involved? Student of the Year kicks off in January, so the public can support a local student who is fundraising for this cause. Corporate sponsors may partner with us, and we’re always looking for student volunteers. Volunteering at our walks or any of our events is always a great option as well. Outside of this work, what do you spend your free time doing? I have a one and a half year old baby named Claire, and I am a founder and on the Board of Directors of a small nonprofit in my hometown of Massachusetts called Pembroke Titans Against Drugs. We work with the local community to implement educational tools and resources for Substance Abuse Prevention Awareness.

The Leukemia anLymphoma Society is a global charitable organization fighting to cure cancer, one initiative at a time. The organization connects over 100,000 volunteers with a fundraising challenge for students, called “Student of the Year.” For this profile, our Contributing Editor Aishani Satia sat down with Allison Courtney, the campaign director overseeing The Student of the Year in the Mid Atlantic Region for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. As the campaign manager of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, what does a day of your work life look like? It changes throughout the year, but it’s a lot of meeting with students and their parents to see if they want to be part of a campaign. I also help our campaigns with a big, grand finale celebration. I have a great team of about six or seven people. I also work with my other senior staff members to make sure all of the campaigns in the region kind of go smoothly. What part are you most passionate about? The biggest and best part of my day to day job is working with volunteers who’ve been affected by blood cancers, and seeing their passion and their drive to make a change so that other families don’t have to be impacted by diseases like cancer. What skills do you feel are crucial to being successful in this role? Staying organized, working in a fast paced environment, responding quickly, adapting to different challenging situations, being personable while talking to volunteers, and supporting my team members. How do you predict that the medical research industry will progress in the next decade? In 2016, we heard about FDA treatment approvals about once or twice a year. In 2020, we’ve had 17 new blood cancer treatments and LLS funded 14 of them, it’s really incredible. And a lot of that is to be said about the research and the different types of 16

What’s a good book on your shelf right now? How to potty train your baby in three days haha! Also James M. Kouzes’ The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. . What music do you prefer to listen to? That’s a tricky one. I like all types of music. Probably, Dave Matthews Band and whatever is on the radio. So whatever is trending, I’m jammin to. What’s your dream destination? Turks and Caicos. I would also just go back to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. It’s my favorite. After a long day as a Campaign Manager, how do you like to unwind? I like to go for a walk around the street with my daughter and talk to my friends even though I talk to people all day, haha! What’s your favorite dish to cook? I really don’t like cooking. My husband cooks. He prepares the food and I just start the oven. And that’s the extent of my cooking. What is your North Star, or what philosophy do you live by? Super cliche but I like to repeat to myself how everything happens for a reason. Finally, what advice would you give to future generations who want to be in the same place you are? Move outside your comfort zone. In my previous job, I needed to call people randomly. The sooner I got comfortable making calls, then the more calls I would make and the more successful I became in that role. So, work hard, and get comfortable being outside your comfort zone. The earlier you can do that, the more successful you will be. Article by Aishani Sadia

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Celebrating Winter Through Music in Loudoun County

Music is a prominent element of holidays worldwide, bringing continuity, joy, and tradition to the present. Below are some of the holidays celebrated by Loudoun County residents with historic commentary on the origins of such holiday music.

Christmas Christmas carols may have originated as early as the fourth century C.E. as Latin hymns in churches, overtaking pagan hymns sung as celebrations of the winter solstice with the rise of the Christian Church. While most of the most famous carols are from the 19th century, there are still some, such as “O magnum mysterium,” that are still popular in churches. Carollers became commonplace around the 18th century and still sing for passersby today. Enjoy caroling at Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon, Christmas in Middleburg, and at a number of Holiday Events in Leesburg. 18

and origin of the holiday. Lohri is another Winter festival and holiday originating in India. To enjoy music celebrating Holi and Lohri, please contact the Academies of Loudoun Indian Student Association or consider reaching out to Sangeetalahari. Are you interested in learning more about music across cultures in Loudoun County? Or, might you have a story about a music celebration in Loudoun? Please email us at: info@loudouncommunitypress. org Article by Monet Shum

