Thriving Voices

By: Andrew Schneider
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  • Summary

  • Join us as Arlington Thrive's Executive Director, Andrew Schneider talks with experts, community leaders, and folks living and working in our community to discuss how we can work together to make our community more just, and equitable, and where we all have homes, are financially stable, and thrive. Learn more at Arlingtonthrive.org or send us ideas for a topic or speakers at thrivingvoices@arlingtonthrive.org
    2022
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Episodes
  • Ep. 5 - How Cornerstones is Meeting the Vital Needs of our Community With Kerrie Wilson

    Ep. 5 - How Cornerstones is Meeting the Vital Needs of our Community With Kerrie Wilson
    Dec 30 2022
    In this episode of the Thriving Voices podcast, Andrew talks with Kerrie Wilson to discuss how Cornerstones is helping people build more stable lives by connecting them to vital resources that solve their needs for housing, childcare, food and financial assistance.  With 40 years’ experience in advocacy, policy development, and nonprofit leadership in the field of health and human services, Kerrie holds fast to the vision of a community where all have equitable access to the resources they need to participate and prosper. As CEO of the Northern Virginia based nonprofit Cornerstones and its affiliate, Cornerstones Housing Corporation, Kerrie has helped create that community through innovative and strategic partnerships, impactful programs, and successful advocacy for those whose voices needs to be heard.  In this episode, Andrew and Kerrie Discuss:  How Cornerstones serves the community How suburban growth is changing and evolving  communities How to include your community in planning decisions Why creating resources when infrastructure is not as robust can be difficult on communities How helping community members acquire or build assets benefits everyone What is the Cornerstones Childcare Resource Center What is Opportunity Neighborhoods  What Kerrie thinks it takes for a community to thrive fully?   Work locally.  How do you help your community to thrive?   Go in with an open mind and listen.    More About Kerrie and Cornerstones   Kerrie Wilson, CEO, Cornerstones and Cornerstones Housing Corporation: When Kerrie Wilson was presented with The Commonwealth Institute’s Virginia Legacy Award in 2016, she was described as “a tireless advocate for positive change on issues that strengthen families and communities in Virginia.”  Prior to joining Cornerstones in 2001, Kerrie’s career began at the American Cancer Society where she worked on issues related to cancer prevention and control in women, minorities and the medically underserved as the National Vice President for Government Relations / Policy Advocacy. Kerrie has been a champion for affordable housing and co-chairs the Board of Supervisors’ appointed Fairfax County Affordable Housing Advisory Council (AHAC) which advances equitable, affordable and workforce housing development and preservation. In addition to serving on the boards of the Dulles Regional and Greater Reston chambers of commerce, she served as the Treasurer of the Meyer Foundation and currently serves as Treasurer on the board of the Virginia Nonprofit Leadership Council. Cornerstones exists so that individuals and families in the Dulles corridor who are homeless, isolated, or living in poverty can access resources that offer stability, empowerment and hope for healthy and connected lives. Cornerstones’ signature approach – working in purposeful and targeted partnerships – brings together people and strategies from multiple sectors to harness and target expertise and resources for greater community well-being.   For nearly 50 years, Cornerstones has been helping neighbors in need overcome tough economic times in an already high cost-of-living region. The service area of Cornerstones has grown to include most of northwestern Fairfax County.  Each of us can become a Cornerstone and continue our history of helping people build more stable lives by connecting them to vital resources that solve their needs for housing, childcare, food or financial assistance.  Website   Facebook Instagram Linkedin  Connect with Andrew Schneider   Thrivingvoices@arlingtonthrive.org   To learn more about Arlington Thrive, visit arlingtonthrive.org   Follow Arlington Thrive on   Facebook   Linkedin   Instagram  
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    31 mins
  • Ep. 4 - How Creating Affordable Housing Benefits Communities with NVAHA Executive Director, Michelle Krocker

    Ep. 4 - How Creating Affordable Housing Benefits Communities with NVAHA Executive Director, Michelle Krocker
    Dec 16 2022

    Housing is a key ingredient to ensuring the economic well-being of all communities. Why are people fearful of affordable housing in their areas? How can communities embrace affordable housing projects so their economies can thrive?  

    In this episode of the Thriving Voices podcast, Andrew talks with Michelle Krocker, Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) Executive Director, to discuss why the development of affordable housing is crucial to community and economic sustainability 

    Michelle Krocker is a public policy and community development consultant, assisting private sector organizations and local governments in creating diverse, affordable communities through effective housing and land use policies. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance, a regional advocacy coalition working at the intersection of housing education, advocacy, and policies for systems change. Grounding their work in racial and health equity, NVAHA seeks to address the unmet housing needs of Northern Virginia’s low and moderate-income households. 

