Children in a white school called Silcott Springs.  On Paxon Road.

2022

Made a well-received presentation to the June 2022 Annual Conference of the Country School Association of America (CSAA) in Golden Colorado.

Continued as an active member of the Douglass Commemorative Committee and as a key partner in a consortium aiming to preserve the legacy of Douglass High School.

Actively involved in negotiating an MOU with LCPS (Loudoun County Public Schools) on further partnering.  

Developing a fresh partnership with LCPS on GIS, the digital mapping of historical schools.

Completed Dirt Don’t Burn, a book developed for Georgetown University Press.

Made plans for books on County Training Centers and examples of County-Wide associations of Black PTAs.

2021

2021/22.  Meetings have been virtual, due to Covid-19.  Continued our relationship with the County School Association of America, Developed a relationship with NOVEC and continued with our relationship with Georgetown University Press and LCPS.  See meetings for details.

2020

2020.   New guidance was provided by the Board of Directors on the Bulletin and other activities. Meetings were held virtually.  Developed a relationship with Georgetown University and the Washington Post wrote a major article on the Edwin Washington Project.

2018/2019

2018/2019: In November and December 2018, a proposed plan of action for the various projects began to circulate.

On November 10, 2018:  Cosponsored a conference with Loudoun County Public Schools. called Dirt Don’t Burn, which explored the experiences of African-Americans in segregated schools.  This was covered by three news stories.   Loudoun Now Oct 31.   Loudoun Now Nov 12.   American System Nov 12.

In November, 2018, we took control of the Bulletin of the Loudoun County Historical Society, now called the Bulletin of Loudoun County History.  More to be written on this.

Informal discussions with the Board in 2018 confirmed the decision to expand the Board in 2019.

February, 2018.   Annual Meeting held elected officers and Board Members, endorsed a financial plan and also endorsed strategic plan for corporation, which included plans to permanently protect the Edwin Washington Files.  These covered The Edwin Washington Project, the John Rust Archives, the United Nations, and other important matters.

• The Edwin Washington Project: Our flagship effort.
• The John Rust Archives: A large number of historical documents donated to our organization in 2017.  They cover schools and the economic and social history of Loudoun, as well as the Rust family, dating back to 1832.
• The Bulletin for Loudoun County History: A new project enabling us to publish the results of our research and build relationships with other researchers.
• The United Nations Project. Included a new recommendation to join Civicus, a global non-profit network, and gain associated status with UN/DPI (Department of Public Information) and ECOSOC, important U.N. bodies, which will give us opportunities to influence international policies on diversity and human rights, as well as link with potential donor and policy partners.
• Fundraising, Speaker and Media Events, Mapping, mainly about expanding the effort, Special Progress Reports due in late 2019 and early 2020, Journal on Black Education in the region.  Put off until 2022, Interviews, Websites, the Catalog and Files, Partnering with Local Leaders and organizations, Volunteers, including the need for a volunteer coordinator
• In 2018, additional discussions were held within the Board of Directors to seek associated status with ECOSOC and possibly foster an academic journal in order to broaden our message’s appeal and audience.  The rationale behind joining ECOSOC was that it (or some other UN association status) would broaden our network on contacts in the field of diversity and equality.

2017

November 6, 2017.   The Board met at  Kirin Cafe, 43053 Pemberton Square # 100, Chantilly, VA 20152 and agreed that any volunteer who wishes to may attend Board meetings. DFV 2017 Board Meeting

2016

 

In 2016, Diversity Fairs agreed to be the funding mechanism for the Edwin Washington Project, which still retaining the option to hold fairs and support other projects that advance a diversified society.

On October 8, 2016, the Board of Directors met.   Doc 1 DFV 2016 Sep 20   Doc 2  DFV 2016 Budget 1  Doc 3 DFV 2016 EWP strategic goals2  Doc 4  DFV Board Oct 2016

On September 20, 2016, the Board of Directors met at the Balch Library.  DFV 2016 Sep 20

On June 4, 2016, an annual meeting of the Diversity Fairs of Virginia was held and reelected Mssrs Roeder, Ihara and Sharma.   Anthony Arciero was then added to the Board of Directors and a fresh strategic plan was also adopted to cover the next 24 months.  This plan includes bringing on two more Directors in 2019.  Doug Miller was added shortly thereafter.

In 2016 DFV advocated for the Islamic Art Show in Loudoun County.  The event was sponsored by the Art Committee of Loudoun County.  Larry Roeder was vice Chair at the time.

2015

In April, 2015, DFV responded to calls from local Nepali-Americans to support relief efforts in that country, due to an earthquake.  This effort was led by Hari Sharma, DFV Treasurer.

In 2015, we supported the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, feeling this was an attack on freedom of speech and the press.  This effort was led by Roeder.

March 11, 2015,  First actual fair is announced.  DFV 2015 Fair Announcement

2014

On September, 21, 2014, the first annual meeting of the Diversity Fairs of Virginia was held and it was reported by Larry Roeder that the IRS gave the firm an EIN and that the firm was also incorporated in the State of Virginia.   Draft bylaws were proposed and eventually adopted.  Larry Roeder was elected President.  Hari Sharma was elected  Treasurer.   Randy Ihara was elected Secretary.  Mssrs Roeder, Sharma and Ihara were also elected as members of the Board of Directors, with Mr. Roeder as Chairman.   It was agreed on the suggestion of Larry Roeder to also explore expanding the Board. A plan of action for 2014 was also agreed.

April 19, 2014 and April 26:    Organization discussions were held at the Balch Library on April 19 and at the Gum Springs Library on April 26.

Feb, 2014.   Discussions began on the idea of DFV .   Larry Roeder first considered the idea during talks at his Mosque, the ADAMS Center in Sterling, Virginia,  watching their fairs and the use of venders during Friday prayers to sell food and trinkets.   Both ADAMS Center and Reverend Early, then Chair of the Loudoun Chapter of the NAACP, expressed support, as did Pastor Lawson of the Prosperity Baptist Church.  Mr. Roeder is also a member of  Prosperity.  Randy Ihara, Hari Sharma and Larry Roeder developed the concept of Diversity Fairs in 2014, which is a non-partisan entity.  The Board also incorporated the entity in the State of Virginia as a 501(c)(3.

It was also agreed that meetings of the body could not be partisan, meaning a venue for candidates, nor associated with political or religious cults; but the future body could invite elected officials  to speak on the importance of diversity, immigration reform, etc, so long as contrasting points of view were allowed.   The discussants also wanted to see interactions with experts on the citizen process and local services.  Though a simple idea, the discussants also understood that it would require a lot of work and coordination, permits, etc.  We did not have a budget at that time, so worked on that notion with friends who were CPA’s.  We also talked to Malcolm Baldwin (a well-known farmer) and the South riding, HOA, as well as the City of Leesburg.  Donna Bohanon, Chair of the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Balch Library, noted supported and mentioned in a document provided by Mr. Tim Martino, Principal of the Fredrick Douglass Elementary School (FDES).  It contained interesting facts about the BHC and Loudoun County African American history.   These questions were part of a presentation she gave for an Ice Cream Social/Open House the BHC and LC Public Schools hosed at the Fredrick Douglass Elementary School for the community.    It is interesting to note that the FDES project, spearheaded by Loudoun County Public Schools and with George Mason University, is one of the BHC’s most successful projects.  One of many accomplishments that resulted from this project is a Memorial Wall highlighting some of the local African Americans that were prominent in the de-segregation of schools. The wall is on display at the new FDES that sits on the grounds of the original FDES that remained segregated through 1968!  Discussions were also held with Kelly Burk.