Lunar New Year In China, the New Year is welcomed with a cacophony of drums and firecrackers. While not the most musical, the festival and noise serves the purpose of fulfilling superstition and tradition. According to Chinese legend, a monster named Nian used to terrorize villages by eating their people and destroying their homes, but the bright lights and loud noises of the firecrackers scared away the spirit and kept the village safe. Thus, the celebrations continued throughout the years. The Loudoun County Public Library puts on several Lunar New Year Lion Dance performances. Another great option is the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association’s Chinese Lunar New Year Parade in Washington D.C. (note this may be virtual). Holi and Lohri Although there are many regional and community-specific genres of music in India, the most popular music genre sung during Holi is known as Hori. These songs are sung especially in the region of Uttar Pradesh and describe the tradition 19

Nurturing Community Relationships in Loudoun County: Interview with Rabbi Amy Sappowith Rabbi Amy Sapowith is the Rabbi at Beth Chavarim reform Congregation in Ashburn. She is both a community and interfaith leader in Loudoun County who is nurturing partnerships to contribute to positive relationships among all who live in the region. She shared some of her experiences and challenges in an interview with Ebaadah Martínez-Jaka, a Student Editor for Loudoun County Magazine. Q: What is your biggest challenge being a rabbi? A: I think it’s a challenge being a woman in the field. There are ongoing investigations into the struggles that Jewish women have had in the Jewish movements, especially in the Reform movement, which is sort of more conscious of these things. To the degree that it’s been an ongoing problem with the rest of the country, it’s been subtle enough that you don’t know it’s a problem until afterwards. Looking back, you think, “Why did I have that barrier, or why was that so hard?” Because you go in thinking everything’s equal, and so when something’s not, you think maybe you’ve done something wrong or you’re not doing something right. So there is probably a little bit of that, like most women feel. But barring that, I think the biggest challenge for me is my personality. I am an introvert and an extrovert, and so sometimes it’s challenging to be in a position that is mostly dominated by extroverts while being my introverted self. It requires a certain degree of outgoing energy that gets you energized by being around other people. And for me that gets draining and I have to put the barriers away. I need to recharge differently. 20

Q: How do you want Loudoun residents to see you? A: In Loudoun County we are the only Reform congregation, so we call ourselves an outpost of Judaism and Jewish life in this part of Northern Virginia. In that respect, we help our Jewish members to live Jewish. You can do it alone, you can do it with some influence from online, but Judaism is meant to be lived in person with a community. Personally, my goal is to represent a certain ability to hear people with different opinions, different life stories, different priorities, and to be trusted to be able to see the humanity in everybody without being polarized. I don’t want to be seen as somebody just on this side or just on that side. I would prefer to be seen as somebody that can be counted on to be a mediator or peacemaker in that sense. Even though I might have certain opinions at least one way or the other, I would like to be seen in the way I see myself: as being able to hear and respect, and trying to maintain relationships across so many different worldviews. Q: What is an example of when you felt disrespected? A: Being a woman, sometimes I feel in some of the movements, whether it’s Jewish, Muslim, or Christian, women are not afforded the same status. We just can’t be heard. Then I have the added liability of being in the LGBTQ community, being bisexual, and who would know that since I’m with a woman? If my being bisexual becomes known, their barriers come up. I do feel the disrespect that comes with that kind of discrimination and it can come from anywhere. It’s mostly not

being heard in a dialogue, or you’re not reached out to. I can understand not being reached out to because we’re a small synagogue, because some people may be looking for a synagogue that has more outreach to a larger community. And in that case it’s, well then maybe you want to talk to somebody who has a bigger synagogue. Sometimes it feels like the setting I’m in, it’s the woman thing. I don’t know if it’s also being in the LGBTQ community, because that’s only if they know. Even in the Interfaith Clergy Group, there are certain pastors whose movement does not allow them to talk with people in the LGBTQ community for support in a formal way. Sometimes I feel disrespected by that. But I also look at that differently because I do understand why people have trouble with it. I do feel like there’s a level of disrespect but I don’t know that it’s meant to be disrespectful. I think it’s more like a lack about how humanity can be. The woman thing, I think, is more about justice and respect. Because at this point, you have your mother, your sister, your daughter, and if you’re not giving them the equal time of day, then that’s just disrespect. You could apply the same logic to the LGBTQ community if your daughter or whoever is a part of that community, but it is a smaller community. Q: What is your most important value, and how does it correspond with what your religion has taught you? A: One of the biggest ones is the idea of debate. That’s what has always attracted me and intrigued me about Judaism. I see our traditions and our sacred texts as sacred arguments. Debate is an ability that implies there is a freedom of thought, and some boundaries, in the encouragement of questioning. That is a respect and understanding of freedom in the sensuality of debate, which means more than one point of view is delivered in a respectful way in order to understand a broader truth. Nobody has the full truth. We all have partial truth as individuals and as communities, and we need to work together to contribute what we know to be true in order to find something greater.