    In this episode, Andrew and Michelle Discuss the following: 

    • How the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance serves the community 
    • How the housing landscape changed in Northern Virginia  
    • Why accomplishing the goals of housing affordability has become so elusive 
    • How taxpayer's resistance to affordable housing has affected NVAHA's advocacy efforts 
    • Surprising and Disappointing affordable housing developments during Michelle's tenure 
    • Why Resident Services regarding outside ecosystems are so important 
    • How the affordable housing space incorporates residents into the power structure 
    • Why power dynamics should be considered when incorporating residents into the decision-making process 
    • How do we expand the concept of affordable housing to include asset generation while including stability and affordable rates 

    What Michelle thinks it takes for a community to thrive fully?  

    Value the potential of all residents 

    How do you help your community to thrive?  

    Become more involved in your community.  Attend meetings, talk to elected officials, and find a non-profit organization to contribute to. 

    More About Michelle Krocker and Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance 

    https://nvaha.org/ 

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellekrocker/ 

    Prior to joining the Alliance, Michelle was Director of Housing and Community Development for Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith), a human services agency serving low income families in northwestern Fairfax County. In that capacity, she led the department in the acquisition, financing and rehabilitation of scattered-site rental housing for households served by the agency. Michelle has served on multiple citizen advisory boards. She was a member of the Tysons Land Use Task Force (2005 – 2010), charged with planning the redevelopment of 1700 acres of Tysons Corner, and Chair of its Affordable Housing Subcommittee. She also served on the Housing Advisory Board to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, acting as Chairman for two years. Current advisory boards include the Greater Washington Community Development Council for Truist, the Housing Leaders Group of Greater Washington, the Fairfax County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (Chair), and Vice-Chair, Board of Directors for Housing Forward Virginia, a statewide housing education and policy organization. In 2015, Michelle was awarded the inaugural “Game Changer Award” by the Virginia Housing Alliance for her work exemplifying ‘significant and innovative impact on the affordable housing industry.’ Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Mason University, and a Master of Arts in Environmental and Urban Planning from the University of Virginia. 

    Connect with Andrew Schneider  

    Thrivingvoices@arlingtonthrive.org  

    To learn more about Arlington Thrive, visit arlingtonthrive.org  

    Follow Arlington Thrive on  

    Facebook  

    Linkedin  

    Instagram  
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    32 mins
  • Ep. 3 - Why Emphasizing Equity in Economic Mobility will Benefit Metropolitan Washington with Chuck Bean

    Ep. 3 - Why Emphasizing Equity in Economic Mobility will Benefit Metropolitan Washington with Chuck Bean
    Dec 2 2022

    Is it possible to create economic mobility for all members of our community? Can we bring equity into vital issues like transportation and housing?    

    In this episode of the Thriving Voices podcast, Andrew talks with Chuck Bean, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to discuss how COG prioritizes and plans for important issues like the environment, transportation and public safety for the Metropolitan Washington area. 

    Chuck Bean is an executive and civic leader with more than 25 years of experience in government, nonprofits, and philanthropy. Since 2012, Bean has served as Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), one of the country’s prominent regional councils and metropolitan planning organizations. COG is an independent, nonprofit association that brings area leaders together to address major regional issues, including economic development, land-use, human services, public safety, and environmental and transportation planning. Its membership is comprised of 300 elected officials from 24 local governments, the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, and U.S. 

    In this episode, Andrew and Chuck Discuss: 

    • What is the purpose of the Council of Governments 
    • A brief history of population and economic growth history in the Arlington area 
    • How transportation planning can increase economic mobility for all 
    • The Malaise and Mojo of the Arlington area 
    • Why rapid growth effects homelessness 
    • What factors do economic mobility depend on 

     

    What Chuck thinks it takes for a community to thrive fully?  

    The inclusion of everybody in opportunity 

    How do you help your community to thrive?  

    Volunteering and being active in the public sphere 

     

    More About Chuck Bean and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 

    Bean previously served as President of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and the Director of the Community Capacity Fund. Bean earned his Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. 

    Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) website: https://www.mwcog.org/ 

    Twitter: @Chuck4theRegion 

     

    Connect with Andrew Schneider  

    Thrivingvoices@arlingtonthrive.org  

    To learn more about Arlington Thrive, visit arlingtonthrive.org  

    Follow Arlington Thrive on  

    Facebook  

    Linkedin  

    Instagram  
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    30 mins
Management Economics Social Sciences
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