NOVASEN General Body Meeting

Attendees:  Caroline, Eleanor, Kei, Johanna, Nairuti, Rose Ann

Guest Attendee:  Julia Keane

• Welcome and updates

  • Decidim updates

    • Next Steps: Start migrating info from Docs/Excel

  • Housing task force updates / next steps (Caroline / Kei)

    • Scoping and research initiative entered into Decidim

    • Caroline spoke with tenant union member based in DC, discussed opportunities for collab with DC-based collectives

      • "We need a DMV tenant union"

        • Homework: looking up tenant organizing efforts, chapters and bylaws in Spain and Maine

        • Had been connected with MoCo

        • Had been in-contact with 2 affordable buildings in NOVA

        • Tenant organizer running for DC Council: Apurna Raj

      • Opportunities to connect as NOVASEN

        • Introduce to Arlington folks

        • Stomp Out Slumlords - eviction prevention canvassing, can follow group on next advocacy day

        • Community in DC  - they have a how-to on having effective communication with people who are tricky

          • (AEIOU Template)

    • Next Steps: 

      • Set timeline for research/interviews

      • Reach out to broker about their thoughts on tenant land acquisition efforts

  • DNOVA council updates

    • People’s Table next steps 

• Data Centers (Nairuti)

  • Institute for Local Self-Reliance is producing podcast series on impact of data centers across the country

    • What is being done to push back?

  • Southern MD has been very activated by concerns about data centers; not so much public outcry in Virginia

  • Ashburn - a lot of local pushback is from wealthier, whiter residents who are more offended by aesthetics than environmental justice

    • Class discrepancy with regard to community awareness/pushback

    • Much conversation at policy level is center-right with regard to economy

      • Mark Warner

      • Suhas Subramayan is inviting pushback at policy level

      • Walkinshaw might be a good ally; his jurisdiction

• Rapid response in Arlington (police incident) - Caroline/Julia 

  • DC and Arlington PD involved in brutal detainment of (2) Black 18-year-olds for metro fare evasion, during evening rush hour in Pentagon City

    • SUVs started parking outside metro entrance about an hour before arrests

    • Many of the responding units onsite were DC-based and used an unusual amount of force during the arrests

      • This comes at a time when congress is advocating to increase police presence in DC

    • (1) individual charged with felony over prior warrants

    • Nairuti reached out to contact at Harriet’s Wildest Dreams

  • Concerning spillover of police violence from DC into Virginia; in this case also directed towards DC residents

  • Lack of clear court support/jail watch/rapid response team in Arlington

  • Clear throughline with immigration arrests

  • DC activists who were present for the arrests expressed desire for improved information sharing / support that is DMV-wide

  • Next Steps: 

    • Plug in w/ La Collectiva

    • Know Your Rights handouts

    • Attend local hearings

    • Planning to discuss NoVa police during next Free DC // DMV Allies virtual meeting Wednesday, 12/17

      • ALX Sheriff is contradicting city council and collaborating with ICE over administrative warrants

• Mutual Aid/Service

  • Arlington Seed

  • Casa Mariflor

    • Johanna a shared list of resource providers dedicated to Arlington County needs

      • Who are the key people?

    • Mariflor is looking for a space, currently using trailer

      • 501(c)(3)

      • Thrift store idea for her to distribute goods

    • Action: Can we acquire a vacant retail lot for her to conduct business?

      • Confirm priorities for space/siting

        • Columbia Pike?

        • Room for bulk deliveries/storage?

      • Reach out to ethical brokers

      • Could it be a shared business space?  Not sure if that makes it easier or harder to acquire space

    • Action: Grant applications

      • Opportunities grant, deadline Jan-13

        • Could we apply as NOVASEN?

      • Arlington Community Foundation

        • Opportunities for different initiatives

• Debriefing the dinner event

  • The dinner functioned really well as an opportunity to slow down and connect with other community members

    • 30 attendees - yay! 

    • Budget: We still have $200 dollars (People’s Table)

    • Gathering felt representative of NOVA

  • How are we following up with folks? 

  • Next Steps:

    • Johanna to send event summary and photos to Gabe

    • Reach back out to attendees and continue to build relationships; get on their newsletters, listservs

    • Work on our contact database, update, send a follow up email? (Eleanor) CenaComunitaria_12-04_guests.xlsx

    • Everyday Canvassing 

    • Copy of Harvest Tool: Next System Teach-Ins 2025 - who can take the lead on filling this out for NSS? 

• NoVASEN

  • How do we engage a community in a way that feels meaningful?

  • How do we address resultant issues? Such as mental health

  • Focus: Housing Justice, Mutual Aid, 1 more thing didn't catch it

  • We don't have to be all things to all people, but being a newcomer-friendly connector is a huge strength

  • "In order to stay relevant as organizers, we have to keep our community intact" (Rose Ann)

    • Even swapping recipes

  • Any year-end goals?

Next Steps: 

• Ideas for field trips!

  • Sunday, December 07: Join Redilicious at Edgewood Community Farm, 2:45 - 5

    • Reschedule for 12/21?

    • Sam from Redelicious reached out to share that their group focuses on gathering food waste from farmers markets or other venues that have extra supply.  Volunteers from throughout the DMV gather every Sunday to help out, and it’s possible to get in on carpool

      • Also helped launch DC Community Health Builders to build a vision for cooperative economic development

      • Also directed us to Beloved Community Incubator, which has a more regional focus

      • Would love to collab!

  • Saturday, December 13: Council meeting that La Collectiva will be attending

  • Anytime: Public Hearings

• Eleanor to work on contact database

• Look into who might be engaged in Data Center discussion

• Reflect on what we've accomplished since a year ago

  • Decidim set up (https://novasen.org/) 

  • More robust attendance, not officially established