It’s not to say that you can’t have our smaller areas where we get to live out the truth as we see them. But when we come to solve bigger issues and communal issues, we need to be able to have these conversations in respectful ways to arrive at broader truths that are bigger than any single one of us. That’s the foundational value I see. In Judaism, that presents hope for our communities. But that’s one that seems high on my list as it’s central to the tradition; especially given the times we live in, or anytime in history. Even within the Jewish community, we don’t live up to that. We need to do just as much work in that area as interfaith and secular communities, because human beings are not good at this. Q: What interfaith partnerships do you have with the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) and the Christian Fellowship Church (CFC)? A: I inherited those wonderful relationships. We’re looking forward to renewing some activities with ADAMS, and we hosted a vaccination clinic with ADAMS recently. CFC moved somewhere else because of COVID, and I’m not sure where that part of the ABC [ADAMS, Beth Chaverim, and CFC], as we call ourselves, is headed. On that level, there’s a camaraderie that comes with being neighbors. I look forward to some more programs, both educational and social. In that regard, I’ve been in touch with the imam from ADAMS on a number of different occasions, and I look forward to working on more programs with him. One great effort was when we worked with Pastor Michelle from the Loudoun Interfaith Clergy Group in putting together a car caravan to local African-American sites for a tour. I think it’s important that we as a community are continually aware of, and educating ourselves about, our history here — African-American history specifically, and all American history. I have appreciated the support we’ve gotten in times when the Jewish community, thankfully not us specifically, but the Jewish community either in Virginia, Pittsburgh, or Poway were attacked. When certain crises come up, acts of violence or injustice, it’s important to know that we can count on each other to show support. It has been part of what we do, what I do, and what I will continue to do.

Local Ar tist Profile: Maria Brito Maria Brito is a visual artist who moved to the US 21 years ago and Loudoun 10 years ago from Venezuela. Her paintings and collages have been described by her mentors as “a mixture of modern impressionism, fantasy and nature, the use of overlapped figures, and oneiric images.” She often depicts plants, animals, and other life found in nature. Brito recently had two exhibitions displayed at Brambleton Library in Ashburn titled “In Contact with Planet Earth” and “Look What I Found in my Garden.” I recently interviewed Brito to discuss her work.

up in a house with an interior garden. It had two patios with plants, one in the kitchen and one on the back of the house. The plant’s house was everywhere. Many houses in Venezuela are open to what is happening outside. In our country, in Venezuela, the houses are open so the air flows inside and you can see nature. You can feel it. You can smell the plants, too. In my case, because I have this connection with part of this culture with the garden plants, and even the fruit trees–we have a lot of fruit trees–they are reflected in my artwork.

In your own words, how would you describe your art? That’s really cool, how I think it’s kind of unique in the way I express nature. Yeah yeah, it’s hard for Mostly all of my plants, even my collage, [are] from my imagination and not copying the reality outside. I have this feeling for the vibrancy in nature, but these images came from myself.

there’s gardens everywhere. me. For like a year [when I moved], I was like, “Where is a garden with flowers?” Another thing that was difficult to understand at first here is why, when people have these gardens and I have my garden, I couldn’t see the butterflies around or the bees. And this is because of this excess of pesticides here that we don’t have in my country. I used to play with the grasshoppers, butterflies, cicadas, and the bees, so I was missing these. We are connected to, in a certain way, to nature.

What first got you interested in being an artist? Since I was a child, I liked to draw and paint, so [art] was with me my whole life. While I was studying architecture, I was still interested in that. I used to take some of the subjects in my career in how Maria Brito standing next to “In Contact with to deal with art, too. And, Do you have any favorite Planet Earth” displayed in Brambleton Library even when I graduated, I childhood memories that continued my studies in Visual Arts, Cultural Heritage, you remember? Being outside in the garden is one of and Museography. I grew up in a house with a lot of the happiest [memories]. The other one is [sharing paintings because my father used to display and sell time] with family that I miss a lot because I don’t have art from Venezuela and [other] Impressionist artists. my family here. And more than the childhood, is a To look at all these paintings [was] like having a mini memory of the time [and] the weather in my country gallery in my home. My mother was a painter too. and the blue skies. I miss it a lot. It’s warm; it’s a warm country. How does your upbringing/your culture reflect in your art? I think I can reflect with color. I noticed when I Is there anyone in particular that you get your moved from my country, especially here, that the use of inspiration from? Not really. My mom was a painter, color in art is different. The Hispanic culture expresses a and it was so common for me since I was child to look lot of vibrancy with more strong colors like red, yellow, at her painting, but I don’t know if I can call this like an blue, maybe more “pure” colors. The other thing is this inspiration. I see art as ways of expression, you know, interaction, in my case, with plants and nature. I grew now that I grew up. Some certain people want to talk, 22

certain people want to make videos and make movies, and other people just paint; and this expression of your insides [makes] you feel good. You have this feeling that you need to do something with your hands. You’re kind of putting your feelings on your canvas.

country, Venezuela, for five years. What made me close was the suffering there. It’s just a repressive regime that is [oppressive] to the part of the population who don’t want to follow and, you know, it is hard. And then, with my artwork, in [a] certain way, I’ve been like an environmental activist too because I [had] this feeling So, I guess, in a way, you would say that you’re inspired about the importance of nature since I [was] a child. by yourself ? Yeah. I could have some inspiration from my mom and from all the paintings that were displayed I’m very sensitive to what happens around me with the in my parents house, but forest, with the plants, you they were very common know. For example, it’s to me. So, more than that, happening in Loudoun. it was these feelings, I The deforestation is going mean, that made me draw so fast that it hurts me, and and paint since I was a I even was involved, this child. year, in one of the causes here to save a river. Some Do you have a favorite housing development piece of art in this was going to destroy exhibition [“In Contact and pollute the river. with Planet Earth” or [The Loudoun Board of “Look What I Found in Supervisors] didn’t realize my Garden” displayed that the people [were] in Brambleton Library] going to get together. I or that you’ve just done kind of move the people in ever? I exhibited [this a certain way. I used social artwork shown to the media, and the hashtag right] in a gallery recently #SaveGooseCreek [which in Venezuela–Maracaibo I placed] on my car as is the city. This, at that well. Maybe people [were] time, [felt] like the most looking at this weirdo important painting I with the car with the made, and it’s one of the #SaveGooseCreek but biggest that I have done. when they [Googled it], I don’t know why [but] they could find [out] what it’s like a treasure for me. was happening. People I don’t know if I could worked together. And it [make] it again. And it’s was good. I felt so good like when I see it now about what I did. It was a I see the movement; I little stressful but we did see life. And I think I it; we saved the river. was working with art Leaves and Memories. 1999. Acrylic paint on canvas. therapies at one time in a Now, I’m trying to make workshop and then I discovered that maybe the holes people aware in the county [that] suddenly–I don’t [in the leaves painted] had to be with something in know why–the supervisors said, right now, that we my life. Everything is reflected in a painting, a certain need more housing and [some supervisors] are making way, that from itself. So, at this time, these holes mean zoning changes and not respecting any more of these many things, I believe. natural areas. So, people have to be aware of that. We cannot let every green area or forests or little pieces You call yourself an “artist-activist.” What causes of forest [be] left to be destroyed. We can develop the are close to you? I was a human rights activist for my county and the housing in a different way to respect 23

nature, and there is a way to do it. I’m an architect, and magazines some years ago. I love it: cooking and writing. I know I can do it in a different way. So, if people work And when I graduated, I [had] some certification with that, they don’t have to destroy so much. about inventory and research on cultural heritage in my country, so I relate that with the gastronomy, with Do you have any websites or organizations or food. So, these sites I have about Venezuelan food have something you just want to tell the readers of the a research tool that is free for the public. Every recipe magazine about your activism? I use social media has historical research that talks about where this kind a lot because people are getting informed right now of food or plate came [from] and how it took some through social media, and it’s even easier than [going] characteristics from my country and ideas from my door to door telling people what is happening and country. So this was one of my hobbies. Still, I like to calling people. You just put [it] in social media and cook a lot. Gardening, too. I love plants. Right now, create the hashtag. Especially in Facebook, there are I like butterfly gardens. I’m trying to do my gardens a lot of Loudoun community groups. So you can send without pesticides, with native plants and flowers. the information to all these Loudoun community groups–I managed to do this–and then people read Do you have any advice for upcoming artists or and learn about something that can happen to a green activists? I believe, as I told you, that art is not just area in the county. the decorative stuff, just to be placed to decorate Do you ever listen to a space. I believe that the music while you’re artists have things to say painting? No, I like through the artwork. And silence. I love silence. the artists and activists, I don’t need it. I don’t they can show some of know. I cannot be their feelings about the connected with the cause they are following noise. Even when I or a message. It is a good walk–I like to hike– opportunity to give a there [are] people that message to the people like to put the airpods who like to observe the with the music. I cannot art. It’s not all only color do it. I need to be and figures or something connected with [what] to decorate the wall. It’s is around me and the more than that; there is sound of the planet. something that you can say No, not the music. I like through that. So if people music sometimes, and I have the opportunity and A Portrait of Me. 2021. Collage on canvas. [liked] this more when I have a cause inside, inside was younger, but right now I prefer silence. the person that want to talk to the public, they can use this art to do that. And there are several, many I think, Are you reading any books right now or watching any artists that are doing this right now. I have a cousin shows? No. Sometimes I watch, the type you know, in New York that is passionate about political and maybe the romantic stuff, these things. I graduated as human rights issues, and when she paints, it’s about an architect, so I like design. Right now, I’m looking that. It’s very strong. You can do very strong things at one about houses, in other countries especially. The with activism and art. architecture is different than here. I was very grateful to talk to Maria Brito Visual Artist. I heard you mentioned you like to go hiking. Do you For more information, visit mabvisualartist.com and have any other hobbies that you like, besides hiking? on Instagram @mabvisualartist. Brito also currently I like cooking, and I used to write about Venezuela has art on sale at Annemarie Sculpture Garden & Arts and gastronomy, the typical foods. I had a website, and Center (13470 Dowell Rd. Solomons, MD 20688) even some of this writing was published in some digital available until January 1, 2022. 24

Earth. 2020. Collage on canvas.

Lost at Sea. 2021. Collage on canvas.

“ You can do very strong things with activism and art.”

Vibrant and Alive creatures. 2021. Acrylic paint on canvas.

The Best Banana Bread When I was a little girl, I would always “help” my mom

bake. By “help,” I mean I would pour in the milk, sugar, and eggs, and then get distracted by something else, always coming back just in time to taste test. The older I got, the more I would help, until eventually, I was making goodies on my own. I still loved to bake with my mom, and work on new recipes. This melt-in-your-mouth banana heaven sweetness, that we call the Best Banana Bread, is a year’s long process to recipe perfection… but we finally made it! We make this banana bread quite often. So much so, that it’s famous with friends and family. It’s too good not to share, and since we know you’ll want it to be perfect, here are some “pro” tips: 1. Use good quality butter, like Kerrygold. 2. Make sure your bananas are ripe but not complete mush. 3. Don’t be exact on the sugar, it’s perfectly okay to have your cup slightly overflowing 4. Use stoneware loaf pans!!! Bonus tip: If you have ripe bananas but aren’t ready to make banana bread, that’s okay, just peel them, pop them in a ziplock bag and freeze them! Ingredients: 1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter 2 Large Eggs 2 cups + ¼ cup Sugar 1 cup Milk 1 teaspoon Vanilla 26

1 teaspoon Baking Soda 2 teaspoons Baking Powder 3 cups Flour 3 mashed bananas (ripe) Directions: Mix together dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and set aside. Cream together butter, eggs, 2 cups sugar (save ¼ cup for later), and vanilla. Slowly add in milk and mix on medium speed until mixture is mostly smooth. While keeping the mixer on low, slowly add in dry ingredients until well incorporated, then mix on medium high for one minute. Smash 3 ripe bananas then add to the mixture and mix on medium high for 1 minute. Fill mixture into 2 8- or 9-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the top of each loaf. Bake on 350℉ for 45 minutes to 1 hour until center is no longer gooey. Cool and enjoy! Article by Ella Huck

“Woman Redefined”

Recently, the Board of Loudoun Community Press received

the following submission from Kashvi Ramani, a Loudoun County Public Schools high school student attending Rock Ridge High School. Ramani wrote: As a response to the current LCPS sexual assault incidents that have come to light, here is a poem of mine, entitled “Woman Redefined.” Loudoun Community Press is pleased to publish this poem and hope it inspires dialogue in our Loudoun communities. “Woman Redefined” -no, but a young Woman can be criticized for anything She does. wears a little makeup to make Herself feel good (no, don’t cake your face and fool the boys). cries when She’s had enough (no, your life is perfect, pain undeserved). tries in school (no, boys don’t like them smart), acts a fool (no, all Girls are the same). “No” stops stinging, the word’s frequency now a dull throb. but when She’s terrified, knows this isn’t what She wants, “no” doesn’t roll off the tongue. gets stuck in Her throat. leaves Her feeling the broken She knows they call her. but no, forget it happened, no, it’s Her fault. 18th century made evolution, no, revolution, no, condemnation of fabric of country. founding fathers preach new ideas with a blind eye to Women suffrage, no, to slavery, no, to peace and prosperity. why do we let a country created by men, now run by men, no, ruined by men, ruin once again? teetering laws are arguing parents“no, honey let the grown-ups talk”. they decide our fates like karma, force fingers to our lips and silence our cries. our hands itch to push back, but no, a “good Girl” rests hands in laps. even when they strip us of all liberties. make us more bone, no, more object, than Woman, the blame of their actions still weigh on us like a storm cloud that never. stops. pouring. so we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders,

know that men will claim the burden is left to them. no, but we agree with tight-lipped smiles and teary eyes as another woman preaches “boys will be boys”. and the cycle continues. no. ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. no. we can’t sit back and watch as Her beauty is taken, no, ripped, and Her joy with it. no. don’t succumb to the sword they brandish over and over, no, we’ve always been the better fighters. because we’ve never. stopped. fighting. break the cycle with the hands you were told to keep gentle break tradition, break submission, redefine “Woman”. Recorded Video: https://youtu.be/ kMPmcqnZm-8 Poem and video by Kashvi Ramani

Recorded Video: https://youtu.be/kMPmcqnZm-8 27

Loudoun County Public Library’s Write On Contest First prize winner! Tillie sat in the car in the strip mall parking lot, waiting for her girls to get out of tap class. She used to be able to go in and watch the class; since COVID, however, she’d been banished to the hot car in the eventless parking lot. Located between a kitchen fixture store and cell phone dealer, the dance studio had managed to find the perfect combination of cheap rent and uninteresting surroundings. Tillie appreciated the fact that their rent was cheap, as it meant more affordable classes; she did not, however, appreciate sitting in a stuffy car in the middle of summer. A cigar shop and dry cleaners finished out the store fronts. There was no coffee shop, no donuts, not even a smoothie shop. She was officially trapped in sweltering boredom. Flipping through a magazine, Tillie glanced out her window from time to time, hoping to see a cute bird or the stray cat she’d seen months back. Maybe an acquaintance would walk through the parking lot and she could exchange a wave. It was on the third of these glances that she spotted him. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there…. maybe he’d been there all along just as he was now, stone still, wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants that almost matched the tan walls of the store fronts. The only reason she noticed him at all was because his sign moved slightly when a breeze brushed past him. At first, she didn’t pay any attention to his face; she was too busy trying to make out the writing on the canvas. It was not unusual to see people asking for help on this side of town. She could have passed him half a dozen times already and would not have thought a thing of it. What was unusual, however, was a sign that 28

looked like his. It wasn’t just the colors that drew her eyes, but the artistic quality, the entire layout. She instantly was struck and found herself almost gawking, both trying to make out the writing on it and genuinely drawn to the mini masterpiece itself. She was unabashedly staring when a slight movement switched her focus up, where she saw two eyes watching her. There was no smile in them but no animosity, either. If anything, she would have described his expression as void of emotion, but he didn’t come across as cold. Instead, it was almost as if he were waiting for her. Startled by the unexpected eye-contact, she quickly looked down at her lap and made a show of how interested she was in the fancy mac and cheese recipe on the page in front of her. A few minutes later, she side-eyed him to see if the man was still looking at her. He was not. The sign, however, was. After a few moments, curiosity outweighed courtesy, and she decided it was more important to her to read the painting than it was to pretend that she didn’t care. As she continued to stare at it, determinedly avoiding looking at the artist, she finally made out a few words: “YOU ARE DOING WELL.” This was followed by another sentence she couldn’t quite read. She was pretty sure there would be some request following, such as, “….SO CAN’T YOU PLEASE SPARE A BIT?” Story by Leanne Gibson Manzo Continue reading the full story at https://loudouncountymagazine.com/words/ “Feedstacks II.” Oil on linen panel, Suzanne Lago Arthur

Events to Explore in LoCo Wood Fired Pizza Making Class

Written by Mason Kinnahan Written by

Nomini Bay Oyster Festival

Have you ever wondered how to make the perfect pizza? Well, come join Chef Curtis Allred at Wood Fired Pizza every Thursday night from 6pm-7:30pm to get tips and make the perfect wood fired pizza. The price to attend is $25-$28, but included is your very own individual pizza making kit and two adult beverages. Must be 21+ to attend.

Come join the folks at Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch, LLC and Dirt Farm Brewing to enjoy some of their famous oysters! The Festival will be hosted on Saturday December 4th and sunday December 5th from 11am to 7pm at Dirt Farm Brewing in the mountains. Enjoy your oysters raw or charbroiled with a perfect complement of Dirt Farm beer. This event is open to all age groups.

Every Thursday 6pm-7:30pm

Saturday December 4th and Sunday December 5th from 11am to 7pm

1600 Village Market Blvd, Suite 120 Leeeburg, VA 20175

LVFC Pancake Breakfast

18701 Foggy Bottom Road Bluemont, VA 20135

Last Ham Standing Comedy Improv

Join the firefighters and volunteers of Loudoun County from 7am-11am on the last Saturday of every month at the Station 1 fire station. It is $8 for one platter or $20 for three. For seniors (65+) and active and veteran military it costs $5 for one platter. They will accept walkins and will feed everyone until they run out or until 11am.

Do you love comedy? Well, if yes, this is definitely the event for you! On January 7th from 8pm-9:30pm come watch the Last Ham Standing...the other comedy meat at the Franklin Park Performing Arts Center. The cost to enter is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $12 for kids. The group of performers will interact with the audience to create crazy scenes and funny games. It’ll be a great night out for the family!

Last Saturday of every month from 7am-11am

January 7th from 8pm-9:30pm

215 Loudoun St SW

Lost Barrel Brewing Music Trivia

36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville, VA 20132

High School Winter Sports

Come and join the people at Lost Barrel Brewing every Thursday night at 6pm for music trivia! You can bring family, friends, or anyone in between. The event lasts two hours and if you know your music then I definitely recommend you come!

It’s around that time of year for Winter Sports! High School winter sports are starting up and you should go and support them! Check your local high school’s athletic page for more information.

Every Thursday at 6pm to 8pm

Game Time!

36138 John Mosby Highway Middleburg, VA 20117

Your local high school

Loudoun Teens in Action Teens Taking on Homelessness

It is no secret that homelessness is a prevalent issue in our nation, especially within large metro areas such as Washington D.C. At any given time, thousands of homeless citizens line the streets, with large encampments forming around bridges and green spaces. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, nearly 6,000 Virginia residents are homeless. Similarly, over 6,000 residents in the District of Columbia are homeless. These staggering statistics indicate that homelessness in Loudoun County where this magazine is published is an issue that needs our community’s attention. Many would argue that this is an issue only the government can solve, however, youth involvement in activism and politics is expanding. This desire among young people for change is strongly felt in Northern Virginia, where a group of Loudoun County teens is aiming to take matters into their own hands and put an end to homelessness. The Simple Truth is a local nonprofit organization that was co-founded by high school students Keerthi Uppalapati and Angela Gu. The organization seeks to not only combat homelessness in the DMV area but also educate local youth on the effects of homelessness and possible solutions to the issue. This education is desperately needed, as homelessness rates are quickly rising. According to a March 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness in the U.S. has risen 2.2 percent since 2019. Continue reading at: https://loudouncountymagazine. com/loudoun-teens-take-on-homelessness/ Article by Olivia Zavadil 30

Launching a Global Magazine

How am I qualified enough to decide who deserves to

be helped? I wasn’t sure about the answer, but I wanted to find a way to get involved. One day, I was scrolling through the official Instagram page of Loudoun Youth and found a life-changing orange-colored piece of post -- a flyer that Loudoun County Magazine was looking for student contributors. Since becoming part of this program, I’ve enjoyed so much. LCM provides me with abundant opportunities to meet amazing guest speakers, meet fellow student contributors from across the county, who I would not have met otherwise. I also learn critical skills about magazine production. On a personal note, this project helped me revive my dad’s love of photography, his one and only hobby. Due to LCM, my dad’s work was in a local photo exhibition at the George C. Marshall International Center. What’s more is that my experience at LCM has inspired me to find a feasible way to bring my ultimate dream to my local community while still committed to my life as a high school student here in Loudoun: to establish a global issues magazine at Independence High School. I am especially interested to include the Rwandan Genocide. I hope my global issue publication will address the lack of attention the world has given this significant issue and to empower people to fight for global issues they care about. I am cofounding my magazine with my friend Avery Phillips and I have identified a sponsor for this project: my AP Human Geography teacher, Dr. Miller. I am indeed afraid, especially since I am not extroverted. But I believe in the power of how small things can change our entire lives. While it seems like one person cannot change the entire world, we can each do our part. And that is how we change the world. Special thanks to LCM and JessicaMonte, the best director and mentor who offered me such an inspiring, prodigious program. Excerpt from an essay by Yoobin Lee

Services offered

About Loudoun County Magazine Loudoun County Magazine is dedicated to vibrant Loudoun County and is produced in three parts: by high school students attending Loudoun County Public Schools, writers participating in Loudoun County Public Library’s writing contests, and residents served by Loudoun non-profit organizations. Loudoun County Magazine is overseen by the Board of Directors of Loudoun Community Press and is an umbrella literacy publication intended to: 1) connect Loudoun students and residents in meaningful ways, 2) encourage students’ exploration of arts, literature and multimedia communications, and 3)provide Loudoun’s multifaceted community with learning and dialogue opportunities.

Multiple platforms leverage your business. Printed bi-annually, LCMG is a print and online digital magazine, website, and media outlet that provides:

Combining exquisite art and photography with compelling stories, poetry and articles, Loudoun County Magazine celebrates the good life, tastes, and trends found exclusively in Loudoun County. The publication features:

Custom Content

Sweepstakes

Loudoun County Magazine Winter 2021 Issue

Articles inside

DC Fashion Week Fall 2021

Poetry Corner

LCPL “ Write On” Winner

Holiday Recipe: Banana Bread

Leadership: Rabbi Amy Sappowith

Winter Music in Loudoun County

Technology & Entrepreneurism: Shyam Salona

Tastemaker: Allision Courtney of Leukemia Lymphoma Society

Making a Difference Locally & Worldwide: The George C. Marshall International Center

Opinion: Students Weigh in on School Lunch

Parking Space Art

Home: Sustainable Living this Winter

Power of Positivity

DC Fashion Week